Yes, I'm one of THOSE people ... maybe

I hate the war that vaccinations have become.

They are good. Really, really good.

But there are times when they aren't as good as they are supposed to be. And that is when I really get the "other side" that opts to take their chances.

Like 3 months ago, when Pebbles had a severe reaction to her DTP booster. It took a full month until her leg looked normal and she was back to normal behavior.

It scared the living daylights out of me.

It was recommended that we report the reaction to the CDC - so when I went to the first of many follow-up visits, I mentioned it to Dr. Grumps (not his real name) - the partner of our regular pediatrician, who is very competent, but has very a patriarchal, authoritarian bedside manner which makes me hate having to schedule an appointment when he's the one open. Dr. Grumps dismissed it. "Sometimes we over-react and assume it is the vaccine and it isn't," he said. And then he pumped Pebbles full of antibiotics - sure. Over reaction.

Day 1. Vaccine. Totally fine kiddo.
Day 2. Morning. Totally fine kiddo. Small red spot.
Day 2. Afternoon. NOT AT ALL FINE kiddo. Enormous (her whole thigh) red/purply/rashy looking thing all over her leg. Her leg is 3 times its normal size. She's cranky. Low fever. Leg is burning hot. She won't let anyone touch it.

Weeks later, after massive antibiotics (the follow-up one causing nausea/diarrhea for several days), her leg still looked abnormal, she was still cranky, she still wasn't sleeping. She still wasn't the same child "before". The doctor still insisted it wasn't CDC-worthy because it was so rare. So rare, because no one ever reports anything?

I began researching - turns out it IS uncommon according to the CDC. It is NOT as uncommon as they think, however, based on the number of parents sharing pictures and reaciton stories about the DPT vaccine. Pictures that looked just like Pebbles' leg.

Yesterday was Pebbles' 18-month well baby checkup. I skipped the vaccines. Call me a horrible mother. Call me un-informed or ill-informed or paranoid or "one of those people".

Or call me terrified and cautious. She'll get the vaccines. Just slowly. One vaccine at a time. And not while she's still battling another ear infection.

I am dealing with my own medical issues at the moment. I just cannot have another "well baby" turn into "month-long-sick-baby". Yes, I know it means she could contract the disease of the vaccine I skipped. But right now, the risk of reaction is far more prominent in my mind than the risk of delaying it slightly.

Call me one of those mothers. I'll understand. Hopefully you do too, because I'm already lumped in the "oddity" bucket a lot lately.

(p.s. I should note, Woodstock got her chicken pox shot for pre-school two weeks ago - so it's not like I've abandoned the vaccine wagon all together. Just delayed it a little more than I normally do).