RIP Dear Friends.....

SMILES

Well, today, we said goodbye to some very dear friends. These friends have been by my side for the past five years. They have always been reliable any time of day, sometimes they were even called on in the afternoon, always there.
They supported us through the hard times and the easy, crazy times. They loved us. They played a major role in James' life for many years, longer than the five years that they were always by my side. They were faithful to James and loving and caring.
When I think of our dear friends, this poem came to mind. I believe they were a part of our lives for a reason. They have taught us so much.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.


Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.


Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.


LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— A poem by Brian Andrew "Drew" Chalker

Yes, today we said goodbye to the live swimmers. James had his vasectomy! Goodbye friends! Goodbye.

All stretched out!

When we walked into the office, there was a man walking down the hall and I heard him say "Well, good for another year."
Good for another year??? I thought vasectomies were for a lifetime. I'm so confused. Why does this man sound so old and he just had a vasectomy? Maybe he's a playboy? A gigolo? A man whore perhaps?
Then the door to the office opened and a lady walked up to the desk and said that she was there for her flu shot! Ok, I get it. They perform vasectomies and flu shots! What an office.

Fell on my face! Somebody buy me a helmet with a full face mask!

James was called to the back, he kissed me, I told him that I loved him...the receptionist reassured me that he would be coming back. Maybe I said 'I love you' like he was undergoing major surgery or that there was a chance that he would never return to us.

Around five minutes later, the doctor came out.
AHHHHHH...there must be something wrong!!! That was five minutes. I gave birth to two girls without epidurals and the pain lasted for over twenty hours, not to mention the hell after delivery. :) There is no way that a vasectomy is only five minutes. For sure his heart stopped or he bled out or the nurse wants to date him and he said yes and he is refusing to go through with the procedure.
Nope, all was good. I asked the doctor if James cried. He said that he whimpered like a little girl. I smiled.

James' girlfriends tonight! :)

I went back to see James and I could tell that there was so much gauze down his tighties. :)  I told him that he looked  HUGE. The doctor said that because Christmas was just around the corner, he added two inches. What a nice present, just for me. :)
There was a lot of laughing and joking and bad humour, then we headed home. James said that it felt like somebody had flicked him in the nuts. Now, the freezing was still going strong, so we came to the conclusion that by the time the freezing comes out, it will feel like he's been kicked in the nuts by a horse. It should be a good night. :)

Happy 3 months!! :))

Anyways, let's go back to when we were in the doctor's office. The older gentleman, who I thought had the vasectomy but instead only got the flu shot, ruining my hopes that he was a gigolo...we had a good chat.
He asked me if this decision to have the vasectomy was a very long and thorough conversation or was it a rather easy one?
 I told him that it was a fairly quick conversation.
"James, no more kids."
"Ok."
I told him that if we wanted another child, we would adopt. I told him that I was too old to have anymore. He thought I looked young. :)
I discussed with him, a little bit about our journey with Adele. He said that he thought maybe she had Down syndrome because of the shape of her eyes. He was kind.
He had a way with his words, it was never offensive or cruel. He was very matter of fact and articulate with what he had to say about Adele.
Before he left, he wished me luck and he was sincere.
While in the office, a few women came up to Adele and told me that she was the most beautiful baby. One of the women came up a few times just to see her and pay her a compliment. It was just one more beautiful moment in the life of Adele.

DAD!!! STOP TALKING AND MAKING FACES AT ME!

When Brinley was a baby, people complimented her and were kind and thoughtful, but Adele is different. She attracts so many people and gets so much attention. She draws people in and gives off a beautiful vibe. I don't know exactly what it is, but it always makes me smile.

Off to grab another pack of peas. Cheers to the vasectomy!

**You may have noticed the Top Mommy Blog badge on my page. Feel free to click on it. One click counts as one vote. After you have clicked on the badge, you can check out other blogs too. You can vote once every 24 hours. Just a click! :)

If you want to rank my blog or leave a comment.....I am in the Special Needs section....I am number 20 (BOO), I need to get to number 1! I am not doing this for my ego, I am doing this because this journey is important to me, it is important to share and to hopefully educate, entertain and show others that it can be done. I've said for a while now that these two girls, with the help of family and friends, will change the world! :)

Our Miracle

On Tuesday, we went to The Children's Hospital for Adele's respiratory appointment. I was feeling a bit optimistic. Maybe she would only need oxygen at night? Well, the testing only lasted for a short time because when I turned the oxygen off, she dipped. We will keep pluggin away. As I have said before, we can't stand the oxygen, but we love it. We also met with the RN, OT, RT, MD, RDN :) It was a full day.
I have to be honest, I don't really enjoy going to The Children's Hospital. It makes me sad. I always see sick kids, very sick kids and it breaks my heart. It bothers me that there is an oncology unit. It just isn't fair.
Each time I've been to the hospital, there has been a code blue. I'm worried that I am bringing bad vibes with me...code blue in mental health and code blue in diagnostic imaging. I prefer no codes, just happy, healthy children.
When we arrived at the hospital, a lady joined me in the elevator. I believe she was Spanish, not that it really matters. She came right up to Adele, looked at her and said that she was the most adorable and beautiful baby. I thanked her. She then told me that this little girl was going to make a huge difference in my life. It's crazy when you need a little pick me up, and there she was....picking me up and making me smile. I was so appreciative.

The nurses and doctors all said that Adele was just beautiful. It really warms my heart.
The unit clerk kept calling Adele 'he' and I kept saying 'she', then she would say 'he' and I would say 'she'...I guess the pink blanket and pink sleeper didn't give it away. Finally she says 'oh, it's a baby girl'. Good lord!

Last night as I was laying in bed, now you will all find this very bizarre, but something hit me. We have a baby with Down syndrome. Honestly, in my head, I was thinking, holy, we have a little baby girl with Down syndrome. I know that I haven't been in denial. I know that I have accepted it. I know that we love Adele deeply. It  was like an epiphany yet something that I was already fully aware of...I don't know why this popped into my head. I had a moment of panic, then a moment of breathing, then a moment of panic and then a moment of calm. It's really difficult to explain.

Something else that has happened lately is that when people pay Adele a compliment, I tell them that she has Down syndrome. I don't do it for a reaction. I don't do it so people will think I am a martyr. I don't do it so others feel sorry for me. I realized that I say it with pride. I say it with a smile on my face. In one of my previous posts, I was stuck as to whether or not I should tell others that Adele has Down syndrome. I didn't know what others really needed to know, I felt that all they needed to know was that her name is Adele and she is our child. That is still how I feel yet, this other small epiphany made me smile. No, I don't need to share any information with others, but I am proud of Adele. I am proud of how far she has come. I am proud that she continues to grow and develop. I am proud that she is hitting milestones in a timely manner...for now. I am a proud momma.
I love taking Adele out and showing her off to others. I love it when people come up and check her out. I love that the majority of the people I have come in contact with, love Adele instantly. It's just such a good feeling!

My love seems to grow as Adele grows. As her personality develops, I feel more love. When she smiles at her momma, my love grows. She knows her momma and I love that when she hears my voice, she looks right at me. There is something so great and wonderful about this little girl....I know that is a mommy comment, but it's more than that, it's this little miracle baby who I get to love and be with every day. It's this little girl who came into our lives for a reason. As I was driving home from the hospital, I thought back to the day when we found out about Adele's diagnosis. We were shattered. The tears and the feeling of hopelessness was overwhelming. I cried even before we got the results, maybe because I knew that she would have Down syndrome. Why did I cry? Why would you be sad to find out that your child will have Down syndrome? Is that kind of selfish? Is it because I was told that our child wouldn't be perfect? Is it because in my head, I knew that she would be at the bottom of her class? Is it because I knew that she would need our help for the rest of her life? When I think of those reasons, I hear selfishness. I remember the day, James and I said to each other that it was impossible. We couldn't possibly raise a special needs child. That would be way too much work. Our dream of the perfect child was shattered. Again, I hear selfishness. How do we know that Brinley won't be at the bottom of her class? How do we know that Brinley will lead a successful life? How do we know that Adele won't excel at so many things? How do we know that Adele won't just shock the shit out of all of us? Why do we have a preconceived notion of what Down syndrome is all about? I remember when the hospital called and said that I was being induced at 17 weeks to terminate the pregnancy. I asked the OB to book an appointment for me, just in case. Just so I could say 'yes' or 'no.'
We made Adele. We made a perfect, little girl. We made a miracle.

**You may have noticed the Top Mommy Blog badge on my page. Feel free to click on it. One click counts as one vote. After you have clicked on the badge, you can check out other blogs too. You can vote once every 24 hours. Just a click! :)

If you want to rank my blog or leave a comment.....I am in the Special Needs section....I am number 20 (BOO), I need to get to number 1! I am not doing this for my ego, I am doing this because this journey is important to me, it is important to share and to hopefully educate, entertain and show others that it can be done. I've said for a while now that these two girls, with the help of family and friends, will change the world! :)

A Little Down syndrome HAPPINESS!

This is what it is all about. Makes me smile, especially the kid riding with the pope! Ya, I do this every day and all day long. No biggie. :) Click on the link below....


Down syndrome Awareness :)

NEVER SAY NEVER! :)

Two days ago, I expressed my opinion on why I vaccinate and I felt that it is only fair to allow others to express their opinion on why they do not vaccinate. Bottom line - EDUCATE and RESEARCH.

 

 

"There is no evidence whatsoever of the ability of vaccines to prevent any diseases. 

To the contrary, there is a great wealth of evidence that they cause serious side effects."
-- Dr. Viera Scheibner

I am a mother to three beautiful children, my oldest being 4 and youngest being 3 months. The question comes up a lot about getting my children vaccinated. Often, I don't even tell people that my kids aren't vaccinated because people are way too quick to judge without knowing any of the facts, or the facts they are made to believe! Trust me I was there! I had a beautiful baby girl in 2009, I took her in to get her 2 month vaccinations not thinking twice about it. These things have been used for decades how could there be anything wrong with them?
It wasn't until a friend was telling me that her friend’s son had a severe reaction to them that I even thought twice about them.
I have spent the last four years researching vaccines and it’s something I take very seriously.
As parents, we are shadowed from so many things like the millions of dollars being paid out to the parents of vaccine injured children. Who knew? Not me. It's not made public, too much money is being made from these things that health officials don't even blink an eye. :(
Now immunizations are being pushed more then ever, whether it's schools, doctors, government or television, it's being publicized everywhere. Fear is driven into parent's brains so we don't question, we do as we are told, no questions asked!

Not going to get too much into what I know because honestly you as a parent need to research it yourself. But here are a couple of reasons I choose not to vaccinate.

 

 

“When outbreaks arise among children, health officials are quick to state that it’s due to a breakdown in ‘herd immunity.‘ Doctors parrot it too, without even looking at the research. They say it’s happening more often nationwide as states make it easier for parents to opt out of vaccinations.

Like argumentative apes, pro-vaccine parents and their physicians start pounding their chest in favor of such statements. They use them to attack anti-vaccine parents, accusing them of “putting vaccinated kids at risk due to a breakdown in herd immunity.”

This is fuzzy logic. And it’s borderline stupid.

After all, if vaccines truly worked, then why would vaccinated kids be at risk?

…Plus, the spread of infection isn’t limited to coming into contact with another person! You can get sick without ever seeing another individual. Therefore, herd immunity is nothing more than a silly catch-phrase used to scare and bully parents into vaccinating their kids. Don’t fall for it parents,” Thechemist.com

The ingredients in these vaccines if given to your child from under your kitchen counter would be called poison but because they're in a vaccine the're ok? These are some of the ingredients …MSG, antifreeze, phenol (used as a disinfectant), formaldehyde (cancer causing and used to embalm), aluminum (associated with alzheimer’s disease and seizures), glycerin (toxic to the kidney, liver, can cause lung damage, gastrointestinal damage and death), lead, cadmium, sulfates, yeast proteins, antibiotics, acetone (used in nail polish remover), neomycin andstreptomycin.  The ingredient making the newspapers is thimerosol, (more toxic than mercury, a preservative still used in many vaccines, not easily eliminated, can cause severe neurological damage as well as other life threatening autoimmune disease).These vaccines are grown and strained through animal or human tissue, like monkey and dog kidney tissue, chick embryo, calf serum, human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted fetuses), pig blood, horse blood and rabbit brain.  I’m not sure about you but after reading this list of ingredients I couldn’t stomach injecting them into my child’s blood stream. There is no safe level of heavy metals in my eyes let alone everything else.

 

 

Childhood diseases are at a all time high, and no one questions that? Autism in 1980 was 1 in 10000 now in 2013 it is 1-80, whether you believe vaccines is a cause for autism or not there’s got to be some doubt. The vaccine schedule has more than doubled since 1983 actually has almost tripled, By the age of 6 a child in 1983 had 10 and now that is grown to 36-38.  A child can’t even build a immune system.

I am writing this post not to scare people but to advise parents that not everything is black and white. It’s scary to think that money is playing a huge part in our children's safety. L The reason health officials tell you that Google is not a good research option is because they're hiding behind so many lies. Watch “The Greater Good” and “Hidden Truth.” Don’t limit your research, ask questions and most of all don’t be afraid!!! Stand UP!

“This decision should not be taken lightly and it should not be made in a vacuum. In other words, don’t just take your pediatrician’s word that shots are safe.  It is possible for doctors to be wrong. They are human, after all. In reality, your doctor is simply parroting the standard line about vaccination from the American Medical Association (AMA) playbook. If you think you are getting their honest assessment, think again. You should neither assume shots are dangerous just because your friend down the street doesn’t vaccinate her kids.
The key here is education;  making an informed decision by investigating the facts with an open mind and knowing exactly what you are getting yourself into before you commit to do anything.” The healthy home economist!

Instead of criticizing those who do not vaccinate their children be aware everything isn't always open book, educate before you vaccinate. Then make your choice. Don't judge parents whether they vaccinate or not!!

"Up to 90% of the total decline in the death rate of children between 1860-1965 because of whooping cough,
scarlet fever, diphtheria, and measles occurred before the introduction of immunizations and antibiotics."
--Dr. Archie Kalokerinos, M.D.

Never Talking About Immunizations Again :)

I was watching Good Morning America today and one of the clips was about a blog writing mommy. She said that she almost killed her 3 year old daughter. That was the first line on her blog. I guess it has captured the attention of thousands. The story is about a mom who is heavily into technology and multi tasking all day long. Her 3 year old was taking a bath and the mom ran to check her email. When she came back, the little girl was fast asleep in the tub. She was ok, as she was just leaning on the side of the tub, not in the water.

This got me thinking.....

We don't ever leave Brinley unattended in the tub but we do other things that I think need to be changed. We are all into technology, our cell phones, our computers, social media and yes, blogging. :) There are times when Brinley is playing and I am texting or checking Facebook. I should be playing with her and capturing all of these moments. She is only a little girl for so long and before I know it, she will be starting school. I remember when I was younger and we played outside. We drove without talking on our cell phones. We didn't have the internet. We didn't have an under the counter dishwasher. :) We had a Commodore 64 with a  broken joystick. We sat at the dinner table every night and ate together. We played board games as a family. We went camping. We went fishing. We called people on the phone to wish them Happy Birthday. We walked to the store. We were only allowed so much television time. We watched shows that were appropriate to our age group. We would ring doorbells in the neighbourhood and see if the kids could play. We set up lemonade stands. We ran through the sprinkler. We made our own version of a Slip n Slide. We left the doors unlocked. We welcomed people into our home, no matter their race, religion or colour.  We had to pay for our vehicles. We had to pay for our gas. We had to pay dues to live in our parent's homes. We had a chore chart. We had routine and a schedule. We had a mom who prepared our lunches every night before school. We had a mom who cooked us dinner every night. We had Friday night Dominos's Pizza night.

Thought I should add some crazy hair pictures from the past!

I miss those times. I am embarrassed to say that we have a very nice kitchen table with 4 chairs but we eat in front of the television on TV trays, with the TV on, usually watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. :) Brinley sits in her high chair and also watches TV. We need to change all of this because this isn't how I see my family. Once the basement is completed and we can move some stuff out of the kitchen, we WILL eat at the table with the TV turned off. I miss so many of the things that we used to do as a family and as kids. It is so important for the girls to go outside and play. It is important that we teach them to call people and not just text and send Facebook messages. It's sad that some of my closest friends have texted me on my birthday instead of calling to sing the happy tune. I am also to blame. I have texted too. I don't like it. Important announcements have come over text and Facebook. I want to hear the excitement in a friend's voice when she has great news. I want them to hear my joy and support for them during this wonderful time in their lives.

Times have changed. Family time isn't a priority for some families. When I was teaching, some students never ate dinner with their family. They would get their plate and go watch TV or go to their bedroom. Nobody was asking about their day. Kids compared how many video game consoles they had and which games they owned....it was a competition.
What happened to going outside and playing with your hoola hoop? What happened to grabbing your toys and taking them to the field and enjoying some imaginative play with your friends? I would hear from families that the kids would come home, do homework, eat dinner, watch TV, play video games, chat on Facebook then go to bed. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

I guess this is the same as what the mommy blogger did. Almost killing her 3 year old. This is what is happening today. We are killing our children. They are unhealthy and zombies. Families are so hung up on multitasking that we aren't realizing what it is doing to our children. We are emailing at the dinner table. Texting while in the middle of a conversation. Uploading pictures to Facebook when we should be playing with the kids. Writing a blog when your 19 month old is watching Barbie. :) Now, don't get me wrong, I have been lazy at times and I don't always eat healthy and I am not perfect. I guess I kind of mentioned that above. I make mistakes. I am working on eating better and have lost 30 pounds since Adele's arrival. Brinley eats good food and would rather munch on a piece of fruit than a cupcake. She has eaten McDonald's. She has sat in front of the TV, but since our lives have settled a bit and I am no longer pregnant and feeling awful, we get out a lot more. We do things as a family. We want the girls to breathe in fresh air. We want our girls to grow up healthy. We want them to experience life. Will it always be perfect? No way. As I have said before, I will mess up and make big mistakes. I will get frustrated and mad but I will always try to make it right and to give our girls the lives that they deserve.

I know some of you do make great choices in regards to your kids and family. Some families don't own televisions, no Xbox, no Playstations and their kids have no choice but to go outside. Some of you own every piece of technology known to man but you moderate your child's usage. Hopefully this blog will maybe shed some light on those who don't sit down enough with your children and talk about life. It's time for some changes. These are the moments that your child will remember when they start their own family.

So maybe it's all about moderation. Maybe it's about finding a balance. Maybe it's about cherishing these moments. Maybe it's about really learning about our kids. Maybe it's about leaving the laundry until after bedtime. Maybe it's about bringing these miracles into the world and realizing that it is our job to be the best parents that we can be for our children.
Hmmmm.....mind you, for some, maybe the best parents that they can be is buying the games and not spending quality time with their children. I think I may start going in circles with this one....

If I had my child to raise over again
I'd build self-esteem first and the house later
I'd finger paint more and point the finger less
I would do less correcting and more connecting
I'd take my eyes off my watch and watch with my eyes
I would care to know less and know to care more
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites
I'd stop playing serious and seriously play
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars
I'd do more hugging and less tugging
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often
I would be firm less often and affirm much more
I'd model less about the love of power
And more about the power of love.
Diane Loomans


**You may have noticed the Top Mommy Blog badge on my page. Feel free to click on it. One click counts as one vote. After you have clicked on the badge, you can check out other blogs too. You can vote once every 24 hours. Just a click! :)

If you want to rank my blog or leave a comment.....I am in the Special Needs section....I am number 13, I need to get to number 1! I am not doing this for my ego, I am doing this because this journey is important to me, it is important to share and to hopefully educate, entertain and show others that it can be done. I've said for a while now that these two girls, with the help of family and friends, will change the world! :)

Butterfield Acres! :)

Tomorrow, I will have a post written by a friend that talks about the other side of vaccinations. I think it's fair to hear what others have to say and their views and why they feel strongly opposed to immunizations.

Today, we spent the day at Butterfield Acres. :) It was a beautiful day spent with the people I love the most, including James. ;)



James thought this was hilarious. Don't touch a goat's bum!



 

 

AHHHHHH!!!

Getting ready for the wagon ride!

It's a plane!!

Get out of the photo dude!

That guy isn't cool....all photo bombing my picture!

Going to find a pumpkin!

Searching!

Found the perfect pumpkin!

Can't wait to decorate my pumpkin :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Time to decorate!

Eyes

Mouth and nose!

Decorating!

Final touches! :)

What a perfect day. :)
 

 

 **You may have noticed the Top Mommy Blog badge on my page. Feel free to click on it. One click counts as one vote. After you have clicked on the badge, you can check out other blogs too. You can vote once every 24 hours. Just a click! :)

If you want to rank my blog or leave a comment.....I am in the Special Needs section....I am number 13, I need to get to number 1! I am not doing this for my ego, I am doing this because this journey is important to me, it is important to share and to hopefully educate, entertain and show others that it can be done. I've said for a while now that these two girls, with the help of family and friends, will change the world! :)

To Immunize or To Not Immunize???

I'm so vain!

So I know that my topic today will upset some people but it's been on my mind lately and it's my blog, so I get to write about anything I want.....now in saying that, I also have to be willing to read comments that come from people who object to my posts.

Immunizations and vaccines.....

I have thought about this topic since Brinley was born. I always thought that it was something that all parents did, you immunize your children. It is safe. It is the right thing to do. It is approved by doctors and nurses. You just immunize your children and that is that.

First time on my play mat!

So, I didn't REALLY start thinking about it until a couple of friends told me that they don't immunize their children. I think I almost fainted. Why would you do this to your children? Why would you want to put your child or other children at risk? Shame on you. Wait, is there mercury in the vaccinations? Are there harmful toxins that can harm your children? Can your child really develop autism after a vaccination? My opinions started to waiver. I was moving closer to the fence and almost sitting on it. To vaccinate or to not vaccinate? I don't believe in searching the web to find answers. I know that checking out YouTube and Wikipedia are not a good choice. What is a reliable source? I know that the naturopaths have their views and I know that the medical community have their own opinions and views. My friend Jenn posted on Facebook today what is happening in regards to communicable diseases and what is happening when parents don't vaccinate. One of our friends, who is a nurse also joined in on the conversation, this is some of what was discussed....

JM...

Measles have been confirmed in Lethbridge by AHS. I don't know about you, but I'm getting a booster. It is airborne and highly contagious, please think carefully about vaccinations and educate yourselves before you refuse vaccines, it could save the life of your loved ones.

 It wasn't around for a while but it's making a comeback because parents are choosing not to vaccinate. It is a very dangerous disease and has wiped out thousands of people. Thousands. In 2011 there were 158 000 deaths from measles world wide. 430 deaths every day. 18 deaths every hour!! It is the leading cause of child deaths world wide. It is very serious and is only coming back because parents are afraid of what is in a vaccination. Vaccinations are not what they used to be, I just can't fathom taking that kind of risk.

S.....

So many misguided people and now eradicated diseases are coming back and killing children!!! Take it from an ER Nurse. I've seen it and will never forget it.

The amount of mercury that used to be in it was not even a problem but they have removed it completely from the MMR vaccine.

If you go to the CDC website there is valid research showing that there is 100% no link between autism and vaccines. None!! That doctor was disproved and discredited and his license was revoked. People, when you do research please use proper research articles, I cannot stress this enough. YouTube and Dr Google are not valid research.

V.....

I recently weighed in on this issue, on another Facebook post, and I will do so again here because my family has been very directly effected by vaccination. My daughter suffered complete and permanent hearing loss after her MMR vaccination at 18 months old - she is now profoundly deaf. (Interestingly enough, loss of hearing is a common complication with a case of the measles.) In both Europe and the USA, a parent must sign a waiver acknowledging the possible side effects as a result of a vaccination, prior to their child being vaccinated, and one of the listed side effects is “possible hearing loss”. Despite what has happened to my daughter, I believe vaccinations have had global benefits, saved the lives of many, many children, and the good has likely outweighed the bad. There is a risk associated with everything - from driving a car, to eating a hamburger, or even walking down a sidewalk. But I think parents need to be well-informed and educated with OBJECTIVE and impartial information from our Canadian medical system. Maybe then, parents will be able to make the best decision for their child without having to take such a strong stand on either side of this issue. Because right now, both sides of the vaccination controversy feel like they are just being sold a bill of goods from the other side. I can see my daughter has suffered as a result of a vaccination - her hearing loss is a tangible, but all the lives saved, all the children that have become accomplished adults and are contributing something special to this world - maybe they wouldn't be here had society let disease rage on without intervention. It's the intangible side of vaccination, that cannot be measured. Would I vaccinate again? Knowing what I know? Yep, I would.

J.....

I have a son who was diagnosed with autism.  His whole life changed after I vaccinated him at 18 months. I was trying to find answers as to why my child was diagnosed with autism. It happened that the onset was at the same time as the vaccination so with my second child I vaccinated her but only the first set. It was not easy to make that decision. I cried and defended my decision. My daughter is now 8 years old and has no major health issues.  She has a mental illness and no thyroid but we know that this was not caused by vaccines or lack of. We talked about finishing her vaccines and updating our 14 year old son and it will happen soon.  As a parent who didn't vaccinate, I'm not arguing, I'm pointing out that because we didn't, we worry and we are scared and we take precautions.  I grew up in a home and family that vaccinated. I think vaccination talk is as sensitive as the circumcision debate and I think that if I respect others vaccinating their children then maybe others need to understand that the choice we made was never ever easy or a representation of our parenting.

So.....I looked at both sides and I went to a reputable and recommended website. I believe that autism is not caused by vaccinations. I think that the signs and symptoms are starting to show at around the age of 18 months. I could be wrong. Information pulled from the site.....

A new study evaluating parents’ concerns of “too many vaccines too soon” and autism has been published online in the Journal of Pediatrics  [PDF - 256 KB] , March 29, 2013. It adds to the conclusion of a 2004 comprehensive review by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that there is not a causal relationship between certain vaccine types and autism. The results provide relevant data for the current childhood immunization schedule.
The study looked at the amount of antigens from vaccines received on one day of vaccination and the amount of antigens from vaccines received in total during the first two years of life and found no connection to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Antigens are substances in vaccines that cause the body’s immune system to produce antibodies to fight disease.
Researchers collected data from 3 managed care organizations in a group of 256 children with ASD compared with 752 children without ASD.
The study’s main findings report:

• The total amount of antigens from vaccines received was the same between children with ASD and those that did not have ASD.
• Children with ASD with regression (the loss of developmental skills during the second year of life) did not receive an increased number of vaccine antigens when compared to children without ASD with regression.
• The number of vaccine antigens has decreased in recent years. Although the routine childhood vaccine immunization schedule in 2013 contains more vaccines than the schedule in the late 1990s, the maximum number of vaccine antigens that a child would be exposed to by 2 years of age in 2013 is 315, compared with several thousand in the late 1990s. This is due to changes in the vaccines. For example, the older whole cell pertussis vaccine causes the body to produce about 3,000 different antibodies, whereas the newer acellular pertussis vaccines cause the production of 6 or fewer different antibodies.

An infant’s immune system is capable of responding to a large amount of immunologic stimuli and, from time of birth, infants are exposed to hundreds of viruses and countless antigens that are not associated with vaccination. This study demonstrates that autism spectrum disorder is not associated with immunological stimulation from vaccines during the first 2 years of life.
Parents should expect the vaccines their children receive are safe and effective. CDC, along with other federal agencies, is committed to assuring the safety of vaccines through rigorous pre-licensure trials and post-licensure monitoring.

 

I have to say that I support vaccinations and I think that it is also important that others also vaccinate their children. Adele is so young and her immune system is far from developed. We are also supporters of the flu shot. Does it have serious adverse affects?? I remember watching a video....

FLU SHOT GONE WRONG

Was it really the flu shot? I feel that I need to be as healthy as I can be around my girls and I need for others to be healthy around the girls as well...it's such a complicated topic. I see both sides. I really do but I will continue to vaccinate my children and I will continue to get the flu shot.

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