Immunize For Others’ Sake Letter Of The Week: From April 26

Two weeks ago I took my 2-month-old daughter for her first set of immunizations, a task I dread. I hated seeing and hearing my daughter experience the pain of the needle. However, I’ve known people with polio, and the momentary pain associated with vaccines far outweighs the pain and discomfort she’d live with one of these horrific diseases. In five minutes she was back to her cheery self.

One week ago we received a phone call saying our children had been exposed to someone who tested positive to pertussis. My heart sank.

The next morning we took our children to Panhandle Health District to be tested. The emotion and fear I felt in that room was overwhelming. During the test, which involves sticking a Q-tip-like instrument into the nasal passage, my children cried, as well as my husband and myself. The procedure was much more invasive than the vaccine my daughter received the week prior.

This past week has been extremely stressful. Each time the phone rang I hoped it wasn’t the Panhandle Health District reporting a positive test. It has been a challenge to give my 2-month-old daughter her medications. Drooling, coughing and vomiting make it really difficult to administer the antibiotics.

Now, two weeks since I had my daughter immunized, I am angered and appalled that this has touched our lives. All this could have been prevented. All I can hope for is that those who chose not to immunize their children will do so. I don’t want to experience this week again next year. Peggy E. Thornton Coeur d’Alene

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