Ruminating on Vaccines

I have long since removed myself from the vaccine debate, even though it is something I feel very passionate about, because people tend to get into vicious name-calling arguments on my Facebook page about it. I rarely mention it anymore unless someone is curious about my thoughts on the matter. That said, what I wish everyone could get on board with is this one thing:

People who vaccinate their children do so because they want to protect their children. 

People who don't vaccinate their children do because they want to protect their children.

We all make our choices out of the love we have for our children.

Perhaps if you are the side that favors vaccines, you are exclaiming, "That can't be true! People who don't vaccinate are doing so out of fear of autism! That's not love!"

Perhaps if you are the side that is against vaccines, you are exclaiming, "That can't be true! People who vaccinate are having toxins injected into their children! That's not love!"

Our reasons being for, against, or perhaps somewhere in the middle regarding vaccines are hardly black and white. They shouldn't be.

I urge everyone to read up on the matter. Regardless of where your opinion lies, do not base it entirely off of one blog or one page on the CDC website.

Read.

Read, read, read. It will only empower you to make the choice that is right for you and your family.

I think it easy for those that are on the side of vaccination to become incensed when people don't vaccinate if they have never experienced or known someone who has suffered a vaccine injury.

I think it is also easy for those that are against vaccination to look at those who vaccinate in shock and awe if they have never personally known someone who has suffered from one of the diseases we vaccinate against.

It's easy to do those things. We are human beings. We are run by emotions. Sometimes logic, but usually by emotions.

If you are curious about my personal experience with vaccines, it is the following:

1. My brother and I both had bad reactions to the DTP vaccine in the 1980s and we were not vaccinated further with that particular vaccine.

2. After being vaccinated with the MMR, I suffered an incident where all of the joints in my body went weak and I could not get out of the bathtub.

3. At the age of 20, I unnecessarily received a tetanus shot after scratching myself on a dirty bird cage. Shortly after receiving the vaccine and for years afterward, I suffered from muscle fasciculation. It was awful.

Because of my experience with vaccines as well as the countless hours of research I have done, vaccines are not the right choice for me or my family. If they're right for you and your family, then that's great! As human beings we all have right to make personal choices. Vaccines are a personal choice.

The real problem is not whether people are or are not vaccinated; the problem is the media propagating fear into everyone who allows it. 100 cases of the measles in a country of 316 million people is not cause for concern. Turn off the news, take a deep breath and really look into an issue and decide if it is a cause for concern for you.