I usually try to avoid this topic. But I’ve been mulling over it since the twins had their two month check up. The topic of immunizations usually ends in heated arguments. Just like breast-feeding. My goodness how I hate to get the “are you breast-feeding” question. Yes I’m educated on it. Yes I know it’s best for them. Seriously I breast-fed the first three I know. I respect the right to choose.

But I absolutely believe in immunizations. Obviously all drugs carry the risk of side effects. You could be one in a thousand that gets a rash or one in a million that dies. Heck I googled and found myself feeding into the mass hysteria on the web after the twins seemed too fussy. I eventually came to my senses. Have you seen polio or diphtheria? Not something to be taken lightly. I have a personal experience that I would like to share.

When Morgan was 4 months old she came down with a curious rash. It was the weekend of course. At first it didn’t seem like a big deal. She was running a slight fever and seemed uncomfortable. I too had a slight rash and figured we picked up a virus. That Sunday we both were miserable and covered head to toe in the rash. By Sunday night Morgan had a 104 degree temp and we were at the emergancy room. After several hours we were sent home. Tylenol seemed to do the trick.

Monday her fever came back with a vengeance. The thermometer was reading over 105. I was freaked and worried about potential brain damage or death. Her pediatrician told me to bring her in. Which resulted in us being sent to the hospital and basically quarantined. She thought we had the measles. Something she had never seen since it was basically eradicated in the 80′s. Blood test confirmed we did not have the measles. We had rubella or as some people call it the German measles. They have a similar rash.

Usually rubella is a mild childhood illness. Children are vaccinated for it to protect pregnant women. If your pregnant contracting rubella is potentially fatal to the fetus and can result in birth defects. Rubella is still very common in third world countries. Generally your chances of contracting it in the United States is zero because we vaccinate our children. Your only at risk if you travel and are not properly immunized. Funny enough I do not travel. But I do live in the great state of Texas which borders Mexico and I had been to the coast. I am also kinda sickly. This was during the time that Mexico started a mass campaign to vaccinate for rubella.

I had a mild rubella infection. Fever, swollen lymph nodes, and some seriously crappy joint pain. Morgan on the other hand did not have a mild reaction. They could not get her fever down even with aggressive treatment. She had several febrile seizures which though considered harmless are pretty scary. Her temperature stayed between 105 and 107 for three days. She couldn’t hold down fluids and was hooked to an IV. It was horrifying and I felt helpless.

Morgan wasn’t quite the same for the next year. She seemed to be continuously sick. One throat and ear infection after another. Her doctor was concerned she suffered hearing damage. She had delayed speech. But eventually she seemed to improve. She only developed mild hearing damage and if you read my other blogs she never shuts up.

Since the rubella infection she has remained immune compromised. Last year she contracted bacterial pneumonia. She still holds a grudge that she missed her school Christmas party. I hope someday she understands I couldn’t send her to school coughing up blood. We are still paying that hospital bill.

Morgan had not been fully inoculated when she contracted rubella. I often hesitate on taking the twins out. I cringe when strangers try to touch them. We can’t live life in a bubble right? But we can vaccinate our children.

Morgan