Stubbornness that makes me want to scream!

[gcvmom]

I've been trying for weeks to find a seasonal flu vaccine source for difficult child 1 (he already got the H1N1). Our pediatrician won't be getting any more. Our asthma doctor won't be getting any more. The county clinic is completely out. All the local pharmacies are out. And of course, no one can say when they'll get a new shipment.

Today, I finally found a pharmacy about 20 miles away that has 10 doses left. They close in about an hour. I tell difficult child 1 I want him to go with me NOW to get the vaccine. Uh-Uh. No way. Not happening.

And despite my trying to reason with him and explain all the risks because of his chronic health conditions, and the fact that this vaccine is so incredibly hard to get right now, he still refuses, claiming he has a right to say what does or doesn't happen to him.

I am so frustrated and angry right now. I can't force him to go either, because it's not like he's two and I can just scoop him up and go.

AAAAAARRRRGH!

 

[DammitJanet]

UGH!

I have yet to get the H1N1 but I did find the seasonal shot at, of all places, my BANK! I have about given up on the swine shot to be honest. I simply cant find it anywhere.

 

[gcvmom]

Our county health department hosted a free clinic about two weeks ago, so we stood in line for two hours so he could get it. I should have got him the seasonal shot when they had them available in September. Where's the smiley that's kicking itself when you need it?

 

[emotionallybankrupt]

I think this shortage of the seasonal flu vaccine has been very strange. I don't think there was any publicity that a shortage was on the way--or if there was, I missed it. The only signal I got was when I was at the pediatrician's office about six weeks ago due to my little one's latest ear infection. I asked about the shot, saying I guessed the ear infection disqualified her for the time being, and the response I got was, "No, she's not that kind of sick. If I had it, I'd give it to her right now. My advice is to 'get it while you can,' and they have it right now at XXX drug store." I was so startled that I called my mother immediately and said, "Hey, we need to have a family meeting RIGHT NOW at XXX drug store and get our shots." That's exactly what we did, and now the vaccine is nowhere to be found. Weird.

 

[gcvmom]

The shortage of the seasonal vaccine is due to the fact that the same labs that make it also make the H1N1, and they were told to shift production over to H1N1 because of the pandemic. So now the little bit they made early on has run out, and they are behind in production for the seasonal version. PLUS with all the panic over H1N1, many people who normally didn't bother with seasonal flu vaccine decided to get it this year to be safe. I'm just frustrated because difficult child 1 is in a high risk group and really needs to take precautions. And he's being a butt head about it right now.

 

[smallworld]

Bribery?

 

[susiestar]

Well you can continue to be frustrated or tell him that, because of his refusal, his copays for any doctor visits and medications will be coming out of money that he earns or that is allotted for his Christmas and birthday gifts. AFTER the flu season is over, any money that would have been spent on Christmas and birthday will then be turned into some gift for him. IF there is money left.

Or some version of that.

If he wants to have the say, well, it isn't free. That is a life lesson. The sooner he learns it the better off he will be. Sometimes it is only through hard times that our kids CAN learn. Our job as parents is to make sure they get as many of these lessons as possible so they can be the best adults they can be.

Just a thought. Cause it is far better to pass that frustration on than to keep it to yourself.

 

[gcvmom]

Well, after I pointed out that if he gets the flu and misses school and ends up getting even worse grades than he already got first quarter, he would be on academic probation and would risk getting dropped from the lacrosse team, at which point he would owe me back the $400 we paid for his team fees, plus the money we shelled out for his equipment bag.

So then he relented to getting it, but the pharmacy was already closed and they aren't open on Sundays. I'll call them on Monday and if they still have the vaccine, I'm taking him there straight after school. But the odds of any of the 10 doses being available by the time we can get there are pretty slim

 

[smallworld]

I'd recommend not waiting until after school -- take him in the morning before school.

 

[tiredmommy]

Ugh! I feel your pain. I agree with SW that I would bring difficult child 1 as soon as the pharmacy opens on Monday. He could probably hit his first few classes, you pick him up then drive to the pharmacy to arrive at opening.

It's become a routine here for me to call our doctor's office in August about her flu shot when I'm arranging her busing for school and filling her school prescriptions. The doctor usually doesn't have the vaccine quite yet but can get me an appointment for her OR give me a date to call back. That date goes on the calendar to ensure she receives her flu shot.

I'm fortunate that Duckie has received the seasonal shot and first H1N1 at the point and I'm just ecstatic that we have an appointment for the H1N1 booster next month.