Vaccinations, swine flu, and building immunity.

On Facebook I just joined a group called "I will NOT take Vaccines for "Swine Flu"!!"

The reason is simple, many of us are already immune or working on immunity. This summer so many people have been sick. Think about it, does it make sense then to get an injection for something your body is already conquering?

I have not had a flu shot since 1995. Yes I get sick, but I did back when I'd get the shots too. I'd get sick from them even, so I stopped getting them in high school.

From what I have been hearing about swine flu it spreads fast, with how many of us have been sick this summer I'm sure a good chunk of us already have our bodies working on building immunity. Every flu season I tend to be one of the first to get sick, before a vaccine is available, & while multiple strains go around each year, I often wonder if what someone is injected with isn't something they've already dealt with & built their immunity for by the bug running it's course; an injection then is pointless & only runs the risk of harming ones body because of the other things found in an immunization injection.

Dealing with rheumatoid arthritis I have to keep myself healthy as much as possible. But I've found I fair better by eating right and taking my vitamins than by flu vaccines. The following video helps support this idea.

Causes more harm than good!

In the comments section of my post 'Pain causing pain, considering Cymbalta', I got a comment from an anonymous Jennifer who went on to LIST out to me all her 'advice' on what I 'need' to do after she very casually saw just that one and only post of mine.

What bothers me is she glosses over the reality of my diseases by saying "I have to say, I feel terrible for what you are going through. It sounds horrible." And then goes on to list out unsolicited, unknowledgeable and misguided advice.

This person went on to tell me that medicine is bad, and that I'm wallowing in my issues. First of all so what if I wallow!? And I totally don't see it that way... I know I'm sharing a lot, candidly, but this is the reality of infertility and disability - I'm not going to ignore my issues, and I'm going to honestly share what is happening with me, so if it comes off as wallowing that is their problem. As I have said many times, "This life is full of happy and sad, good and evil, right and wrong... that being said in our lives we have to deal with various things, and if we don't deal with them they become bigger problems the more we ignore them! I refuse to ignore my problems of arthritis, depression, and infertility, and I will continue to share what I learn and what I go through because it's good for other humans to understand that this life has suffering, that some suffer more than others, and that there are many ways of taking care of ones-self." SO I'm sorry if this honesty makes someone feel bad about themselves, or bad to see the reality of what others deal with, but telling me the things to do that she did was completely not helpful, but was offensive and hurtful!

I was told to not pursue Cymbalta (even though I have had medically diagnosed and treated depression for years.) but to pursue Chiropractic care, AND told that it should be able to address my infertility as well. Both depression and infertility are complex medical issues. While there are many benefits with Chiropractic care for many issues, this is not appropriate here. Especially with Ankylosing Spondylitis! Chiropractic care is too stressful on the body. Fusion happens in a person with A.S. The spine becomes one large bone and inflexible. If an alignment were to be tried the back can be broken! And that is a huge issue! I take great offense in misguided information from someone who claims to know this is what I need and yet truly has no idea what is even happening! Or who doesn't even know me and my diseases!

Her advice also included that I read a particular self help book. Looking on Amazon I read many comments ripping apart this book. Between the ratings and the description from the book itself it is something I would never pick up. It is a new age book. I am a Christian, and I refuse to take in something that would contradict my faith. The recommended book is "The Secret"

My faith is a core reason I see to share these trials I live with... Day in and day out may be hard, but my hope is found in Christ, I know someday this life will end and I'll have a new heavenly body and life. That these things that matter in this world will pass away, and that this new life will have much greater meaning! I find this a wonderful truth and want to share it with all. Becoming a Christian won't make this life all of a sudden seem like a cake walk, but it does give one hope. I think to someone who doesn't understand this they can't see just how important this is, but to someone looking for hope beyond their earthly burdens I would hope that sharing my experiences and yet still keeping my heart focused on Christ can be a witness. For that to happen though, the reader would have to look at the whole picture, which goes back to how misguided the person is to try and tell me they know what needs to be done to treat my issues simply from reading one post!

Going back to the book that was recommended to me... something that I read in the reviews on Amazon that stood out was the following paragraph;

All you have to do is just ask (oh, and believe, and feel) for the thing you want and lo and behold, thou shalt have it! I quote: "Make a command to the Universe. Let the Universe know what you want. The universe responds to your thoughts." Another one: "The Universe will start to rearrange itself to make it happen for you." Really? I didn't know the entire universe cared so much about me!

Now, this is someone else's quote from a book I haven't read, so I'm taking there word for it, but what first came to mind is how this is taken from Scripture, and twisted to fit these authors feel good fluff. This can be seen in Matthew 17:19-20 (English Standard Version)

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

It sadness me that this book has partial truths in it, but misses the real reason life can be better. Life is a gift from God, and if I'm wealthy that's a gift, if I'm healthy that's a gift, if I have children to love and raise that's a gift, if I don't have these things, it's not something I should be demanding from the universe. I am perplexed why this is my journey, but I trust God and I do see Him working in my life, so while I may be uncomfortable I know this is where I am to be. I do have blessings that are God given that I am so incredibly grateful for! I have an amazing husband who continues to love me and care for me, I have friends who are truly kind and caring, and medical professionals who have my well being at the center of their care. For these blessings I am blessed!

The reality is that in this imperfect world people will have disease, people will have suffering, people will have needs. Christ said this Himself.

The poor you always will have (Matthew 26:11)

and in the Beatitudes...

Matthew 5:1-12

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Who are those who mourn? Who are those who are meek? Who are those who are poor in spirit? Are these not those who are burdened with this world? Doesn't this sermon of Christ's show that after this life there is something so much more!? So I feel the need to let others know they're not alone, that yes it's a dark and painful place to be to live with infertility, or depression, or chronic pain, or something else, but I'm not going to sugar coat things because I don't want anyone to think that these issues are any less than what they are.

I find the anonymous comment very shallow, and it makes an effort to sweep me under the rug. In my other post about what my friend Anne shared with me, I shared what she said because of the truth in it. In this day and age people are too uncomfortable if they have to think about what others deal with, and how much of a help or friend is that? It isn't, it just doesn't help! That particular post is just before the one I'm talking about now, so it could have been read together and taken into consideration together and it wasn't. Again I quote what Anne said...

We live in a society that has a false sense of happiness - that is not the only valid emotion. And I personally think that it's the uncomfortable, awkward things that can help us grow. Society and The Church (!!!!) need to be aware of what goes on in the heart of an infertile young woman. A young married couple having kids is the accepted norm, and there are so many unbiblical and (I think) evil assumptions about IF in the church. The only way we will find the support we need and be able to reach out to others experiencing the same heartbreak is to share our story, share the depths and truth of the grief we encounter.

I see this as applying to all suffering, and is why I'm as honest as I am in everything I share here. I don't have many regular readers, and I can understand that, because this isn't a happy all the time place. But to those who do read more than one post my hope is that you don't see just the negative, or just the happy, but the journey as a whole. To see this story for what it is, ups and downs, victories and losses, blessings and needs. And that Christ is who my hope is placed in.

If someone wanted to truly help me it would look like this;

Helping around my house, helping to pay medical needs, supporting my participation in the Arthritis walk, praying along with me and others, listening and being a caring friend.

I do have people who do some of these things, for them I am truly blessed and grateful, but to someone who wants to give me advice on something they know nothing about, I share the following buttons (because I have nothing more I can say)...