Sometimes I sit down on a Sunday night and just wonder “where does all the time go?”. Oh yeah, Bud got his flu shot Friday. Good stuff. This may seem like a minor item on the list of things to do, unless you have an egg allergy. Fortunately, it’s less of a big deal than it was just two years ago. The 2008 seasonal flu shot took over an hour at the allergist’s office. Two years ago, this same immunization took 2.5 hours. Now, it’s relatively simple. First, two scratch tests to determine allergy status. Yup, still allergic to eggs. Yup, allergic to this year’s batch of the flu vaccine. Then, a quick shot with a ten percent dose of the seasonal flu vaccine, and wait 30 minutes. Then the other 90 percent of the shot, and wait 30 minutes.
Prior to 2007, the nurses would start with the two skin tests to see if he was still allergic to eggs,and to determine if he was allergic to the current years seasonal flu injection. Then they would proceed to give him the actual flu shot in seven or so small doses. We had to wait 15 minutes in between each shot. The poor kid looked like a pin cushion, yet never complained. Fortunately, the nurses were always nice, so we felt right at home. And it sure is nice to avoid the flu and not have to worry as much about asthma episodes and pneumonia.
Thanks to the scientists who make this all possible!
Ann
P.S. Probably the hardest part of the process was taking him off of his antihistamine for 72 hours prior to the scratch test. In early October, there is still plenty of ragweed floating around New England. He takes a decongestant if he needs it while he’s off the antihistamine.
Tags: flu shot, food allergies
