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Flu Shots


Remembering Dave

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Hello all, I went and got my Flu and Pneumonia Shots yesterday. I am sure you have all heard about the shortage of vaccination doses due to the closure of the British Company that makes it and that only High Risk people should get the shots right away. We w3ho are taking chemo are considered High Risk. I had stopped by my Pharmacy the day before and the Pharmacist said that at another store people had started lining up at 11:00 a.m. for shots that started at 1:00. I figured I would get there about 11:00 also to be safe and make sure I got my shot. Well, I decided yesterday morning to go on in earlier and got there at 10:30. They only had 70 doses which they were going to start giving at 1:00. Now, remember I was there at 10:30 and I was number 60 in line!!!! By 11:00 there were over 70 people trying to get in line!!!! I was definitely the youngest peson there. I got a lot of mean looks but they must have really been confused when the Pharmacist came and got me out of line to get my shots so I could get to my Radiation Appt. (only 3 more of those to go, yippee!!)

People remember, we are High Risk. Of course consult your Onc. before you get the shots. My Onc said to get it and get it fast.

On a lighter side, We are taking our camping trailer up to Nothern Virginia and staying in Bull Run Regional Park Fiday and Saturday night. One of my sisters lives very close to the park there and she is getting ready to show her pottery on Sunday at an Ats and Cafts show in Clifton VA (Suburb of Wash. DC). We will help watch her kids while she gets ready for her show. We will not go to the show on Sunday. We went there last year and it is a lot of walking. We may go back to Richmond in a round about way and skirt the Appalachian mountains going south to see the leaves changing as this is supposed to be close to peak week. It would probably add several hours to out trip but sure would be pretty.

I start my 4th of 6 rounds of chemo on Monday. It will be a bad chemo week as I will be getting the Cisplatin. I get on and read the posts every day but rarely have the energy (mental) needed to reply to you all. Please know that each and everyone of you are in my prayers.

As I said before I only have 3 more rounds of Radiation to the tumor site du jour in my right upper sinus. The area is getting pretty burned. It is so burned that it is turning brown. Hopefully the skin will stay intact and not get any worse. I have been slathering it with Pure Aloe cream every day.

I have my next CT scan in 3 weeks.

God Bless us and watch over us all.

David C.

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Hey Dave-

Glad to see you up and about. I went on Tuesday to get my flu shot, I was number 177 of 200. The clinic started at 8am, I got there at 8:30am. Took 3 hours, but I got it!

Have fun this weekend! I'll think about you Monday! Call me if you want to talk! I have no treatment next week, I'm off! Yeah!

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I am glad you got your shot. Those kiddies bring home every germ wthin a thousand miles! Our radiation oncologist reccomended the pure aloe to John for his skin burns also. I hope it helps. Hang in there and keep checking in with us.

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David,

I hope your trip is wonderful and that you feel up to going and enjoying the camping. As for the flu shot...no one here has the vaccine. Not suppose to get it before last week in October. I am on the list at my doctors office and the pharmacy that I use. I sure hope I can get it at one of those places. I was so glad to hear from you David. I understand about feeling so rotten you don't want to post. Its almost over, so hang in there. I will pray that your scans are good and that there are no more tumors du jour.

Nina

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David and Karen,

I grew up in Manassas, Va.. I have some fond memories of the Battlefield and Bull Run Parks as a kid. You are right, the Appalachians would be beautiful this time of the year, and worth the excurtion. I am just sorry you have to be on chemo and radiation. The exhaustion is overwhelming. My oncologist office gave me the flu shot. My arm is still black and blue. I had to take off work because I ached so bad, like I had the flu. That didn't happen last year. My blood counts are low, but he thought I could endure the shot anyway. I am fine today, but hurt pretty bad yesterday. What is this about 3 consecutve shots? I sure don't want it again. ha!

Cheryl

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David, Enjoy the weekend.

Sorry about next week, but THE END IS IN SIGHT!!!!

I almost started a riot about my last two radiations,

the oncologist looked at it, and said softly out loud,

Well, I've seen worse.

Gave me my radiation anyway.

Then shipped me off to chemo.

Know what? I healed.

You will too.

Remember to ask for the Ethyol for the cisplatin!!

It will help you keep your hearing.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

XOXOXOXOX

MaryAnn

Prayers always.

Flu shot story.

Went in at 11:45 -- to store up the street from the store giving vaccines.

A guy said, no, it's the other store, but they're at #390 and turning everyone else away -- they only have 400 doses.

So I went across town to another Giant supposed to start at 2. I was there at 12:10. I got #49. By the time I left at 2:30, there were 600 people in line, many of them elderly, very elderly, in wheelchairs.

Oncologist doesn't have any -- primary care doesn't have any, they send you to www. flu shot. com, which lists local grocery store pharmacies.

The pediatrician was the only one on the mark, he had us preorder and PREPAY flu shots, and he didn''t order from Chiron. The kids get theirs next week. Alleluia!. Sorry to run on....

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David, Karen and Faith,

I know you will all have a lot of fun with your Sister David and her family. I hope the weather is nice for you all.

Your in my prayers my friend for you soon to be last CHEMO! Just remember it's killing all those little buggers that WERE floating around in there!

As for the flu shot. Here's a story for you. Today my Clinic called because I made an appointment a few days ago to get my flu shot. Well, they called to see if I was at HIGH RISK, so I told them I was and they said "that's fine, then we will leave you on the list and you will get your flu shot at your scheduled appointment." How nice was that??? I was rather impressed!! :D So, I'm good to go! It's always good to remind everyone to get there flu and pneumonia shot if you haven't had one. pneumonia shots are not required every year, but Flu shots are.

God Bless and have fun over the weekend.

Love to All,

Connie

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Went to see the stomach doctor today about my anemia problem. He happened to be in same building as my PCP. When I saw PCP 3 weeks ago, after getting out of hospital, he told me the shots would be available after Oct 1 and I could drop in no appt needed. That is what I decided to do today. Receptionist told me they were for high risk people. I told her I was and she wrote down ...Risk = Lungs. Have a seat and the nurse will be with you shortly. Well 30 minutes later nurse calls my name, I go to window and get a chance to laugh. She tells me she is sorry but she can't give me the shot because they are for high risk only and I am not high risk. :?

Now you know me, I had to come back with something good so I said "well maybe I mis-understood the surgeon when he said he removed my left lung." :lol:

She said my chart didn't say that anywhere but that she believed me. I got my shot and went home.

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http://www.findaflushot.com/lungusa/

If you are considered high risk for complications of the flu, the American Lung Association encourages you to "stick with the flu shot." You are at high risk if you:

Are 65 years old or older. Pneumonia and Influenza are the fifth leading cause of death for people over 65. Only about 69% of Americans 65 years and older receive the flu shot annually. These people should also get the pneumonia vaccine. Unlike the flu shot, this is a once in a lifetime shot and can be given at the same time as a flu shot. Medicare pays for both flu and pneumonia vaccines for people over 65.

Are a resident of a nursing home or other chronic-care facility that houses people of any age who have chronic medical conditions.

Have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including asthma. Asthma is not exacerbated by the injection of the influenza vaccine according to an American Lung Association study. (N Engl J Med 2001; 345:1529-36.) However, only 10% of children with asthma and 39% of adults with asthma get the flu annually.

Have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases (diabetes), anemia, kidney disease, or immunosuppression (HIV).

Are a child and or adolescent (6 months to 18 years old who is receiving long-term aspirin therapy and, therefore, might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza infection.

Are a woman who will be pregnant during the influenza season.

Are a child aged 6-23 months.

Are between the ages of 50-64 years.

Can transmit influenza to those at high risk such as health care professionals, employees of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities, providers of home care, household contacts (including children) of high-risk persons and out-of-home caregivers of children 0-23 months.

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As to the flu shot saga ...

Oncologist's office told me on my last visit it was a bit too early, but to just stop by in October and they'd give me the flu shot. Ooops. Now, they are all out, probably won't get any more. I tried a few clinics where they were giving the shots, but by the time I'd get to them, they were all out too.

My one last hope is that Monday, the local health dept. is to have more vaccine, and I'll go by there after my appointment with the Radiation Oncologist. I have a friend who works at the health dept. too -- he's the guy who rescued my little Tootsie (the kitty on the left in the avitar/picture) and brought her to me! I'm hoping he'll be there Monday so I won't have to go through all the ropes of proving who I am! The Oncologist wrote out on an Rx for me that I'm high risk, so we'll see. I guess that's my one last chance to have the flu shot, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

As to the pneumonia vaccine -- the Oncologist I see doesn't recommend it for me. She says that I'm not prone to infection, the only pneumonia I ever had was from this tumor and it went away within a few weeks, I have no breathing problems, no asthma, no COPD, etc. She says maybe when I'm 65! I said maybe when I'm 65 they will have a cure for not only pneumonia, but lung cancer too! (I can't tell you what a pleasure it is to see an Oncologist who actually will talk as if I will still be around when I'm 65!! The first one never did. :( )

Di

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