All I Wanted For Christmas Was… a Flu Shot?

January 07, 2015

For years my friends and colleagues have been telling me to get a flu shot at the onset of flu season and for years I’ve been ignoring them, reluctant to do so for fear of somehow reducing my immunity to the virus or worse yet contracting the flu from the shot itself.  Now before you start sending me nasty emails telling me I’m wrong, let me just say that the Center for Disease Control has beat you to it. The truth is our family has been relatively healthy throughout the years, and my wife and I figured that all the hubbub over the flu shot was to create demand for something I really didn’t think most people needed.  In fact, the only reason I received my first flu shot last year was to appease my loving neighbor who insisted I get one prior to flying out for business.

Well, as the proverb goes, pride comes before a fall, and life has an interesting way of teaching you that lesson whether you want to learn it or not. Out of the six members of my household, three of us have been confirmed to have the flu, and two of the three remaining have flu-like symptoms, leaving my son David to fend for himself. (Duck and cover buddy. You’re next!)

What makes this situation even more tragic is that it wouldn’t have to be this way if I had just used some common sense. Here are three things I learned last year when I got the flu shot:

  1. The flu shot DOESN’T hurt.  Now try convincing my son of that, but it’s true.  When I received my shot last year I literally asked the nurse to let me know when she was going to administer the shot AFTER she had already done it.  (I thought she was still swabbing the area with alcohol that’s how quick and painless it was.)
  2. My health insurance provider covers the cost. When I presented my health insurance information to the pharmacist, she let me know that flu shots were 100% covered by my insurance provider.
  3. I didn’t get the flu last year. Now I’m not suggesting that if you get the flu shot that you are guaranteed not to get the flu, but if we do the same thing why would be expect a different result?

You would think that based on my experience I would have no problem lining the family up for this seasonal line of defense, and you’d be right, but alas I waited too long and now the Ward family suffers.  In the spirit of giving, allow me to share with you a few things I’ve learned this year by NOT taking the flu shot:

  1. You can be contagious and not even know it.  Most people contract the flu by coming in contact with an infected person, but it’s possible to pass on the flu to others before you even know you are sick.
  2. Getting the flu can be expensive.  On the way home from the doctor’s office, we stopped by the pharmacy to pick up Jacob’s prescription. The cost: $250! Multiply that by four and you’re looking at a $1,000 annual fee for medicine. In 10 years, that could be worth over $15k, enough to pay tuition for Jacob’s first year of college.
  3. It’s not too late to get the flu shot.  According to the CDC, flu season typically runs from October to May, which means if you haven’t gotten the flu yet, there’s still time to protect yourself! Many area pharmacies offer flu shots without appointment so if you have no need to visit your doctor, don’t let that be a reason to avoid vaccination.

You don’t have to be a genius to see why planning to get the flu shot each year not only decreases your chance of getting the flu, but may also save you a decent chunk of change—a real-life example of how an ounce of protection can truly be worth a pound of cure. Don’t let the flu-Grinch steal your post-Christmas joy. Make a date to get your flu shot today, and may you enjoy an illness-free and prosperous New Year!

 

Love,

The Ward Family