Adventures with government run health care

Well, it is a big debate of whether or not to get the swine flu vaccine. Scott and I have discussed it at length, and prayed about it, and decided it wouldn't hurt to get it. Because I am pregnant, I feel a bit stressed about pre-term labor (and dying, etc...) and I don't want the kids to get it and give it to me (or get sick themselves)! Since I can only get the shot (not the mist), yesterday was the first day the shot would be available to me. So we packed up the kids at 6:30 in the morning, hoping to be near the front of the line at the Health Department to get the shots. Explanation: Salt Lake County received 7,000 vaccines and split them between four sites. This site had 1, 750 shots available. I knew that lots of people would be there, and I figured the vaccine wouldn't last long, but I was not expecting what we experienced.

For some reason, the health department thought it would be good to start it at 7 am. Big mistake. Tons of people standing out in the cold to get a shot so they wouldn't get sick, just to get sick from standing in the cold.... Thank goodness it wasn't raining. Though I am sure some people got rained on CAUSE THEY GOT THERE AT 10 pm THE NIGHT BEFORE!!!! People spent the night in line!!!!! What??? By the time we got there at 6:45 am, there were police in the streets directing traffic, a line that started at the health department building, winding around a little set up they had, then circled around the parking lot, out around Wendy's, down a sidewalk and back into another parking lot, circling that entire (huge) parking lot, looping back out to the sidewalk (we made it to this area), down it, and then turned down the street and went down it as far as the eye could see. THOUSANDS of people!!!! And I am sure many saw the amount and turned around and left. We stood in line talking with the others around us about it all--no one sure of how many people there were, how many vaccines, how fast the line would move, whether we should stay or not.

Scott took Brennan and went to the HUGE McDonalds line (of course--man they made BANK that day!) and got a few things for breakfast. But, around the time he was starting back, a police man standing near Wendy's started telling everyone that anyone from that point on should just leave, they wouldn't have enough for them. That meant us. I hung on with a few as the line shorted DRAMATICALLY. But, met up with Scott, so we decided to go home. We got in the car (which happened to be in that parking lot) loaded up the kids, and we were about the last car to leave. As we approached the lot exit, I saw a health department worker counting the line. I jumped out and asked her about it--She counted me and I was number 1500ish. That meant if we stood in line, we could get it! I feel terrible for all those people turned away who should have stayed. (Dumb policeman--though he was probably just doing as he was told). (Though, I must also say, that had he not turned all those away, we would not have gotten it anyway, we were too far behind in the line). So, Scott and I talked about it again. What if we weren't actually that close? We knew people were "holding places" for others (just like we did--I stood in line while he stayed in the car with the kids....) So was standing in line worth it?

We decided to do it. I had brought the laptop and kids shows (Ch-ch-ch-chip and Dale Rescue Rangers!). The kids sat in the car and watched (what a life saver) and Scott and I took turns standing in line. As we got closer they did more counts and FIVE people in front of us they said "this is the cut off--at this point for sure you will get it, but from here out maybe yes, maybe no". Arghh--would it all be worth it? YES! By 10:15 we were near the building, and we got our shots and were out by 11:00. Yes, it was early, yes, it was crazy, and yes we stood in line for hours, but it was actually kind of fun. I know, wierd. But, the kids weren't freaking out (well, Brennan fell and hit his head and cried for a long time...) but they were happy. The people around us were fun to talk to and it was good family time together. And I do feel a bit better now that I and the kids have the shot.

We celebrated (plus it was a huge bribe) at McDonalds after (they even had free ice cream cone coupons from the health department) with a disgusting burger or two and then went home to relax.

There is such big talk about YOU MUST GET THIS vaccine, but then there isn't a lot of supply. Frustrating! People are scared of this, so how can we be normal people yet stay healthy? Besides standing in line for HOURS, if we can, get the shot, but then we need to wash hands lots. I hear that rinsing out the nose with salt water is really good and taking lots of Vitamin D. Anything else?
Well, good luck to you all out there--may we all be healthy and happy!