but I would rather leave myself to Jesus, The Good Physician, and offer my healings, sufferings, and the death God wants me to have. I only pray The Holy Ghost provide me with the grace to be strong and the ability to offer it up for my sins and for other intentions. May The Immaculate Heart be our kind intercessor.
First off this quote from Clelia. I'm both in agreement and disagreement with the above. Agreement because isn't that what we're supposed to do? Is ask for healing and guidance from the Physician Himself? However, I was put off by it as it sounded a bit hokey--sort of like a offshoot of Christian Scientist sentiment. If a family member of yours developed Type 1 diabetes, would you refuse medical treatment? Broken arm, leg? Just let it fester and heal on its own? God DID put people on this earth to learn and to be a vessel to heal. But it would seem that you're rejecting it outright not well thought out reasons. It's a bit of reverse elitism--"I'm better than you because I don't go to the doctor for ________ ailment-- I trust in Jesus only."
Like I said--I was put off-in a BIG way.
Regarding the flu shot. Unless you work in a healthcare setting or in a capacity that requires national defense there is no requirements. I have received the flu shot and happily done so. Those that complain "Mom got sick with it" well--yeah- with a diluted strain of the flu to assure that she won't get the full blown one that kills. Which would you prefer for Mom? A few sniffles, a bit of aches or burying her?
Flu DOES kill people. It is not a respecter of persons- it could be your child, grandparent or a person who is dealing with immnuo-compromised systems due to cancer, etc. Those that really should consider the flu shot at any time are those that are very young, elderly, have cancer (etc), and those that have repeated pneumonia yearly no matter their age. Notice I say to "consider"-- because frankly you're getting LAST YEARS shot in the dark prevalent flu virus.
But it does create anti-bodies and "memory" cells to fight off the flu better than a bodies immune system completely defenseless. Do not trust your immune system to the flu virus. It is a tricky, guileless, deceiftful bastard. It hides, tricks macrophages to thinking it's part of the immune system. All the while replicating into the MILLIONS within hours. The body realizes that the virus is a trickers releases its sentry cells into the capillaries flooding the system creating what people know as a fever. It is not the flu that kills. It is the person's own immune response that does not shut off, and thus kills. That memory cell mentioned above? It tells the macrophages "Hey, bud-- that dude over there lookin' like he's one of us--read me and you'll see that he's a bad commie and he needs to be annihilated, pronto!" Thus creating a major TIME SAVER (instead of those millions within in hours...) to assist the immune system to line up a defense that can save a person's life.
I'm an advocate for healthcare, I work in the field. Dedicated many hours of labor and love to mankind. I find it offensive when I come to this forum specifically and read well-meaning people spew off mis-information because they got it off the internet somewhere. Without having a sit down with the researchers, doctors and other scientists that do this on a daily basis. We're not mad scientists with a beaker! We are human beings who have seen literally the very worst in viruses, bacteria, parasites and we wish to reduce (and our dream would be eliminate) such scourges in the world. We know we have an uphill battle, "modern medicine" is only 100 years old!
When H1N1 came about 3 years ago, my colleagues and I were extremely concerned. In the end, those that died were young people. Just like the "Spanish" flu of 1917-1919. Why? Read above: the body's own immune system is what kills a person with the flu. A young body, a stronger immune system thus stronger response FROM the immune system. It wasn't the babies post-natal, the grannies or those cancer patients that were dropping like flies, but young mothers, young fathers. People in their 20's and 30's.
The issue is that we
WILL have a second wave. The question is when. Very probable within the next 2-5 years. We suspect that it will be children that will be the heaviest fall out the next go around. We envision in our darkest hours, hearing on CNN mothers and fathers gnashing their teeth and wailing at God, blaspheming Him for taking their little one. THEN we'll have true panic like you've never seen. Interestingly, we do see that those that had the "shot in the dark" vaccince that was previous years flu virus have a better response. For me personally, I'd offer my family the benefit of at least a fighting chance. I can do no more.
Those that choose to not vaccinate with the flu, I'd urge you to prayerfully consider all the options and the whys and wherefores before you make your final decision. If you chose not to, you live with the consequences whatever that may (or may not) be.
As always, God bless each of you.