Immunize you crazy parents!

Oliver's post : Disclaimer - Maybe long and boring

So in my micro-bio class we have been studying the immune system and immunization quite a bit these past few weeks. I have been baffled over the past few years hearing so many negative things from parents (in Utah County especially) about giving kids shots. The most common reason I have heard for this uprising of non-immunization of children is fear. That is what it comes down to. They have heard it through the grape-vine that some agent in some shot will give their child Autism or something crazy. I would like to write a few of my thoughts on the subject.

First off, because of immunizations over the last 50-60 years, my generation has not had to see the effects of the horrific diseases that have plagued human beings since recorded history. I have never even seen anyone with polio. None of my friends kids or my wives friends kids or my nieces or nephews have died of measles or mumps as an infant. I think if we had all of these horrible diseases around and our doctor asked us...I can guarantee that your child won't get polio, or measles, or mumps, or rubella, or whatever disease that was rampant, we would be all over that. Now that those diseases are super rare (BECAUSE OF IMMUNIZATIONS) people aren't scared of them.

Second, IMMUNIZATIONS DO NOT CAUSE AUTISM! Look, I know your mother-in-law or the relief society president has a friend who's sister's husbands' brother's cousin's friend swears that "my kid changed the day after he got his 6 month booster shots" or something similar. I'm pretty sure science has been wrong in the past, and you can use that argument if you want. But almost everything, I mean EVERYTHING in your life that you can and can't think of has been scrutinized by scientists. You trust your life every second to the fact that something has been tested by science and you are 100% OK with it. Everything you eat from a can or package is pasteurised or autoclaved or sent through radiation to kill all bacterial and viral life. Every single part in your car was tested vigorously hundreds of thousands of times. The computer screen in front of you will most likely not blow up in your face, because of the same thing, vigorous testing.
Now let's bring this full circle back around to Autism. Autism is one of the most prevalent of the genetic disorders and has been studied immensely, probably more than you could imagine. There have also been lots of studies to try to link Autism to immunizations. Trust me, the one thing we have more of in this country than scientific studies is lawyers, and if a lawyer could get their hands on even a single study out there that could remotely link autism to a shot, there would be no shots at all and many rich parents of autism (and even more rich lawyers) But news flash, they haven't, not because of some government cover-up, or because the drug industry has supreme power over our country. There has not been any real evidence. In fact, all studies have pretty much come up with the same thing. There is no connections. I could link hundreds of articles about this, but I found one article that sums up nicely what most of the research says:

"Because of a temporal correlation between the first notable signs and symptoms of autism and the routine childhood vaccination schedule, many parents have become increasingly concerned regarding the possible etiologic role vaccines may play in the development of autism. In particular, some have suggested an association between the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine and autism. Our literature review found very few studies supporting this theory, with the overwhelming majority showing no causal association between the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine and autism. The vaccine preservative thimerosal has alternatively been hypothesized to have a possible causal role in autism. Again, no convincing evidence was found to support this claim, nor for the use of chelation therapy in autism. With decreasing uptake of immunizations in children and the inevitable occurrence of measles outbreaks, it is important that clinicians be aware of the literature concerning vaccinations and autism so that they may have informed discussions with parents and caregivers."

Link to the article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17168158

As the summary says, the first notable signs of autism happen to occur in most cases around the time that children get their booster shots. As a father of a child with a genetic disorder, I can say that it is natural for a parent to want to find a reason behind why their kid has a genetic disorder. As a father of a child with a genetic syndrome, I have struggled a bit with the "why." To tell you the truth, there is no why. Random 1 in 20,000 chance and here he is. Does that mean we love him less? No. Does that mean that if he had autism instead of angelman syndrome I'd love him less? Of course not. If he did have autism instead, would I be a little skeptical of why he started getting certain characteristics around the time he got his shots. I'm sure I would be a little wary. Like i said earlier, science has been wrong in the past, but the evidence we have before us is there. No studies can link immunizations with increase of autism, but on the contrary, immunization have been proven to prevent your child from getting several of the most common horrific diseases that were so much a part of even our grandparents lives.

Thanks to immunizations, there is no small pox. Thanks to immunizations, there is almost 0 measles, mumps, rubella, tuberculosis, plague, polio, pertussis, diphtheria, Hepatitis B...the list goes on.

I think I've rambled on enough. Before you give up on immunizations, at least give it some research, and not make your decision solely based on a forwarded email from grandma.

Proof

Aren't they so cute and adventurous?

Women at the Well

Last night, our ward celebrated the birthday of the Relief Society Organization with a salad bar dinner, fun decorated tables and a program that I somehow became responsible for. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have participated and doubly thankful that I didn't have to sing a solo(I was almost needed due to illness, but she got better). In reality, I was only dubbed "in charge" because I'm the one who knew everything that was happening, but if it hadn't been for the singers, the narrators and the Relief society presidency, it wouldn't have happened at all.

I was very impressed by the final production and everyone's last minute efforts to make it perfect. The costumes were awesome. We had a makeshift well and I think it was great. I'd never heard the program before being placed in charge, but now after a few weeks of devotion to it, I love it. The songs, the words written to share along with it and the whole spirit of celebrating the women who had been affected by Jesus in His lifetime. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's a brief description.

The program is produced by Kenneth Cope and takes its name from the Samaritan woman who meets Christ at the well and is instructed on "living water." The song devoted to her is also an invitation to all women to come to the well and drink deep. (Living Water by Simon Dewey)

Then there's a song about the woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years. She sings about her faith and that if she were to simply get close enough to touch then she would be healed after spending so long and losing hope of ever being healed. Following that we get to hear from Jairus' daughter whom Jesus raised from the dead. This was beautiful because we had a very courageous girl from Primary be willing to sing this song. She dressed all in white and sings about what it was like to be in heaven and yet know that because Christ is calling her, she will "leave this paradise" and "be His miracle". It was a very touching moment to see this 9 or 10 year old girl sing her heart out.

Then to another story of someone being raised from the dead. Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, sing about how Jesus didn't come and now its too late...and yet if He had been there, they wouldn't have known of His power over death.

They transition from that to another by saying "He can bring back to life those bodies that linger in the grave. And He can raise to spiritual life those souls who struggle in the prisons of sin." Go In Peace is sung by the woman who washes Christ's feet with her tears and her hair. It's a beautiful song about how those three little words have changed her whole life.

I love the narration that makes the transitions between these songs fairly smooth. Such as this, they talk about peace after that song and then say, "However, while you and I might earnestly seek to bring the world His peace, every soul must choose Him for themselves. no one can drink the "living water" for another. All must carry their own oil, in their own lamp." The following song is called Foolish or Wise and tells a few different stories, starting with the ten virgins. It talks about the choices we have and make between the foolish and the wise. This was sung by a woman who married into a family with a very good last name: Frogley. :) For my family, you can make the connection yourself. Moving on. Our Relief Society Presidency sang the shortest song (just 1 minute long) which is really a call to everyone "for the Master calls, 'Daughters, arise.'" which is a little bit of a reprise on the song sung earlier by our Primary girl.

The next song is also one to think on. It's supposed to be from the point of view from Mary, Lazarus' sister, but it is basically the song that sorrows in the day of the crucifixion, but then praises the resurrection. It's beautiful because it brings in some Hebrew words: yom tzaar, day of sorrow; yom dmaot, day of tears; yom simcha, day of gladness; and yom peley, day of wonder.

Then, Mary, the mother of Jesus, has her time to sing and praise His name. It's called Miracle from Heaven of how he was her miracle, but ends asking that He will "work this miracle for me."

The next song is the one I almost had to sing, but brings in the "other sheep", namely those in the Americas whom Christ came to after He was resurrected. It's a little lullaby because its being sung to a child. It talks about how there were storms, but then He came and "it was like there'd been a drought and every word He spoke was rain." The soloist here actually had a child on stage with her and sang to her. It was a perfect little image created and a great way to sing that story.

The last solo asks the question, "If I had been there" would I have been able to support Him? He was the greatest friend and has the greatest love and I hope to be as He is. Then before the end when they come back to sing the chrous of the first song again, the narrators get to call the audience to follow Christ and to "bring about 'a great forward movement among the women of the Church-a movement of renewed commitment-a movement in which we are destined to shape history' A movement where we partake of the pure love of Christ and then disperse it among those that surround us."

So I apologize for getting long winded when I said I would be brief, but it is a very peaceful program and the perfect thing to think about as the season of Easter is coming. It was fun to participate in this and be involved in something creative and a service to the other women of the relief society. While I felt like I was losing my mind, it had a faint feeling like the old days in the City of Joseph pageant, which is a much longer story for another day. My biggest regret now that its over, is that I wasn't able to get a photo of ALL involved before the night was over. And thanks one more time to my beautiful sister who helped by keeping the boys from screaming all night long with their mom being gone.

I hope you get to take part in something creative and a celebration of Christ and what He has done for you at some point in your life. It is a great blessing and a great reminder of all He is in your life.

Pitter Patter of Little Feet

I love that my friend Vicky reminds me (subtly) that I should be posting about the updates of my children. So the drama of walking. I apologize, I don't have any documented visual evidence to show you, but here is what is going on. My boys are taking steps! Both of them! Ryan is definitely pogressing faster and being more daring, but Evan isn't being left out. It is so exciting to see them release a sturdy object and take a step or two. My little Ryan is standing on his own a lot. Oliver says it stills surprises him when he turns around and Ryan isn't holding on to anything. Because he's only 30 inches tall!(according to the doctor's appointment on Monday). Evan isn't free standing, but he is walking more frequently holding my hands and does walk a couple steps between things if motivated. We can always tell when Ryan is about to take off because his hands go straight up into the air and he kind of does a running lunge to the ground. The most steps I've seen so far are about 6 without falling over. but I think the average is 3 or 4. I'll try to get some proof so that everyone can enjoy the sight of my boys making another leap in development.

Real life?

Last week Oliver's school had spring break and so I took some vacation time off work and spent half the week just with my family. I think its the first time I've taken vacation time for more than a day and spent it at home and not travelling some distance. It hit me what life might be like as a stay at home mom. and it was amazing. :)

Wednesday was a pretty normal day, but it ended beautifully. Natalie was able to watch the boys so that Oliver and I could go to the temple together. That was something that I really needed and am so grateful for the blessings recieved in the temple.

Thursday we decided to get out of Dodge and headed to....Vernal Utah! It was a part of the state I'd never been to before. We stopped at a Dinosaur Museum that wasn't Evan & Ryan friendly...it could be a great place for a 2 year old or older, but our boys are just a little under that mark. After walking through the museum which Oliver I think loved, we got back into the car and headed to Dinosaur National Monument and did a little car tour of the park. It was fun! For us. The boys had different thoughts.

We ended our Vernal excursion with dinner at the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant. mmm...

Friday was a day at home. It was nice to relax and not have to worry about work. Saturday I had to go to a practice for our Relief Society program and then around dinner time, Oliver said, let's go! So we got everyone dressed and went to get dinner. Which we ate in a park in Plasant Grove I think...we basically just drove and turned and stopped when we found a park. It was a little chilly, but there was a playground which the boys loved very much.

Sunday was Sunday and the realization was hitting both Oliver and myself that we were going to have to refocus our minds the next day back to school and work and we didn't really want to. While I wish that our break was actually real life, I've realized that I need to make sure our real life is much similar to our break. I need to take the boys to a park and I need to make sure that when I 'm not working, I'm focused on my family instead of constantly trying to split my focus. Maybe one day I won't have to.

Good News Minute

Hooray for happy weather. I thought I'd take a minute to share some happy things. Like last Thursday being beautiful and me being able to let my boys play in the sun and in the grass. It was a first for 2009 to have them both outside and free.

Look at him in his cute shoes--first time he's worn these--he didn't know what to do with them on.

And my second good news is that I went on a date with Oliver. We watched Inkheart at the dollar theatre which was a pretty cool movie and then we got ice cream at Cold Stone and ate it outside on the patio while the sun warmed our backs but didn't melt our ice cream. It was a beautiful couple hours. I just wanted to share that I am glad for the warming weather and the sunshine.

In over my head

Ever had that feeling? Where maybe what you agreed to do is a little more difficult or a little more out of your knowledge base than you had expected? Well...I have accepted an assignment of putting on the Women at the Well program for our ward's celebration of the Relief Society birthday. I can be as creative as I wish and control practicing and preparation as much as I want...and now I just have to do it. It's in an area I've never taken this role on before so I'm having to step outside of my comfort zone and just do it. Any thoughts or suggestions widely accepted.

Snowshoe Day

For Anna and anyone else interested, this is the website I've been referring to over the last few months for my random holidays: http://www.brownielocks.com/month2.html
Happy National Be Heard Day.

Random Holidays

I have always enjoyed finding out the random holidays that people celebrate each month. While sometimes I take advantage of the specific day or week by incorporating it into my RA staff meeting, I don't really have other ways to express those holidays. I'm not organized enough to put things together in my house when I know that my babies won't get it, but I still enjoy discovering them and sometimes celebrating them. I was very excited about Monday's Read Across America Day to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. It went onto my calendar and that was about it...no extra reading, I didn't break open a single Dr. Seuss book. I did look at the Dr. Seuss backpack that was given to Evan on his birthday, but that was it. Plans made and not done. One thing I did to celebrate a random holiday is to create a word find with names for Celebrate Your Name Week. My RAs thoroughly enjoyed it instead of listening to me during our staff meeting.
So for your reading pleasure or creativity inspiring pleasure: March is not only National Women's History Month, it is also Music In Our Schools Month, National Umbrella Month, International Listening Month, National Craft Month, and among many others Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month.
This week (1st-7th) is not only Celebrate Your Name Week, but it is also Sleep Awareness Week, Returned the Borrowed Books Week, Write a Letter of Appreciation Week, and the 2nd-8th is National Procrastination Week.
And today, March 4th is, among others, March Forth-Do Something Day, International Scrapbooking Industry Day and Learn What Your Name Means Day. Mine means Soft & gentle, peaceful and I've always loved that my maiden name means Broad-shouldered. I'm married to Olive tree wise-protector and we have two boys God is Good wise protector followed by Young Royalty lover of horses. At least according to the above website. This is obviously not accounting for any family connections and personal meanings of the name. For example, I am named after my great grandmothers and that is very special to me. What does your name mean and mean to you?
Happy Random Holiday to you!

Aw...

A few weeks ago I had to go to a meeting and didn't get back until after 10pm. I walked into my house to this:

Oliver was tired before I left, so this was no surprise to find him on the couch. But the bedroom door was closed and very very quiet. I walked in and found this:

Yes, they had a blast in the bedroom, but the fact that they fell asleep just like this is amazing. Aren't they cute?