To Vax or Not to Vax

or delay....that is the question.
The big, big question that is making me sweat and loose sleep for the time being.

As most of you know I am in the medical field and married to a Marine who has been injected with only God knows what. Vaccines have kept our country from facing disease at epidemic proportions so I've never really blinked an eye at immunizations. Until now.
A very homeopathic nurse coworker/friend of mine has revealed some very interesting statistics to me. It really made me think about this issue in a way I haven't before. She gets most of her information from two guys that have a national radio show. Len and Joe are pharmacists, nutritionists, homeopathic docs and Christian men. She really listens to them and trusts their opinions and I must say I am starting too as well.
Here is a bit of what Len and Joe say about vaccines. They are NOT anti-vaccine. It is just more information to help make informed decisions regarding our children.
(Thank you Lindsey (Bev's daughter) for the email with the info!)

**There has been a dramatic increase in:
-Juvenile Diabetes- 1950-1/7100; 2001-1/400; 2007-1/280 ++vaccine schedule now is 8-fold from the 50's (it is now thought that juv. diab. is caused by immune system attacking pancreas, a sedentary lifestyle isn't helping these stats)

-Asthma- 4 fold increase in 40 years

-Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis- all time high affecting 300,000 children

-Autism Spectrum Disorders ++ 50 yrs ago, before the vaccine era, 1/10000 children were diagnosed with autism. Now 1/68 families have an autistic child. Some say it is because it is diagnosed better now than then, but it is still very scary how the numbers continue to rise.

-Developmental and Learning Disabilities

-ADHD- 4 Million Children

7 vaccines injected into a 13 lb., 2-month-old child is like injecting 70 into a 130 lb. woman

There have been NO double-blinded or placebo controlled trials on the long-term effects of vaccines.

The myelin sheath of a baby's brain does not completely develop and cover the brain until 24 months. Several vaccines are administered before the brain is able to fully protect itself.

**Gulf War Syndrome
Military personnel are vaccinated very aggressively before going overseas. This all happens in a span of a few weeks or even days before leaving. The have ended up with symptoms such as neuropathies, neurological brain disturbance, fatigue, lethargy, MS type symptoms.
The only common ground between all those that had these symptoms is that they had massive amount of vaccines in a short period of time. If this is what happens to adults, what effect do mass vaccines have on babies?!

They suggest this vaccine schedule:
*Begin at 15 mo- 2 yrs, one at a time (no combined vaccine shots), with a minimum of 2 months between to allow immune system to recover between shots
*Do not use vaccines with thimerosal
Avoid live viruses- MMR, chickenpox, live-virus polio

**These are life saving vaccines
Polio-human cell not animal cell
Tetanus
Pertussis
Diphtheria

Other suggestions:
-Find a pediatrician who will work with you
-Ask if they will order the MMR separately and ask to see the insert before vaccine is given
-Research supplements and vitamins to boost the immune system before giving vaccines.
-Avoid using Tylenol to control fever, etc. after vaccine. Acetaminophen can deplete gluathione. Use Motrin instead
-Never give a vaccine when a child has been sick, has a cold, or has been on antibiotics

Again, this is not meant to be ANTI-vaccine. I am just at that cross roads and really want to hear what anyone has to say about this issue. I know there are some very intelligent people reading this blog!

My biggest fear is really the autism thing. It is a higher risk for boys. My Silas has been developing right on track, but has been slow in just about every thing. It took him forever to sit on his own and crawl. At 15 months he is just starting to walk and doesn't talk, babbles some. I know it is just Mommy concerns that I'm having and that he is fine. Nevertheless, I think we are going to wait until after 2 yrs. old for the MMR just in case.

I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer. I'm just really conflicted.
Feel free to post any views on this. I would love to hear them.

Game Time

Well this weekend is the big game that I thought would never happen. ASU is coming to Knoxville to play the Vols. This will be the only time that I am not pulling for the Vols. Yes, I whole heartedly support my Indians. Even though I have given up shooting football, I could not miss this game.

While I am on the field Erika, Silas and Jess will be in the stands. It is ironic that Silas will not be wearing orange to his first UT football game. Yes, you read correctly. While some of you think that we don't own anything but orange, that is just a rumor. Thanks to my buddy Ernie, Silas will be wearing an Indians football jersey to the game. Here is a photo that I snapped of him before school this morning.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

Silas and I have been taking advantage of these last days of summer with the top down. He loves the bug, just not on the interstate-wind is a little too rough for him there. We're going to miss this little car, that is if it ever sells!
Here is Sie Guy driving momma's car.

Searcy (We So Fly)

For those that don't know, this past week we have sold our home and bought another one. So things are even more crazy around here than normal. I am about to take our first load to goodwill. I know there will be many more loads to come.

Before I get out of here, I wanted to share this video I found about the town where I graduated high school. As you can tell not much happens there. Some how it hypnotized me and I watched it all the way through. So does Searcy have MTV yet? Don't laugh, it was still banned as of 1994. (Yes, I am getting old.) If not, will these kids be banned from town. Should that be banned from town anyway?

I will at least give these guys credit for hang it out there.

Now it is time to share.

Name Sake

For those of you that don't know, one of the people that Silas was named after was his great grandfather. Even at 14 months he is already acting like his great grandfather. I shot this yesterday after Silas fell asleep in the chair watching SportsCenter.