Keep healthy this Flu Season #GetAShot and give a shot with Walgreens

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Fall is knocking at the door and we all know what that means, the dreaded flu season isn’t far behind. I know in some part of the country it already started with some really bad upper repertory infections and I’m sure it’s just getting worse from there. Have you thought about your flu, shingles or any other immunizations yet?

I have to get a Flu shot every year due to my Lupus, I have to make sure I do all I can to prevent to get sick the best I can. Having an already weekend immune system and a system that attacks itself sure doesn’t need a full blown flu on top of it. I saw at my local Walgreen the other day while picking up my prescriptions that they had the new seasonal fly vaccinations in stock and inquired with my pharmacist about this year’s seasonal flu. Walgreens also has a super cool program that if you get a flu shot (or any other immunization), which most of the flu shots are covered by your health insurance so you may not even have to pay for it, they will give a shot, a lifesaving vaccine to a child in a developing country through the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life program. How cool is that?

I always have my kids vaccinated against the flu and I know some people do and don’t. It’s not my place to tell you what to do, but I wanted to share a brief story of a very good friend. She was in her late 40’s full of life, 4 happy children, most of them still in High-School and happy as can be. Earlier this year she got sick, didn’t think of anything and I followed her updates on Facebook, like most of us do with our friends. One of her updates was showing her in the hospital with an IV, she said she got dehydrated and they kept her in the hospital, I didn’t think of anything, something like that can happen quickly and since she was treated shouldn’t be too bad, most of us wouldn’t worry too much, right?

What happened after that is something I hope will happen to no one and by the grace of god my friend is alive only thanks to a few angels a/k/a amazing Dr.’s (truly angels in disguise) that acted quickly, she was moved to two different hospitals within a short period of time, the first hospital already had wrote her off for dead and the second was unable to help as well, a helicopter transferred her to a hospital that was equipped to treat H1N1, which she was ultimately diagnosed with. No one knows and she will never know how she was infected, she does know that she is a miracle that she is still with us today. Two people at the same hospital that she was at, a young kid (under the age of 20) and an elderly person, unfortunately weren’t as lucky as my friend. She was in a comma for 4 or more weeks and all her organs started to shut down, but her Dr.’s wouldn’t give up on her and kept fighting. Now I don’t know all that was done and all that had happened to her so “Ms. J”, in case you read this, I hope I didn’t miss something, I just thought your story has to be told and I wanted to show that you are truly a miracle, I love you!

She did survive with a lot of strength and prayers, she (still) has a long recovery ahead of her, she has lots of surgery still to go, now mind you, all this happened earlier this year and she is still in recovery and her life is still not back to normal, will it ever be, no one knows and all because she was infected with H1N1 and it could have been prevented if she would have gotten the flu shot. It can happen to anyone, anytime and does not discriminate!

So, the next time you walk by Walgreens and see the #GiveAShot sign, think about how would your kids move on in life without you by their side, your family, how would they survive? Would you be as strong as Ms. J and make it through if you would be infected with the seasonal flu and end up in intensive care? I wish no one would ever have to deal this and this is just my way to tell you… Think about it… what if?

Walgreens makes it simple, so the next time you have a few minute, pull into your local Walgreens, I know I have one on every corner, grab your immunizations and stay as healthy as you can, prevention is the key. If you do get sick, it won’t be full blown as if you hadn’t gotten the immunization. Drink plenty of water and get lots of rest. Your kids need you and will thank you.

Do you get a Flu Shot every year?