Psalm 119:66

Psalm 119:66
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,for I believe in your commandments.

Each day we are being influenced one way or the other by opinion as well as facts of the newly considered world pandemic (swine flu)

Personally as a mother it is my first reaction to feel nervous and pulled about this virus that has become today's new plague.. I go back and I read about the many viruses that have taken face over the world throughout the many generations, with each plague there have been deaths and survivors. This one is truly no more dangerous to our living but I will be honest and say it seems personally alarming due to the fact it seems to be a target for younger adults and children and the flu season has not fully begun.. But compared too many other illness that once they began until we became familiar and educated about them I believe it was the same importance/fear shown..

We as parents can continue a panic or simply research, pray and respond to what the Holy Spirit compels you to do.. I choose as a mother of two girls who I rely only God for ways to keep them safe, have spent many days and hours praying for the new situation. I am a mother who feels it is okay to allow immunizations. My daughters have received the flu shot yearly along with many other immunizations that the Health Administrators of the world offer.. Do I believe man is more powerful then God? NO! Do I beleive the medicines are more pwerful then God? No! I feel God has final say in all we do or do not do.. I also feel as if God gifted these people with the ability to create preventatives for those who are willing to use them.. As with many other illness's or viruses.

The many plagues since the beginning of time can help you refer to what living in this world can consist of when dealing with sickness vs Faith.. In regards to Faith' we already know and believe in Jesus great and his powerful love to heal us..

Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Many question themselves daily and are even feeling overwhelmed due to influences based from personal experiences or personal opinions... Should or should I not get the vaccination? Seems to be today's big question..

As a single mother, I am only writing to urge you to take the time to understand the reality of the situations and pray and allow God to answer this question for you..
I myself have already been led to vaccinate my daughters but again they have received these vaccines since they were born. I am not writing today to urge you to follow my lead but only providing comfort and assurance that having knowledge and understanding gives you an upper hand on your childrens living.. I encourage you to gain knowledge for where there is wisdom there is life...

Proverbs 3:13
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,and the one who gets understanding.

My daughters are 12 & 8, both experience some sort of defect with respiratory issues not severe but prevalent to their lives so I know the risk they fall under with any form of influenza or virus.. For those who have children and are feeling the pressures and the anxiety of this social climbing situation.. Here are some common questions I found in the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS that people just like you and I are asking:
1. What is swine flu?

Swine flu is the name for the new strain of influenza virus that is circulating around the globe. It first appeared in April of 2009 in the U.S. and Mexico, and has quickly spread to all parts of the world.

2. What are the symptoms of swine flu?

The symptoms of swine flu are exactly the same as the symptoms of seasonal flu, which include fever, coughing, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, and fatigue.

There is nothing about swine flu that tells you it is swine flu and not seasonal flu, so you really have to look to public health and say, “Hey, what’s going on in my community?” This summer, if you had flu symptoms, it is likely that you had swine flu because that was all that was circulating.

3. How many people have died from swine flu?

It’s hard to say exactly how many people have died from swine flu. From April through the end of August, the CDC reported 9,079 swine flu hospitalizations and 593 deaths in the United States. From August 30th through October 10th, there were 292 reported swine flu deaths, and another 2,029 deaths that were reported either as influenza or pneumonia - some of those probably weren’t swine flu.

According to the World Health Organization, as of October 17th, there have been more than 414,000 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 and nearly 5,000 deaths. Most likely, there have been millions of cases around the world that have gone undiagnosed and unreported.

4. How long does swine flu last?

In general, you feel pretty lousy for three days, and you start to improve over the next few days though you may have a cough which lingers for weeks. If you don’t start to feel better after three or four days, you should see a doctor. Another important thing to note is that if you are starting to get better and then take a turn for the worse - meaning you get a high fever - then you need to seek medical care right away because that could mean you have a bacterial infection on top of the flu.

5. What is the swine flu incubation period?

The incubation period is the time from when you’ve been infected by the virus to when you start showing symptoms. The usual incubation period with swine flu is one to four days, but it can be up to a week.

6. Is there an increased risk of swine flu for pregnant women?

Pregnant women are at greater risk for swine flu and other respiratory infections for three reasons. During pregnancy, a woman’s immune system changes to allow the development of the baby, which can increase the risk of infection. As the pregnancy goes on, the sheer size of the developing fetus can limit a woman’s ability to take a deep breath by pushing up on the diaphragm, and taking a deep breath is a defense mechanism that forces things out of our lungs. And, lastly, many pregnant women have other children around the house, which can increase their risk of exposure to germs.

7. Swine flu vs. regular flu: How do they compare?

The big difference between swine flu and the seasonal flu has to do with who is at the greatest risk. Younger people are at greater risk for swine flu because they don’t have any underlying immunity or protection. On the other hand, the elderly are at greater risk for seasonal influenza. 90% of people who have been hospitalized for swine flu were under 65 years old. 90% of those who have been hospitalized for seasonal flu were over 65 years old.

8. Is the swine flu vaccine safe; what are the side effects?

This should be a very safe vaccine. It is made the exact same way as seasonal flu vaccines, which are given to over a hundred million people in this country every year. In fact, the swine flu vaccine actually went through additional testing this past spring to determine how many doses people would need, and that provided even more safety information. It is expected to have the exact same safety profile and side effects of the seasonal flu vaccine. The most common side effects of the injectable vaccine are redness, soreness, at the site of injection, and mild fever in the couple of days after the shot. The nasal spray vaccine also can cause a mild fever, and maybe a bit of a sore throat. It is important to remember that neither vaccine is really giving you the flu. Your body’s reaction to it is part of the way you develop immunity.

9. What are the ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine?

Again, there are two different vaccines. The nasal spray is what is called a "live attenuated vaccine." They take the virus and change it so that it can’t cause the flu, but it can infect the cells in your nose and cause an immune reaction. The injectable vaccine has a surface protein in it called hemagglutinin. All vaccines contain trace amounts of ingredients that are used in its manufacturing, as well as stabilizers so that the vaccine remains effective.

Also, if your vaccine comes from a multi-dose vial, it will have a very small amount of a preservative called thimerosol. It is important to remember that both vaccines can have trace amounts of egg protein in them, because the viruses that are used to make the vaccine are grown in eggs. People with egg allergies can’t receive either vaccine.

10. Other than taking the vaccine, what swine flu precautions can we take?

It’s important that people don’t forget those basic things that our moms taught us. Wash your hands with soap and water. If you don’t have soap and water, use a hand sanitizer. Cover your mouth when you cough with your sleeve, not your hands. Stay home when you are sick, and keep your kids home when they are sick so the respiratory infection does not spread. If you are a high-risk individual, talk to your doctor about what you should do if you get sick, so that you have a treatment plan. Those things can be very helpful and provide peace of mind

I have also Added from the Center of Disease Control

Avoid close contact.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

Stay home when you are sick.
If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.

Cover your mouth and nose.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

Clean your hands.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Practice other good health habits.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food

Praying the information posted can help you relax and enjoy your children to the fullest!

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Ephesians 6:1

Children, obey your
parents in the Lord: for this is right. †
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We Are Passionate Sisters in Christ
Kristie
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