Measles, Mumps, and Bears, Oh My!

Come on!! First I hear that the Measles have been verified in Nebraska, now I get a recorded phone call from my son's middle school that one of their students has a verified case of the Mumps?!! So maybe next it'll be Rubella?? Hang on just a second while I drag out my soapbox:

It's called an MMR, people!! Yes, it's one of those "vaccines" that more and more people seem to be writing-off as being either unnecessary, or dangerous. You know the most common side effects associated with receiving an MMR vaccination? Administration site swelling and/or redness, occasionally a low-grade fever or headache. Those aren't actually "side effects", by the way; it's what we refer to as an immunological reaction. That phenomenon which occurs when your body meets, identifies, and defeats a new adversary; one which it will remember in the future and use to kick its pathogenic ass. Which is a good thing! And most variations of the vaccine are between 80 and 95% effective in preventing countless ridiculous illnesses!

What complications can come about due to actually having the Measles?? Anything from regular old diarrhea to ear infections, pneumonia, BRAIN SWELLING, and, oh yeah, blindness. Don’t even get me started on the potential scarring left behind from this ridiculous, uncomfortable rash that makes its way from their scalp all the way down to their toes. There are even more disturbing, potentially life-threatening complications that can arise, but they’re rare, so I won’t bother.

Let’s instead move on to the Mumps, shall we? Serious complications associated with the Mumps include meningitis, encephalitis (that pesky BRAIN swelling again), deafness, and yes, gentlemen, even testicular swelling!! Who would want to avoid those things?!

That leaves us with Rubella (also known as the German Measles). Ordinarily, the only concerns are rash and fever, and usually only for 2 to 3 days. But it’s not quite as simple and harmless as it may sound.

Do you know what can happen to the child of a pregnant woman's child if she's exposed to Rubella? The most common birth defects associated with this little gem of a virus are: Deafness, cataracts, heart defects, mental retardation, not to mention liver and spleen damage. If a pregnant woman is exposed to or infected with the virus early enough in her pregnancy, there is at least a 20% chance of permanent damage to the fetus.

I’ve got a pregnant best friend out there walking amidst you people, so do me a favor: Educate yourself and advocate for your children. Do what’s in their best interest, as well as the best interests of those around them.

As for you, with the unvaccinate child: The one that you use to so eloquently argue, “But my child hasn’t gotten any of these things!” Yeah, I’m talking to you. Do you have any actual idea why your child has been so lucky this far? Because we have vaccinated our children, that's why. The only favor you’re doing your child is leaving them vulnerable. Unprotected. Helpless, defenseless, and susceptible to harm.

Before you fire back your unsupported, unsubstantiated claims of supposed long-term side effects and/or consequences of vaccinations, those of which you inevitably took at complete face-value from some pop cultured, propaganda-generating, conspiracy theorist source with its own agenda, do me one simple favor. Picture yourself 10, 15, 30 years from now attempting to explain to your child how “lucky” they are that you were enlightened enough to forgo mindlessly having them vaccinated. Now picture yourself explaining this all to them using sign language because they lost their damn hearing due to enduring a virus that you, their parent, had the option of protecting them from.

Did people survive and live normal, healthy lives prior to vaccinations? Yes. Did people survive these viruses and come out the other end no worse for the wear? Absolutely. Did numerous people also suffer because of the viruses and develop permanent, debilitating health problems? Yep. Was it enough of a hardship and potentially lethal enough to inspire those with knowledge that far surpasses yours and mine to develop life-saving tools which can actually protect us and our offspring from having to risk such consequences?? YES!!

Sure, there was a time when people managed to get-by without vaccinations. There was a time when western medicine was more of a luxury than a necessity. There was also a time when the average American lifespan was approximately 35 to 40 years of age.

I would never dream of asking anyone to simply take my word on such an important topic, so here’s one extremely reputable, fact-based source should you decide to make up your own mind: http://www.immunize.org/news/featured-resources.asp.

Bandwagons are for idiots and dead people. Don’t be that guy! Just, please, let’s nip this idiocy in the bud before bringing-about a nice ol’ Polio epidemic, shall we? That is all.