Vaccine Follow Up Questions

The previous post on vaccines generated some important questions, which I will do my best to address below:

Why does the USA vaccinate more than other western countries?

For example, some countries don't include Varicella (chicken pox), Rotavirus and HepB, but America does.

Varicella –

For many, especially children, chicken pox is very mild. However, if someone has not had chicken pox as a child and contracts it as an adult they can suffer more seriously, such as pneumonia and encephalitis. The virus can also negatively affect pregnant women and immuno-compromised people (people on chemotherapy, children with leukemia, etc.)1,2. Thus, it’s somewhat straightforward why we don’t want this virus around. To that end it seems like the US takes a holistic approach and tries to protect everyone by immunizing, well, everyone. From what I have read, countries that don’t immunize all children for varicella try to hedge their bets by guessing who is most at risk (healthcare workers, family members of compromised patients) and hoping they can catch everyone important1. In my opinion, the problem with a non-holistic approach is that it requires extensive effort to guess who may or may not need the vaccine and thereby puts those who are compromised at unnecessary risk.

Hepatitis B-

This vaccine follows similar logic to that of Varicella. That is, it is much easier to catch all children when they are young than to pick out people who may be at risk for any number of reasons later on. And this is of course the case for many, many things (such as HepA). But in the case of HepB, I think the reason to be so proactive is that the disease can be severely debilitating, including fatal, and it's not worth playing the odds. Hep-B is spread through blood contact, which can definitely, and often does, mean sex. But it can also mean the scabs and boo-boos of child life3,2.

Rotavirus -

Rotavirus is extremely contagious. As in, before the US began vaccinating, almost all children would contract it4. The virus leads to severe diarrhea, which in all people but especially infants  can lead to dehydration and worse. It is so contagious that a child is almost guaranteed to contract it if not vaccinated and the severity can range from minor to fatal4.

There are also vaccines that are only conditionally recommended, even in America. For example, HepA is only recommended for high risk people. I only received this vaccination when I went abroad as an adult

What about negative reactions to vaccinations and accidents or shady work in pharmaceutical safety tests?

Unfortunately, there is a chance for a negative reaction to almost all decisions we make. Think of the diets we readily give children. There are some very severe allergies out there and as far as I know, the main way we find out about them is when a severe reaction happens and we respond. Some vaccines have no reported negative effects, which is pretty crazy (in a good job science! way). Others do have reported serious allergic reactions, but those reactions are so rare (less than 1 in a million) that it’s actually hard to tell if it was the vaccine that caused it or not6. As for the credibility of the CDC and FDA and their regulation of drugs… that’s a tough one. There have obviously been tragic mistakes. But for the vaccine schedule of children, that issue isn’t as relevant. These vaccines have been tested and used for a long time and the CDC does extensive and constant monitoring of the safety. They actually monitor it so closely that even the suggestion of danger (not proof) has caused them to temporarily withdraw a vaccine and reconfirm its safety before further administration. (In fact, this [in the opinion of many as well as mine] was a disastrous and destructive move. An unproven claim rippled through the vaccine community, scared enough people to get the vaccine revoked only to find out it was perfectly safe. Now, the public is terrified of that vaccine, MMR, and all vaccines. That's the autism-vaccine story).

How can we feel safe when we don't know about long term side effects of the vaccine and its chemical components? 

What are we going to know in the future? …that is a huge question. That’s a question that plagues all of the medical world. What are we doing now that we are going to regret later, or look back on and say "What idiotic logic made us think that was smart!?" Who knows. We can try to guess but really, who knows? What we do know is that we are living longer with a better quality of life thanks to vaccines. In other words, whatever harm vaccines may do to 80 year olds is probably not as bad as that 80 year old dying at the age of 7 from pneumonia… which is why we as a world have chosen to vaccinate and take other “chances” in medicine. 

This answer may seem unfortunate and unsatisfactory with those struggling deeply with the idea. It may seem harsh and insensitive. But it is simply truth put bluntly. The experiment of life is ongoing. What is good? What is bad? Maybe too much espresso will give us cancer. Maybe too much time at a computer will, too. We just don't know. It's up to the individual to weigh every single one of those choices against the alternative. Should you give up coffee? Not so bad. Give up your IT job? It's hitting closer to home. Risk your child getting the measles, rotavirus or polio? The thing about this last question, though, is that we have actually done the experiments! Vaccinated children DON'T get autism, and they are also microscopically at risk for any other side effects. Not immunizing is the exceedingly more risky option.

The Amish community is known for not vaccinating, do they have higher rates of childhood illness because of this? 

I actually had not previously heard this about the Amish, but a simple google search revealed that it seems to be commonly known that Amish under-vaccinate. However, after a little more aggressive digging  I came up with two responses. 

1. A study in Illinois found that Amish vaccinate more than we thought. The rationale for why this was originally misrepresented is that Amish don’t take part in internet or phone surveys7.

2. Yes, under vaccinated communities have an increased rate of disease. In 2009, a study showed that “Children with exemptions from school immunization requirements (a measure of vaccine refusal) are at increased risk for measles and pertussis and can infect others who are too young to be vaccinated, cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, or were vaccinated but did not have a sufficient immunologic response.”8 Seperately, it was shown this year that in counties in NY where fewer people were vaccinated there were increased cases of pertussis9.

 1. http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/ChickenpoxVaricellaZoster/GeneralInformation/

 2. The varicella, hep b, hep a and rotavirus chapters of this government publication

3. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/B/index.htm

4. http://www.cdc.gov/rotavirus/index.html

5. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hepa/default.htm#disease

6. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17133167
8. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa0806477 
9. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/132/1/37.full 

Know the facts. Vaccinate your kids.

There are many voices in the world declaring that vaccines are dangerous. That they do tragic, irreversible things to children.  Some of those voices come from politicians, from celebrities, from terrified parents and, sadly, even from some scientists. It is no wonder many in the western world were influenced by these voices. But the world has been misinformed and led astray, and it is time for the world to get back to the truth.

To kick off the discussion, I'd like to make some comments on this video, which is either depressingly misinformed, or worse, blatantly lying.

The video opens by suggesting that the tripling of vaccine amount in the last 30 years is related/causative to the autism increase. The fact that both of those things occurred means absolutely nothing. In the last 30 years we've also increased the national amount of wind turbines, internet usage and population density. But that doesn't mean we can start blaming those things for new health problems just because they overlap in time. A closer examination has revealed that the increased rate of autism is due to expansions in the definition of what it means to be autistic. That is, doctors are diagnosing people with autism spectrum disorder today whom would not have been diagnosed 30 years ago1.

Regarding the "dozens of published research papers" that claim vaccines and autsim are linked: In 1998,  British researcher Andrew Wakefield published a study claiming a link between vaccines and autism. It was immediately picked up by the press and exploded internationally. After the publication, other qualified scientists could not replicate his results, and eventually demonstrated that there is in fact no link whatsoever. To make it worse, it was later found that Wakefield purposefully falsified his data and he was stripped of his medical license for abusing the disabled children he was "studying".

There have also been others in the scientific field that have claimed to have proven that vaccines cause autism. This, to me, is tragic. As scientists, it is our responsibility to use our training and expertise to inform the public in topics which they cannot inform themselves. Unfortunately it is extremely easy for a person with some scientific background to mislead, purposefully or accidentally, an un-scientific layman, and that is precisely what has happened. Many researchers have carried out bad and flawed experiments and claimed something that isn't true. How do we know it isn't true? Because other, highly skilled researchers could not replicate the finding that vaccines cause autism. In fact, expert after expert has found the opposite and replicated the opposite: That vaccines don't cause autism. (for example: I. II. III.)

Next, there is a long monologue about the National Childhood Vaccine Act, which I think is completely ludicrous. Whether or not the government acted rightly or wrongly with how they dealt with the issue, it has absolutely no effect on whether or not vaccines actually cause autism! It is simply a way to distract and aggravate the viewer, without informing them in any way with relevant truth. What does it matter who was sued? It is ridiculous to even think that a court could or should have a say on this question. Masters are not trained in biology or medicine! So why would you expect them to be able to choose for the nation whether or not vaccines are safe? Of course there are contradictory rulings!


Finally, a complete lie in this film claims the government has never looked into the effects of the "vaccine surge". In fact, it's pretty easy to find articles thoroughly looking into the effects of the "surge" and finding that there is absolutely no ill effect, and in fact, the amount of active substance has actually decreased. For example, this study from 2002, and this one from 2012. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics clearly says "there is no scientific reason for or benefit to separating the vaccines. By separating them, we are putting children (and pregnant women who may be exposed to them) at increased risk by extending the amount of time they go unvaccinated"2.

The Truth
The truth is that vaccines don't cause autism. The truth is that you shouldn't trust the TV, your neighbor or your politician with something as precious as your child's health. Study after study has shown that vaccines, whether given many at a time or separated over development, do not have any association with autism. That is, whether or not a child has been vaccinated has absolutely no correlation with a child getting autism. Did you vaccinate your child? Your child is no more likely to get autsim than an unvaccinated child. Did you not vaccinate your child? You are compromising the health of your child and your community. Do you think that herd immunity will keep you safe? Or maybe you know a family that has grown, unvaccinated children who are still healthy? You can only play Russian roulette with your health so long before an outbreak occurs. Plus, you are likely living in a community with like-minded, unvaccinated families, only increasing the risk of you and those close to you, like this community in Texas.

Don't compromise you or your children's health. Don't weaken the herd immunity that protects those who aren't healthy enough to get vaccinated. Vaccinate your kids. And if you're scared, confused, or unmoved by my post, contact me. I will do my best to explore your fears and questions, and maybe together we can work through the aggressively opposing arguments to find safety and truth on the other side.


1. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10803-012-1566-0
2. http://www2.aap.org/immunization/families/autismfacts.html

Roles vs Restrictions: Women and Men

First, a hopefully helpful but absolutely necessary comment on taking verses out of context:
If you want to develop your understanding of a Christian life, you need to bring the whole bible into discussion, not 0.05% of it.
          You can't understand calculus if you leave out algebra.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems to me one of greatest stumbling blocks in Christianity is the idea of authority; women are not to be in positions of ultimate authority within the church, and women are told to submit to their husbands. We struggle with this. Why aren't women and men exactly the same? Why don't they do at all times and all places the exact same thing? The obvious answer for that is, well, they aren't exactly the same. This is easiest to perceive in our physiology; although we have many, many similarities because we are both humans, we still have different parts which have different functions. This tangible, irrefutable difference is easily and openly accepted, and I at least don't regularly hear anyone arguing that women are superior or inferior because they are the ones to carry the baby for 9 months. We don't debate it. It is what it is.

Move over to the intangible and we are not so okay with the idea of differences. Why is that? We all accept that there are women and there are men, right? We accept they have fundamentally different roles in certain physical processes, right? Is it so hard to believe that they have different roles spiritually? It's okay to want to be equal, because we are; we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). But, don't kid yourself, women and men are different. Mull that over a while if you still struggle with it.

Please remember the above point: strip away culture, strip away tradition, strip away in some cases a history of ruthless suppression, and you STILL HAVE fundamental differences between women and men. Societies may have abused women, but it didn't create them. Women and men are different no matter what culture has to say about it. Do you accept this point? That regardless of all of the good and bad cultural overlay, women and men are different? Recognizing and distinguishing that there are two sexes doesn't make you OR the bible sexist.

Now that we've set the table, let's lay out the meat. Just as women and men were created with certain different physical roles, they have different spiritual roles as well. In the garden before the fall, God made Adam and gave him commands; then, He made Eve. Adam was to share God's role for him with Eve, and Eve was to help Adam fulfill God's commands to shepherd all living things and their lives together would glorify God. Thus: Eve was subject to Adam; she helped him carry out the command given him by God. That isn't a bad thing! In fact, Adam wasn't adequate, he wasn't "good", without Eve! And that's the relationship that is to be reflected in our marriages today: both persons seeking the will of the Lord. Unfortunately, because of the fall, this by default has to look differently than it did in the garden because all things have been distorted by sin, but we are to strive for righteousness nonetheless. This means worshiping and serving the Lord as close to the manner that was in Eden as we can, and how we do that is laid out in the bible, for example, in the popularly misinterpreted Ephesians.

If you examine a Christian marriage (that is, one where both people are striving for righteousness; not where one or both may or may not occasionally sit in a pew), it's a complete partnership - it is one-ship. The idea of one member ruling over the other is beyond comprehension, because in such a relationship both people view their spouse as part of themselves - they are one being. How does such a marriage come into existence and then persist in this perverse world? It happens when people stop being obsessed with themselves and look together to the Lord.

If you or someone you know has experienced oppression or abuse, and even if they experienced it under the facade of "Christian teaching", it wasn't Christian! People are flawed and can do horrendously wrong things, I will be the first to agree with you on that and will never try to excuse bad/horrible behavior.  But God's word and God's will (not to be confused with our attempt at carrying it out) are perfect. Don't judge Him on what we, even and especially Christians, as humans do; that's just a foolish argument. Would you judge Mozart as a failure if you heard his symphonies played by untrained 5th graders? Don't judge the Lord based on humankind's iniquities.

Women's Roles in the church

Until recently, the most boat-rocking experience I had encountered in my life as a Christian was when I stumbled over women's roles in the church. The distinctions (which I may have previously inappropriately dubbed "limitations") hit me like a solid blow to the chest. I was not used to being told I couldn't do something because I was a woman, and definitely not by people who I thought loved me. In my head the roles of men and women translated into the distaste and disinterest of the church in my faith. They didn't care about what I had to offer, and didn't want me to be active in church life.

Confused by the unfathomable amount of love I felt coming from the same group of people who seemed to be smothering and diminishing my worth, I put myself into a tizzy. Upset and discouraged, I dove into the scriptures and sought advice from people I trusted. Okay okay, first I lost my grip and had to be gently but firmly brought back to reality by someone wise beyond his years and loving beyond my ability to comprehend. Additionally, I prayed and prayed.

I never came to an "A-ha!" moment, but I did find some peace. I believe with all my heart that the words of the scriptures are right and true, and to the best of my ability I am determined not to warp them to my wishes or to support my desires. With that as my foundation, there are enough passages in scripture to confirm that there are things women do that men do not, and there are things that men do that women do not do. End of story.

The fudgey part is in the details... that's why I said I have found some peace. If one were to ask me to give definitively what a woman should and should not do, my answer would have clear and murky points, and almost all of them would be feebly supported. I feel that women are not meant to be in complete authority, as is said in 1 Tim 2:11-12, but I don't listen at all to the need to keep my head covered. Why don't I listen to that last part? Ask me in a few months. I'm currently reading the whole bible, and am praying for peace on the matter to come in time. For now, the best I can say is that people I trust as God loving and fearing men and women also don't heed the head covering passage, so, neither do I.

The pain caused by the topic of roles was compounded by my then growing desire to share my faith with the church. Regularly I sat and listened to the testimony of others and was moved and motivated by their words. Desperately I wanted to return the favor by offering my own testimony, fueled by my ever increasing passion for God. As a new believer, the furnace in my heart was ablaze and I longed to yell it from the mountain tops and edify the men and women who had already done so much to edify me.

But then I found out I couldn't. I couldn't get up in front of the church and tell them about how Jesus touched my life, about the role He plays and the glory of God. The one major yearning in my heart... and I was forbidden from it...

Stop.

That's where I got it all wrong. No one was cutting my vocal chords. No one was turning their head and refusing to listen. It is true, I had felt an overwhelming desire to sing and preach, and in truth, I still do. But when I found out I couldn't do it in the very specific way I wanted, I grew angry and developed tunnel vision. If I couldn't preach... I couldn't do anything! There wouldn't be any way to edify the church! There wouldn't be any way for me to be a functioning member of the body!

Oh, praise the Lord that I have overcome that. It was a dark place in my head at those times. Dark and suffocating. But then, something happened and I was able to realize there are so many roles in the church, and all of them so powerful and crucial. In fact, some of the most profound influences that acted on me were the behind the scenes and under the surface goodness, gentleness and service shown to me by... women! Godly, amazing women. If I could follow their lead and touch even just one life as these women have touched mine, I would feel like I have pleased the Lord.

The moral of this blog goes like this:
I don't know what the precise roles of women are, but I do understand that women and men were created with distinct roles because, well, some people are women and some people are men. If there wasn't a reason for both of us, we wouldn't have both been made in Eden. As a woman, I feel called to share with others, and though I haven't found precisely the way I am best suited to do this, I am open to whatever method the Lord has for me, and am at peace that I was not made for ultimate authority. Even more so, I have come to realize that Godly women are such beautiful creatures that we often barely see them at work, more commonly we just enjoy and are blessed by them long before realizing their service.

If that is the woman God has called me to be, that would be fine with me. In fact, I would say Praise the Lord.

Our Home

I think one of the best features of our apartment is the window arrangement. Both our bedroom and living room are flooded with natural light from morning until late afternoon. It does amazing things for my mood and it makes our cozy home all the happier. Since moving in during Sept 2011, we have slowly but surely been filling this sunny space with treasures found for free. Wire racks, book cases, seat and ottoman, wicker chair and couch; we've collected a small house-full. Additionally, I've been ever so gradually personalizing the space with crafts of my own. I have a habit of going into hobby and art stores and refusing to buy things because I think "I could make that".For instance, I really like the words on the wall idea you see at some craft stores, so I made my own. These were inspired by the bridal march at our wedding: "It's Real Love" by Regina Spektor. Additionally, one of the envelopes from our wedding had a beautifully drawn heart made from our names, so I drew a flower containing our wedding anniversary and used the drawings to complete a frame of wedding pictures.

I find bible verses rejuvenating, emboldening, sometimes convicting, and in every way just great to have around, so I filled up another frame with daisies (yes, more flowers) and some favorite verses. I plan to draw up more verses that I can swap in and out of the frame depending on what's happening in my life and what words of God's are most poignant to that period.








Finally, I'm attempting to give up buying greeting cards. I really enjoy greeting cards. I think they can be very pretty and uplifting and I greatly enjoy giving them to people. To me, the moment (or hopefully more) of joy that overcomes someone when they open a nice card is worth the money or the effort that goes into them. Recently I've noticed that the cards I am most drawn to are actually quite simple designs. So... I've decided to try my hand at my own.

The most precious gems

A quick review:
Since May I have graduated from college, been engaged, married, visited Europe and moved across the country. I know live in New England with my wonderful husband, Adam. Currently I am applying to graduate schools with the hope of beginning studies next fall. I'm interested in molecular and cellular biology programs, just like that husband of mine. During this off year I am also working part time as a tutor and dog walker; I enjoy both very much.

I told my husband recently that every time I attend church or read from the bible or some other Christian writing, I walk away with a new idea or understanding about life and Christ. It’s like I’m constantly collecting little gems radiant with color and energy and with each one I collect I want to shine it and explore it’s endless facets. As I continue to collect them, I realize the light they give off creates a picture, which ever so slightly allows a glimpse of the truth in life. If there has ever been something addicting, something exciting, something electrifying, something that makes complete and utter sense, what this picture shows you is it. For example, you might stumble upon the gem that when you pray in Christ’s name, you can move mountains. Maybe you go home and try it and a mountain in your life is thrown into the sea. Splash. How can you take your eyes off of that gem now? I imagine, in this little picture I’m developing in my mind, your eyes would grow large as you stare in disbelief and astonishment at the power of this tiny gem that’s been freely set into your hands. Delicately you place it before you and it gives off that glowing ray of light in which you see is Goodness, Righteousness, Truth, shining through from heaven into this dark world.

Each gem can shine because the holder believes and lives in the way that the gem teaches them to. Christ left behind endless gems for us to collect and the bible overflows with them, but they cannot truly shine until we bring them out and allow them to radiate through our lives. You don't have to be a Pastor or a great theologian to share them. By cherishing them yourself, you begin to give off the same sort of shine that they do. Unknowingly you radiate joy, peace, compassion and love onto those around you.
We cannot know heaven before we reach it. We can't. It is so beyond human comprehension. These gems we collect, they help us take a tiny peak at what perfect life with God is like. I am also confident that once you collect just one, you won't be able to ever look away. It's so profound, it is nearly impossible.

The room for gems in my life is without bound. You might say I crave them. I look forward to bible studies and church services, reading the bible and other Christian works, and seeking God's guidance in gathering them into my life while shining and sharing those I already have. No matter where you are as a Christian, and even as a non-believer, if you approach God with an open heart, you will find these gems. On this earth you can never hold them all, and it will always be worth your time to look for more.

Momentarily Shipwrecked

I'm afraid I may be finding myself spiritually shipwrecked. I feel as though I'm caught, static, unmoving. I don't feel as though I am regressing; I don't believe I am sinking. But I'm halted. I'm stuck on an island and looking out at the ocean of spirituality around me and I long to journey out into it. My ship though seems to be stalled, stuck on something, and I'm too eager (or stubborn or in denial or selfish) to assess the problem and fix it. Instead, I dive back into the water, head first, energetic and I swim feverishly...but I tire quickly, and must return to my island.

I think part of the problem is that I don't actually have a ship yet. I've traveled this far in a boat. My boat served me well; it carried me deep into the waters of faith and righteousness, but because I desire to travel further and sail through harder winds, my boat is no longer sufficient. Nor can my boat carry much luggage, and certainly very few other passengers.

I've gotten this far and avoided regression, because I have other sailors around me, guiding me, giving me lifts and pushes and leadership, and they are still with me today. But to move forward and brave the deeper water, I must learn to build and man a larger ship.

So, how do I get a bigger boat?

I suppose I need something to build it out of. I need lumber and nails. I need more faith and more prayer.

Although I could list many factors possibly acting in my shipwreck, I think the core of it is my relentless yearning to know my place. My place in the Church; my station in God's army. Furthermore, I've come to identify my greatest enemy as my pride, and closely related to that, my selfishness and envy. I look around and see people that seem so righteous, who have been living the good life all of their lives, and I have only so recently even climbed into my boat. And I am caught with jealousy that they have served so long, and I am embarrassed to offer myself and my piddly servant-hood to God. What use is it when there are these other, glorious servants? I do not fit into their group. I'm a big eyed outsider longing to take part. To overcome this insecurity I grasp at possibilities for how I might bring something to God's church. I dive in and swim without direction, and am upset and discouraged when my haste makes waste.

I feel so limited; limited in so many ways. I read about the gifts, about teachers teaching and prophets prophesying. But I cannot prophesy, and I have not been given the gift of exhortation. Based on my previous post, you'll know I can barely bring up scripture without red eyes. I am not particularly brave, and I don't know my bible very well (yet!). I've tried looking around at others, what their more subtle gifts are. I watch the women, and many seem to just emanate goodness; like a gift from God. But surely I don't have that; I was baptized barely 6 months ago. We list often the different ways a person might share Christ through small things, and I agree wholly with every word, but certainly that isn't me. I can't see my light shining through that...

And therein, friends, lies the problem. I do not pick my gift. I do not pick the way God wants me to serve Him. But I'm so restless, I'm so impatient. I don't want to wait, I want to improve the lives of my beloved, my friends, my family, my neighbors right now. I want to leave them full of Christ.

But I am still in a very little boat, caught on an island. I cannot carry all these people in this little boat, and I won't get a ship until I quit wanting wanting wanting, and start willingly waiting with my hands open and upward. The tools were certainly fall into my palms, in their time.