MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[MorganR]

Happy Presidents day

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Ok so much for getting a flu shot because it didn't help any. I was feeling icky all weekend but when I woke up this morning could barely move. I'm hoping I'll feel ok by tomorrow because I'm out of sick days and progress reports go out Thursday and I have a stack of papers to grade. I hope everyone is well and has a good week.

Lissa

 

[Diana Lyn]

Ok so much for getting a flu shot because it didn't help any. I was feeling icky all weekend but when I woke up this morning could barely move. I'm hoping I'll feel ok by tomorrow because I'm out of sick days and progress reports go out Thursday and I have a stack of papers to grade. I hope everyone is well and has a good week.

Lissa

They were just saying on the news this morning that this years flu shot only covers something like 40% of the strains of flu out there....not very good odds. I thought that was terrible since they stress so much how important it is to get the flu shot.

Hope you get better quickly.

 

[ShannonR]

Welcome back Diana!!! How was your trip? I hope it was GREAT! You must tell us all about it!

I have never been a believer in the flu shot for two reasons: #1-my mother-in-law gets it every year and every year is sick as a dog for a week immediately getting the shot. #2-one of the first rules of immunity is that active immunity is ALWAYS better than passive immunity; meaning that once you get the flu on your own, your body actively immunes itself and you won't get it again (well you shouldn't ). With passive immunity, as in getting the flu shot, it just means that you still can the flu a number of times, it just won't BE AS BAD. (Nursing school 101 ). I have never gotten the flu shot and have gotten the respiratory only once (and it happens to have been just this year ). I have never had my kids get the shot either and this was their first year with the respiratory flu as well. I guess it just depends on your beliefs and how often you get sick with and without the shot, right?

We have been in total baseball mode around here with back to back tournaments. Mitchell played from 11:00am to 7:00pm on Sunday (yes one game after another ). It was 85 degrees and sunny out, so by the end of the day her was ready to drop, not to mention that he had played two back to back games on Saturday as well. After all that, they got second place BY ONE RUN!!! The kids were heartbroken , but played like champs! Mitchell plays catcher for the team and his knees were killing him by the end of the weekend. They start another tournament this coming Thursday thru Sunday! Gotta love baseball, right? And in between all this, he has basketball practice and games. Thank God Morgan has no aspirations in life (do you consider talking on the phone and making sure your clothes, hair and makeup look good aspirations? ) I couldn't take running around for two kids in sports!

Well, talk to everyone later. It's cloudy and 60 degrees put today. A very dreary day.

Shannon

 

[ShannonR]

P.S. Dee, I know my kids would love a board of their own. Morgan loves to chat (her cell phone is attached to ear every chance she gets! ) I think Mitchell would as well.

Shannon

 

[dee47]

one of the first rules of immunity is that active immunity is ALWAYS better than passive immunity; meaning that once you get the flu on your own, your body actively immunes itself and you won't get it again (well you shouldn't ). With passive immunity, as in getting the flu shot, it just means that you still can the flu a number of times, it just won't BE AS BAD. (Nursing school 101 ).

Umm...no. The flu virus mutates drastically every year. Your active immunity (which you get by getting infected, so if you've never had the flu you're not immune anyhow) is only good for the strain you've been infected with. AND, the flu shot DOES confer active immunity, because it is a vaccine, which forces your immune system into gear to make antibodies. Any vaccine confers active immunity.

Passive immunity is when you receive antibodies, such as after getting bit by a potentially rabid animal. Your body doesn't manufacture these antibodies, and antibody injections are not vaccines. Breastfeeding is another example of conferring passive immunity (baby gets antibodies from mom through milk). Passive immunity lasts, at most, several months. Active immunity can last decades. And flu vaccines work fine if they target the correct strains.

 

[Diana Lyn]

Welcome back Diana!!! How was your trip? I hope it was GREAT! You must tell us all about it!


Shannon

The cruise was fantastic but it was too short and the weather wasn't so great. We had 60-65 mph winds the last 2 days and almost didn't get to dock at CC. The family that won the Good Morning America day alone at CC was on our ship and we dropped them off on Tuesday morning. That poor family slept out on a yacht in 13 ft waves. It was too windy at CC to do anything but it was warm and the water was still nice. It just really made me look forward to this cruise even more!!

John Tartaglia was on our cruise with his friends as a passenger. Some of you may know him from Avenue Q on Broadway but anyone with a preschooler will know him from Johnny and the Sprites. He was so so nice to the girls and I was like, don't bother him, his on vacation, and he still took the time out to ask their names and talk about the Sprites with them.

The girls had the best time out of all of us I think. They were in the club pretty much the entire time....so Bruce and I were able to go to the spa twice and do the Palo Brunch. It was nice and relaxing. We didn't get off the ship in Nassau, so it was like another day at sea for us, which I think is WAY better than anything Nassau has to offer. 4 days is WAY too short for a cruise though, I can't wait until December!!

The Country Inn and Suites was nice. We had a kid suite and it was a Space themed room. The girls loved having their own TV and the bunk beds. The shuttle was convenient and the breakfast was good. I'd definitely stay there again pre-cruise. It was worth it just for the free parking, so we'll probably do it again in December, even if we do Disney during the day and drive out to the port that night.

 

[ShannonR]

Wow Diana! I can't believe the winds were that gusty! It must have made for a difficult time at the beach. I know when the winds reach up into the 40mph range down here, we can barely function outside. Hopefully, the cruise in December will not be so windy for us. You are right, 4 days IS NOT long enough for a cruise. I didn't think 7 days was long enough! I hope to take a 10 or 14 day in the future (or maybe just move onto the Magic permanently, what do you think Disney would say ). I am glad to hear your girls like the club so much, because this cruise we will be able to let Melissa go (she was too young on the last cruise ).

Thanks for the correction, Dee! I guess what I was taught in nursing school over 20 years ago is outdated (imagine that). That was what I was taught as well as the rest of the "old timers" that work with me, and it's what we have lived by all these years. But then again, we don't have the issue of "the flu" come up a lot in the world of labor and delivery. More digestive than respiratory problems on any given day. Regardless, I still wouldn't get the flu vaccine, nor has any of my co-workers. They tend to have the same mind set as I do, I guess. I will pass along your information to them and see if it changes any of their minds. My guess is no, but it is worth a shot, right?? Again, Thank You!!!

How is the weather in everyone's neck of the woods? It is supposed to be cloudy down here for the rest of the week, with temperatures of 60-75 degrees. I am going to Mexico tomorrow and the clouds will help because it can get pretty hot walking up and down the streets of Progresso/Las Flores.

Good night!
Shannon

 

[Diana Lyn]

The weather here is beautful. The cold front came in today and highs were only 68. It's going to warm up again tomorrow, high 70s during the day, high 60s at night. Why I spent my first 34 years living in the frigid cold is absolutely beyond me.

My theory on the flu shot when I worked in an office buiding was----if everyone gets the flu shot then I won't need to get it because they won't get the flu to give it to me. I actually told my doctor that when he was pushing that someone with diabetes is high risk and I should get one. After I told him my theory he looked at me and said, you know, I can't even argue with that one. So I've never gotten it, and most likely never will. In NY when the girls were babies I got it for them because the doctors really pushed it. But here, FL is the state with the least amount of flu cases, so we're skipping it.

 

[ShannonR]

You and I agree on so much Diana, it's scary! Like, "why did I suffer in the north for soooo long?" , and the fact that the flu shot is not pushed AT ALL down here in Texas like it was in Michigan. Texas is more concerned about TB and Hepatitis A. For years, the flu shot was pushed on me every turn I made and now no one even asks me once? Go figure, right? Different state, same country, 100% opposite ways of life!

TB testing is done on everyone, even infants, several times a year here in Texas! And when the kids started school down here, they were required to get the Hepatitis A vaccine, where as in Michigan, it wasn't required.

I learned a lot when I moved down here, and constantly wonder why I didn't move sooner!?!?

Shannon

 

[dee47]

if everyone gets the flu shot then I won't need to get it because they won't get the flu to give it to me.

Actually, the scientific name for this phenom is "herd immunity," and it's a known fact. If enough people in a community get vaccinated, you don't need 100% vaccine coverage to prevent illness. The percentage of coverage needed depends on how virulent the bug is.

Yeah, I'll shut up now.

In other news, we're into the 50s here -- practically a heat wave!!!

 

[stillwater]

Just thought I'd add our weather to everyone's updates.

Driving my two to the Junior High this morning, it was -11. By adding the effects of the wind, the temperature felt like -25.

On our Christmas 2007 cruise, John and I were talking to a couple from California and the woman asked "Why do you live in Minnesota if you don't like the weather?"

If you live someplace warm, please enjoy some sunshine for me this week. It's sunny here today, but the glare off the snow hurts my eyes!

Can't wait for spring!

 

[stillwater]

hinsok1 - Nice to see another Minnesotan going on the cruise!

 

[Diana Lyn]

Driving my two to the Junior High this morning, it was -11. By adding the effects of the wind, the temperature felt like -25.

Reason #986 why I moved in FL---no wind chill factor!!! I remember what -25 felt like!!

Reason #987---I got to see the space shuttle streak across the sky this morning while dropping Emma off at school. Super cool.

 

[drag n' fly]

I am having trouble finding the thread of people leaving on the Wonder on December 24 for the Christmas cruise. Can someone help me find it please

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

I am having trouble finding the thread of people leaving on the Wonder on December 24 for the Christmas cruise. Can someone help me find it please

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1663527

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Hey everyone! I'm feeling a little bit better actually made it to work today. It is cold here started off at 20 but did warm up a little. Heck with spring I'm ready for summer.

I get a flu shot for a number of reason; I'm a diabetic have been since childhood, I have asthma, I work with kids who share everything including their germs. Even though it did not fully work this time I will get it again.

Right now we are delaing with other medical problems. Matt my brother has got to have surgery on his right foot. He is upset because he has to drop out of school for the semester. We keep trying to convince him it will be ok.

Oh what I wouldn't give for a good book, a drink, and a lounge chair on deck 4

Lissa

 

[Az Pirates]

I just went online to check availability for our cruise and it looks like several categories have gone gty status since the last time I looked. Guess our little Christmas ship is filling up.

Just thought I'd add our weather to everyone's updates.

Driving my two to the Junior High this morning, it was -11. By adding the effects of the wind, the temperature felt like -25.

Perfect timing. I just had DD read your post... she's headed to Minneapolis tomorrow.
Her response? "That's a joke, right?"


Not sure what coach was thinking when she decided to take a bunch of So Cal cheerleaders to Minnesota in the dead of winter. I'm just glad I opted out of this trip.




Shannon,
DH played catcher all through college and has the old, creaky knees now to prove it.
You'd think DS might be smarter than the old man and choose a different position... nope! He's happiest behind the plate, aching knees and all.
My guys travel with their gloves and balls so they can get in a little catch up on the sports deck.
Is Mitchell in?

 

[Diana Lyn]

Actually, the scientific name for this phenom is "herd immunity," and it's a known fact. If enough people in a community get vaccinated, you don't need 100% vaccine coverage to prevent illness. The percentage of coverage needed depends on how virulent the bug is.

Yeah, I'll shut up now.

In other news, we're into the 50s here -- practically a heat wave!!!

Who knew I was so scientific!

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

Hate to butt into your thread ladies but I have a question, have any of you ever cruised over Christmas? We have a deadline to choose when we want to go, and they surprisingly gave us this cruise as an option, I was just wondering if they do anything special for Christmas aboard the ship etc?? thanks so much!!