Monday, August 13, 2012

The Vaccine Hunt

So for my masters program I have to do this 200 hour practicum (which I talked about here) which I am starting this semester.  I have spent a fair bit of time worrying about exactly how to get my hours in, but I kind of forgot to worry about the things I needed to do before I could even START logging time.  Turns out, I have to be CPR certified and have proof of a ton of vaccines before I can get started.  Well, I recently got a tetanus shot (due to a run in with a rusty nail... so cliche) that had the whooping cough included, so that one wasn't a big deal, but the Hep B and the MMR...let me ask you how you go about proving you had your MMR and Hep B vaccines when you were a child?

"Call my doctor" you say.  Yes, that seems logical.  And is exactly where I started.  But turns out my current doctor has a check mark in the box that says 'Was vaccinated as a child' or whatever, but doesn't actually have a copy of the real record.  Everything is electronic now and... well... they just aren't sure.  There MIGHT be a copy off site someplace.  Someone might be going there this week... they can look.  ( I don't think this women will ever call me again)  So I call my pediatrician.  Which... just feels strange.  Henry goes there now, and my mom worked there forever, but to call as a 32 year old adult asking for my medical records from when I was a child... I felt bad for the girl taking the call. 
'Yes... I haven't been a patient there in 14 years and I got these shots in the 80's and 90's but I REALLY need proof.  SOON.  Can you help me?"

So they are sending someone to their off site location to track them down.  Which is most likely just a storage unit or something, but I prefer to think of it as a dark damp cave where the people searching must wear head lights and carry a large weapon to keep the bats away. 

They said they could test my blood to prove I had the vaccines, but my insurance wont pay for it because it's for school and not medically necessary and student health wont cover it because I am only a part time student.  Oh the joy of living in the loop holes.  So the point of all of this is I am sending the medical records people into the bat cave.  Wish them luck, I really need these records.

Anyway, while I wait for those I am getting CPR certified tonight.  My big program orientation is Friday so I am working long days this week to make up for the time off, which means I am putting in a ten and a half hour day BEFORE going to the CPR certification class that lasts three hours.  What a fun start to my week.  At least I will be able to save your life if your heart stops after tonight! 

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5 comments:

  1. I don't know about Hep B, but I know I got tested for MMR antibodies when I was pregnant (in 2008). Apparantly you can lose your immunity to those diseases, even if you were vaccinated as a child, because my Rubella antibodies were gone. Important, because I was working for a company that manufactured the MMR vaccine at the time and was in danger of coming in contact with the live virus. Anyway...all that to say, maybe check with your OB/GYN, you may have had the bloodwork done already.

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  2. I think checking with your OB/GYN is a good idea, or with your RE maybe? I think both were on my RE blood work check list at the time.

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  3. Thanks guys! I never would have thought to check with my OB. Alas, I called and they did not run the titers for Hep B or MMR. Would have been handy if they had them though!

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  4. Library Media Specialists all had to be CPR certified, so I know all about that. Not hard, but time-consuming. It's kind of a nice thing to have, though. I had the HEP B shots when I was teaching as well and they are lifetime so,if you had them, you shouldn't have to have them again. Good luck with the Bat Cave.

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  5. Call the highschool (or middle, or elementary). They're often the best place to get immunizations records.

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