“A new volunteer-led organization called Grandparents for Vaccines launched Sunday on National Grandparents Day with a mission to share firsthand experiences of life before vaccines were widely available.”
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At the pharmacy getting my MMR booster and talking to a lady born in 1945, also here for vax: “oh I had measles 3 times as a kid; the third time almost killed me!”
My grandmother-in-law frequently told the story of when my mother-in-law got measles as a child. "I was so worried, then the doctor said it was measles, and I was so glad it wasn't polio!" My mother-in-law recovered but the measles almost completely ruined her vision.
My mother went to high school in a small midwestern town in the 1950s. She told me stories of terrifying polio outbreaks and the day they all excitedly lined up at the school for the vax when it became available.
https://bsky.app/profile/kottke.org/post/3lyfwt3qkad2g
My grandmother had polio as a child. My grandfather had diphtheria. They were fucking thrilled to vaccinate their children against those diseases. I had chicken pox as a child. I was thrilled to vaccinate my kid against it.
https://bsky.app/profile/kottke.org/post/3lyfwt3qkad2g
I was researching my family history and came across this record of deaths in 1866 from the tiny village of Össjö, Sweden. In just the first three months, three children died of diphtheria.
https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:7vz3lc4mkpr7rqfzdte4tqro/bafkreigjqtv7ehpddf2phbo2fnwniinfcpeu2p2gh6tmqt6ewt7ymam3ti@jpeg
I'm not. Parent or a grandparent but I know my mom's best friend had polio and was paralyzed for life! Her daughter and I went to high school together so I understood...
I had two teachers, one in grade school and one in junior high, who wore a brace on one leg due to polio.
My family members knew many, many people who spent time in iron lungs, were permanently disabled, or died of it.
The last man to live his whole life in an iron lung died just last year.
https://bsky.app/profile/kottke.org/post/3lyfwt3qkad2g
My dad caught chickenpox while me and my 3 brothers had it in the late 60's.
Us kids were just itchy and feverish, but my dad (in his 40's at the time) nearly died.
Vaccines are now available to protect us all from awful outcomes that nobody should have to face.
https://bsky.app/profile/kottke.org/post/3lyfwt3qkad2g
My 89yo mom talks about having to serve as child pallbearers for childrens’ funerals at her village church in Belgium when she was a little girl.
This is an excellent initiative.
https://bsky.app/profile/kottke.org/post/3lyfwt3qkad2g
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