Updating vaccines

In our area, immunizations are now handled through the pharmacies. 

This started just after lockdown, with the later Covid vaccines. Now we get all our shots at Walgreens. 

All our family’s immunization records and medication records are on one system, at Walgreens. 

This is a conscious decision we made years ago - all meds through Walgreens so our medication data is on one system. 

The state of Indiana, like many states, has a database for immunizations. All facilities upload all immunizations to the Indiana state database. Medical providers, including pharmacies, can access the state immunization records database. 

Our PCP is affiliated with the medical network we use with a great data base system. I wrote a post about this on 1/3/25. This system talks to other systems. 

So our immunization records are three places. State database, Walgreens, provider database all have all the shots we get from Walgreens listed.

Note - all my immediate family, including new granddaughter, got flu and Covid shots 2024. None of us had a reaction to the shots, other than a couple of slightly sore arms. 

In the fall of 2024, at Walgreens getting my flu shot and my Covid shot two weeks apart, the pharmacist said I was not up to date on all my vaccinations. That was a surprise. I thought I was very up to date and even had some shots early because I have asthma.

I added “missing vaccinations?” to my list for my PCP (Primary Care Provider who happens to be an internist) appointment. I see him every 6 mos.

I went to my PCP appointment 1/15/25.

I took hardcopy of my immunization records to my PCP appointment. I could not remember if the pharmacist had mentioned a specific shot.  

Some of my shots were given at the doctor I tried for a couple years (different medical record system). I thought that I was actually up to date on my immunizations and the previous doctor’s office had not updated the shots to the state database. Part of the reason I left that previous doctor was poor medical record system. 

We pieced thru my records and all my data appeared to be correct on the state database and my PCP’s database.

I was missing a shot. I had gotten the Pneumonia 13 (2018), the Pneumonia 23 (2019), but was missing the Pneumonia 20 which is the updated version. (There is now a Pneumonia 21).

I went to Walgreens that same night and got my Pneumonia 20 (2024).

I took my husband with me and he got his Pneumonia 20. He had no previous pneumonia shots. I had gotten mine early, because of my asthma. 

While we were there, the tech very carefully went through our records and discovered we were also both missing our Hepatitis B series. Our kids would have gotten these as children, but wasn’t around when we were children. 

At Walgreens on 1/15/25, we both got the first Hep B. We go back on 3/15/25 for the second shot. It is on both our calendars.

With that second shot, I will be up to date. 

My husband needs a RSV shot on 5/24/2026. I got mine last year, I could get it early because of my asthma diagnosis. He needs to get his because he lives with me. But he does not qualify until age 65.

Tupperware

I go thru cycles of using and storing Tupperware.

We mostly eat and store food in glass containers these days.

But I have kept the Tupperware.

Mostly, recent years, the Tupperware has been used for transport. Middle baking and taking food somewhere, for example.

However, in these days of potentially contaminated packaging from the store, we are moving food to other containers. My husband and I do it together. He has the dirty pair of hands and I have the clean. He opens the store package, I hold the clean container, he pours and then takes it right out to the recycling dumpster. I put the lid on the clean container and put it away.

Five big and three small packages of oatmeal fit in these (below) four containers; yes, my husband eats a lot of oatmeal.

Amazon must be a hopping and a bopping

The little things, that one is use to running out to grab, I assume nationwide, we now order from Amazon.

We have also been ordering from Best Buy.

To be honest, before seclusion, I use Amazon (and Best Buy) a lot, because most of the time I do not have a car. And if I go to a store, probably I buy more than the one thing I went to get. Ordering on Amazon, I just get the one thing. Yes, free Amazon shipping. And the cardboard boxes go to recycling. And I look carefully that I am buying from Amazon and not a third party.

Somethings, masks and wipes and tp, Amazon is OUT. (I had ordered masks, long ago, when I saw this coming, for youngest at college. Middle and I use masks regularly, crowds and planes. So we each  keep a supply.)

We now have two people working from home and one finishing a semester of college from home, so I ordered (Amazon) ink cartridges for the printer yesterday. I had one cartridge of each (4) color in my stash. I ordered two more black ones. That was my biggest concern. They should be here Wednesday.

We have 3 pleasant, spacious work stations set up in separate rooms with doors that close. No one is in the rooms that I use. Youngest’s bedroom and workstation are both upstairs. She does not have a separate kitchen, but it is like a little apartment. She has her own bathroom and “living room” with a TV and all the game systems are up there. So she is doing okay at home. Her friends are all going nuts at their homes.

It is very weird not to have any extra kids. One kid we normally would have had, possibly had been exposed (student teaching in a big town with cases). And the other kid had in person interviews and appointments scheduled, youngest told her if you leave, you can’t come back, and at the time, she wanted the interviews, so she is not here.

So all weekend, I barely saw the girls (or my husband) even though we are all under the same roof 24/7.

I hear from my brother via text every day. I hear from my mom via email on occasion.

Youngest has now been home for almost two weeks. Her college acted very fast. She was one of the first kids sent home, nationwide.

Starting back fluids after stomach flu

The flu shot is for respiratory flu.
For those catching it, respiratory flu has been pretty bad this year, long lasting.

 (The respiratory flu shot has nothing to do with the stomach flu).

The stomach flu has also been pretty bad this year. Long lasting. Like stomach symptoms on and off for weeks, with periods in between where stomach symptoms seem to go away, and then it comes back again. I have heard of multiple trips to the ER.

It is really unfortunate that the word flu is used for both stomach and respiratory. A lot of people, including medical people, hear the word "flu" and assume one or the other. Teach your kids to always put the word stomach or respiratory in front of the word flu for clarification.

Youngest was up all night puking
(At college)
Really terrible. Like 7 hours.

I found where I had actually written it.
This is the sort of thing your mother or grandmother has to teach, or you just don't know.

Toddlers and small children puke and then are super thirsty and then drink too much and start puking again. This originally came from a doctor. Obviously check with your doctor. And fine tune as needed.

And I am talking measured amounts,
Not sips.
Can use a plastic spoon if they are at college.
At home I use a toddler medicine measuring tube.

We wait 3-4 hours after last episode of vomiting.

If feeling a lot better, then start with 1/2 teaspoon of room temperature, either slightly flat sprite or gateraide.  1/2 teaspoon every fifteen minutes if no vomiting.

If make it one hour (four 1/2 teaspoons),
then increase to 1 teaspoon every fifteen minutes.

If make it through the next hour (four 1 teaspoons), with no vomiting,
then progress to 1 1/2 teaspoons (which is the same as a 1/2 tablespoon) every fifteen minutes.

At the end of that hour (four 1 1/2 teaspoons), if still have not vomited, and have been okay for 6-7 hours, and can progress to 1 tablespoon every 15 minutes.

At that point can move to SIPS. Unless it is a kid who cannot do sips, and then just keep increasing measured amount.

If at any point in that process, they vomit, the clock/whole process starts over waiting another 3-4 hours.