2 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
Vonu's avatar

My RN mother deified doctors, which led me to have two near misses. One, at two, where the doctor gave me a shot of penicillin for an ear infection without challenging me to find out I was allergic to it, nearly killing or crippling me with gross anaphylactic shock. The second time, in 1976, when she convinced me to get a Swine flu shot from which I nearly died from Guillain Barre Syndrome.

Expand full comment
Satan's Doorknob's avatar

Yes! While my experience wasn't quite as risky, this past summer I went to an urgent care. I'd received a "minor" dog bite three days earlier and now I had a potentially serious infection (cellulitis). They wrote me a script for antibiotic, which is standard. They also recommended a tetanus booster. I was willing to waver from my 'no vaccinations ever again" resolution. Fortunately, they had me read a signed consent. At the top of the list of contraindications was: Did I currently have an infection? I was being TREATED for having an infection!!! I pointed this error out to the attendant, and nothing more was said about a recommended tetanus shot.

Doesn't really inspire confidence in our medical care, does it?

Expand full comment