Newstocks

Flu vaccinations

I can understand getting a flu jab if you're in a demographic that's at risk of serious complications or death if you contracted the virus. But for everyone else, what is the point in spending $35 for four to six months of protection against a merely unpleasant virus that you may never even catch? Never mind the potential side effects, or the studies that have cast doubt on the efficacy of the shot (70-90% in healthy people under 65 if the match between the vaccine and the circulating strands of the virus is close).

So while I have no intention of getting it, should we get it for Aidan? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all children between 6 months and 19 years should get it. But I'm still sceptical. Something to get our GP's opinion on, I think.

Chipped tooth

Somehow I managed to chip the ceramic cap on one of my front teeth over the weekend.

I chipped the tooth itself when I was a kid (I fell off my bike, landing right on my front teeth). The cap that I've had on it ever since gradually wears down and needs repairing from time to time. But this was the first time the cap itself had chipped. I'm not sure what caused it - Mandy noticed that the bottom of my tooth wasn't straight at about the same time that I felt that something was different about it.

Fortunately it didn't hurt, or even tingle, but I figured I'd better get it repaired ASAP in case the rest of the cap came off. So I called the dentist yesterday morning, steeling myself for a weeks-long wait for an appointment. Surprisingly, however, they got me in yesterday afternoon.

The repair only took about 15 minutes and was entirely free of unpleasant sensations, smells or sounds. I'm a bit of a dentist phobic, so I was extremely happy about that.

Bobby out of hospital

Happily, Bobby got out of the hospital Thursday afternoon and is now back at home. He's going to have to take some drugs to get rid of the clot, but no more surgery should be necessary.

Double bummer

Bobby was admitted back into hospital last night.

He had a checkup with his GP yesterday who, on seeing his swollen leg, suspected a blood clot and sent him to emergency for tests. After a lot of waiting around he was finally admitted and will probably be there for the next couple of days. His leg was giving him a bit of pain, but he had a good night and was given some painkillers this morning, which have made him feel much better. I believe they're expecting to do an MRI sometime today.

Unfortunately, today Mandy and I were also supposed to be flying to New York for a long weekend without Aidan, who we were going to leave with his granny and poppa. Naturally, we've had to cancel. Fortunately the airline has given us a credit for the full cost of our tickets that's good until the end of this year, and the hotel didn't charge us for the late cancellation. The only money we're likely to lose is what we paid for tickets to La Boheme at the Met and the Broadway show Curtains.

Bit of a bummer all round.

Bobby home on Thursday

Bobby was given the all-clear by the doctors yesterday and will be flying back to Bermuda on Thursday. He could have come back on today's flight, but decided he didn't want to rush things. Given that he only got out of the hospital on Thursday, that seems to make a lot of sense.