I'm Not an Alarmist,Really I'm Not ...

Neither is our pediatrician.Who I might add,is absolutely the best of the best.At least in our eyes, as well as a whole lot of other people's,if you were just to mention his name.We were so blessed to have had him long before Zoey made her grand entrance into our lives and I truly feel that we were led to him,long ago ,with the knowledge that Zoey would be coming our way.He is basically a one man show,which is practically unheard of now a days.He does have a partner who comes in 1 day a week so he can head over to a CCS satellite school,which is a facility and state run program,whose sole purpose is to provide services for children with varying levels of disabilities and diseases.What were the chances,that way back when,I would land in a practice that would have the only doctor in the county, affiliated with CCS or one who additionally had a plethora of resources geared strictly towards a child like Zoey?Not likely but we have him and we are beyond lucky.His heart is rooted deep with his special needs kids.Not that he doesn't adore the "typical" sect because he so does but his bond with these other children, is unparalleled.I will never ever forget,the evening that Zoey was airlifted,6 hours after her birth,him coming and sitting with me at the foot of my hospital bed,not as my child's doctor but as my friend.It was just one of those moments in your life that is etched so clearly and vividly and although few words were exchanged,his face spoke volumes.Anyway,as you can tell,I love this man and he loves us and as for Miss Zoey,well,he always,always has her very best interest at heart.That is why he is putting her on lock down for the ENTIRE winter.No joke.That freedom we have been soaking in has come to a very abrupt halt.Screeching in fact.We are to go NOWHERE with her.Stores of any kind,the kids schools,church and most especially HIS office ... the list goes on.This flu season is projected to be a doozy.Especially the H1N1/Swine.This is no histrionics,over-reacting,falsely projecting ... this is fact.On paper,fact.The scary component to those facts, are that children such as Zoey and all others like her,one's with underlying medical conditions,compromised immune systems,neuro-developmental delays(cerebral palsy,developmental delays etc ..) are at a disproportionate risk for death.Almost two-thirds of the children who have died from H1N1/swine flu had immune suppression issues, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, or other neuro-developmental conditions.Last time I checked ... Zoey is three for three in that data.The reality of the potential high stakes came in late July when we lost 2 little guys on the 4th floor,due to complications from the H1N1.They both had Down syndrome.Heartbreaking.So, no media hype here.You can in fact read this from the CDC if you need corroboration.I don't.All I need is my pediatrician,who I trust implicitly with my children's lives to tell me so and I know it's so.So that new found freedom,since ending chemo,has just been pulled back.Big time.Frustrating yes.The alternative however is down right terrifying.We are,as it is, major germ-a-phobics here and we now have to step that up 1000%.Especially with our households size and the contact they all have with the outside world.The boys alone,being in school is enough to put us on high alert.Add the rest and it's a whole new ballgame..Zoey does loves being around people and watching the hustle and bustle of crowds,she'll miss that but it's a good thing our house is busy,that will have to do.We will go outside as much as we can,while the weather allows.Although another good thing is that we live in southern California and good weather is usually a given.We'll adapt and she will too.Just another adjustment to our ever changing normal ... we have gotten good at handling change and honestly this kind of change I can do.I will take it over any other medical crisis,in a heartbeat.Zoey has fought too hard to get to this point, to be knocked by this nasty thing and we will do everything in our power to protect her through this up coming season and really,forget about upcoming ... it's already here.We will do the best we can and besides the human precautions,that we will become all the more vigilant with,we will just pray like crazy straight through the next 6 months and hope the little warrior and all her friends,miss it