Why I get a Flu Shot Every Year

This post is made possible by the American Lung Association, in collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I must’ve been seven or eight years old when I had the scare of my life.

It was evening, near Christmas-time, and we were in our living room when my mom started wheezing heavily. We watched in horror as my dad’s attempts to help our mom proved ineffective.

She told us through gasping breaths, that she needed to get to the hospital.

My mom is asthmatic and has allergies too.

Apparently, the “all-natural” pine Christmas tree we’d brought home was more than she could handle.

I’d never been to a hospital before and seeing my wheezing mom being whisked away to a triage room was scary.

Our family waited patiently in the hospital waiting room while doctors got my mom’s asthma under control. This was back when you had to go to a hospital if you needed the respiratory assistance an asthmatic could only get from the use of inhalers and/or nebulizers. My mom remembers getting an epinephrine injection to counteract her allergy attack.

I remember seeing my mom in a hospital gown with a breathing mask on her face. I also remember doctors and nurses trying to help her get her breathing under control. And I can remember being terrified by the experience.

Thankfully I got my mom back, but it’s not the type of thing you ever want to go through again.

I have allergies but I feel incredibly fortunate that I don’t have asthma like my mom. I still remember how terrifying the thought of my mom dying was for me as a little girl.

Why I Get My Flu Shot Every Year

It’s one of the reasons I get my flu shot every year. I have two young children and I want to take good care of myself so I can take even better care of them.

Thanks to my planned flu shot every fall, I can’t remember ever having influenza. In fact, it may have been influenza that led to my mom developing asthma in the first place. But that’s a story for another day.

The flu season has been peaking for the last few weeks, but it is not too late to get vaccinated. Vaccination remains the best way to help protect against the flu, and if you do get the disease, reduce the chance of serious illness or hospitalization, and avoid potentially dangerous complications.

Even if you’re not worried about yourself, remember: The flu shot also can help prevent spreading flu to the people around you. It’s important, and it’s worth talking with your doctor about flu shot options that may be right for you. To find out where vaccines are available in your area, check out the Vaccine Finder on the American Lung Association’s GetMyShot.org.

How do you stay healthy?

Do you have any special tips for other readers of HappyandBlessedHome.com for helping moms to stay healthy? Please leave a comment below and join the conversation. I love hearing from you!