Can we take the time to get sick in todays world?

While reading Stephanie's blog over at http://stephie5741.blogspot.com/2009/10/should-your-child-get-flu-shot.html where she asks the question "Should Your Child get the Flu Shot?" I became inspired to ask another question, in the busy busy world where most parents have to work two jobs to make ends meet, is it better to give ourselves and children the time to be sick or have a vaccine? (I'm not talking about the vaccines like measles mumps rubella or tuberculosis, I'm talking about the vaccines that have been more recently advertised as being needed, like the flu shot or the chicken pox shot)

Kids have soccer, mom and dad have work, there is baseball practice, basketball, dance, make good enough grades to pass junior high it seems like there just isn't enough time to stay at home with mom, have some homemade chicken soup and cuddle under some blankets to feel better. Vaccines like the chicken pox have become more popular. I remember when I was younger and my mom took us to a friends house who had chicken pox, we played and then got the chicken pox, and not I have a natural immunity to getting it again. My mom worked hard to keep us all calamine lotioned and had many sleepless nights being there for us. If there is no time to do this sort of thing, the chicken pox vaccine seems to be a great solution in this modern world right? But actually it turns out it can be really bad...the child must continously get a vaccine every 10 years or, if they do get it, it can be deadly. I told a few people in the office about chicken pox parties and they didn't know what they were! Here is a list of pros and cons from Dr. Greene - http://www.drgreene.com/21_510.html

In the article, it talks about how if a child does develop chicken pox-

"This common viral infection is usually mild and not life-threatening. Although these children may be miserable for several days, and miss a week of school or day-care (stranding parents at home), they will likely recover from the 250-500 itchy blisters with nothing more to show for it than a few small scars. "

Which is better? vaccine or let the child get chicken pox?

The flu shot is another question. The flu is horrible, it can include throwing up, sick stomach and staying home, and the swine flu, H1N1 has said to be much worse (although I've been to Mexico right before the swine flu came to the US and a co worker went in August this year and is fine).

this is the CDC site that talks about the swine flu - http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm. I think an H1N1 pandemic is very scary and should be taken seriously but I don't think its a reason to jump on getting a vaccine before asking some serious questions. Like it is better to go through whatever this pandemic brings, risk the possible effects and develop an immunity? or is it better to go for the vaccine and skip the effects, which could be deadly?

So, why not get the vaccine and skip all the sick time and possible hospital time, go to work and continue to make money, have kids continue to go to school...so why not skip it? One of the reasons could be the preservatives in the H1N1 vaccine - "The CDC has reported that some H1N1 shots will contain the preservative thimerosal, and others won't. Your doctor will know what your shot contains. Some people have expressed concern about thimerosal for children because it's mercury-based, but the CDC states there is no scientific evidence the preservative is harmful." (http://www.examiner.com/x-19632-Salt-Lake-City-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m10d6-What-risks-and-side-effects-are-expected-for-the-H1N1-vaccine)

Ummm what?? No evidence its harmful?? There is so much evidence out there linking thimerosal to autism (just plug it into your search button) that I think its a little ridiculous that the CDC would say that there is no scientific evidence that the preservative is harmful. I just read this "In 1982 the FDA issued proposed regulations calling for the removal of thimerosal from over the counter products. The regulations were not finalized until 1998 despite the 16 years earlier when the FDA expert panel concluded thimerosal was unsafe, ineffective as a bacteriostatic agent, and caused cell damage. Thimerosal was continued in use regardless of the known fact that it is a neurotoxin. " (from this site http://www.thimerosal-autism-symptoms.com/) So back to the topic, with dis-eases like the flu and chicken pox, is it better to get the vaccine and "skip all that stuff" or is it better to go through the sickness and get whatever the effects of it brings?