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Case reports,
personal testimonies, newspaper and journal articles
about people who have suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases
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Click
here for a fully-formatted PDF version
of this report. |
Pneumococcal Disease:
Report #95
Pneumococcal Pneumonia: How I let
down my friend |
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) publishes articles about people who
have suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases and periodically devotes
an "IAC Express" issue to such an article. This is the 95th in our series.
Linda K. Ohri, PharmD, associate professor of Pharmacy Practice at Creighton
University in Omaha, Nebraska, writes about her elderly friend's illness with
pneumococcal pneumonia, which served as a powerful reminder to Dr. Ohri that talking about the importance of immunization is both a
professional and personal responsibility.
I have a close friend who is 86 years young, and a dynamic testament on how to
grow older gracefully. She has been a foster grandparent to my children since
they were infants and feels like a second mother to me.
I am very active as an educator and advocate for optimal immunization across the
lifespan. I believe that immunization represents one of the most beneficial and
cost-effective strategies we have to prevent disease and promote health in
people of all ages.
Unfortunately, a few years ago, I discovered that I wasn't practicing what I
preached in my personal relationships. It wasn't until my friend developed
pneumococcal pneumonia in about November that I realized I had never asked her
if she had been immunized or talked to her about the benefits and safety of the
pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23). She's tough and didn't require
hospitalization for her illness. However, she essentially lost 3 months where
she was pretty much confined to home, and struggled to recover her previously
robust health. She and I were lucky --- she did recover and was ready to play
golf when spring weather arrived. As for me, I learned a lesson that
immunization advocacy should begin at home.
She has received her pneumococcal vaccination, and I've gotten better at
bringing up issues of optimal immunization with all of my family and friends. I
would rather be kidded as a "vaccine nag" than again suffer the guilt of not
having recommended a vaccine that could have been life saving for someone I care
about.
Linda K. Ohri, PharmD
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Creighton University School of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions
Omaha, Nebraska
7/16/07 |
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