It's friday night. My girls are gone for the weekend, things are quiet...I'm waiting for hubby to get home with dinner. (italian, yum!)
A few minutes ago I was sitting on my bed watching tv and brushing my wet hair when I saw a video clip from ABC Evening News that touched me so strongly that I felt I needed to talk about it here.
If you can, please take a peek at this video clip before reading on. It's regarding the HPV vaccination, btw. Something that I know many people feel strongly about in both directions.
For those of you who don't know me personally, (if you haven't discovered it by now on earlier posts in my blog) I tend to be overtly honest about myself.
It's not always a good thing to just lay it all out there, the good, bad and the ugly. There will always be people who will take someone's character flaw, weakness, insecurity, etc. and use it to their benefit. I believe with all my heart that the benefits of openly revealing my struggles and human frailties far outweigh the backlash of criticism or judgment that often follow.
That said, mainly for my benefit while preparing myself for the words to follow, I would like to voice my personal view on the HPV vaccination.
The subject of the hpv vaccine was recently discussed during a coffee break at the neighborhood bunko group I attend. There are at least 3 or 4 moms with little girls under the ages of 9yrs. We are all pretty conservative as a whole and more than half of us have been in this particular group since it began 6 years ago.
The controversy was regarding the following statement as quoted on the cdc.gov website regarding the vaccine...
"The HPV vaccine is recommended for 11-12 year-old girls, and can be given to girls as young as 9. The vaccine is also recommended for 13-26 year-old girls/women who have not yet received or completed the vaccine series."
Several of the moms were upset regarding the fact that they would have to broach the subject of sexually transmitted diseases to their first grader who may only know the "stork concept" of where babies come from. Someone said that she'd heard the above age frame was the most effective age for a girl to receive this vaccination which would supposedly protect the recipient throughout her lifetime.
After listening to the discussion for a few minutes, and mind you, I have two daughters who are 14 and 17 and although we have discussed this, they have yet to receive the vaccine, I decided to share something very personal about myself to my group. I know that my bunko ladies are safe and to share wouldn't be harmful to myself.
After seeing the video clip above, I felt strongly that I should share it here too. Most of my friends will probably already know this little factoid, most of the readers of my journal won't. (I'm stalling, huh?) ok, here goes.
Short & sweet without all the details I usually include.
When I was first married, I was 23. I'd decided at 19 that I was going to remain a virgin until I got married. (became a christian during that time, etc.) Surprisingly, I abstained and had a wonderful honeymoon. At the age of 32 I divorced the father of my girls and began dating for the first time as an adult. (I can honestly say I wasn't quite an adult at 23yrs). I was a single mom for 5ish years and was involved in several relationships during that time. (separate relationships...not lots happening at once). With this 5 year period I was given HPV. It's only been a few years since I was told during my annual dr. exam that it had been discovered the link between HPV and cervical cancer. My doctor said that the usual practice of giving pap smears every year has changed and that now, only people who are positive for HPV must get a yearly pap smear.
My reason for sharing this is to encourage women, mothers of girls, to educate yourself on this vaccine. It can't be placed in the same category of supplying your preteen with condoms and a free ticket to be sexually active. I was a virgin until I got married, which saved myself from the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases. At 35 yrs, as a divorced woman in a monogamous dating relationship, I was exposed and contracted HPV. If there had been a vaccine when I was a little girl, cervical cancer would never be an issue in my life. Unfortunately for me and many other women, it will be something that will always be something I must watch out for.
To see the ABC news report detailing the pros and cons, you can go HERE. You can also read online regarding the facts of the HPV vaccine as well as the facts regarding the HPV virus by visiting this link. ox
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