The Price You Pay

Three young children have died in WA in the last couple of weeks after contracting flu and then falling prey to a secondary infection. That's resulted in a stampede of anxious parents - myself included - trying to get any children under six vaccinated against the flu.

Our son had already had the jab, so it was just our daughter who needed a needle. As with many such inoculations, she got a little bit ill then bounced back swiftly.

A knock-on effect, however, was that the vaccination brought the flu bug into the house. More specifically into me. I'm now into my fourth day of feeling like I've been run down by an elephant on a steamroller, but I'm happy to say I'm through the worst of it.

It's obviously a small enough sacrifice to make for peace of mind concerning my children's health, but getting sick has meant I've had to let some things slide over the last few days. As a freelance writer no work means no pay, so what small amounts of coherent thought and energy I've been able to marshal have been channelled into earning a crust.

Unfortunately there are still several of you who've mailed me with sundry other tasks or queries and been utterly ignored - expect responses shortly!