I remember needing to get a tetanus shot before I could graduate high school. Which still seems weird.

I'm accruing the max possible vacation at my company. I have very flexible work hours and can work from home. I could possibly make more money elsewhere, but I doubt I could negotiate similar benefits.

I was going to have to get the MMR (I think) redone when I went to grad school, because the records were so old, they were not accessible. Finally, I talked to someone who took my word for it that the records had been confirmed by my undergrad institution. Which seems fair, but still.

I went to a meeting with a diabetic counselor when I was first diagnosed--gosh, ten years now, I think. She was maybe 21, 22, bored to tears, and she droned through the standard warnings re: nerve degeneration, damage to extremities, blindness, etc. "Of course," she said with a shrug, "you'll probably end up losing a leg or your eyesight anyway, but we want to delay that as long as possible . . ."

this is the other reason why I have not gone to any education sessions. When I was searching online, that was the kind of thing that kept coming up. I am already a worrywart, so the above is completely non-productive for me.

Sophia,

you probably should start testing yourself, but it is expensive. I would go to the doctor and get a test and then see if your insurance will pay for supplies. Mine does. Those test strips are no joke in terms of cost.

particularly since it's so rare that doctors don't recognize it.

Sadly / fortunately, this is no longer true. Outbreaks in California have made peds very familiar with pertussis symptoms. (Many hospitals will administer the adult booster to post-partum women before they leave the maternity ward.)

I had my Dtap (or is it Tdap) done fall 2010.

I also have to have a TB test every 4 years. But if I do get TB it's from my students. It's all confusing.

(Also, I feel it's only fair to point out that pertussis outbreaks are primarily due to adults who haven't gotten their booster shots, and not antivax activism. There are FAR more adults whose immunity has worn off than there are antivaxxers with newborn babies. And it's only recently that doctors have been made aware that adult pertussis boosters were needed in the first place.)

Dtap (or is it Tdap)

DTaP = kids; Tdap = adults

you probably should start testing yourself, but it is expensive. I would go to the doctor and get a test and then see if your insurance will pay for supplies. Mine does. Those test strips are no joke in terms of cost.

I actually have a set of supplies. The problem is that I seriously cannot figure out the finger pricker thing. I am thinking of just using a needle. I think I ruined 2 cartridges of needles trying to use it.

try the side of your finger near the nail, and choose the baby finger.

if you have a strength dial, turn it all the way up. I have mine on 7.

Those test strips are no joke in terms of cost.

Damned right. The meter is free, the strips cost you your first-born.