H1N1 a ‘different ball game’ for student

University students in Fredericton have yet to hear news on when they will receive the H1N1 vaccination, but others say they don’t have that kind of time.

Meghann Palmer, a social work student at St. Thomas University, has cystic fibrosis (CF). The genetic disorder mainly affects the respiratory and digestive systems, making Palmer more susceptible to infections that cause deterioration in her lungs.

Meghann Palmer, a social work student at St. Thomas University, lives with cystic fibrosis. She was turned away from an H1N1 vaccination clinic earlier this month.

“I have CF, so if I get an infection it’s more serious than someone who doesn’t have a lung disease. It would be more damaging and could affect my quality of life,” Palmer said.

With confirmed H1N1 cases being reported at both St. Thomas University and University of New Brunswick, the outbreak has officially touched down on campus, officials say.

“There have been students in residence who have reported mild/moderate flu-like illness but not significant numbers at this time,” Dr. JoAnn Majerovich, Director and Physician of the Student Health Centre said in a news release to students. “Those who have reported flu-like illness have either gone home or have been asked to isolate themselves in their rooms.”

Palmer has lived with CF since birth, but said H1N1 is worrying her more than any other outbreak she has seen in her lifetime.

The brand-new strain of influenza causes more stress for someone with a chronic disorder like Palmer. She has to juggle surgeries and frequent hospital stays while still attending university – a breeding ground for sickness.

“For regular people, they’ll be sick for a week and get to think ‘I’m going to get up and function the way I did before I got sick,’” she said. “For me, after I get H1N1 it might be too exhausting to even do laundry. I have to think – how much infection can I take before I go on oxygen?

“It’s a whole different ball game.”

Although H1N1 vaccination clinics opened up across New Brunswick near the end of October, students are still waiting for a campus clinic.

Palmer had been advised early on by doctors to prepare for the second wave of H1N1, so playing the waiting game wasn’t an option. As soon as the federal government announced the vaccine was available, Palmer went on the Internet to see where she could get it.

“I was told to get it by two to three doctors, my CF nurse, my respirologist, and at the Student Health Centre. It was planned way back in May,” she said.

“I was talking to Dr. Majerovich and she said there would be no clinic at the Student Health Centre until priority groups were taken care of.”

The provincial government had decided to limit the initial clinics to high priority groups including health care workers, people of First Nations descent, and New Brunswickers with chronic illness. Palmer was relieved she fell in the last category.

“At the time, I was definitely considered high priority,” she said.

Palmer went to Fredericton High School on November 1, and waited in line outside. The cold air did not help her breathing, but it was worth it to wait for the shot.

Or so she thought.

“I waited for two to three hours. Then a nurse walked around with papers saying ‘If you are not on this high priority list then you need to leave. You can stand here in line if you want but they’re not going to vaccinate you.’” Palmer explained. “They had taken chronic illness off the list. I had already stood in line for three hours, so I left.

“The only info they could tell me was to check the website.”

Palmer returned home feeling helpless and discouraged by news reports on television.

“I felt upset and a little bit scared, because you hear about the death toll but you don’t hear about who it is who’s dying. In my mind, I’m assuming it’s people with health complications like myself.

“I don’t know if I’m as concerned about dying, or if I’m more concerned with if I do get sick, what would my life look like after H1N1?”

That’s a worry that caused outrage among Palmer’s family and friends. Her mother turned to the CF clinic in Saint John in hopes of finding an available vaccine. Unfortunately, they only had ten dosages to give and the list was already full.

But thanks to a last minute cancellation, Palmer received the potentially lifesaving phone call she had been hoping for.

“My CF nurse said ‘Can you be here in two hours to get the vaccination?’” Palmer said, adding her parents immediately drove from Woodstock to take her to Saint John for the shot.

Although Palmer is relieved to have the shot, she still has concerns about the confusing changes in New Brunswick’s H1N1 vaccination plan.

“I’m a little upset that they began with whoever showed up just got it. There are people whose live could really be affected.”

Palmer said she considers herself an example of why chronic illness should be considered a high-priority group when it comes to vaccinations.

“Walk a day in my shoes and you will see why people really do need it.”

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Posted by Molly Cormier on Nov 15, 2009. Filed under Features, This Week's Edition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.