Measles Without Limits

My name is Agnes Fischer, a German descendant raised within the United States.

I will be turning 12 years old in a month.

Currently, there is a huge problem occurring within the United States. On our television, the news stated four million children got the measles in 1959.

Somehow, I was one of them.

The night before I ended up in the hospital, my mother noticed tiny white spots along the insides of my mouth. More like the inner lining of my cheek.

Not only that, but I was coming down with a high fever and runny nose. I remember all I wanted to do was rest because I didn’t feel so good.

So, my mother said to take it easy and go sleep it off. It was probably nothing too serious.

Yet, I ended up in a hospital bed, gasping for breath.

One minute my body would shiver, the next would feel oven-like.

When I turned my head to look through the clear plastic of an oxygen tent, I noticed my mother with a red face and bloodshot eyes while speaking with the doctor.

She’s sobbing because I had caught the measles, just like my brothers, sisters, and friends within my neighborhood.

I didn’t like seeing my own mother cry.

Unlike my brothers and sisters, my measles didn’t go away. It got worse and turned into something I’d never heard of, pneumonia.

Every few hours a nurse opens the oxygen tent and gives me a shot. Even though the shot is very painful, the doctor said the virus must run its’ course.

The next day I remember being super scared of my illness.

I began to wonder into the unknown by experiencing repetitive delusions and visual hallucinations.

My poor mother had to try calming me down as I screamed at the top of my lungs for several days because my fever was unbearable.

My memory began to reach a hazy state for another time again. The doctor said I was very lucky to escape with no permanent damage to my body. Apparently, I had even endured central nervous system complications.

I spent a month in the hospital, survived, and spent a few more months recovering at home by taking it easy, drinking plenty of liquids, and keeping the lights low.

The reason we had to keep the lights low is because measles and bright lights don’t work well together.

This was a sad time for me because I spent my birthday sick and in my bed. I couldn’t go play in the streets with my other siblings and friends.

Strictly, I had to rest.

Measles scarred my family and I because we had endured true discomfort and agony.

After all, it’s 1959.

There is a huge risk of measles, as there is nothing to prevent this.

This all occurred because I wasn’t vaccinated and didn’t have the option to get vaccinated.

Four years later, the immunization program started. There have been a few problems to vaccinate children since 1998, because of the idea that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism has scared them away.

In addition to this, most pediatricians and people in public health believe that’s why fewer parents are bringing their young children in to get vaccinated.

Consequently, most people wrongly believe diseases like this no longer exist or vaccinations for their child is against their “religious” beliefs.

Vaccines like this occur so diseases like this don’t.

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