Posted on 10/13/2010 5:16:24 PM PDT by James Oscar
This is the final chapter in my series of interviews with the enigmatic Mother Abigail.
It has been the most challenging project of my career. It has also been the most rewarding.
I hope that you enjoy the four works and I will briefly recap the first three for those who are just joining us.
You may recall my name from the early days with MA. If you see her again, please send my regards; I remember her posts with affection.
I’m following this thread.
J: MA the first question I feel needs to be addressed is your warning last year that vaccinating individuals with any immunocompromised condition was unwise. Do you still stand by that premise?
MA: Very much so James.
J: Is there any evidence, after all nearly a year has passed, that your fears are warranted?
MA: Well James thanks to the work of Susanne Brakemeier of Germany we now know that the H1N1 vaccine Pandemrix is ineffective in helping protect most renal transplant patients.
Ms. Brakemeier also advocated the need to test the safety of new vaccines in transplant patients. Which is what I have urged from the get-go.
I continue to urge caution in using blanket vaccinations of individuals with any immunocompromised condition. The potential for harm is just too large while the efficacy is yet to be established.
Your name is very familiar to me. I spent over a year cataloging and studying Mother Abigail's “SAR threads” - prior to my writing "The Birth of the Flu Blog". You were very much a part of that early reporting.
Thank you for reading and I will certainly relay your regards to MA on my next visit.
James
J: I do remember, even with my poor retention rate, a lot of the lessons you taught me on neuraminidase and the flu.
MA: Of course you do, knowledge once acquired is hard to put back in the bottle.
J: What of your worst fears? You were highly agitated about giving H1N1 vaccines to HIV patients?
MA: And I still am. It is a foolish experiment. And, mark my words, it is an experiment.
The potential for adverse, even dramatically negative, outcomes in this stupid risk are enormous.
The long term effects are just beginning to emerge. Dr. Brophy, of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, has shown that less than 70% of children with HIV achieved seroprotection from the H1N1 vaccine Arepanrix.
This result even fails to meet the European Union standards for human use.
It is folly James. And I have urged them to stop.
J: Is there anything you would like to add about this subject?
MA: Yes, there is. We now have a report from Australia indicating that their Fluvax vaccine triggered febrile convulsions in young children at nine times the usual rate.
And while the vaccinations have been suspended the current explanation - “the strain of swine flu used in this year's seasonal flu vaccine appeared to contain a higher than usual level of neuraminidase” - is very worrisome. For all the reasons that we discussed in detail last year.
J: MA I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit with me today and for all the effort you have put into educating those of us with just a limited knowledge of Virology.
MA: It is certainly my pleasure James. And you are welcome to come by here or the cabin anytime you choose, it is always a joy to see you.
J: You are very kind MA, it is good to see you well and I am certain that I speak for all your fans when I say to stay healthy this winter and please write some more on the Internet.
MA: I will try child, it seems that your priorities shift substantially when one gets older, but I will try.
J: Well if it is OK with you I would like to visit one more time before going back home. There are a few heavy topics we need to explore before I can say our conversations have been carried to fullness.
MA: Why don't you come back for Thanksgiving, and we can spend the afternoon on any subject you choose?
J: That sounds terrific MA. I would enjoy that immensely.
I have pinged your name because you are on MA’s final SARS thread.
I am certain there are many other poster who need to be pinged but I will leave it up to you to do so.
On Thursday (Thanksgiving) I will be conducting my final interview with Mother Abigail. Because she has been kind enough to give me carte blanche on questions - I am giving you a chance to ask whatever you feel is appropriate and respectful to one of the most sensitive and brilliant scientists I have ever known - and I will relay that question.
After Thursday I will be moving on to new projects (nothing lasts forever) but for now you have the floor - is there anything you want to know?
I have closed my hotmail account and will no longer be responding to that access.
James
Please ping me to your final posts. Thanks.
OK
The long term effects are just beginning to emerge. Dr. Brophy, of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, has shown that less than 70% of children with HIV achieved seroprotection from the H1N1 vaccine Arepanrix.
This just clanged a large loud alarm in my brain. Apparently, the vaccine contains thimerisol, formaldehyde, and squalene. Not only that, my question is, has the inactivated virus in the vaccine been shown to definitely NOT be capable of or susceptible to(please excuse my ignorant verbiage) recombination with the retrovirus? Fully aware that this could be the world's dumbest question, I bravely ask it, LOL!
A lovely holiday to you both, thank you so much for the thread, and peace.
Thanks, Mother Abigail gave me a chance to use my knowledge of microbiology that had been dormant for so long. The discussions and brainstorming sessions were invigorating. I wish her good health and happiness.
I will relay your comments tomorrow.
James
Judith,
If I understand your question, it is:
Is the vaccine completely safe in regards to interacting with an active virus should the patient become infected after being vaccinated?
Is that close?
James
I think so. Can a retrovirus (HIV) combine genetic material with the flu virus, or vice versa, to make a “hybrid” virus? Again, my vocuabulary (and knowledge base) is insufficient.
In other words, the H1N1 vaccine was given to HIV positive children, and didn’t “take” very well. Is there any possibility that HIV+ patients who are given the H1N1 vaccine will have the two “recombine” genetic material to make (for example) an HIV virus that can be spread by aerosol?
Judith,
I am not certain, but I doubt it. Like you, my limited knowledge is a true handicap. However hanging around MA and her constant teaching has given me a bit of understanding.
I will relay your question, now that I fully understand your intent to Ma.
James
The shrimp cocktail, the venison and two Absolute Martinis (one olive) have put me right into the zone.
Carrie (my very favorite waitress) has turned me on to a late afternoon buffet here tomorrow. It is perfect for me on a very busy day.
Kate and I will be serving free meals to all who come tomorrow at the Carson Nugget. They have been doing this for decades and they are kind enough to allow other to help serve. It is a blessing on every level.
There is a solo artist performing tonight with guitar and violin. There is only myself and another couple for an audience but his music is remarkable none the less.
I feel peaceful and in harmony tonight. Tomorrow afternoon I will spend Thanksgiving with Mother Abigail and I will ask the hard questions that have been ignored for the last few years.
But it is OK. When the last post of this series is posted, I will remain - and my life (which has forever been altered by this project) will be rich and delightful.
What a strange impact MA has had on my life. How empty and shallow my future lay prior to that trip to Lake Tahoe.
One more Bally’s coffe and I will go upstairs and hit the hot tub, work on my crossword and prepare for tomorrow.
Why I feel like an athlete prior to a big game - I do not know, but I do love the rush.
James
Thanks for your feedback. If it’s a dumb question, just let it go.
The Holiday spirit has pretty much dissipated by now and I guess it is time to get to work.
My notes are all laid out and I am back from a wonderful weekend in Reno.
As you well know, it is always difficult to get a carpenter to drive the last nail in any project. Not much different with us word merchants.
James
I picked up Kate at 10:30 AM this morning and we went to the Nugget to help serve. We were signed up for the 11:00 to 12:00 shift on the serving line.
We were assigned to the rolls and butter detail. Which was perfect. What a joy to see so many people, of all persuasions, enjoying the generosity of the Carson Nugget.
We developed a routine (being the first on the line) where I grabbed a plate and turned right where Kate loaded the goodies.
I then turned and welcomed the guest and gave them their plate.
Amazing how many people were in line and how fast we were able to serve them.
But best of all, right in the middle of the rush, Kate turned to me (all smiles) and said “what a good team we make”.
Having woke up the other morning with very similar thoughts, I just smiled back.
It is hard to become too attached. The scars from our last failed attempt at the “relationship thing” are still much on my mind. It hurt.
But this time seems different somehow. Neither one of us are drinking quite as much and we seem a little less stressed in our lives.
But, none the less, it seems prudent to just enjoy the moments. On the way out of the Casino she was just beaming and really happy when she hugged me from behind and said “I love you”.
That is as much emotion as I have ever seen from her. Her demeanor is very self controlled and in all things - professional.
All this is said simply to give you an idea that by the time I arrived at MAs - I was in a very good mood.
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