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I think this is interesting but it's neither something that comes up in a typical conversation nor particularly "newsworthy" so I figured why not share it here.

I have lived lo these many years without ever contracting chicken pox.

Just about every health care provider I've seen over the years has expressed a bit of surprise, maybe even doubt over this proclamation, but I found out in some recent blood work that it is indeed true. When I had my glucose screening to test for gestational diabetes (which I passed) I asked that my blood also be tested for immunity to chicken pox. (The subject came up recently in a conversation with my children's pediatrician, and wonder of wonders I remembered to ask about it when the opportunity to be tested came up.)

I remember my mom telling me my brother had chicken pox when she was pregnant with me. He has a few little pox scars to prove it. But I never got it. I even had a good friend who got chicken pox when we were in 8th grade, but I was left unpoxed. For some reason I'm remembering that was around the time McDonald's came out with Chicken McNuggets and I seem to recall a little song we made up about it. Anyway...

Now, as an adult, the few times I've thought about it have been during pregnancy, as in, OH NO I better not get it now since it is dangerous for an unborn baby. My midwife told the current baby in utero is beyond the stage where it's of extreme concern (prior to 28 weeks), but Google just informed me that not-good things can still happen if I were to get it in the remaining weeks of the pregnancy (about 10, give or take).

I kind of half thought I had somehow acquired immunity, so I was a bit surprised to learn that nope, no such luck.

So now I need to remember to get the vaccine after this baby's born. Of course then I'll have so much leisure time to remember things like going to get a shot. Where do I even go, as an adult, to get a chicken pox vaccine?

Because from all I've heard, adulthood is NOT the time to be getting chicken pox. Especially not when I have four children to take care of. Another friend has had a couple bouts with shingles and it does NOT sound fun.

So somebody remind me, okay?