Hi, just wanted to chime in a bit on the discussion about the shots Grey’s son is taking and her fears regarding them. I believe these shots are specifically designed to lessen the impact of RSV which can be deadly, particularly for preemies.
In a typical vaccine, viruses are grown (sometimes in chicken embryos), the antigens for that virus are then isolated and purified, and given to you in the form of a vaccine. The antigen is kind of like the calling card of that virus. Once in your body, your immune system produces antibodies specific to that antigen and you gain protection against that virus- your body will recognize that calling card if it sees it again and will know what to do because the antibodies stick around.

In the treatment that Grey was talking about, instead of injecting the antigen, the antibody itself is injected so it’s kind of like skipping a step- your body already has the response even though it hasn’t seen the antigen. The way the antibodies are made is by using recombinant DNA technology, which I’ll admit, sounds scary. Antibodies to a particular RSV antigen are developed in rodents. If they were given to humans as is, they may be attacked by our immune system, so the genetic sequence that codes for the antibody is altered to be more similar to human antibodies. At the core, DNA is DNA, it doesn’t matter if it comes from a mouse or a banana or a human- in fact, that’s why this technology works. It’s pretty amazing actually. I don’t know if that helps or hurts, but just please don’t be freaked out by fear-mongers that try to convince you that you are giving your child some experimental rat-human freakazoid type thing.

good job! Kidding.
I just found you via stitcher, I do love the guests with older kids. They help give perspective. I remember when my kids where really little every decision seems so high stakes. Now that my boys are 10 & 8, I’m seeing how so much of who they are is just nature.

Teddy does seem like a little genius and just wait until she can (and will) repeat everything you say at the worst time.