Today, Dec 11th, there was for the first time a H1N1 flu clinic for people with chronic illnesses, especially adults. Previously, healthy schoolchildren and babies have been vaccinated. The old, sick and those living with chronic illness have been having difficulty getting the shots. I spoke with the public health person for Cumberland County and I was told the healthy are being vaccinated to prevent the virus from spreading fast amongst the general population. Each week, I have been calling all of my son’s specialists, with no information on when the H1N1 shot would become available. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is an illness which should be at the top of the list for the vaccine, but that has not been the case.
             Today I prepared to be at the clinic when it opened. I drove to 180 Park Avenue, in Portland and was there maybe fifteen minutes after it began. I saw swarms of cars entering the parking lot, so I followed them. The lot was full and I saw many turning around on the street trying to find a close parking space. It was very bitter cold outside. All the handicapped spaces were full, with vehicles which did not qualify, I might add. So I drove off trying to find a place to park. My son and I were able to park about 1/10th of a mile away. After maneuvering the sidewalk, we approached the building. I saw many people in the hallway. When we opened the door, it was complete chaos, not noisy, but people all over the stairs with their strollers, children and no apparent sense of order , very unorganized. Worst of all there was nobody there acknowledging the crowd. I waited for about ten minutes at the most assessing the situation. I looked into the room from where I stood, near the entrance door, because we could not move any further. The room where people would be getting their shots was standing room only, no order whatsoever. I saw two men filling out paperwork on a clipboard. I am not sure where they received the clipboards. After ten minutes, I turned around and left. There were hundreds of people there and I felt we would be there all morning. To be honest, my first thought was that the room was probably a germfest, and may not be the best place to be. Much to my disappointment, I left very upset and drove to the pulmonary doctor’s office on Congress Street. They had no vaccines for adults, only children under 36 months. 
             Could the delivery of these vaccines been better? Why is it not accessible for the chronically ill? Portland Public Health knew a large shipment was arriving so why wasn’t it divided amongst the many specialists who deal with the chronically ill? Perhaps it had to do with the source of the funding. I am not sure, but I am very disappointed that it has been unavailable.