But what about when the comments come to you? What do you do when a person actually tracks you down and messages you on facebook? I put myself "out there" a lot in the autism community, so maybe it was bound to happen. I don't use my name or my kids' names on this blog, because I am trying to keep them safe and keep some semblance of privacy on the web, but let's face it: privacy and the internet don't really mix.
So, a stranger messaged me on facebook. They "heard my story" and wanted to educate me on how vaccines caused my children's autism and that they could be saved by chelation and nutrition.
I should have ignored. I should have blocked them, maybe. But I have this irresistible urge to educate, so I took the bait. See, I don't talk about this much, but all three of my kids stepped into Autism World completely vaccine free. And I admit, I have a bit of fun telling people that are steeped in the Vaccine Theory this fact. Sometimes they backpedal, sometimes they are simply glad to hear that my children are not vaccine damaged, and sometimes....well, sometimes they get belligerent.
This was one of those times.
Stalker (this is what I will call the person from here on out, just seems more fun that way) quickly comes back with "Are you sure???" This is not even the first or second or tenth time that someone has asked me this.
No, I'm not sure. Someone may have stolen them away in the night and pricked them while I wasn't looking. Of course I'm sure! These are MY children we are talking about. I birthed two of them in my home for goodness sakes. You think that they could have possibly been vaccinated without my consent or my knowledge? Sorry, that just isn't the case folks. I very politely informed Stalker that is isn't possible, and that my family obviously is a case for their being some genetic issue at play.
"There is no genetic disease that cause autism, it's all lies!" says Stalker. It is implied that my husband may have taken them to get immunized without my consent. Again, nothing I haven't heard before.
At this point Stalker begins asking more questions, and I simply end up replying that I was uncomfortable further discussing my personal beliefs and my children's medical history with someone who I don't know and who hasn't even told me where they got information about my family. Sorry Stalker, I got tired trying to educate a paranoid creeper. And this is where it got very interesting. Up until this point, it was all stuff I had heard before, all things that I am used to hearing from hardcore Vaccine Theory folks.
Stalker, apparently unable to compute that my family falls outside of the neat box they have tied up autism in, then accuses me of "hiding something." I won't subject you to reading the full rant, but I will give you the gist of it- I have been accused of being paid off to lie (I'm assuming by The Government) about having three children with autism who are vaccine free. I am a sick person, getting other people to hurt their children, all for the love of money.
Well, that's a first.
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| Check out my children who don't really exist, apparently! |
Because I simply couldn't resist having the last word, I replied one more time. Facts that only stand upon the insistence that others are lying are on very shaky grounds indeed. And with that, I blocked Stalker (who never did say how they got my name and information about my kids.)
I wonder how many more times I will have to play out this series of questions and if there will be others who take it to this extreme. On the one hand, it is entirely laughable to me that anyone would believe I'm making all of this up for money. But the sad reality is that we are in the financially devastating place of having three amazing autistic children who are going to need very expensive therapy for many more years. Makes me kind of wish that Stalker was right. I could use the dough.
What I'd really like to know is, where are the other families like me? I know my children aren't the only weirdos that are on the autism spectrum without a single vaccination. I wish this were an actual popular autism blog, because I truly want to know how many other moms are dealing with this exact same thing. So, if you stumble upon this and you happen to be a lying, money grubbing conspirator too...raise your hand high and proud! Leave me a comment and stand with me against those who refuse to believe we exist! It'll be fun, I promise.
*Disclaimer: I am not interested in discussing why we didn't vaccinate, or why you don't vaccinate, or why anyone on either side of the issue are wrong. Comments tearing others down for making the best personal and medical decisions for their family will be deleted. In other words, play nice. Unless you want to tear Stalker to shreds, that's fair game.*
