Thank you for sharing your story! I have personal experience with the opposite, meaning injury due to lack of vaccine. My uncle died of diphtheria when he was four. I worked in a group home taking care of people who were deaf and blind due to congenital rubella. I also had a neighbor for a while, who was partially paralyzed due to polio.
Vaccines of course carry their own risks. Either way it's a scary situation, I think. We vaccinate the herd so we can eradicate diseases that have killed and maimed people. But we also take the risk that people are injured or die due to the vaccines.
I agree with your final word here, that some additives need to be questioned and vaccines should not be given all at once. I do question the autism/vaccine link mainly because I think there are other environmental factors at play that aren't considered ~ mainly the huge increase in pesticide use and artificial colors/flavorings added to our food. But either way it's good for parents to be aware and make informed decisions!