I took the COVID 19 vaccine.
What you may or may not know about me is that I have a low immunity system due to the medicines I’ve been on since 1997. If there is a smidgen of a germ out there, I catch it. A simple cold for some can quickly turn into bronchitis or pneumonia for me.
Winters are the worst which is why I limit personal posts during this time. I’m usually always sick and who wants to hear me gripe and complain my way through it, right?
After spending just about the entire 2020 year in almost complete isolation, I still managed to get sick on a pretty regular basis. It’s my life. I expect it. What I didn’t expect is to be ill after limiting myself to short shopping or doctor visits only. I bought 90% of everything I needed online but there was always something I couldn’t order online or that they were out of. I kept DIY alcohol wipes in my hands constantly while shopping and wore a mask religiously. I used hand sanitizer like there was no tomorrow and I was the queen of hand washing.
While I still managed to catch a few bugs, I didn’t get COVID. I want to keep it that way which is why I decided to get the vaccine. Plus, I missed all family gatherings last year and I don’t want to do that again this year. By getting the vaccine I feel like I’m not only protecting myself but I’m also protecting loved ones and friends.
I’ve only had the first shot and it didn’t hurt. Until around midnight. I woke up to pain in my arm, and no that’s not what woke me up, my dog did. But believe me, it’s the first thing I noticed when I woke up. I took some Tylenol which didn’t help and by morning the pain had increased. Because I am right-handed I thought I’d get it in my right arm in case I got sore as I do with flu shots. Moving my arm around after a flu shot usually helps. It did not after the COVID vaccination. By the end of the day, I couldn’t even lift my arm.
And that wasn’t the only thing that was going on from the shot. I got a runny nose. And sneezed for at least 12 to 18 hours straight. And then I got a stuffy nose. I was being the biggest baby you’ve ever seen. They always say doctors and nurses make the worst patients. They, whoever they are, are right.
I pretty much camped out in my bed for a couple of days with a box of kleenex and Tylenol.
However, after that, I was back to normal and once again I was excited that I had taken the first step to fight back against this unrelenting virus. I have to wait 28 days from the date of my first shot before I can get the second one. I’ve heard the effects can be worse than the first one but I’m okay with that. I have decided I will take it in my left arm next time though.
My dad will have to live with life-long symptoms from COVID 19 and it has been a real struggle for him. He was hospitalized twice and I don’t think his lungs will ever heal at this point. I’m sure what I’ve gone through and what I will go through from the COVID vaccination is nothing compared to what he and everyone else who’s had COVID has had to, and, or will continue to have to deal with.
If you live in Georgia as I do, check out this link to see where you can get your COVID Vaccine.
Have you had a COVID vaccine and if not are you planning to take one?