By the title of this weeks’ Concentrating On COVID Post, you can determine that I got my COVID booster (third shot). While I had some hesitations about whether or not to get it or having to “bank” time to have symptoms, I know I did the right thing by having extra armor that I need to remain safe around others.
I want to start off by saying that vaccines are not a eradication fix. They are designed to put extra armor on the person that is injected into By having a vaccine, it doesn’t eliminate your ability of contracting COVID, it just lessens the severity and limits the risk pool for getting it. However, whether or not you get the vaccine, common sense should be practiced by following societal norms for staying safe, especially in this early cough, cold and flu season. We know that these effects enhance the probability of COVID this time of year. Flu season has been around in the same cycle and we have been inoculating against it for over 40 years.
I for the longest time was against the influenza or any kind of “extra” any kind of procedure where injections or draws have to occur to my body because of the excessive anxiety it would produce internally, For me to get a booster shot of any type, especially over a holiday weekend is a BIG step for being out of my schedule. But in the sense of my schedule, it made sense because I know I would be able to be home for a prolonged time should I need to be.
I think as with anything being injected or drawn from us, we fear. But to have the faith in three pharmacists who between two sites were complete strangers and I never met was a BIG accomplishment for me. I also think what helped was that I wasn’t sitting around the house for an extended time. Thankfully, I had the appointment set in my phone calendar and it was twenty minutes earlier than what I told my mother and I had thought it was the night before. So, getting up just before my smart speaker gave me the 30 minute reminder was a surprise, yet I knew that I had to get what I needed to in order. Thankfully, this time I was only going to the pharmacy in my neighborhood and not the one in the next town over where I went for the initial series, which gave me the ability to not be as anxious.
When I arrived at the pharmacy, we were greeted with ease by the pharmacy technician and the health scan was completed then we were told to take a seat and wait for the pharmacist. I initially thought that I would be getting the injection in the waiting room, like the previous pharmacy. However when the pharmacist came to retrieve us, we went to a small consultation room off the pharmacy, which I have to admit was nice and made me more at ease. Unlike the initial two-step, knowing we didn’t have any reactions to it, we did not have to remain in the store for fifteen minutes. Although we did shop for the Christmas selection, we were fine immediately following the inoculation.
Spending some time with my mom, I went home after lunch. I felt rather sleepy, although I had slept plenty the day, afternoon and night before. So I slept for about three hours and felt OK but still drowsy but was able to do life’s activities like cook dinner and go to Peer group in the evening. I stayed up for a few hours after then fell asleep.The next day, I had a mild case of a runny nose but slept in until about 9:30 but did fine. I even got the Christmas decorations that I wanted to get completely done. I guess with that, going to church online and peer group in the evening, by 9:00 Sunday evening, I was tired and needed to rest, so I took my medicine and went to bed. I woke up at the same time I normally do on Mondays and although I was working from home, was generally fine throughout the day. It is a minor inconvenience to pay to potentially know that you have a little bit of added protection added to your immune system,
Whether or not you choose to get the vaccines, that is your decision to make. I will not push you to do iit. But please be considerate if you are unwell, please stay home and away from others so that IF you have contacted COVID that it doesn’t have a chain effect on those around you. I have seen it happen too many times and have been luckingly spared of any need to quarantine, isolate or test. I remain proud of that fact, which I contribute to being overly cautious, even if I get weird looks for doing so. I have to do what is right in my mind for me and I would hope you would do the same by making the decisions you see fit to not only protect yourself but others as well.
Remember, we are all in this together.
Dustin's Dynasty 