Vaccine

 


Today my husband is getting his Covid-19 vaccine.  He has been waiting for this day for a LONG time.  (Haven't we all?)  He fits the current age requirement (currently 55+ in NJ) and has underlying conditions that make him eligible (high blood pressure and diabetes.)  He's understandably nervous, anxious and excited all at the same time.

I know I will feel the same way when it is my turn.  I am still under 55 (at least for another 2 months).  Although I still take blood pressure medication, my dosage is extremely low and I only take it every other day.  (This is with the doctor's approval; and when I next go for a physical I may ask if it is still necessary.  I was much heavier when I started this regime.)  I do not know my BMI and it may or may not meet the current BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 requirement. (I'm not even sure what that means.)  Although I am still overweight (I want to say slightly, but I don't know if that's fair), I am healthy and exercise daily.  

When I start writing this post, I wrote: when I hit 55 (in June) or when the age is lowered, I will get in line.  Although I am apprehensive about getting the vaccine (due to my allergies), it's not going to stop me.  This is too important not to do.

Just hours later the bar was lowered.  As of April 19th I will be eligible and by August, my son will be too.  (I'm wondering if he can get the vaccine a few days prior to his birthday so we can truly celebrate as a fully vaccinated family.)  What joy there is sure to be when our family of 3 has all been vaccinated.

When my day comes I know I will be nervous.  When I took my mother for her vaccination she was apprehensive.  She has strange allergies (guess where I got them from) and wanted to get the J&J vaccine.  Thanks to the help of a neighbor (and I'm counting on her within the next couple of weeks to help me out too), she was able to get just that.  I was with her the whole time (I stood in line for her because standing can be hard for her)  and I know she was nervous.  I was nervous for her.  She said she felt a little funny while we were waiting, but that she thought it was probably just nerves. (This happens to me all the time too.  When you have severe food and ingredient allergies whenever you are about to undertake the unknown...it's scary.)  We waited the required 30 minutes and I watched her for several hours afterwards.  Over a week has passed.  All is good.

I know while I sit and wait for my 30  minutes, I will be anxious and a bit neurotic.  (I was nervous when I got my flu shot in the fall.)  The fear of what MIGHT happen is not strong enough to prevent me from doing what is right; not just for me and my family, but for my town, state, country and even the world.

It has been a battle.  It has been ugly.  And there have been more deaths than we could have imagined a year ago.  Many may have been preventable, but we cannot undo the past.

We CAN make the future better.  Today my husband will take that step forward.  I will follow suit and so will my son, when we are eligible.  Until then I will still be washing my hands, keeping social distance and wearing that mask.  If we as a nation and world want to move forward, we need to do the same.  If we truly want to "love our neighbors as ourselves" we should.  Will we?




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We Have Taken America Back

Image
Back to a time when all men (and women) are not created equal.  Where women's healthcare is determined by men's laws and not by medical professionals. Where education tells only the "winning" side of the story and truth does not matter.  Where banning and burning books is a social event.  Where people who are "different" than those in power can be mocked, shunned and hurt with no real consequences. Where lies are acceptable and integrity is  just a word on a page We have moved into a time where rage is the rage.  Where hate is not just normal, but accepted and even cheered. Where leaders can ask to have their "enemies" killed and no one will bat an eye.  Where it's "funny" to see someone struggle.  Where felony is applauded. Where compassion is not shown and caring for others is looked down upon. We have taken America back to a time of pain and suffering for many.  Back to when the "haves" can have and the have nots don'...
Read more

It's Not About Starbucks (or is it)?

Image
  About a block and a half from my home in a major intersection.  At the southeast corner (which is nearest to me), is an empty building.  Back in 1995 it was a Bank of NY (I remember this because they didn't shovel/de-ice their parking lot well and my husband fell and broke his ankle one Monday morning.  I recall this clearly because we were not yet married and it was the first day of a new job for me.  I had gotten on the bus to work and he was catching a later one; only he never got there.  Instead he ended up laying on the ground until an employee came to open up the bank.  Then he had them call an ambulance AND my mother who took control of the situation until I arrived home that night blissfully unaware of what had happened that day.)  It eventually became a Chase Bank; the second one in my small little town.  It eventually closed.  I'm not sure when but it's been empty for quite a long time.  (I do know that it was open in 20...
Read more

As Is

Image
  Today I want to discuss what I think it is a relatively simple concept, but may be difficult for some, even an attorney who might have once, over a decade ago won a  prestigious award  for young lawyers .  That term is "AS IS." As you may know, I volunteer in a thrift shop.  Everything we sell, from all the donations we receive, is "as is."  The items are not brand new.  They are not perfect.  That doesn't mean they aren't any good or worth something. They are sold "as is."  Buyers should go in knowing that. (After all you are shopping in a thrift shop!)  In some cases, particularly when we are offering higher end products, we will actually write on the price tag, "as is." Such is the case of two designer purses that I purchased from there this summer.  (I'm a purse-aholic!  Don't look in my closet.)  They were reasonably priced (especially when you consider the name brand), but each had an "as is" clearly marked o...
Read more