Medical Planning

 By the title of this post, you might think I'm making long range medical plans.  I'm not.  What I am doing is plotting out times for vaccinations because that's what you need to do in today's world.  You need to get vaccinated and you need to plan for it and around it.

In my immediate family there is my husband, my son and myself.  That means 3 flu shots.  It also means two Covid booster shots.  (My son is not eligible and only got his 2nd vaccination in June, so IF he needs one, he wouldn't get it until December at the earliest.)  This all takes planning and with a family of three it's not too hard, but it still needs to be carefully thought out.

Today my husband was in the doctor's office for his quarterly check in.  The nurse asked if he wanted a flu shot while he was there.  He already had scheduled a Covid booster shot for Tuesday so he wanted to make sure that it was okay to get it today.  It was.  She asked if I would like one too.  I would, but not today.  Just like I don't want a booster until a week after my husband gets his.  I want to make sure that there is one functioning adult in the house.  I doubt if he'll have any issues with the flu shot, but I do expect (and so does he) that he might have some slight side effects from his booster next week.  In either case, if he's tired or not feeling great, I'll be the functioning adult.  When it's my turn, I want him to be 100% so that if I have any issues he can take care of me.

Because we are entering a busy time of year, I'm hoping to schedule both my flu and covid shots for the 2nd week of November.  That way if I do have any problems it will be before my son's fall play and Thanksgiving and I should have plenty of time to recover (if I need it) before these events occur.   I will admit as I have weird allergies I am apprehensive about getting either a Pfizer or Moderna booster, since I had J& J in April.  I'm also a little apprehensive about the flu shot, even though I know that the shots at my doctor's office are egg and preservative free.  I will be nervous and maybe even a little scared, but I will do it because it's what I need to do to keep myself and my family safe.  The risks are low and certainly the benefits are many.

In the past, I would never have even thought about this, but we are in a new world and you need to plan.  I've always been a planner, but now more than ever it's important to do so.  If you're NOT a planner, now's the time to give it a try.  Schedule your flu and booster shots.  Look at your calendar and find a couple of days when you don't have anything scheduled (or anything major schedule) and make the appointment.  

Conversely (and don't tell anyone I said this), if you want to get out of that Thanksgiving gathering or some other event, schedule your vaccinations just prior.  Then you have a perfect excuse for NOT going. (Confession:  my son had a concert the evening of his first shot.  After he sang, there was an intermission and he had nothing more to do.  So my husband mentioned it to the teacher, saying that our son as a little tired [he wasn't really] and we all got to go home early!)

The year is winding down.  Let's go into 2022 with good health.  Let's wrap up 2021 by getting vaccinated and taking care of ourselves and our loved ones.  Start planning now and get vaccinated before the New Year, so that we can all TRULY say Happy New Year in 2022.