I never finished writing this post originally so I never published it. I was gonna delete it, but then figured that this was a record of the change from a very challenging time to one filled with hope. I wanted to keep this memory. Sometimes a blog can be less of a communication tool and more of a personal journal. This is one of those times.
March 29, 2021. We got up this morning and headed off for our second Pfizer vaccination. I might have been a little anxious since I had a nightmare that involved a low-speed car crash right into a small tree. But we were up in time, had no auto incidents on the way, and were at the pharmacy in plenty of time!
What a difference three weeks can make. There was no hour-long queue to wait in while cringing away from other people who somehow, even after nine months of Covid19 warnings, still didn't know how to properly social distance. Heck, there was no line at all. We walked right up to the check-in desk, handed in our paperwork, had our temperatures taken, sat down waiting for our names to be called and had our shots in less than five minutes. It took longer to sit in the waiting area afterward than it did to walk up and get our jabs!
Since then, we had Easter dinner with a vaccinated family and I got to hug my mom for the first time in a year. Last week I took her to one of our local nursery/gift shops just because we didn't feel totally vulnerable and at risk.
We are still very cautious in public, knowing that there are no one hundred percent guarantees and cognizant of the new variants swirling around. I won't be eating in a restaurant or enjoying a movie theater anytime soon. But I'm gaining confidence outdoors and not totally freaking out when there are more people in one place than I'm used to. We do masks and social distancing and keep tabs on family, friends and co-workers who are getting vaccinated so we know when we can relax and enjoy their company.
I may be safer, but I'm still keeping up on the latest science. I won't be getting cocky anytime soon. I've seen the statistics on B.1.1.7 and they are scary. My neighbor had a scan recently and asked if they could include his lungs since they were "in the vicinity" and his radiologist agreed since he knew why he asked (he caught Covid19 during a chemo infusion). My neighbor's lungs are thakfully clear and healthy. But the radiologist shared that he'd just seen the lungs of someone who had a mild case of the coronavirus and he called them coal miner lungs. Why one guy and not the other? This virus can affect vital organs in ways that we are still learning about.
There is no downside to getting the vaccine. Still a happy camper here...ready for springtime, outdoor activities, visiting with neighbors (all of us vaccinated), and lots and lots of gardening!
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