This is the story of my first vaccine shot yesterday, at the Summit County Department of Health. My vaccine was Moderna, my next shot is scheduled for March 2nd.
It was not a jam packed event! I followed the signs around the building, until I was stopped. The signs said to have ID ready. I handed my driver's license out the passenger window to a fellow who took it into a kiosk. When I'd drifted forward to the kiosk, a young man compared me to my ID, asked my name and returned my license.
I drifted forward again to another check point, where I gave my name and me and my appointment were located on a tablet. I was told to follow the signs around the building, which I did, and came to a stop at the end of the line, three cars deep. I used the opportunity to get my arm bared down to a short sleeved tee.
The next stop was the business stop. The nurse who gave the shot sank the fairly long needle to the hilt in my arm. I felt nothing. I was told to continue around the building and park in the designated lot for fifteen minutes. If I required no additional care, I was free to leave.
As I drove the twenty minutes home, I became more and more sleepy. I expected this to happen; it's my reaction to foreign substances. By the time I was home, I ached everywhere. My shoulders, my arms, my legs. I attributed that to all the snow I'd shoveled, never mind it had only just begun.
I went to bed and got up this morning. I still ache all over. I wove for an hour, ate lunch, watched TV, made a salad for supper. I intend to feel better tomorrow.
Am I grateful the immunization sequence is started? Yes, of course. But I am more deeply saddened there is no stockpile of vaccine, as the former administration announced, there is no decent distribution system, there is no methodical program in place to inoculate all of us, and we all know when and where we will be inoculated.
I am not amused I happened to be at my computer when my email arrived, made sure I began registering for a shot one second after the registration opened, that I actually secured a spot and every shot was signed for in two minutes.
I took the route home past Stan Hywet hall. This stacked stone fence runs the equivalent of two city blocks. At one point the fence continues down the hill and an identical stack stone retaining wall parallels its route. Several years ago this wall was a crumbling mess. Funds were raised and the wall rebuilt.
I'll be expecting to be sleepy and to ache when I eventually get vaccinated too. It will be a very long while until there are stockpiles of vaccine. This is new territory, first they have to create a vaccine and get it out there before they can start creating stockpiles. Think back to the Polio epidemic, that was sudden and new, it took years for that Salk vaccine to be created. And every year new strains of flu vaccine need to be made because of all the new strains of flu.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear you've had your first shot. Take it easy until the aches and tiredness subside. It's so worth it!
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking of you knowing you had your vaccine appointment. I am so happy that you have gotten your first one and I hope any side effects go away quickly. I am also happy to know you have an appointment for the second one. Thanks for telling us about it.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you have had the shot - and hope that the sleepiness and the aches dissipate quickly.
ReplyDeleteIt will be months before I have the chance to receive a shot. We are told that ours will start next month but have not yet been told about the schedule.
I do love that wall and am very glad it has been rebuilt.
My arm was tender at injection site for 4 days, didn't hurt, just tender to touch. Sounds about right, your reaction. Get the second one, mask up as before, even after the second one.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Thanks, Mike.
DeleteVery interesting story. Glad you've gotten your shot and I'll be prepared (if I ever get one) to feel something. I wonder if it's true that having side effects is a good thing, shows that your body reacted?
ReplyDeleteLove that wall.
This is only my opinion, but I think I hurt all over and Mike didn't is because there was so much less of me having the same dose injected.
DeleteI'm glad you have your shot.
ReplyDeleteI am happy that so many want the shot, but sad that I can't be immunized. I'm angry that my teacher friends aren't authorized to get the vaccine before they have to go back to school with students. I'm very frustrated that I can't get my 88 year old diabetic mother a shot. They fill up before I can even get the form filled out.
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteHope by the time you wake and read this, all those aches are gone. Gotta love those old walls... YAM xx
Thank you for sharing your experience with the vaccine. Your process was quite efficient. If only vaccine supplies could accelerate and get everybody vaccinated. Keeping people healthy and minimizing the impact to hospitals should be the goal. 1-2 days of tenderness and tiredness sounds about right.
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Very glad you got the vaccine and a second appointment. In our state of 8.8 million people, as of today only 275K have received the shot. Many of them have not got a second appointment.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even trying. I'm in the oldest age group no chance. I checked in a few times, 20,000 people on just one of the wait lists. We have all the infrastructure ready, just no supply.
It's the Hunger Games.
In Ohio we started with your age group, 80 plus. This week is age 75, plus. I do not know if all the injection sites are following that protocol, though.
DeleteBravo and a bit jealous...who knows when they will be available up here in Sasquatch area. When i finally got an injection for shingles i was feeling pretty smug, a month later they said" Oh sorry, you must have the new one, a double hit because the old one is less effective". So, maybe if i wait long enough the vaccine will incorporate all of the variants as well.
ReplyDeleteI am so interested in how the vaccine affects those who have taken it. Then I can be prepared if it happens to me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who got her second shot yesterday and she wrote to tell me that it had been a bitch. Fever, aches, chills, fatigue. The whole enchilada. We get our second this coming Thursday. I am interested to know what will happen. I have plenty of Ibuprofen on hand.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got your shot! Must feel very reassuring.
ReplyDeleteGood that you got your shot and I hope all the aches are gone today.
ReplyDeleteI've called the local hospital and left my name and number, hoping for a call back. That was almost 2 weeks ago and nothing yet. Then yesterday I signed us up under "Myturn.ca.gov." Didn't get a response, so am still out in left field, waiting for the hit! So glad you were able to get your shot--Mage and George got their first shot. Good to know my friends are being protected.
ReplyDeleteSign up everywhere it is offered. Take the first available and cancel the rest. That's what I did.
DeleteRelieved you at least got that first shot, and are part of the lucky few getting the second one. We continue to wait. Our state decided to innoculate non-citizens instead of citizens...while I feel for those with an even worse government, I am worried beyond sick for my 86 year old husband. So far, very few shots were given. Our governor reports that "we may get more after a few months." NOT HELPFUL!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you have that first injection, Joanne. It sounds like the system set up to inoculate people works well once you can get registered.
ReplyDeleteI too got my first vaccine injection. It was very difficult signing up, I tried phoning and online and finally got an appointment online. They did not make it easy! The experience was great, my son drove me and my dog Bounce, who was a big hit with the health care workers and we did not get out of our car. I didn't have any side effects but understand that often comes with the second injection.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got the vaccine!! We haven't heard anything from our Health dept... fingers crossed that we will soon. Missouri is on the bottom of the list for number having received the vaccine... figures!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got your Vaccine and it went seamlessly, in our State it's a Hot Mess and you can't get Appointments even if it's your 'turn', so The Man waits until the VA hopefully gets some to vaccinate the most vulnerable high risk Disabled Veterans like himself who are over 65. I'm high risk, being an Insulin Diabetic, but I'm not in the Age range to receive it in this Tier, the Special Needs Grandchild I'm raising is only 15 so she'll be in another Tier we know not when. Arizona has the worst Stats IN THE WORLD right now... over 25% constantly and highest spread per 100,000 people in the World. So, our Son found out he Tested Positive Today and we all had to go get Tested since he'd been around us, he's Hospitalized and I'm worried for him... we await our Results and Status, it's a very Anxious time. This all seems to be getting worse and not better, the previous Administration put the Country in very dire straits and there's a lot of damage control to run behind how poorly the initial Pandemic was handled. Risk Assessing is a crap shoot really, even people who never go out and have everything delivered are now coming down with this, the new mutations of the Virus seem to be spreading faster. I'm glad you wrote of your experience to ease the fears of anyone who is contemplating not getting the vaccine.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best, especially your son. I hope the VA can straighten it out for your husband.
DeleteWell we both had similar experiences Joanne, luckily the side effects don't last long. Looking forward to the second jab - I think!
ReplyDeleteI received both doses of Pfizer's vaccine, I had no side effects and I'm starting to worry I might have gotten a placebo. The conspiracy theory here says we're part of a big experiment here.
ReplyDeleteI would still go out mask up, and not believe that.
DeleteI too had dose one of Pfizer and felt absolutely no side effects. Hope you are back to normal today Joanne.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is, you got the shot, something we seem to have little hope of here for several more weeks at least. Seems like you had quite a nasty reaction and I hope the aches and pains have subsided by now. Bring on the second one!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you got the vaccine, Joanne - though it sounds like a tough ride - but when (I don't write "if") it protects you, then it is worth it.
ReplyDeleteHere in Germany is complete vaccination chaos, the communes are very well prepared, but there is not enough vaccine - EU ordered too late, too hesitating, and the members are behaving bad now.
I have to wait for a long time - don't expect it before May, or later. It's ok with me - I think the older ones and doctors and nurses should be the first (and maybe the police - thinking about how some behave here :-)
H.I. had no after effects at all with her jab, but it was the Oxford one for her. Is that house behind the wall as old as it looks?
ReplyDeleteThat is the gatehouse to the Stan Hywet mansion, built by Siberling in 1913.
DeleteThat's step 1. Sorry about the short-term reaction, though.
ReplyDeleteBad luck that you've been aching all over from the shot. I had my first vaccination last week, and apart from the odd ache in my arm and extreme tiredness on Saturday, I've been fine. I didn't need any ID, I guess because I was at my usual health centre and they had all my records. They just asked me if I was physically well and that was it.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that you are having aches and pains...as you say, could be the shoveling, could be there's not much of you, but you could do without it!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got your vaccine. Thanks for explaining your process and your reaction. It helps to hear the real experience instead of all of the online b.s.
ReplyDeleteThen I know what to expect when it is my turn.
Feel better soon!
So glad you had it with no problems Joanne. And it sounds terribly efficient staying in your car. Nothing here yet. I am pissed off.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
We seem to be waiting for the Russian vaccine Sputnik here in Budapest!!
ReplyDeleteGood to have received your first dose. All will be well.
yay, one down, one to go. I get my second one the 11th. unbelievable the stuff the conspiracy nuts are spreading. a group of anti-vaxers demonstrated outside the stadium where vaccinations were being given in California shutting it down for about an hour.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better today, Joanne. My reaction was just a sore arm. My Retired Man had a very, very sore arm and had trouble getting dressed. The symptoms lasted only a day. I have heard that there are more reactions with the second shot. I don’t worry about it because getting the virus is much worse than one day of symptoms. I hope for the best and am so grateful that we are the lucky seniors able to get the vaccine. So many of my friends are trying but so far have been unable to get an appointment.
ReplyDeleteThis is my second try at sending you a comment. Not everything is fixed yet.
We called about 2 weeks ago and put our name on the list at our family physicians. Haven't heard anything yet. I don't believe they have the vaccine yet... and don't know when they will get it. They are part of Texas Health so I imagine they will get it eventually...
ReplyDeleteBut definitely glad you got yours, Joanne. Hope you feel better soon. And I also like that stone wall!
DeleteHope you're feeling better now. I get the 2nd shot in a week. And, no surprise about the lack of a warehouse filled with vaccine - that man and all didn't know how to do anything but lie.
ReplyDeleteYes, I too hope all the aches have diminished. Mine were just in the arm, and a stomach ache. An old fashioned ache. So glad we have a first round anyway.
ReplyDeleteHope you get over it soon, but glad you've had it and have a date for dose no.2.
ReplyDeletegreat news. I've signed up at our county health department but no appointments yet. We had two teachers in the family get their first shots so that's good.
ReplyDeleteHopefully this is the beginning of the end of it.
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