A year ago when you asked someone, “What’s new?” The answer most likely would be about a trip with the family, or a recent party, or even a ballgame. Then, of course, there are always those conversations about meds, operations and medical procedures.
By the way, do you know the official difference between an operation and a medical procedure? An operation means you slept overnight in the hospital after they “practiced on” you vs being “practiced on” and sent home. There is much more sympathy for an operation. This is very important as you don’t want to tell someone you had a “procedure” when you could get the full sympathy of an operation!
I digress. Today, the conversation is more like, “Did you get your shots yet? Any reactions to it?” This is what, after nearly 1 year in our self-imposed semi-seclusion, our conversations have been delegated to very low levels of boredom. Sad, but true.
But, I just got my second shot. It means I’m certified Covid Tough! Watch out world! I’m going to “party-on” with Wayne and Garth, I’m going to hug everyone I know, I’m going to actually go into a restaurant and sit down.....and then I remembered, not much is going to change. I still have to wear a mask, keep my distance and continue to continuously disinfecting my hands.
But here is what it does. If I am exposed to Covid, because of my underlying health issues, I go from a 100% chance of death by Covid related complications to only a 5% chance of getting sick. It’s the 5% part is the reason nothing changes. But I can deal with it.
Now, I have peace of mind, priceless! I also have a piece of paper. A very valuable piece of paper.
I now have a document that is nearly as important as my passport, my official “CDC Vaccination Card”. It’s even more important than my decoder ring from a Crackerjacks box! I felt like I just received my college diploma, again.
I had the painless second shot and I then began waiting the required 15 minutes following the shot to see if I had any reactions. Which is why I am writing this.
While waiting I noticed a bulge where there normally isn’t much of a bulge. At first I was very happily concerned. I thought I had a reaction to the shot. I had this bulge in my sweatpants, what should I do? Do I say something to the nurse? Could I be on my death bed?
Apparently, the washer/dryer hid a sock in the sweatpants during the cleaning process. Turns out my “special reaction” to the shot, ended up being an orphaned sock.
After I realized I was okay, I rushed home to put this little white card in my wall vault and married it with my passport in the soft leather zippered passport pouch. Ahhhhhh, it’s safe! I thought, it’s like my dog groomer’s requirement that my dog is current on her shots, or they won’t groom her. I’m now current on my vaccinations. I can do anything! Oh, wait, I still have to get that second shingles shot! Does it ever end?
