Here we are about a little more than a year later after the first cases of Covid and the world shutting down. It was such a waste of a year. I lost a bunch of money on a trip I didn't get to take, my stuff I do each summer was postponed and it felt like my house was a prison. We did manage to get out and about once they lifted bans on being outside, it was amazing and much needed after the chaos that ensued starting in March.
I complied with all of the staying at home and mask wearing because I wanted this stupid virus to go away. It was prolonged because no one wanted to wear a mask or stay at home. I had stuff I wanted to do. It was irritating that people were so ignorant and disrespectful. But I suppose maybe they wanted this around for a long time? I sure didn't. I wanted to get back to my life.
I know that Covid wasn't a secret and has been around for many years because it's a form of SARS. I know they were trying to come up with a vaccine just in case this happened. I know they've been working on it for a few years. There will probably be more instances like this where a deadly virus spreads all over the world. I sure hope not but look, it happened once before...why not again?
Washington State and the health department created an app for your phone so you can find out when you're eligible for the vaccines once they are available for everyone. I found out that I wouldn't be eligible for a long time and probably will be sometime in the summer after I took the survey. Since I am at home working and not around a mass quantity of people I was going to be one of the last phases of people on the phase system the state put in place.
The first set of vaccines arrived in Seattle, Washington on December 14th. That included 3,900 doses of Pfizer and it arrived packed in dry ice at the UW Medical Center. Each box contained 195 vials, each vial contained enough vaccine for five doses for a total of 975 doses per box. They were stored in the freezer at -78 degrees C. Then they were delivered to Northwest, Harborview and Valley Medical Center. Moderna's vaccine was implemented after December 21st but doesn't have to be stored in subzero freezers but will still need to be kept cold in refrigerators and will also be easier to distribute. I was not sure of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine but it was fairly new at the beginning of 2021.
The first set of vaccinations were given in December to healthcare workers, front line workers, emergency workers, elderly with underlying conditions and other people who fit that criteria. From there, different groups of people where eligible as time went on. Erika, Zach and Grandpa were the first set of people in our family who were vaccinated. Then Mom was because she worked at the dentist office, then Doug and Jenn were eligible and did both their shots through a drive thru at the Thurston County Fairgrounds. I tried to get the app to make me eligible but I couldn't get to it do it so I couldn't go with them and would probably be sent home if I did. I didn't want to waste my time. So I waited.
Everyone received the Moderna vaccine and said that their first shot made them wimpy, tired, gave them headaches and their arms hurt for a few days. I was prepared to feel bad the next day after I received my first one, whenever that was going to be.
Jenn sent me a video about the possibility of needing a yellow World Heath Organization international certificate of vaccination to travel internationally. I've always wanted to have one just in case I needed one. Mom got hers when she had to get a yellow fever shot when she went to Ecuador the second time. I didn't go that time because of work. I ordered one off of Amazon and hoped that it would be here before I got my vaccinations.
Mom told me to email a lady at our doctor's office to see if I could get vaccinated before April 15th, when the rest of the general public was allowed to be vaccinated. I emailed her late March but didn't hear back until April 22nd. The doctor's office called me to ask me if I was still interested in getting my vaccination and I said yes. They told me when there would be openings and I took the soonest one which was the next day at 3:30. I told my co-workers and scheduled to be at work the next day until 2. I would get an early start to my weekend.
On April 23rd, I worked and logged off around 2:30. I got my stuff together (my yellow vaccinations card arrived) and headed into Yelm. I got signed in and the lady handed me a form to fill out. It was basically giving consent and making sure I wasn't allergic to anything. I sat there until they called my name. I followed the lady into a room and she asks me if I had my card. I assumed she meant my insurance card? I thought these shots were free? I pull out my insurance card and she goes, oh...no, your white vaccination card. I told her I didn't have one because this was my first one. She says, the girls in the front told me the wrong thing. She gets me a white card and I whip out my yellow one. I asked her if she could fill in that one too. They may require it for international travel. She said sure.
I hate shots. So the anticipation of it was terrible. She told me to lift my left arm out of my sweatshirt and the needle went in. Ughhhhh. Within seconds it was done. She slapped a Band-Aid on it and told me I was very hydrated because my arm bled instantly. I told her it was because I drink a lot of water since I have a sedentary job. She handed me my cards and she said make sure you sit in the waiting room for at least 15 minutes before you go and because you had a Moderna shot that I had to come back on a certain day because this clinic was discontinuing them. I told her okay and that I understood.
I went out to the waiting room and talked to one of the ladies behind the desk. I told them that I needed to come back for my second Covid shot on either the 25th or the 28th. She looked at her computer and told me that I had to come on the 28th because the other day was full. I didn't realize it at the time, because I had no choice, that I was going to take that day off so Ben and I could start our Memorial Day Weekend sooner. Bummer. We were going to have to alter it.
The next day, I woke up and we did our chores. My arm hurt pretty bad and didn't want anyone or anything to touch it or accidently bump into it. That didn't stop Oliver from sleeping on my arm. Out of every other single day he wouldn't but now that I had a shot he was right there to lay on it. I felt a little wimpy, tired and drained throughout the day but it didn't stop me from doing our stuff we had to do. In the evening, arm still hurt, I got hot and cold and my head started hurting. Luckily, it was the weekend and it didn't matter. All my symptoms went away the next day except for the sore arm. That didn't go away for about four days.
Erika, Doug, Jenn, Trish and Mom said their second one was worse. It kept Doug and Jenn from going to work the day after they got theirs. I knew it was going to affect everyone differently and I was hoping that mine wasn't that bad. I really didn't want it to ruin our trip. I hoped for the best with my fingers crossed.
The day for the second dose was on Friday, May 28th at 1:40, so I just took a half day from work. Ben had the Thursday and Friday off so he got a lot done the day before so we could leave after my shot on Friday. I logged off and we got all of our stuff ready and packed up in the Escape, ate a quick lunch and made our way to Yelm around 12:30. We made one stop at the store but couldn't find what we were looking for so we went to the doctor's office. Along the way I called Mom to see what she was doing since she was off work. She was at Walmart and I asked her if she could check to see if they had a hard shelled glasses case and she said she would. I told her that I was at the doctor's office in Yelm if she wanted to drop it by. I wasn't sure how long I would be here. She said she would.
I went in a little earlier than my appointment (maybe they would get me in early?), used the restroom and checked in. The lady gave me the same form to fill out and I checked off that I was coming in for my second shot. I barely had a chance to finish it before the girl came out to take me to a room to get my vaccination. Wow, I'm gonna be out of here sooner than I thought. I hand her my cards and she gets out the vial, gets the needle ready and again, ughhhh I hate shots. She told me to relax and shot me again in my left arm and covered it up with a Band-Aid. She told me to go sit in the waiting room for 15 minutes and then I could leave.
I sat in one of the chairs and tried not using my phone since I forgot to plug it in to charge. It was at like 8%. It was hard to just sit there, stare and people watch for 15 minutes. As soon as my 15 minutes were up, I went back out to the Escape where Ben sat for about a half hour. I was literally done with everything almost before my actual appointment was suppose to begin. Mom pulled up just at the right time. She was on the phone so she just handed me the glasses case and I told her thank you and I would pay her later. She said to have fun and continued talking on the phone. Ben and I drove to Ellensburg for our long weekend.
Mom told me that Dad got his shot also that afternoon. He got the Johnson and Johnson vaccination. We were hoping he didn't have any adverse affects from it since that particular one was having issues.
The rest of the day I felt fine but my arm was a little sore. The next day I really couldn't tell if I felt wimpy, tired, hot or cold because it was hot outside and we kept moving. It didn't really affect me until later on that day. I had a raging headache, my arm hurt worse and I did feel fatigue. I needed some IB Profin. That seemed to make it hurt less. I feel I was spared from all the horrible from the second dose of the vaccine but was I? I have no idea.
I heard we may have to have boosters in the future but that has not been confirmed yet so we shall see when it happens. It feels good to have these done and are helping the world get rid of this huge inconvenience.
Next Adventure: Memorial Day Weekend: Lacey to Ellensburg
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