Q is for queasy

 

My immune system works. I found that out twice. The first time was in February, a day after I received my second dose of the shingles shot. The second time was today, a day after I received my second dose of the COVID-19 shot. The reaction, for sure, isn’t the most pleasant experience in the world, especially because it includes a queasy stomach so easy to digest foods are in order.

The most common side effects are body aches, headaches, arm soreness, fatigue, and nausea. I wondered why I was feeling so sick and why I managed to develop all of those side effects. I had loads of questions, so I researched it on line, once I was able to get up (the snooze button is my friend!).

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reactions are more common after the second dose than the first dose.

In other words, my reaction was annoying but it is completely normal. And that’s a good thing to know. In two weeks, I will be able to celebrate being fully vaccinated. Which is a really good thing. 

The losses as a result of COVID-19 have been really heartbreaking throughout the world. So many people have become ill (141 million). Yes, the overwhelming majority have recovered (80.4 million), but the world has lost 3.01 million human beings. We hope that the vaccines will work and that our losses will be greatly lessened and that, one day in the future, an announcement can be made that the worldwide pandemic has at last been brought to an end.

The pandemic has had serious consequences on human beings. We have a lot of healing to do, now and when the pandemic ends. But I feel good about this. Usually. There are times that I have doubts. I know, however, that we humans are resilent, like the flowers that grow through snow and the trees that survive massive wind storms. We can get through this. Be well, be happy, and get vaccinated. Don’t worry about the side effects. They go away as your body adjusts to a potent vaccine that fights disease by inducing an immune response.