COVID Vaccines and Cherries

As soon as the new Covid vaccines became available last week I scheduled an appointment with CVS for both me and my husband for yesterday. We had to go to another CVS in Vienna as it always seems to be an issue trying the schedule one in our neighborhood. We weren’t looking forward to it because every time we get this vaccine we know it will knock you out and your arm will hurt. And that’s exactly what happened. Since we got the vaccine later in the afternoon we are feeling the results of it today. We are both very tired and our arms hurt a lot! This makes for the NINTH injection! But when you are in the at risk category you really don’t have much of a choice. The last dose was in March 2024 followed by an actual Covid infection within two weeks. Luckily it wasn’t horrible, but I lost my sense of taste and it was quite awful. My husband had two pretty bad days. But it could have been so much worse without having been vaccinated all along. After we got the shots we walked over to Giant to see if they had any cherries. We didn’t get any on Tuesday on our usual grocery day because our Giant store didn’t have them. We were happy to see that they had some so we got a bag and drove back home. I am hoping that we can eventually have a week where we don’t need to make any appointments for anything. Good luck with that. All I can say is that the process is so much easier than in was when we got the first vaccines. Everything is automated from scheduling to vaccination records.  We should be thankful for that.  

Flu Vaccines, Subaru Check, Last of the Eye Drops

It was a day to get tasks completed. Slowly but surely we are catching up with the mundane activities that just need to get done. This morning we needed to drive to the Subaru shop for a six months check. I made the appointment last week even though you can just drive in. We had the 90,000 mile review back in March so we lucked out with just the routine oil and filter and general inspection. At the same time we did our morning walk and as we were approaching the shop we got the call that the car was ready. I brought in the ten dollars off coupon. Gone are the days where these sorts of things were fifty dollars. On Tuesday we picked up papers that need to be filled in for flu shots at the Giant when we went for groceries. For whatever reason the neighborhood CVS a wasn’t taking appointments so this is our default pharmacy. We submitted the paperwork but we’re told there was an hour wait. So we went home, had breakfast, and returned. We were immediately attended to - I was surprised it wasn’t busier since lunch time is always more traffic. I don’t know how our arms are tolerating so many vaccines. We got our RSV and Covid vaccines three weeks ago and now the flu vaccine. All I know is I was summoned to jury duty for next week and will feel more protected having got the vaccines. And this week marks the last week for cataract eye drops. I’m down to one drop a day - things are looking up!

RSV and Covid Vaccines at CVS

How many vaccines can a poor arm take? Apparently quite a few - especially over the last four years. This week was quite unusual for health care things - dental appointments, replacement crown, second cataract surgery, post op visit, and finally yesterday we went for our Covid booster. The last one we had was in April 2023. Since the virus is circulating again and due to our age, we knew it was inevitable that we would get another vaccine. So the appointments were scheduled for yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately our neighborhood CVS just wasn’t taking appointments so we had to take a ride out to Arlington. I couldn’t schedule the RSV vaccine on line at the same time, but when we arrived we asked to also have that. So additional paperwork was completed and both my husband and I ended up with two shots in one arm. We knew it was going to be sore and it was. We also knew that we would feel extraordinarily tired and we were. Having had my second cataract surgery this week I also need to sleep at a 30-60 angle upright and not lay on the affected side. So I think I was up at a least fifteen times last night.  I was also freezing and just couldn’t get warm so got four another blanket. This morning both of us didn’t think we would be able to get out of bed, but we did. We were even able to take in our usual morning walk. But now after brunch we are both starting to fade. I may end up taking a nap at some point. The sad thing is is that we will need to go back for the flue shot in October. And then I have jury duty. All the more reason to get vaccinated. Let’s hope I don’t get called to a case. I’m just not up to it after all of this.