COVID Vaccine, Part II

General 2 Minutes

In preparation for the 2nd COVID vaccine shot on Tuesday, the 2nd of February, I again stopped taking Kisquali a week beforehand. I had regularly scheduled bloodwork on Thursday, the 28th of January, and my WBC were up over 3, so that was a good sign that the adjusted schedule did have an affect on my immune system since I don’t usually have a level near 3 until the end of my off week.

My cancer center decided to ensure that everyone who had a first shot had a second shot set aside to complete the series of two shots. I realize that this is different from other locations and some people got very upset about not getting even one dose when the appointments were shut down. I also realize that even getting the two doses of the Pfizer vaccine isn’t complete protection from COVID, especially now that there are variants showing up all over the world.

And yet.

For this terminal cancer patient whose risk is similar to those people who are over 80 years old, getting the two shots gives me a different peace of mind to be able to face all of the risks I have to take every single day. There are no guarantees for anyone; however, it is difficult to explain how living with fear and anxiety just wears on a person, day after day, especially when so many aren’t taking the pandemic or science seriously anymore. Anecdotes DOES NOT equal evidence in any sense of the word.

So, on 2/2, I got the second shot and it was, again, pretty uneventful. The actual shot, I barely felt and I sat under observation for the requisite 15 minutes to ensure that I didn’t have a concerning reaction, so I was released. I’ve had some fatigue and achy bones/muscles but not so much that I’ve had to do much different other than take it easy.

Here’s a picture collage from the day of the shot and the live video I posted about the experience and the aftermath with a little info about the radiation I started this week too. More on that experience coming!!

Here are pictures of me the day of the shot—it was COLD here in Florida and I had to dig out warm stuff to wear!!
Live video with some crazy hair!!

Published by Abigail Johnston

I'm a daughter, a wife, a mother, and I've been living with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer since March, 2017. All of the words I publish are my own.

Published

20 thoughts on “COVID Vaccine, Part II”

  6. The part about it wearing you down. I get that. Once again, one of the things that crosses boundaries between terminal and chronic illness that CAN end life at any moment. In both cases, it is exhausting protecting yourself from so much, and even more so when others are so cavalier about not caring. ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes!! I think sometimes others can’t look at the entirety of the experience and then I’m just more angry about their ability to walk away, to look away, to not HAVE to see all of it, all the time. Exhausting. Love you, my friend. ❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  7. Pingback: To Boost or Not To Boost, that is the question … – No Half Measures

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