Vaccination Victory

The day I got the coronavirus vaccine was a day of victory. I work as a substitute teacher, and I go to schools every weekday and interact with students and adults of all ages. I have a history of severe lung infections and have had great fear of the coronavirus because my lungs already have damage. Thus, I’ve wondered if they would survive a Covid-19 attack. Fortunately, I’ve never had to find out because I’ve stayed healthy, and after getting the vaccine, I have even more hope to live a long life.

I got the vaccine because I’m a school employee. Sign-ups came late on a Friday evening, and I got an appointment for the next week. I was one of 1500 out of 12,000 district employees who got vaccinated.

I brought my needed documents to the appointment: my appointment confirmation, driver license, and a pay stub. I joined a long line of cars waiting for Stop 1—the document review. I then drove to Stop 2 in the convention center parking structure. Healthcare workers stood at 12 stations, and each car drove to an empty one. They asked for my contact information so that the health department could email me my vaccine record and send me the sign-up for the second shot, which I’d need 28-42 days after the first one.

I then went to the next stop, with 12 more stations and healthcare workers who had the monumental task of vaccinating hundreds of people. Members of the National Guard gave me mine. 

I took off my coat on the cold, wintry day, rolled up my left sleeve, and the tall, muscular man, gave me, a small-framed, petite woman, the shot that would help save my life. It was a precious time of man helping man. They had already given the shot for several hours and would continue into the evening.

The National Guardsman didn’t just send me on, though; he gave me tips on vaccine aftercare. He told me that my arm might be sore, and it was for almost a week! He said that I could put ice on the shot spot and that I could take Tylenol or ibuprofen. He also said that I might have flu-like symptoms for a few days and that this was normal, so they needn’t alarm me. 

I then drove out of the parking structure to the waiting area. The worker told me to sit for 15 minutes and notify her if I had a severe reaction. I felt a slight reaction, but nothing severe that needed medical attention. I cried, though, amazed at the magnitude of the operation, and the beauty of the service workers helping people stay alive through a scary time. It was humanity at its finest!

When I got home, I felt fatigue and slight chills. My lips swelled a tiny bit, but that subsided quickly. I rested that night and went to bed early. I did not take a pain reliever, because I was concerned it might interfere with my immune system learning to recognize and fight off the virus. When I woke up the next morning, the flu-like symptoms were gone; I just had a sore arm.

I also woke up with a new energy. I felt stronger and more hopeful than I had been since the pandemic began in March 2020. I had been more anxious about the pandemic than I thought, and after getting the vaccine, I felt more armed and protected against it. I still do the safety protocols, though; I wear a mask, keep a safe social distance, and wash and sanitize my hands often.

As the week went on, my dreams, which had gone underground during the pandemic, re-surfaced. My inner voice screamed out, “I’d like to travel again!” I researched some cruises of interest and spoke to my travel agent the next day. I then booked some cruises for 2022. Hopefully, it will be safe to travel then, and if it’s not, I’ll wait until it is. I felt so happy planning to travel again. Jennifer, the world traveler, was back!

I thank the Long Beach Unified School District and the healthcare workers who made getting the vaccine possible. Like the mythical Phoenix, which cyclically rises from the ashes and is reborn to a new life, the vaccine has helped me rise again to a life of living my dreams. 

Next, I’ll get the second shot and continue my rebirth to a fuller life. It’s been too long isolating at home, not hugging others, and not having more social time.

The vaccine, though, marks a turning point with the pandemic. More normalcy will return. I hope that people never forget this time, though, and have more gratitude for their lives and loved ones.

I wish everyone the life-giving vaccine, full health, and long life.

Jennifer K. Jordan

www.InspiringWisdomToday.com

For more inspiration, please visit the Inspiring Wisdom Today Blog at www.InspiringWisdomToday.com/blog/.

Image Attribution: Image by Shafin Al Asad Protic from Pixabay   

Image URL: https://pixabay.com/vectors/covid-19-vaccine-corona-virus-5358852/