Going for my second vaccine.

I’m about to walk out the door to go get my second COVID vaccine. I had the first Moderna vaccine a few weeks ago, and now it’s time for the dreaded second dose. I have some friends who say they had no side effects and others who say they were in bed for two days after the second dose.

I’m driving to another town outside Charlotte to get mine, because when I was scheduling my first one, it was the closest one I could find. I had originally been scheduled to get it right down the street from my house, but then I got strep throat (ugh!) and had to reschedule. The only “side effect” I had with the first one was an achy arm. It wasn’t bad, and it didn’t last long. In fact, it didn’t really bother me till I got into bed that night. You know how everything hurts more when you’re still and have nothing else to think about? I got up and took some Motrin, and the aching got better pretty quickly. I’m sure I was asleep within 20 minutes after that.

I’m not really dreading it. I will deal with side effects if I get them…and I will pray they are short-lived. I would rather have short-lived side effects from a vaccine than get terribly sick from the virus itself.

I know lots of folks aren’t getting the vaccine, and whatever…that’s your choice. Everybody cannot agree on everything, and I think that is pretty darn obvious in our country these days. I’m all about “live and let live,” but in this case, I certainly hope lots of folks choose to get the vaccine. I’m choosing to be vaccinated, because I’m ready to start living again. I’m ready to stop worrying so much. I’m ready to be able to eat indoors at restaurants without worrying about every other person in the room. I’m ready to be able to travel to other countries (or Caribbean islands!) without having to endure a COVID test on the way there or on the way back. I’m ready to stop worrying every time one of my daughter’s friends comes over for a visit. Teenagers are living their lives, so we don’t really know who has been exposed to what.

So right now, I’m getting into my car to drive about an hour to get my second dose. I will report back afterward, sharing information about any symptoms or side effects I feel. Hopefully, my body will process it pretty quickly, but if I glow in the dark later, you’ll know why.

Let’s get busy living!