Here’s a story which I would like to share with you. As we are all aware, these are stressful times with the Covid 19 pandemic ravaging the world. I too have my fears and anxieties.
I registered for the vaccine in February and got my appointment in April. There had been lots of information and misinformation about the Covid vaccines circulating on the internet and it was frightening. The Pros and Cons of having the vaccine and the likely outcomes for people in the vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, especially those with comorbidities were terrifying.
I fall into this group.
Many thoughts crowded my mind, all beginning with “What if……”
So, I set about writing a list of instructions to my daughter, what to do in case I was incapacitated or worse, kicked the bucket. Whatever I could do before D-Day, I completed. Included in the list was to inform friends and relatives via FB should the worst happen and then to close the account
Fortified with prayers invoked by siblings, friends and church members, and with great trepidation I went with my spouse to get our jabs on the appointed day. After getting lost en route, we finally got to the vaccination center on foot (!!), went through the various procedures and finally entered the booth to be vaccinated.
“Here goes…” as my heart went bumpety, bump, bump and I breathed a prayer to Lord Jesus to hold my hand as I walked into the injection booth. I pulled up my sleeve and bared my left arm for the prick of the needle. It felt like an ant bite and the nurse placed a piece of cotton wool over the injected site and secured it with a surgical tape. It was over very quickly.
We were each given a card that specified the date and batch of the vaccine and type we had been given as well as the date for the second dose. Phizer was written there. We had to wait for 15 minutes in case there were side effects that needed medical intervention.
Praise the Lord there were none and we made our way home.
The relief I felt was great!! My instructions to my daughter are still in the safe, unopened. Praise the Lord.
My main takeaways from this episode were:
This was just the first dose and apart from the feeling of the ant bite, there were no other side effects.
As the date for the second dose loomed, my anxieties re-surfaced but not in the same degree of fear as that prior to the first dose. However, the after-effects of the second dose are common knowledge. Fever, aches, fatigue, etc. plus instances of severe side effects and even deaths in some cases. These were at the back of my mind but I had faith in the Lord, my God, that He would keep me safe.
I was determined to stay well and healthy because I want to see my granddaughter walk down the aisle and to drink a toast to her at her wedding. The little baby whom we brought home from the UK at the age of two months to look after and cherish is now in her final year of study at the university of her choice back in the UK.
So, this time we didn’t get lost but found our way to the building where a large crowd had already gathered to have their appointments verified and to get their vaccinations. This time there were lots more people as the Covid 19 pandemic had worsened and they wanted to get some protection, despite their fears or misgivings about the vaccines.
We had ours and this time the nurse was kind enough to record the moment with a photograph of me receiving my 2nd dose.
I was prepared to feel some side effects. The first day passed by without anything noticeable but by night I felt the site of the injection was hard and a bit warm. However, there was no fever. I had a good night’s sleep. The next morning, I felt my left elbow aching and my left hand was numb. My head felt light, as if I had one glass too many! However, by evening these disappeared.
I’m very grateful to the Lord that my experience with the Covid 19 vaccination was overall a good one, despite the fears and anxieties prior to the first jab. I believe that a positive outlook and prayers played a big part in my experience.