March 11, 2020
The World Health Organization declared the fast spreading coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and the world changed overnight. It has been a long year and an especially long winter but perhaps the end is in sight?
March 11, 2021
Interesting that exactly one year later Bob and I received the second of our Moderna vaccines which we are hoping is our ticket to a "somewhat" more normal life.
Last month we got our first jab and were given appointments for four weeks later for the next shot. A mid-March blizzard is always a possibility so it was a relief to have a sunny day in the mid-40's to make the half hour drive to the small pharmacy where our vaccine was waiting. The drive was not without a little bit of excitement, however. Bob had to make a couple of quick stops. First, to avoid hitting a pheasant that flew up in front of our car and then to avoid hitting (or being hit) by four deer darting across the highway. Definitely gets your heart pumping!
Pulling up in front of the tiny drugstore on main street I couldn't help but think what a different experience we were having compared to those in a big city going to a mass vaccination site. Just as the first time, the pharmacy was pretty much empty and in less than 10 minutes we both had our shots.
Shortly after we took our seats for the 15-minute post vaccine waiting period, some acquaintances came in for their vaccines. Visiting with them made the time fly by and then we were back on the road headed home.
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| The 15-minute waiting period following the vaccine. |
Bob suffered a bit yesterday with side effects of his vaccine...achy muscles, low grade fever and tiredness. My only symptom was a pretty sore arm with a red rash around the injection site. Today both of us are feeling pretty good so the effects were short-lived.
Now to look ahead...
In exactly TWO weeks, our son and grandkids are coming for a visit. Other than a couple of brief outdoor visits last summer, this will be the first time in over a year that we have been together. AND...shortly after they leave our other son and grandkids are coming during their spring break to stay for a few days. Yippee!
I have no idea when traveling may be a part of our lives again, but I am starting to dream "just a bit." For now spending time with family and "maybe" eating at a restaurant will seem pretty exciting to us!
Hurray and congratulations! You are ahead of us here in Manitoba. I can hardly wait for our turn and have a (likely unrealistic) expectation that the world will open up again soon!
ReplyDeleteHere's to hoping that our neighbors to the north get their vaccines soon!
ReplyDeleteI fully expected to wait much longer than we did, but thankful that we have had our turn. I was so surprised when we got our appointments for the first shot, but within the last 3 weeks we have had about a half dozen other calls that vaccines were available from places that I had been put on waiting lists. Here in Minnesota they estimate that over 70% of the folks over 65 have been vaccinated and now they have moved on to those who are essential workers or have health conditions.
Not sure the "world" will open up again soon, but the U.S. hopes to have vaccines available for EVERYONE by the end of May which should make a huge difference in life here at home.
Mui has had both of his shots and will be in the "fully-vaccinated" category by the end of this week. My second shot won't be until 3 April, so it will be mid-April before I join him in that category. The vaccination program seems to be going quite smoothly here in Colorado and we're grateful to be living in a smallish-city where we don't have to rely on mass vaccination sites. As of Friday, 50+ will be the age requirement here. We'll be heading to Turkey to visit family in September ... sure hope proof of vaccination will take the place of testing by then, but we will follow the rules whatever they are.
ReplyDeleteI am still sad that our trip to Turkey had to be cancelled last May. Maybe we will re-book someday but not until travel becomes a little more normal. For now I have been watching a British couple on YouTube (Tread the Globe) who were attempting to drive around the world but got stuck in Turkey last spring when the pandemic began. They are still there and do a couple of vlogs each week from around the country. Turkey is beautiful and it appears the people are as well.
DeleteHoping that by September your travels will go smoothly and you will be able to enjoy time with family.