Its that time of year

 

Finally, I got my flu/COVID booster. 

I had heard a lot about the flu shot this year being pretty harsh. One co-worker said it made her arm hurt. A friend told me her flu shot hurt days afterward. Also, she got sick and got a stomach bug. At that time both said the COVID booster was not available. My PA friend who works in a hospital was told when she got her flu shot that her work would not pay for the COVID booster. Yet, it seems that in days the COVID booster has been made available. Especially, at pharmacies.

So I went to the pharmacy my insurance will pay, Walgreens. Honestly, it seems every other year there is a battle between Walgreens and CVS. There was a time when I could just walk over from my house and get a flu shot. But high tech is here to stay, and I must say this does put a population at risk who doesn't have a smartphone or a computer. They don't take reservations over the phone. An older patron was telling me how their insurance wasn't paying for RSV and that it would cost over three hundred dollars to get that vaccine. 

Of course, I had to schedule it through the computer. Last year when I tried to do this when I had something that hid my IP address they said I could get my shot in Chicago. Of course, I didn't. And then going through the list of what vaccines you could get. Gosh, I guess I could have had at least four vaccines yesterday. I don't know if my arm could have lived through that. 

When I got there, more paperwork to fill out that I had just filled out online. I will say Walgreens is a hopping place compared to CVS. They might have two people working in their pharmacy while at Walgreens they have all hands on deck and there must be at least a dozen. Thankfully, no cuts in the line. It was just me at noon for vaccines. 

When she asked if I wanted it in the right or the left arm, I opted for the right arm this time. I had my shingles shot over a year ago and my left arm still reacts with a shot of pain at the thought of a shot in that arm. Yeah, it hurts now too just writing this post and then my right arm is in pain too. 

So I worked last night and yes, I felt I did so much more of moving books around than the other clerk because she had a fight with her boyfriend over the phone and I had to listen to how when she gets sick, she stays sick. But I managed through. Somehow.

When I got home I was ready to go to bed. And yes, I did take something hoping that would help me sleep. And it did. 

I awoke at three with a stiff neck and a sore arm. I got up to go to the bathroom and took some ibuprofen. Suddenly, my teeth were chattering. I was so cold. I went back to bed and crashed. It was not a good morning and after some soup at Paneras, I went home for a nap. 

A Panera side note: Ours is so short of help you have to use the Kias now and it sometimes doesn't give you what you order. Plus they have too many drink choices, especially when all you want is fountain drink. Despite that, it costs a fortune to eat there. We have decided not to go back to that one.

Hopefully, I can just rest and tomorrow will be better. Have you had your vaccines?