I was lucky to be one of the first people in the country to get the new COVID-19 vaccine. I’m sure “anti-vaxers” will be against it; I’m glad I’ve go it.
Guess who got poked in the arm yesterday.
Yes, this guy… I am one of the lucky people to get the COVID-19 vaccine… first one of two shots… from Pfizer. I cannot begin to express how grateful I am, even though I had my reservations about the potential side effects. This is – after all – a vaccine that has been developed in record time. I fell as though I am part of history… even though I am for the most part nothing but a beneficiary from the hard work of the scientists and other super smart people putting this vaccination endeavor together, and all those in charge of the logistical requirements that enabled my right arm getting poked yesterday afternoon.
© J Marcelo Baqueroalvarez / HLC | “Hanging out” in the Hospital Post COVID-19 vaccine – 05 JAN 2021 VA, USA
How does it feel?
As a person, it feels great to take a step in the fight against this disease… physically, I did get quite a bit of side effects. I’m all better today, though. I did hear that the second poke will be a bit tougher. I’ll find out in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile I am sharing with you the official side effects from the PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 Vaccine and MY actual reaction to the shot:
- Injection site pain (Meh, was a little sting, very small dose, it does not hurt right now, but I feel it… if I touch the poked area)
- Tiredness (Yeah, I got that, but was able to push through, I did have a lot of stuff in my to do list after my vaccine)
- Headaches (Holly $#!^ yeah… and it only took 15 minutes after the injection, and it hurt like a β!@^©#)
- Muscle Pain (Meh, I am already pretty old so… maybe, I guess?)
- Chills (Not really, then again it was 45°F yesterday over here, so I was pretty bundled up… but I’ll go with “no”)
- Joint Pain (Yes, though I would not call it “pain” per-say – I did feel that one, especially in the elbow close to the poke)
- Fever (Nope)
- Injection site swelling (Nope)
- Injection site redness (Nope)
- Nausea (Nope, but I was hungry with no actual appetite at first… if that makes sense… ultimate I caved in and grubbed on a burger)
- Swollen lymph nodes a.k.a. lymphadenopathy (I don’t think so… sounds like something I would feel, even if I didn’t know what it was, I’m gonna say “no”)
Now keep in mind that from all the possible side effects I’m only reporting on how they affected me. And… feels like the headache is creeping in… just as I am typing this… ain’t that sweet? Your experience might be different than mine. In fact, after getting the vaccine, they kindly asked us to hang out for 15 minutes in the hospital (where we got poked) to ensure we did not get an allergic reaction.
Of course, as I was driving off, I got this creeping headache, and it turned into a very unpleasant situation. Probably, that’s why I am freaking out a bit as I type this. I don’t usually get headaches and this one was the worst I’ve had in years. Yesterday, as I was driving home, stopped in a burger joint and got me a #1 combo meal – not quite large, and the delicious chewing and the heart-stopping oversaturated flavors from a major franchise seemed to help me (go figure, right?) … at least for the drive home.
Yes, I got a craving, I went for it, and I don’t regret it, it was delicious, and I’ll do all the mental gymnastics I can muster so I do not dwell on the excess calories… Then, as I got home the pain went pretty much from bad to terrible, got some headache medicine (courtesy of my beloved wife) and that helped in the end. However, I noticed that when I was being “inactive” – trying to chill – the pain would return. As I got busy going through my “to do” list, I was able to navigate this pain more successfully. Don’t’ know why… Anyway, I considered eating a second burger… but that might be harder to justify.
© J Marcelo Baqueroalvarez / HLC | “Enjoying” my Post COVID-19 Vaccine burger in my car – 05 JAN 2021 VA, USA
Are there any other “serious” side effects?
So, the fact sheet also says… that from a few minutes to about an hour after the shot, a person could experience one or more of the following:
- Difficulty Breathing (I might have had that… but I kind of felt winded even before the shot because I’m trying to get back in shape, and corralling my kid around can be pretty taxing – she has more energy than a nuclear reactor… so, maybe?)
- Swelling of your face and throat (Thank goodness, no)
- A fast heartbeat (Not that I noticed)
- A bad rash all over your body (Nup…)
- Dizziness and weakness (Not dizziness, but a bit of weakness, but might be really part of the first item on this list)
In either case I feel – for the most part – fine today. A bit on the lethargic side, but then again, I am taking a few days off from work, so I’ve got a lot of stuff I am trying to get done… and I am recovering from that high op-tempo. And while I take a little break, between all the stuff still pending, I’m chatting with all of you awesome people, in case you’re waiting for this vaccine. And if would like to hear some anecdotal information about it. Pfizer does recommend, if a person get severe side effects to contact their provider, go to the closest hospital, or in case of emergency call 911 in the US. You can get an updated fact sheet at this site www.cvdvaccine.com from Pfizer (not sure how long will that link be active).
What’s next?
So, I’ll wait for my next poke appointment… I’ll let you know how it goes by then… or if for whatever reason I end up exhibiting symptoms between shots. Then I’ll chime in before then – about this particular topic. Once again, I am extremely grateful I was able to get this shot, even though my family is not yet eligible to receive this vaccination. Only time will tell how the biology of the COVID-19 virus will evolve, and if there will be several different strands, requiring different types of vaccination (much like the flu) on a regular basis.
I’m not being pessimistic, just look at what is going on in the U.K. — and I have a hunch that new strand has probably reached this coast as well – by now. I am just hopping not to be a vector for the spread of this virus, but remember this vaccine is only 90+% effective, again you can read the entire updated factsheet at www.cvdvaccine.com (again, not sure how long will this link be active) – I am a big proponent of doing your own research, see it from your point of view and the dissenting view to ensure intellectual honesty – and avoid the echo chamber effect, and reach an educated decision based on the available data. So, my decision is to keep observing the mask, social distancing, and hand washing (I’ll wash my hands regardless) procedures until science dictates otherwise. HLC