​A very quick note about the next two posts. The timing is a bit off. They were both supposed to post late last week or very early this week. Unfortunately, I had my yearly physical on Monday, and it was deemed that I receive a pneumococcal pneumonia (not sure if that’s redundant) vaccine. Which hurt. A lot. But I was fine. On Tuesday, I was tired, but I went to morning mass and then grocery shopping. By the time I came home from grocery shopping, I couldn’t lift my arm higher than my chest. I started feeling very warm, but then I was cold. By dinnertime, I was definitely ill. Fever, aches, ear ringing. I spent two full days in my pajamas drifting from bed to sofa and back again. I’m still not all the way well, but the fever’s been gone for days, the aches are tolerable and going, my ears are still ringing, but that is somewhat “normal” although not usually quite this loud. I was able to lift my arm higher so I was able to shower and that makes me feel more human, so I did get out of the house and do a couple of errands and made some phone calls that I had put off.

I’ve been told by friends who know (medical people) that this is most likely NOT a vaccine reaction. Live vaccines, like this one and the flu one sometimes make us sick. I’ve come to expect it with the flu vaccine. Good news: if all goes well, I won’t need a booster until I’m 65.

It is also precious little sacrifice for the immunity it will give me and those around me because the last thing I want is for them (and me) to receive life-threatening, yet preventable diseases.

I hope to get back on track this week, slowly, but there’s so much to do – Lent to prepare for, St. Patrick’s Day, retreat, interfaith dinner, Captain Marvel, my daughter’s musical, memoir workshops, and art, so it’s probably time to begin.