COVID KNOCKED ME ON MY ASS -AND THAT’S AFTER FOUR VACCINE SHOTS

NOTE: This article is being written as a warning and advisory to those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and think they are fully protected. I am not a medical professional, and this should not be taken as medical advice. It is my opinion and advice based on my experience.

I’m sick and I am NOT happy about it. Well, no one is ever happy about being sick, but in this case, I did EVERYTHING I was advised to do to prevent contracting the deadliest disease our planet has seen in 100 years — COVID-19:

· Spent 2 ½ years masked up the very few places I went.

· Spent the first year of the pandemic living in a “Friend Bubble” (Bubble Buddies -Pandemic Friendships), seeing only the same four friends twice a week at ONE of the “Bubble Buddies” houses.

· Did not go to a movie, theater production, out to dinner, travel, or see anyone but a “Bubble Buddy”, including my family, for 18 months.

· Due to the worldwide lockdown, my other serious health issues, and various extenuating circumstances, I did not see other close family members for THREE years.

· Did not see my son, who lives 3000 miles away, for 21 months.

COVID vaccines were available for my risk group in my State of Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. On January 16, 2021, one of my bubble buddies and I stood in line for 8 ½ hours (Vaccination Super Spreader Event)to be sure we received that first miraculous, life-saving protection. One month later, I received the 2nd vaccine shot.

I received BOTH boosters, the second of which was five months ago. It wasn’t until two months ago that I eased up a little on masking, movie attendance, and going out to eat without cringing at the sight of an unmasked server.

I am the best example of someone who did everything she was advised to do by the CDC and her unending list of specialty doctors.

Before I got hit with the COVID sledgehammer, I was getting ready to set up an appointment for my next booster.

Then I had dinner with someone who had been out of town for four days. Two days after we had dinner, she called to tell me she was very sick with COVID. (She had three shots.)

What I am about to describe next is a warning for those who have been boostered, exposed, and think they are in the clear:

After my exposure, I felt fine and tested negative six times in nine days.

Around the 10th day, I woke up with a pounding headache, 101 fever, deep, congested cough, and exhaustion. I tested positive.

The following day, I was 80% better. My fever was below 100; cough was almost gone; headache was gone; lingering tiredness. I was ready to declare the vaccines a rousing success.

The following day, there was continued improvement. No fever. No cough. No headache. Lingering tiredness.

The following day — SURPRISE! From that day to this, which is now 9 full days, I have had a low-grade fever, headache, and exhaustion so severe that today was the first day in a week that I could get out of bed to do any work.

Thanks to Cleveland Clinic’s Care Manager Program (How We Can Fix America’s Broken Healthcare System), I have been in regular contact with my Care Manager nurse, who says that I have a “mild” case due to the vaccinations. They did what they were designed to do — keep me out of the hospital and alive. Nothing was said about feeling like crap for an unknown length of time.

So take this as a warning:

VACCINES are vital to keeping you alive if you do get COVID.

COVID is sneaky. You may test negative for days when you actually have the virus.

COVID is nefarious. Like any first-class villain, it may trick you into thinking it’s gone when it’s still lurking.

COVID is patient. It will leave your body on its own timetable.

And that, my friends, is why you haven’t seen any stories from me in over a week. Now I am going back to bed with the hope that this article gives many of you a better understanding of COVID and vaccinations.

Originally published on Medium.com

©2022 Joan Gershman