Vaccine!

 Tune in NOW for the next chapter of RantMom meets COVID, Vaccine time!

For the record, RantMom is getting tired of everything to do with COVID. RantMom really protects her time to do seated yoga every day. RantMom now regularly gets to Zoom church unassisted and even mastered Zoom gallery view on her tablet the other day before the rest of the family joined one of the seasonal birthday celebrations. RantMom very enthusiastically walks the halls of her retirement community, does her laundry, walks in the garden whenever possible.

But: Even clicking on a link in an email is sometimes a chore for RantMom. RantMom would like for it to be MUCH easier to see her children live and in-person. RantMom frets about a certain level of deconditioning from her current lifestyle. RantMom would like to be able more easily to interact with her neighbors than sitting six feet apart in the dining room. In other words, RantMom like most of the country would like to be Done With COVID.

Cue news of a vaccine. Cue news that RantMom's retirement community may be near the front of the line for the first wave of vaccines. At least that was the news before the announcement that (grrrr!) many states are getting fewer doses than first told. Cue the community grapevine and news of a very few serious adverse reactions. Cue political frothing at the mouth. RantMom has now asked RantWoman a couple times what she thinks of the whole vaccine issue.

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RantWoman's opinions about supply issues and prioritization and decisions about who gets the vaccine first would make a good tirade. But if RantMom has the chance to get the vaccine and has no easy way to prove she doesn't need it, say because of an astronomical number of antibodies, RantWoman thinks  definitely RantMom should get it. Thanks to retirement community grapevine, though, RantMom realized she needed to consult her primary care doctor. 

Remember RantMom tested positive early in March and cleared the virus without ever developing any symptoms. But apparently according to reputable sources in RantWoman's life, if one has never had any symptoms, the chances of having antibodies, let alone antibodies that would have lasted this long are low. So, supply concerns or no, there is not enough information to say RantMom does not need the vaccine.

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But check other reactions and allergies: RantMom remembers one bad reaction to some kind of a  shot but that was over 14 years ago when she was still living in MT. The whole time RantMom has lived in Seattle, though, she has been getting a flu shot every year without incident. 

RantMom has been dealing with some other medical conditions, medical conditions where because of timing it is not unreasonable to wonder about connection with COVID. Well, RantMom has been dealing with one condition for years; only recently did anyone think to look for clues indicating the need for one specific treatment. The other condition is related to a medication which apparently loses its effectiveness if one takes it for a long time. So likely no COVID connection for either situation.

On the other hand, RantMom has a whole mess of antibiotic allergies, and allergies to a couple other things besides. RantWoman assumes that at this point no one has enough data to be able to say definitively that these allergies could interact badly with the COVID vaccine. RantMom is fine with that: the administration protocol at her facility will provide a mandatory 15-minute observation period for everyone who gets the vaccine. RantWoman will also encourage RantMom to make sure her allergy issues are well documented to facilitate any adverse event tracking. Both RantMom and RantWoman have a whole list of links we can read for more information. Will either of us do that much reading? Probably not.

In any case, OF COURSE RantMom should take advantage of the opportunity to get the vaccine. RantMom says the final decision will be the day the vaccine is administered. If it is decided that she shouldn't get the vaccine, she will see about getting tested for antibodies.

Stay tuned now for the RantFamily does Christmas. RantMom was keen to have everyone meet at Little Sister's for dessert, warm beverages and gift unwrapping. The RantSisters nixed the indoor gathering idea, for on thing because air circulation in Little Sister's apartment is less than would be desirable. Current plans involve some kind of SHORT outdoor meeting or walk, no contact transfer of gifts, and then unwrapping at home in our nests over Zoom with the beverages and desserts of choice.  How will it turn out? Stay Tuned!