Not so bad

In case any of you are apprehensive about getting the vaccine, you should know that not everyone has a bad reaction.

I got my second Pfizer shot at 12:15pm on Friday. At about 1:00am, I woke up and my arm felt a little sore. I sat up and moved it around and it felt better. I did feel a little like I was about to get sick. Mostly I was restless but not like my typical insomnia restlessness where my mind is overactive. This was definitely a physical feeling. After awhile I fell back asleep.

Saturday morning, there were a few instances of feeling a tad on the warmish but it wasn’t enough to make me take my temp. I didn’t do a whole lot of strenuous physical activity yesterday but it didn’t feel like I couldn’t. I just didn’t want to take the chance of popping any stitches that are still dissolving from my recent surgery.

My history with vaccines vary. Flu shots never make me ill, I didn’t usually feel any effects from boosters as a kid and the only immunization I can remember that made my arm really sore for weeks was a typhoid shot I got when I was 10. (Navy medicine. They made us get a typhoid shot before we moved to Hawaii. Still not sure what that was all about).

So, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that I had a gentle reaction. I’m pretty healthy and tend to tolerate discomfort better than most. From what I’ve read, you’re more likely to feel it strongly if you’ve already had Covid. That sounds consistent with what I’ve heard from other people who have gotten the shot.

The fact that I felt mild discomfort in my arm and other mild symptoms indicates that the shot is still working. I suspect my reaction, or lack of same, is more typical than we’ve been lead to believe.

Anyway, just thought I’d pass that along. Get the shot. You’ll be fine.