Notice to the other diabetics and chronically ill folks: GO GET YOUR FLU SHOT AND COVID-19 BOOSTER!
Listen, I get it. No one likes shots. They hurt (a little; sometimes), it’s always weird to have your arm chilling outside of your shirt, and there may be a line to get that. No one likes waiting in line to get stabbed. I understand.
That said, vaccinations are so important for those of us who are chronically and/or critically ill. It can literally be a matter of life and death.
I can’t speak for you, but I did NOT fight this long and hard to get taken out by the seasonal flu. Or COVID-19 for that matter. No way. The universe is going to need to come up with something more original and less preventable than that if it wants to get me.
This is the point in my post where I tell you that I have little to no patience for the anti-vax people. And by little to none, I think that group is at worst negligent and at best naïve. If you’re one of those people-move along. This blog is not going to be a warm and safe space for you.
Now, back to my original point: go get your vaccines. Seriously; it cannot be made easier. My dad just called me a few minutes ago to say hello and tell me he’s signed up for his third shot at the end of the month. He told me to try to “beat him” and get mine scheduled sooner.
So I went on the Wegmans Pharmacy website (COVID-19 Vaccines – Wegmans) and scheduled mine and Justin’s shots for this weekend. That simple. We will be getting our boosters on Sunday.
Now, to be clear, we got our Pfizer vaccines more than 6 months ago and both of us have qualifying medical conditions. We get that not everyone can say that. But, I still encourage you to be diligent and pay attention to the guidance coming from the CDC and other reputable sources (NOT Facebook; actual, reputable sources!) regarding other boosters as they become available. You or a loved one may very well be eligible and not realize it so stay informed on the situation where you live.
On to my flu shot guidance…
Chances are if you’re on this, you either know someone with a chronic illness, are someone with a chronic illness, or some combination of those things. You may also be someone online looking for a fight regarding vaccines. If you’re in that last group, I’m not interested. If you’re in those first couple groups-go get your flu shot! It’s also super easy and you can walk in to most pharmacies to get these without an appointment and often at little or no cost.
Benefits to flu shots generally outweigh the risks, especially for those with diabetes or other chronic illnesses. We are generally more likely to experience serious illness from the seasonal flu with a large number of individuals requiring hospitalization, experiencing long term complications, or dying from the illness (not unlike COVID-19). According to the CDC, “In recent seasons, about 30% of adults hospitalized with flu reported to CDC had diabetes. Flu also can make chronic (long-term) health problems like diabetes worse because these conditions can make the immune system less able to fight off infections.” (Flu & People with Diabetes | CDC).
The CDC also goes on to say, “Injectable influenza vaccines (flu shots) are recommended for use in people with diabetes and certain other health conditions. Flu shots have a long, established safety record in people with diabetes.” (Flu & People with Diabetes | CDC).
You may experience some mild side effects, including a low-grade fever, a sore arm, tiredness, etc. but still…WORTH IT to avoid the hospital stay and potential long-term complications.
I plan to report back after each of my shots, so this is part one of three in this saga. More fun research and side effect reporting to come!
Please note that the image attached to this post was found here: https://memes.com/blog/at-long-last-the-covid-vaccine-memes-are-here
The Friendly Neighborhood Diabetics 