Based on the Oklahoma State Department of Health COVID-19 vaccination survey, I qualified for a Phase 2 vaccine, which started this week. I don’t know which box I checked to deserve it, because I honestly didn’t think I met any of the comorbidity criteria. Appointments have been scarce around me, but when I got the chance to get my shot today I went ahead anyway (even though I felt a bit guilty).
As I was chatting with the nurse walking me through the hotel ballroom to my spot, she noticed I was struggling to breathe and asked how long I’d felt this way. Since June, I said.
“Covid long hauler?” she asked, and told me my breathing was worse than most others she’s seen. She knew people like me who have tested negative but still have the same (or sometime, worse) symptoms as confirmed Covid patients, even naming mine as I was trying to form the words. She was encouraging, and helped me feel less guilty for being there.
Doctors haven’t been able to pin down an exact cause for the things happening to my body and mind (a bigger challenge without the “official” COVID-19 diagnosis from a positive test), and that a year into this folks are still oftentimes just making educated guesses at what this virus is doing to us all. I know this shot won’t fix me, but I’m sure hopeful that it’s going to help prevent others from going through what I have for the last 8 months.
