The Vaccine is Welcome
I have been vaccinated, several times
But the first one I remember was penicillin Which cured my sore throat Almost like magic
I did have the vaccine for Small Pox
I used to see the large marks of it
Left by the ‘circular syringe’ used for it Getting vaccinated was a family tradition The other vaccines were Typhoid and Cholera
And yet somehow, my younger brother came down With Small Pox , and with Typhoid, separately To this day I do not know, why?
Did he not get the vaccines?
Or did he come down with them
Despite the vaccines?
I looked upon the vaccines, as necessary evil The needles used to be thicker Painful muscle lumps were usual Along with occasional light fever
During the working life
Vaccines were important
To prevent interference with work
And with essential travel
But the COVID-19 vaccines
Have been an important news item
And eagerly awaited
By politicians, doctors, and the populations everywhere As well as, by me
It reminds me of the story my grandfather told me once He had started to go to Central India for work
From his home in a small village in West Punjab But suddenly the villagers started to get sick And started to die quickly With no doctor or nurse, or hospital around He postponed his business trip to Central India And with other young adults Took over the job of watching the sick And taking bodies for cremation Of those who did not recover From the Spanish Flu
I cancelled one trip to India, last year And have missed seeing most of my family and friends Outside Greater Victoria I have not been able to offer help or sympathy To family and friends, in need And to attend a wedding, and more
Both COVID-19 and vaccines
Made the news more important
Than the other favourites on TV
And watching the progress on vaccine development Came close to young parents watching The development of their baby
From conception to successful birth
Thanks to essential workers for keeping
Groceries, medicines, and other needs available Thanks to landscape workers For keeping grounds and gardens nice Thanks to janitorial and waste treatment workers To make our buildings livable And thanks to the medical personnel To keep working under difficult conditions
The high-technology products
Have helped one keep busy with entertainment And when I am writing documents or e-mails It is harder to remember the right words and names Whether I am talking to someone Or writing an e-mail or a document I have started to write down the forgotten words or names To read them every day As I add more forgotten words and names Hope the recovery of lifestyle Brought about by the vaccine Will slowly take care of this problem, as well
I did get the vaccine, late last week
G the nurse was very pleasant and relaxed She explained the procedure and what to expect She also gave me a small relevant brochure Then came the syringe, but I did not feel the needle going in Nor the syringe coming out, though I could guess both procedures I waited for her to take out a round bandaid To put on the injection site She kept looking at the injection site for a minute or so I asked when would she but on the bandaid G replied, there is no bleeding So you do not need a bandaid
What a knowledgeable nurse
She put in the needle between small blood vessels Thus saving me the pain And saving a bandaid I stayed there for 15 minutes, gently walking Without developing any adverse effect I waved at her and got out of the hall
There has been no pain
No formation of a muscular lump
The only effect I noticed, partly because I expected it Some lethargy, giving me the excuse to sleep early For two nights I am back to normal, walking normally for 2 hours And getting my usual work done
The second shot will come in four months Though with a sudden surge of vaccines from the suppliers The second shot may come sooner I am hoping that G will still be there Or may be her identical twin will be there For the second shot
Thanks to the medical organization
And to the worried Dr. Bonnie Henry
For the arrangements
Which has kept me worry-free
