After Covid-19
After 11 months of mask-wearing, hand washing, hand sanitizer, staying home, getting the first dose of vaccine, and basically completing every series on Netflix, it happened for me…. a positive Covid-19 test. I had a stuffy nose, no fever or chills, a normal sense of taste, no other symptoms, and no known exposure. My wife and I went for a rapid test to err on the side of caution, and we were both negative. The doctor decided that I should do a PCR test as well, just to be on the safe side, and lo and behold, a positive result!
I was quarantined for a week for what felt like a mild head cold. I credit the first vaccine I took for the mildness of my experience and took my second vaccine as soon as they would let me. That is the weird thing about this SARS Covid-2 virus; it’s like a “box of chocolates” because you don’t know what you are going to get. I consider myself lucky. I am not in a high-risk category except for my age, but I still woke up every morning and laid in bed wondering if today would be the day I ended up short of breath and in the hospital. It is a little anxiety-provoking because I know people as healthy as I am that are no longer with us because of this virus. The majority of others, myself included, had little if any issues.
After the first vaccination, I had a minimally sore arm and no other indication it ever happened. If this is the price for a minor case, I feel blessed. The second vaccination and a documented case should do the trick for me.
For those of you still on the fence, get off. Like I shared in my last blog, there is no reason not to take this vaccine. It truly is a marvel and will open the door now for how vaccines will become safer, more accessible, quicker to market, and less costly. Not to mention we may see travel restrictions for the unvaccinated very soon, as it should be. This vaccine is the quickest way for us to resume life in its new normal state. The only other option is for everyone to test positive, and we all take our chances with the result. I think we all know this option is not a good idea. If you want to be stubborn and left out of childbirths, birthday parties, weddings, and any other activities, the rest of us will miss you. I am waiting for the first invitation that requires your Covid-19 vaccination card for admission. Believe me, it is coming. So, bite the bullet and get on the list for vaccination. I promise you won’t grow a third eye or anything!
On a cosmetic note, one of the vaccines has been known to cause some swelling in a small number of patients who have had fillers for lip or face augmentations. To date, this is a very treatable and self-limiting problem. If you encounter this, come see us at Swetnam Cosmetic and we can take care of you.
Be safe and until next time,
Dr. Jeff Swetnam
