48 Hours Following Vaccination
Too tired to do anything
Here are a few observations from a fifty-four-year-old who got her first COVID-19 vaccination on Friday 26 March at 12:16. The time made me smile when I first saw it.
I arrived early after walking the 1.7 miles uphill to reach the Templehall Community Centre. Had a pleasant chat with a woman who had received her jag (as they say in Scotland and America) and reported that it was all quick and easy.
After she got into her taxi, I went to ask the security guard if I had to wait till exactly 12:16. The friendly masked man ushered me in and pointed me toward a small hall.
A pleasant lady escorted me to a screened desk where I gave my name to a young woman sitting behind a laptop. Once registered, the pleasant lady led me into a large hall and requested I go to Jane at booth 9 at the end of the hall.
The NHS Scotland leaflet I received from the kind nurse after receiving my AstraZeneca vaccination states:
tenderness, swelling and/or redness at the injection site
headache, muscle ache
feeling tired
fever (temperature above 37.8
If you feel uncomfortable, take paracetamol.
On March 23, 2020, I began self-isolating after completing the online symptoms checker. Yesterday and today, minus the fever, I feel exactly the same. Absurdly exhausted. Forcing myself to do the basics.
This time last year there were no tests. I wrote this about my experience of what my body experienced during the first few days. There’s no weird fizzing this time.
A few days later I wrote this, which elaborates on how it is likely I had the coronavirus.
A tad over a year and I am debilitated once more. Ugh.
I am trying to ignore the dull ache in my left arm caused by the attempt at giving me the vaccination. The poor nurse reacted calmly when I yelped and jumped in the chair.
Of course, I apologised. The jab into the deltoid should not have hurt. I didn’t expect it to hurt, but pain shot down my arm to my thumb!
The nurse went to speak with the head nurse. She explained that what happened shouldn’t have happened. I explained that I have a weird left arm.
Caused by wear and tear of my shoulder from a hockey ball incident in my teens. The ball dropped me to my knees when it struck me at full goal shooting velocity. Perhaps the nerve the needle entered was out of place. Just a theory.
The nurse gave me the injection in my right deltoid. I didn’t feel a thing.
The 48 hours are almost up. I’ve discovered the axillary nerve is what the nurse hit. Maybe. I’m no doctor. But my left arm is not happy.
Still exhausted. Have to clean and drag Henry out to vacuum before my son comes over.
Just remember, as the leaflet says:
These common side effects are much less serious than developing COVID-19 or complications associated with COVID-19, and they usually go away within a few days.
Hope all goes smoothly when you have yours.
