To say that this has been an easy year is … well, a lie. This past year has not been easy on so many different levels. My birthday is on Friday and I’ve been processing just how far we’ve come in the last 12 months. One thing that has been on my mind recently is getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Like the flu, you can still get COVID even if you are vaccinated, however, having the vaccine and antibodies in your system will help to alleviate any serious issues you may have, which is why getting it is so important.
I’ve learned that getting COVID and it’s repercussions on the body is literally like a game of roulette. You don’t know how bad it’s going to hit you if you get it and honestly, I don’t want to know.
My husband got COVID-19 last November and it made me feel helpless. I was angry, I was scared and each day was like getting over a huge mountain. We were literally developing milestones for my husband’s journey. At 5 days, your symptoms were as bad as they were going to get. At 10 days, you’re past contagion. At 14 days he was able to come out with 24 hours of no fever. During this time, I was alone and didn’t allow anyone inside my house. It was me, working with my baby girl and taking care of everyone, including the dog.
When he finally came out of the room, I hugged him so hard and thanked God for how lucky we ultimately were. I didn’t get sick, my daughter didn’t get sick and my husband made it out with his Type 2 diabetes and all.
I’ve talked to many people who haven’t been so lucky. One man I spoke with was in an induced coma for 12 days, was on ventilators and was as close as you could to dying from the virus. He had to learn to walk again. He’s recovered now with 10% lung damage that will eventually relieve itself in two years. He’s also grateful to be alive and has already received his vaccine.
My dad has had quite a few friends that haven’t been so lucky. Friends that he’s had for years succumbed to COVID and he was at a loss. You don’t think your friends are going to be here one day and gone the next. A friend of mine lost her father and that hurt me so bad, I couldn’t wait for my dad and my mom to get the vaccine. Thinking of all the people that we lost, there was no question that I was going to get the vaccine.
When people tell me that they’re not going to get the vaccine because “I don’t feel like I need it,” it would’ve been better to slap me in the face. If you can’t take one small inconvenience when so many people have died, when so many people around the world wish they had a vaccine, I don’t know if you’re actually looking out for anyone but yourself. Hearing that translates to, “I don’t care about anyone besides myself. Not my family, not my friends, just me.” So, tell me again why I’d want to be around you.
Look. There are reasons why I’m so FOR the vaccine.
I would NOT BE HERE if it weren’t for medicine and science. This is for real. Darwinism, the survival of the fittest — all that B.S. means nothing to me because guess what — I’m not the fittest! I have an organ that does not work correctly. It does not work the way it should. In reality, I should’ve been DEAD a long, long time ago. For me, at this rate, to not trust science would be a negation of my actual existence. I’m waiting for my second dose of the vaccine because quite frankly, I don’t want to die. I don’t want to be hospitalized. I don’t want to be sick. If you want to even grant me that risk, I don’t want you around me.
I have a daughter. There is no vaccine for children yet. If you are not vaccinated, I don’t want you around my daughter. You can tell me that they get over it, that they don’t get it that bad, but I really don’t care. I don’t want my daughter carrying it. I don’t want her to have it. I would much rather her not get sick at all. I’m sure you’d feel the same way. My job is to protect her, and I take that seriously.
To me, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get the vaccine. Especially if you have no good reason for not getting it. I’m sorry, being selfish is not an excuse. Being lazy is also not an excuse. What we have to do is mitigate the risk of spread. The vaccine is what is going to help us get there. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.
I talked to another individual because of my job who had Leukemia and survived it. He contracted COVID and was asymptomatic, still had antibodies and said to me, “Since it made my family more comfortable, I got the vaccine.” That’s all it took. Making his family more comfortable.
The vaccine isn’t just for you. It doesn’t matter that you don’t think you need it. What matters is how you feel about those you’re around. The vaccine is meant to protect you, yes, but also those around you. Your loved ones. When I hear someone I love say, “I don’t think I need it,” that means you don’t want to protect me. You don’t want to protect my family or your family. How can I trust you?
If you are wise enough to say you “don’t think you need this vaccine,” how do you think we were able to eliminate polio? How were we able to put a stop to measles? Why do you vaccinate your children when they’re born? It’s to keep disease at bay. It’s to make sure these deadly diseases never come back. They’re vaccinations that have saved our lives.
I have heard the “it came out too fast” reason. It happened because of funding among other things. We heard about Bill Gates and Dolly Parton donating for research. Money talks in this country, remember? Next.
I’ve heard that people don’t like that it’s two doses. Really? Let’s just grow up a little. I’m sure those 500K people who died in a year would give anything to have the opportunity for a vaccine. Next.
It’s not FDA approved. Nope. It’s not. But neither are the vitamins or supplements you’re taking, or those essential oils you’re so into. I’ve learned all about it on a documentary podcast called The Dream. Thanks. Next.
I mean, for all the serious answers you’re looking for, read about it on the CDC website. That’s the source of truth. Also, Dr. Fauci.
The fact of the matter is, they want to limit the spread. They want to mitigate the risk. That’s what I want to do. And the vaccine has been shown to decrease that spread, according to Johns Hopkins and the CDC.
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I can’t lower my standards for anyone. For many of my friends whom I trust, we have not seen each other out of respect. And even if we have, we’ve been masked. We are all waiting until we get vaccinated. I feel that it’s only right to treat everyone the same way.
If you love me, if you love my family, if you love your family and are thoughtful of how we’re going to be part of the solution to the problem, I’ll see you soon.
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