COVID Shot #2 Trip Report: Not So Much Fun This Time

I just scored shot #2. It wasn't as pleasant as shot #1. And there were few surprises.

I previously wrote about my first vaccination adventure. It was fantastic. Couldn't have gone better. This time, not so much.

Don't get me wrong. The Weill-Cornell Medical Center nailed it once again. I was in and out of the Fort Washington Armory in 20 minutes. The people running the operation were just as pleasant, organized, and efficient as they were a month ago. The only downside was my body. It did not enjoy the second shot. 

Of course, we all knew about this. Reactions to the vaccine (if any) are expected to be worse with the booster shot. This was correct. Here are the "Bloom Vaccine Chronicles, Part 2." Some of it is even true.

The Shot and the Parking Space

Just like the first time the shot was painless, and after the obligatory 15 minute waiting period, I waltzed out of there back to the parking space that I, as a New Yorker, skillfully found (1). A slightly sore arm that night, but no big deal. I got off easy. Or so I thought. 

The Arm (Part 1)

The next morning the sore arm turned into the "more than a little sore arm." It wasn't as painful as, say, watching the Yankees, but it still hurt pretty good.

Images: imgflip, wikimedia

 

The Arm (Part 2)

But by that evening, things had worsened considerably...

Images: Pixabay, Wikimedia, Amazon

Nighttime Fright Time

It was a strange night. Woke up with the chills once or twice during which time I saw some vaguely disturbing things in my bedroom. I still have no idea whether they were real or not.

 

Images: The Scientist, Wikimedia Commons, Deposit Free Photos

 

The Aftermath

The next day was unremarkable, just a whopping headache and a healthy case of fatigue. It was tough to get out of bed. Fortunately, my wife was supportive and understanding. 

So I wouldn't say that my experience with shot #2 was a blissful interlude. For a while, I felt like a 10-pound turd in a 5-pound bag, but it didn't last long. And in five days I'll be immune. That feels very good indeed. 

NOTE:

(1)I don't like to speak ill of my colleagues, but I need to point out that Chuck Dinerstein, our most excellent Director of Medicine, did not score a parking space on either one of his trips into NYC. What a loser. Fortunately, he's not our Director of Parking.