Wednesday, three weeks after our first shot, we drove back up to North Kansas City to get our second Covid shot. We received the Pfizer vaccine and were told that in two weeks we should hopefully be 95% protected. Of course, everyone still has to wear masks and observe social distancing, etc. regardless of having had the vaccine. We chose to drive about 45 minutes away to get our shots so we could get them sooner rather than wait an unknown amount of time. The area where we live has been very slow getting the vaccine and the waiting list is long. We didn't mind the drive because we enjoy driving through Kansas City once in a while. Just for fun, I took a few pictures on the way there and back. You can tell it was a cloudy day.
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| KC Royals Baseball Stadium and the KC Chiefs Football Stadium is right behind it. |
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| Heading into the city you can see a portion of the KC skyline, despite the clouds. |
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| Crossing the Missouri River on the Bond Bridge on the way home. |
After receiving our second shot Tom and I each had the usual sore arm and he had no other side effects. Unfortunately, this time the side effects got to me. I was down with a fever, headache and general flu type feelings all day yesterday. I slept most of the day and didn’t even read blogs, so sorry for no comments yesterday! I’m better today although I still have a headache that just doesn’t want to leave. I have to buy groceries today since I didn’t feel like it yesterday, but hopefully I’ll be back to 100% soon. This is one time I’m grateful to feel bad if it means getting the vaccine! We look forward to feeling at least a little safer in a couple of weeks and maybe even going out occasionally! I am hoping that anyone out there that has not yet gotten the vaccine is able to get it soon! This could be our way out of this pandemic.
I have a favor to ask of all my friends here. My older brother, Charlie, has been diagnosed with cancer and I wonder if you could say a prayer or maybe have some healing thoughts for him. He had surgery on March 15th to remove a cancerous tumor inside the salivary gland on the left side of his face. They also had to remove the lymph nodes in his neck on that side. Because of the type of surgery, a nerve on that side of his face had to be cut which left him unable to move any part of his face, mouth or eye on the left side. He now has to wear an eye patch since he cannot blink or close his left eye. He will be starting radiation treatments soon. I have to say Charlie is one amazing person of great faith! He is taking all of this so well despite the discomfort and pain. Six years ago he decided to move to Costa Rica. He is a big nature lover, birder and bird photographer. Costa Rica provides him everything he loves in nature and bird photography. He also has a blog if anyone is interested: Retired in Costa Rica . Thank you so much for any prayers and good thoughts you can send his way!
Just been to your brother's blog. It looks like he's getting excellent care, which is good.
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for our second jabs here. I felt pretty rough for a day or two after my first. I felt kind of reassured - at least it had gone in and was doing something!
Charlie has been happy with his medical care since he moved to Costa Rica.
DeleteI agree with you completely about the side effects of the shot. It is reassuring that it is working!
Treatments are so very good these days, just the treatments to get through, he's in our thoughts. We are both counting down the days until our 2nd jab.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for the improvements in treatments like this. Thank you for your positive thoughts. I hope you both get your 2nd jabs soon!
DeleteI am so sorry to read about your brother's illness and shall certainly send good thoughts his way. We visited Costa Rica only a few years ago. It is a beautiful place and I can see why he would want to live there.
ReplyDeleteI hope that your side effects are over soon. It will have been worth it for the protection it gives you.
Best wishes.
I very much appreciate your good thoughts for Charlie. Costa Rica is beautiful and Charlie absolutely loves it and plans on spending the rest of his life there. I'm sure I will feel better soon and yes, any side effects are absolutely worth it!
DeleteSo glad you were able to get the vaccine. I hope you are feeling back to yourself soon. Sending thoughts and prayers for your brother.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful to have gotten the vaccine and will happily take any side effects! If you have not gotten yours yet, I hope you will be able to soon. The U.S. is opening up vaccines to all ages in the next month or two. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my brother. They do help!
DeleteI will of course pray for Charlie.
ReplyDeleteGreat news that you've had your second vaccination. I have read that it seems people are getting worse side effects after the second jab.
Thank you for your prayers Joey, they make a difference!
DeleteYes, I've had worse side effects this time but that is okay! Much better than having Covid!
Thanks for sharing the pictures of Kansas City. I am very pleased that you and Tom have both had your second jabs. Of course I send my very best wishes to Charlie. I hope that this nasty episode does not cause his bird watching to cease.
ReplyDeleteThose are not very good pictures due to the rain and clouds we have had recently. Hopefully, sometime I will get some better pictures! Thank you for your good wishes for Charlie. Like you, he loves and respects nature and spends much time photographing it.
DeleteHope you are feeling better now Bonnie. I will send healing thoughts to your brother Charlie. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone, I'm a little better each day but any side effects are well worth it so I'm really not complaining! Thank you also for your healing thoughts for my brother. I am a believer that good and positive thoughts do make a difference! xx
DeleteGood news that you're all vaxxed. And yes, prayers for your brother. Il ask my prayer group to add him to our list.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your prayers and your prayer group list. I really appreciate that and I know my brother does too!
DeletePrayers for your dear brother.
ReplyDeleteI have had bad reactions from both the shots but was thrilled to have them, too. :)
Thank you Rita for your prayers. They are much appreciated! I'm sorry for your bad vaccine reactions but I am like you, I was happy to have them!
DeleteI have had nasty reactions to my second Pfizer jab but they are going after two days.
ReplyDeleteI shall keep your brother in my thoughts.
I'm sorry Pat to hear that you had bad reactions as well but good that they are now gone. I am thankful that you have had both of your jabs now!
DeleteThank you for your kind thoughts for my brother, I truly appreciate it.
Bonnie, thank you for sharing my new challenge of cancer with your blogging group! There is something powerful about good wishes, thoughts and prayers from around the world. I expect to be back to my active old self by July with an Osa Peninsula trip planned for my 81st birthday. :-) Poco a poco o paso a paso. :-)
ReplyDeleteThere are some very good people here and I also believe there is something powerful about shared positive thoughts and prayers. I didn't think you would be missing too many of your trips that you enjoy so much! Love ya!
DeleteYour brother is in my thoughts and prayers Bonnie. I have just read some of his blog, and thanks to you both for sharing it with us in what must be a hard time for him. xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Rachel, I do appreciate it. Charlie is a very positive person and I think that will help him a lot in dealing with this. xxx
DeleteOh yes I shall pray for your brother. That is a tough surgery...and when they damage that nerve it can be challenging...my best to him.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you are done with your shots...it takes us all to get them so we can be somewhat normal again. Hope you feel better soon...I know how bad you can feel:(
Thanks Connie, your prayers make a difference.
DeleteI know you do understand how these shots can set you back since you really had a hard time with yours. I am doing better but I still have that darn headache and I'm very tired. I will take that and more just to have had both shots now!
I visited your brothers blog, he takes some marvelous photos, I found no way to leave a comment...he has had quite a journey with his cancer.
ReplyDeleteHe has a Word Press Blog so it is a little different leaving comments, but you can if you go into the specific post. He is a great photographer just like you! He has a Gallery of his photos linked on his page if you ever want to see them. Thank you again Connie for all your kind thoughts and prayers!
DeleteBonnie I am so sorry to hear about your brother. I will certainly remember him in my prayers. Glad you got your second shot over with. Hope you are feeling much better now. The second one made me sick too. Woke up the next morning feeling like I had the flu. It only lasted most of the day and I have felt okay ever since. I'm going to check out your brother's blog. Thank you Bonnie.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prayers for Charlie, I truly appreciate them. I'm sorry the second shot made you sick too but at least we know it was doing something and we now have the protection! Thank you for stopping by Henny!
DeleteBonnie, I’m glad that you and Tom got your second Pfizer shots and hope you are feeling 100% very soon. Ellie and I got our second Pfizer shots on March 8th. I had no adverse reaction at all. Ellie’s arm was sore and she ‘felt blah’ (her words) for about a day but didn’t have a fever.
ReplyDeleteIt’s strange to me how the different vaccines are being distributed. Mostly Pfizer around here, but my son and his wife are getting the Johnson & Johnson type since it is just one shot. Where my daughter is in Alabama it’s mostly Noderna. I certainly hope the people in charge of the distribution know what they’re doing.
I went to your brother’s blog and his account and photos of the surgery are extremely interesting. I will certainly keep him in my prayers. You are a good sister.
I am so happy you and Ellie have now gotten both shots! I don't mind the side effects because I am just happy and grateful to have both shots now! I think they are distributing whatever vaccines are available. Once the Johnson & Johnson became available, that is now being widely distributed most everywhere because it is easier to store (doesn't need the super-freezer) and is one shot. Personally, I'm glad we got the Pfizer because it has a 95% coverage. Of course as they say, you should take whatever is available in your area.
DeleteThank you so much for your prayers for my brother. They do help and he is a very strong believer. I appreciate it.
Noderna = Moderna
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Bonnie...a couple of years ago a very good friend of mine had a similar cancer to your brother's cancer...and the good news is...she is now doing very well and is firing on all cylinders again. May the same be ahead for your dear brother. My best thoughts and wishes go out to him.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are safe from the current tornadoes causing havoc up your way. Take good care. :)
Thank you Lee for telling me about your friend. I have never known anyone that has had that type of cancer and it is so good to know she is doing well! To me any cancer is scary after losing my Mother and other brother to it. Thank you for your good thoughts for Charlie, they are appreciated.
DeleteWe do live in one of many "tornado alleys" but luckily so far this Spring we've been okay. I have grown up with tornados so I guess I'm used to them, if that is possible anyway. Thank you for your kindness and I hope you are doing well!
Sending your brother - and you and your family - best wishes and hopes that he has a good recovery and does not find the severed nerve to be too hard to deal with. And thank you for your kind thoughts on my blog, Bonnie.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind and helpful thoughts. I truly appreciate them. It is good to hear from you. I've thought of you so much and wish only the best for you.
DeleteYour brother is a fine photographer and a truly fun person, with his Rooster Cogburn patch. Of course our good wishes go to him.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are fully vaccinated now. Let the good times roll. That's more like let the old times roll. Back to the grocery store and shopping. The movies, maybe not so much, yet.
Thank you for your good wishes, we both appreciate them. Yes, Charlie has a wonderful and very positive attitude about all this. I think that will help him more than anything in dealing with it.
DeleteYes, let the good, old times roll! I'm looking forward to going to some restaurants. I don't know when I'll feel safe going to the movies again. Thank you Joanne!
All the best for your brother, dear Bonnie! You know my sister and I are very close, and if either of us has a health problem or anything else going on, the other worries and helps in any way possible. You are the same type of sister for Charlie.
ReplyDeleteHooray for you to be fully vaccinated now! I have heard from several blogging friends that they had similar flu-like effects after their second jab, but it usually lasted only for a day or two. Not many people I know around here have had theirs; it is still very slow going in this country.
Thank you Meike! You and your sister are fortunate to live so close to one another so you can get together. I am not able to see my brother since we live in different countries and that sometimes increases my worries. However, thanks to the internet we are able to keep in contact as often as we would like and I am very grateful for that!
DeleteI am sorry it is such a slow process for you to get vaccinations in your country. Have your parents been able to get theirs yet? Our country has given the shots in stages such as first the healthcare workers and then the over 65 people. We only got ours when we did because we are 68. Hopefully they will be vaccinating everyone here soon. I do hope your country will be getting the vaccine out soon. It is good at least that you have strict rules to reduce the spread of the virus but I know you are all tired of those rules. Take care Meike!
Well yes, I stopped right away and prayed for healing for Charlie and continued strength and grace for him. I too am fully vaxed and it gives me hope and the ability to go out in the world a bit. I had a fully vaxed friend over for coffee a few days ago and went to church in person last Sunday. These are great blessings.
ReplyDeleteThank you, your prayers are appreciated! I am so happy to know you are fully vaxed now yourself. These vaccinations are our best way out of this!
DeleteI'm sorry you have had a reaction to your second jab Bonnie but as you say it is our way out of all this. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. I too have had treatment for cancer in my neck and they thought I had nerve damage as I couldn't speak abaove a whisper for a long time after having lymph modes removed but mine gradually got better. I will pray for your brother and I hope he makes a really good recovery. xx
ReplyDeleteI did not know about your past cancer. I am so glad to know the treatment was successful and you are better now! Thank you for your prayers for Charlie, they are appreciated! xx
DeletePraying for your brother, Charlie. I hope you are feeling better from your vaccine. So sorry you had a bad reaction with the second dose. Will be away from the blog for just a few days but will check in soon.
ReplyDeleteMildred, thank you so very much. I appreciate your prayers. I am doing okay, I think it is not unusual to have some side effects from the second shot. I hope your move is going well. I know you must be exhausted! Take care!
DeleteSending good thoughts for Charlie's recovery. Hard for you to be so far away, but he clearly has a very positive outlook and is getting good care, so that must help you a bit.
ReplyDeleteYour reaction to the second jab sounds like mine (to the Moderna), but figured the antibodies were cranking away, so 36 hours of not feeling great was worth it. Also got the "Covid arm" (redness, itching, swelling) a week later, but again, only for about 24 hours and then it was gone. Now past the two week mark, but frankly, not that interested in going anywhere. Take care of yourself and Tom.
Thank you Mary for your good thoughts, I appreciate them and believe in the power of positive thinking. Charlie is a positive person and is handling this much better than I could.
DeleteI'm so glad to hear you have had both jabs now! I agree it is well worth feeling bad for a day or two. Thank you Mary for all your very kind words, it is always good to hear from you. Take good care.
Great that you are fully vaccinated. As you say, a few side effects are expected and only mean the vaccine is working to protect you. My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie. Medical science is advancing all the time and it sounds like Charlie is getting excellent care. Tell Charlie his blog is outstanding.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prayers for Charlie, we appreciate you. He does have a good blog and has been blogging for many years. I am thankful to have been vaccinated and any side effects are worth it. I hope you have received yours and if not I hope it will be very soon. Thanks for stopping by, take care Susan.
DeleteBonnie, your brother has my prayers. What a brave soul.
ReplyDeleteMy vaccination has been moved to 9 days later. My sister who is younger than me is getting hers before. Things are screwy. They had rebooked Harvey and now he has been rebooked for the same time he was booked for first.
God bless.
Thank you Jackie, your prayers are very much appreciated. It seems a little crazy the way they are doing the vaccinations sometimes doesn't it? The important thing is that you both get it. Thanks for stopping by Jackie, take care of yourself.
DeleteI can definitely do that for you, Bonnie. Best of luck to Charlie and we will send thoughts and prayers from Idaho. Hope you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your good thoughts and prayers. We both appreciate them! I'm doing okay, just had a few after effects of that second shot. That is fine because I'm grateful to have gotten it. From what I am hearing you and your wife should be able to get yours soon, if you want one, as they are starting to open them up to all ages. Take care and thanks again!
DeleteBonnie I am very sorry I didn't see this sooner. As someone who's undergone testing for what your poor brother Charlie is going thru a couple years ago (mine turned out to be TMJD) I can't tell you how sorry I am to read of his own diagnosis. He sounds like a very interesting fellow, and he is in my thoughts & prayers big time. I look forward to checking out his blog & also, glad to hear of your vaccinations!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. They are appreciated! Charlie is a special person and has a very positive attitude about all this. I'm sorry to hear you had to undergo that type of testing and while I am certainly glad it was not cancer, I know the TMJD has been very hard on you for a long time now. I hope that is improving for you because it sounds so uncomfortable. Take care Doug!
DeleteSo Sorry to read about your brother. I will light a candle for him.
ReplyDeleteMy first and second shot were fine not a problem. Hope you get better soon.
Happy Easter !
Thank you Gayle, I appreciate your kindness. I was only sick for a few days and I'm fine now. I didn't have much trouble with the first shot but the second one got to me. I am so happy to hear that you didn't have any trouble from your shots! Happy Easter to you too Gayle!
DeleteI am so sorry to hear of your brother's troubles...I will say prayers for him. Glad you have both your shots...we go for the second one this coming Thursday. I am hoping we have no symptoms afterward, but if one of us must, I hope it is me rather than Roger.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rose, I appreciate your prayers. I'll be thinking of you and Roger when you get your second shots. I only had trouble after the second shot and even that was just for a couple of days. Some people have no side effects at all. Tom only had a sore arm one day. As I said, it is worth it to get the protection! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteHow do you feel after get the first shot?
ReplyDeleteI just had a slightly sore arm for a day and tired the next day. Not bad and well worth getting the vaccination.
DeleteThanks for sharing your experience.
DeleteI am waiting for the second injection of the Sinovac vaccine. I felt sore on my arm for 3 hours after the first injection. Overall if fine.