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I am not here to preach for or against the vaccine. I believe people have the right to choose what works for them. At the same time, I offer my family experiences with CoVid as food for thought.

I am vaxxed, but probably for only a few reasons as I have had my doubts about them all along. I used to be in the medical research field as a research technologist. I was one of those in the lab working alongside MDs and PhDs doing the grunt work. My experiences back then led me to question whether we would be able to get a vaccine for the Chi-com flu. The fact that we have no long term studies concerns me. Needless to say, I got my vaccine mainly so that I could meet and hold my first grandson, who lives several states away, in California.

Fast forward to the late July, when we discovered a friend in another state informed us he had CoVid. Actually it was someone in his network who reached out to us, because we consider him a personal friend but my husband has done business with him off and on for many years. He was younger than us by 10 years. Needless to say, after 6 weeks in the hospital, he succumbed to CoVid. He had no comorbidities, and was just 51. He was adamantly against the vaccines though.

Next up was my brother, 10 years older than me. Several comorbidities including quite overweight, diabetic, blood pressure problems, and a problem with bronchitis over many years. He had his reservations about the vaccine, but finally got his first shot in early August. Within a few days he developed CoVid, but we didn’t discover that he was positive until his 5th at-home test. By the time that test was positive, his O2 was 87 and he needed supplemental oxygen. He was caught in the cross hairs. The antibody treatment was no longer available to him. (PS, my nephew who was often with him also contracted it, had a rough go of it for 2-3 weeks but is now recovered.) I lost my older brother a month ago tomorrow.

The hardest part undoubtedly is that he was allowed zero visitors. Not even his wife who was fully vaccinated and was his caregiver for the 10 days before he was hospitalized. Not even his daughter who is a nurse and also fully vaxxed. This part makes me mad. Now that we have vaccines, why can’t a family member or two be allowed visiting privileges? To hold his hand and be there once or twice a day? Makes me sick to my stomach that my brother had only a nurse who we don’t know be the one to be with him as he moved from this world to the next.

I don’t blame anyone for being hesitant to get the vaccine. No one. If it weren’t for my grandson, I probably wouldn’t have jumped through that hoop. But maybe I would have. I enjoy being able to go out into the world and live my life. I have family members who are fully vaxxed and are still afraid to be around other people. It has never bothered me, before vaxxing nor after to be around others.

I look forward to the day when I never hear the word CoVid again. I know that’s a long way off. Sick of it. Sick of all of it. The lockdowns, the masks, the unnecessary division.

Life is short. Live yours. Today is a gift, and tomorrow may not happen. Be PRESENT.