Shingrix Accomplished

Almost sounds like something you say with a Harry Potter wand, doesn't it? If I actually had such a wand, it would have been accomplished months ago.

For those not familiar, Shingrix is the name of a vaccine - the new version - to prevent shingles. The old version worked somewhat, and having watched my father suffer for months with shingles before any vaccine existed, I was in search of something better than "somewhat." I'd had the first one over a decade ago, in those long ago days when I had insurance briefly. Later I heard my brother had shingles despite having the same shot.

Uh oh. How safe was I?

When the new vaccine became available, I went in search of it. It was, surprisingly, a challenge, up until Walmart started providing it. Last February I got my first of two shots, along with the information that I'd need a second, between two and six months afterwards.

No problem, right?

Even at $175 per shot, it was well worth it. That isn't what turned out to be the issue. However....

Everybody remember April? May? June? Most of July, even? I asked Walmart for my booster, 4 different times. They weren't doing shots any more. Since they were my only known source, I kept trying. I go there for flu shots, renewed my tetanus shot there, even got my 2nd kind of pneumonia shot which I hadn't even realized I needed, there. But no, no shots for some undetermined period of time. They weren't equipped for it.

For some reason, they can't give them and still remain socially distant. Go figure! Face masks and gloves didn't do it. It got annoying, continuing to hear the same excuses. No doubt I became nearly as annoying myself. My clock was ticking. Would I need to start over? Would the delay make them ineffective?

Last week the letter arrived, from Walmart HQ, reminding me that I was running out of time for getting my booster. (Like I'd forgotten!) So I called the store, asking whether they were now giving the shots again.

Nope. Still not equipped. What did they need? Face shields. (Funny, I don't recall one on the pharmacist who gave me the shot today, but I'm getting ahead of myself.) I asked why the company sent out the reminder when I couldn't act on it? Well, maybe other stores had already gotten their supplies and I could try them.

Yeah, Sure. Just what I always wanted to have to do. I went back to battling bed bugs and let it ride a bit longer. When I saw I was running out of some other things I needed from there, I gave them a call to see if they were doing the shots yet!?!

They were!

So I did! Now the only things left to do are update my medical records and see if my arm aches as much for the next four days as it did after the first shot. But hey, no biggie. Not like I'm left handed or anything.

Oh wait....