I’m preceeding this entry with a deep, annoyed exhale of breath.

There’s some things I’m going to forget: COVID 19 Vaccination Record.

• Vaccination #1: May 18, 2021 – Pfizer.
  • I set it up so I went as early as possible in the morning to avoid crowds. At this point I wanted to avoid a crowd at the vaccination site but also during my walk there. The site was still at the Victoria Convention centre so a quick walk. May 18 was a Tuesday so I had to take some time off work, which was permitted. (We were advised after I made my appointment to try and schedule ourselves for weekends or evenings or flex days, but I just took the first one I could get in the morning.) I had been watching the BC COVID Vaccination web page for a few weeks, waiting for my age group to come up. When I got my notification I was anxious to get in and I made my appointment quickly for as soon as I could get in.
  • I walked over from home, since I was working from home. I had heard that there wasn’t much of a crowd at the actual vaccination site since everyone just showed up for their time, and this turned out to be correct. Doing check in and everything at the site was a lot like checking in at an airport with ID, and line-ups, and anticipation. There were people set up all over to point me in the right direction. Getting the vaccination itself was fine. I was keen to get my vaccination card. There wasn’t a choice but I was pleased to get Pfizer.
  • I felt a bit off as soon as I got home, but I think I made it through the rest of the work day – I did skip dance class that evening, however. The next day I took off work. Over the next two weeks I kept thinking I felt fine, but then would have to skip another dance class, or take another seemingly random day off work. I basically was just feeling crappay, and was too tired to do anything. Everything was fine and I felt back to normal again at exactly the two week mark.
• Vaccination # 2: July 22, 2021 – also Pfizer
  • Vaccination dose 2 went much the same as the first, except I scheduled it for after work on a Thursday. I work at the office on Thursdays, and I pass by the Convention Centre on the way home.
  • Same thing with feeling randomly crappay for two weeks exactly and then felt fine again. I think I took the Friday off work right after I got the shot, and then had to call in again on Monday because I still felt bad. I remember being frustrated about as I talked to my manager and she just said (basically) dude, just take the day.
• Vaccination #3: January 29, 2022 – Moderna
  • Unlike the other two, when I was in a rush to get in and get my dose, it took me a few days to make my appointment after getting my invitation, and then I didn’t take the very first available appointment. By now there were all sorts of locations to go, and varying dates available on each day. First I was waiting for a convenient location to show up (I.e. Downtown Victoria and not Esquimalt or Langford) and then I wanted to schedule it around potentially feeling crappay for two weeks afterwards. Also, I’m generally bored of the whole process? I chose to go to a pharmacy downtown on Saturday after ballet class. I prayed that I would feel ok on my walk home (this was during some of the trucker convoy protests at the Legislature, and I would walk to avoid traffic, and then take the long way around into James Bay to avoid people). I did extensive preparation by telling anyone who would listen that I was getting my vaccination and that I might be absent from [work, dance, life] for the next two weeks. I said that if I only had a really sore arm afterwards, that it would be a dream come true.
  • I ended up only having a really sore arm for a few days. I had to take one afternoon off work because I felt a little off, but that was it.
  • Note: the pharmacy I went to is actually really near work, and I discovered it has lots of vegan treats.