Saturday, December 15, 2018

Boomer Quest




Like most every other Baby Boomer on the planet, I’m constantly shocked, shocked I tell you, at my age.
We may not have really thought we’d be young forever, but what’s with this getting old nonsense?

          I feel better today than I did in my 50s, when I was working full-time and the most exercise I got was getting up from my desk to go stand in front of a group of grumpy high school English students. These days, after a couple of health hiccups, I weigh less and exercise more, and try to pay a bit more attention to what I’m eating.

          But I’m still one of those people of a certain age who are chasing the elusive Shingrix vaccine, apparently rarer than unicorn teeth, because our doctors are recommending that we get this shingles shot.

          This new vaccine, unlike the previous 57% effective one, is 97% effective. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they failed to make enough of it.

          So my sister-in-law and her husband are on the waiting list at their local Walgreen’s, which already has 200 people on it. The pharmacist told them his store receives 10 doses a week, so you do the math.

          Meanwhile, yesterday I finally got around to my pneumonia booster (left arm) and this year’s flu shot (right arm). Last night’s sleeping positions were challenging, to say the least.

11 comments:

  1. I did pneumonia and flu simultaneously, also. And, I slept on my back.

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  2. The shingles vaccine doesn't get a lot of coverage here. None of my doctors have ever mentioned it. I have, however, seen how nasty the disease can be. I hope you sleep better tonight.

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  3. pneumonia booster? Hmmm, do not think I have ever had of those. I have a doctor's appt. in Jan Earliest I can get in for non-emergency

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  4. I got the vaccine about a year after actually getting shingles. I had to pay for it too, but then 6 months later it started to be covered by health care. Oh well.

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  5. I am also trying to get that new vaccine. It's in very short supply everywhere, but you sure don't want to get shingles, if you can avoid it. I'm not yet on any lists, but everywhere I've asked, they are very long. :-(

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  6. We also want to get the shingles vaccine. It seems I hear more and more cases of people having shingles and being absolutely miserable with it. Husband asked for a prescription for it from our dr. (that's how it's done here) and then promptly lost the paper. Ughh. -Jenn

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  7. When I was 65 my Dad used to tell me, "You ain't seen nothin yet!" You're doing the right thing by being pro active.

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  8. I plan on asking my doctor if I should get the shingles vaccine, but I so rarely see him it's going to be a while.

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  9. I have had the regular shingles vaccine, and signed up to get the new Shingrix, but then heard it can have rough side effects. I talked to a doctor who suggested I wait til it has been in use longer. So now I am wondering whether to get it. Anyone heard about the side effects of the Shingrix vaccine?

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  10. I didn't even know there was a vaccine for pneumonia and I decline the flu vaccine. I also declined the shingles vaccine but I might reconsider this new one after it's been out awhile and is actually available. as for the 'O' word, a friend has decided not to use it. we are 'ageing' he says, not 'old'.

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  11. We are waiting for the new shingles vaccine also. I got the flu shot and pneumonia at the same time one year, never again...I was so sick:(

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