SUFFER A LITTLE GET A LOT- Brittlestar’s Weekly Newsletter - Issue #23
Thank goodness for science, amirite?
SUFFER A LITTLE GET A LOT
This week’s newsletter is a bit late because I had my ass handed to me by my second dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine.
Both Shannon and I got our second jabs (Moderna this time) on Friday at 12:45PM. More specifically, I had mine at 12:45PM with a no-nonsense nurse and Shannon had hers at about 12:50PM with a very friendly and chatty nurse.
Afterwards we both felt fine. Cautiously elated even. What a relief to be at this point in the pandemic game.
At exactly 10:45PM I felt like I’d hit a wall and told Shannon I was off to bed.
At exactly 10:50PM Shannon arrived upstairs announcing that she too had hit a wall.
Then the fever, chills, shakes, aches and headaches started.
So many people we know had ZERO issues with their shots. Our youngest, Gregor, had his second jab of Moderna on Thursday and woke up on Friday with a slight headache that he couldn’t determine was from the shot or the numerous White Claws the night previous with pals on a patio. Damn the youth.
Shannon and I suffered on Friday night, right through Saturday and Saturday evening.
Shannon, who is of a much stronger constitution than myself, bounced back and bounded out of bed today (Sunday). I crawled downstairs like a man condemned by cruel fate.
Some coffee, cereal and a fabulous Hits of the 70s playlist and I’ve rebounded. I feel pretty great now. Though maybe comparison is a strong factor… no, no… I do feel great.
Throughout our fever induced convulsions Shannon and I laughed and made fun of each other’s suffering. Because it wasn’t for nought.
Each bead of sweat was a bead of sweat closer to freedom from this pandemic hellscape.
Fevers, as an adult, are awful but fevers in the name of kicking COVID-19 squarely in the nuts… totally worth it.
It got me thinking… so many things that require at least a little suffering usually come with a great reward.
When I was playing live music many years ago our band played a club in Toronto on a Thursday evening. I didn’t get home until about 3:30AM and then got up at 7:30AM to go with Gregor to his nursery school’s Hello Circle.
I must have looked like death on reheat in the microwave… but Gregor was smiling and that meant I was smiling. That little bit of suffering was worth it.
Now, I’m in no way suggesting that everything rewarding requires you to suffer. On the contrary. I’m very much a believer in not suffering if you don’t have to.
But for those times when you are suffering a bit, and you can see the reward for it up ahead, it kinda makes it a bit easier.
Stay well. Get your shots.
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Unsuspecting couple revels post vaccine unaware the fever clock is ticking