My First COVID-19 Vaccine

I was sitting in my friend's garden, socially distant when I received the text on Friday the 23rd of April saying that my consultant had registered me for my vaccine. I was due to have it on Wednesday the 28th of April. I was ecstatic. I was very shocked as Ireland has been quite slow with the rollout of the vaccine.

With this excitement came nerves, I always feel nervous in relation to medicine, whether it be tests, medications or injections! I am also afraid of side effects.

Here in Ireland, vaccines are given either at your doctor's office or in a vaccine clinic. Mine was in a vaccine clinic. In a newly built stadium for GAA (Irish sports).

Vaccination day!

I arrived at my appointment 15 minutes early, I felt very anxious. I was anxious about all the standing and walking that I would have to do, about the injection itself and about the side effects.

At this time in Ireland, people over 70 years of age and people at risk were being vaccinated. I felt nervous and embarrassed that I might be the only young person in there. That people might be looking at me thinking: "Why is she here?" I was wrong. There were many people that were my age! This settled my nerves a bit and I did not feel embarrassed. Instead, I felt thankful that I was recieving my vaccine today.

Everybody working there was so nice

They allowed my mam to come in with me in case I needed assistance. They offered me a wheelchair, but the ableist in me said no, regrettably.

They directed me to the elevator, and were sympathetic to my condition, and thought climbing to the top of a 50,000 seater stadium via the stairs might not have been best. Once I exited the elevator I registered and queued up. The line was dauntingly long. I was nervous of how my hips, legs and back would handle all this standing! We were queuing for the best part of an hour. I was in agony! The pain distracted me from my feeling of nervousness about the vaccine, every cloud has its silver lining I guess....

After all this time waiting, it was finally my turn! I limped over to the booth and was met by two lovely nurses. They explained everything and asked me about the medication I was taking. They then injected me, it hurt...I was told to wait in the observation area for 15 minutes.

It was good to sit down

I hobbled over to the waiting area and sat down. Although it was an uncomfortable chair, it was good to sit down.

Luckily, I felt fine and after the 15 minutes I took the lift downstairs and headed home. I went back after 4 weeks to get my second Moderna vaccine! I think in the future, I will say yes to a wheelchair when offered, as I should not feel embarrassed about this.