Hey there, friends! It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. 2021 has been intense so far. I have some posts in my drafts that I hope to finish up and post in the coming weeks/months but I haven’t been very motivated to write blog posts because I’ve been using any ounce of creative energy I have left at the end of the day (which, after running around and keeping a 3.5 year old happy and stimulated in a world that doesn’t allow for us to do a whole lot right now is not much) on my book. I’m a year into writing it and I am happy to report that I am almost done with my first draft! That, however, is not what today’s post is about. So I’ll stop myself there. 🙊

Today I would like to talk about my experience getting the Covid-19 Vaccine (Pfizer). I want to share my story because I think it is important to do so. Everyone has their own unique experience and I think that like any other thing in life, sharing our stories and experiences is important.

I know there are many mixed opinions on the Covid-19 vaccine. I chose to get the vaccine because my fear of getting and exposing my loved ones to Covid outweighed my fear of getting a vaccine. Covid has impacted so many lives over these past 13 months. In our family, we experienced the loss of a family member, my husband’s aunt to Covid this winter. She was a front-line worker (as well as a wonderful person) who was only weeks away from being eligible to get the vaccine. I couldn’t help but think about her – as well as the 500,000+ Americans alone who have died from Covid-19 – while getting my vaccine. I am grateful to have made it over a year into this pandemic without getting sick and I do not for a minute take my health or access to getting the vaccine for granted.

My Experience

1st Dose (April 5th) :

When I was eligible to get the Covid-19 vaccine, the one that was available to me was the Pfizer vaccine. With this vaccine, you receive two doses, 3 weeks apart from each other. Each dose contains the same amount of the vaccine.

When I arrived for my first dose of the vaccine I was directed to sit in a chair, answer a few questions, and then after the vaccine was administered I had to stay seated for 15 minutes in case of any adverse reaction.
After my 1st dose, the only thing I felt within those first 15 minutes was warmth at the location of the shot.
As the evening wore on (I got my shot at 3:35 PM) my arm began to feel very sore. It remained sore for about a full 24 hours but that was the –only– side effect that I experienced.
The day after my vaccine I felt completely normal aside from my arm which was better by that evening.

2nd Dose (April 27th):

When I arrived for my second dose, it was basically the same process as the first. I sat, answered the same questions, handed the nurse my vaccination card to fill out, and then I received my shot and waited 15 minutes before I could leave.
This time my nurse informed me that younger people tend to have more of a reaction with the second dose. Once again, within those first 15 minutes after the shot, I felt warmth at the injection site.
That evening my arm began to feel very sore, just like the first time. I will admit, the soreness is no joke, so if you chose to get vaccinated, be sure to pick the arm on the side of your body that you do not sleep on.
The next morning my arm was very sore and I started to develop a migraine. I do suffer from migraines every few months, so I wasn’t sure if it was because of the vaccine or not, however, the migraine subsided around the same time my arm stopped feeling sore, so in this case, I think it was related. It was a pretty bad migraine and I wound up having to spend half the day in bed while Kevin took over the parenting duties for me (while working from home. Bless him.).

3rd Dose (November 20th)

I received my 3rd dose on November 20th as it was recommended for all adults to receive a booster. I was even more interested in getting my booster because I am pregnant and do not want to take any chances with Covid while pregnant. There are risks associated with getting Covid while pregnant, especially if you are unvaccinated. My OBGYN fully supported and recommended getting the vaccine while pregnant.
My experience getting the booster was very positive. I had a sore arm for about 24 hours and a very slight headache the day after my booster. That was it!

Overall, I would say that my vaccine experience was not bad at all. I do not personally know anyone who had very adverse side effects to the vaccine so far. Many of our family members and friends of ours have been vaccinated and I would say that their experiences have all been similar to or better than mine. Pretty much all of my older relatives who have been vaccinated (ages 50s-90s) have had no symptoms to the vaccine (both Moderns and Pfizer) besides a sore arm.

My husband got the Moderna vaccine back in February when he became eligible through his employer. His experience was: first dose – sore arm, body aches, and exhaustion. Second dose – only a sore arm. Third dose – only a sore arm.

I’m going to end this post with some information and resources about the vaccine for anyone who is interested. I hope this post was helpful and that it finds you healthy and safe!

Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work

Find a Vaccine Location Near You

Understanding How mRNA Vaccines Work

Why You Should Consider Getting Vaccinated