Unless you live under a rock you know we are in a Pandemic. There is also two new vaccines that are becoming available to the public to help combat Covid 19. Before I go any further I am not telling anyone to take, or not take the vaccine. What I am suggesting is that you learn as much as you can before you make a decision to, or not to, take it and discuss with your doctor. If you do not have a doctor ask questions at the vaccine site before you get it. If you have any kind of a reaction after the vaccine be sure to report it to the place you received the vaccine, and be sure to get the second dose.
I was shocked at work when several of my coworkers, like most of them, are saying they are refusing the new Pfizer vaccine that our place of business is offering us in a week and a half. Their reasoning made no sense to me and did not have any sound reasoning other than fear I guess. I have CKD, stage 3, and I also have allergies with a pretty severe allergy to Penicillin. I of course will tell them that when I get the vaccine. I will also request to be monitored for 30 minutes after, which my husband can technically do as he is a first responder, and I will also take a Benadryl. Since I am a nurse, and my husband is a first responder our risk of getting Covid may be higher than others. Also, since I already only have 1 good kidney and Covid attacks the kidneys, not getting the vaccine is a bigger risk in my opinion. From the information I can find I don’t find that any CKD, dialysis or kidney transplant patients were part of any of the clinical trials. Be sure and talk to your doctor about getting the vaccine and consider getting it at the doctor’s office or somewhere where there is lifesaving equipment should it be needed. If I get Covid and it kills my other kidney that means death, or dialysis for the rest of my life. I am not OK with that. So, yes I am taking the vaccine. My husband already got his first dose of the Moderna vaccine. My job is doing Pfizer. Now I mention that because you may be wondering what is in the vaccine that may cause a reaction. Below, you will find a link that tells you everything in each vaccine, it is the image under my title image. It is a pretty short list, however, the Pfizer vaccine does list some phosphates which of course are limited intake with kidney disease. Also these two new vaccines use new technology that does not give you a live vaccine, but rather a piece of the genetic code which causes the body to respond. These two are the only two options I will accept. I do not want the ones that are made the old way. But, they aren’t even ready yet, so I am jumping the gun.
Why get the vaccine? Well for one thing if we don’t reach herd immunity via vaccine that means a lot more people will have to become ill, and possibly die by getting the disease and getting natural immunity. We will have to wear masks forever, social distance and it will effect the economy for sure, until we reach herd immunity, either via vaccine or sickness. I am quite tired of life not being normal. I assume most people are. I don’t mind wearing a mask, however, and I think this should just be normal practice during the flu season. We have had no cases of normal Flu at my job, and I contribute that to mask wearing, and proper sanitizing of commonly touched items.
That does not mean I don’t have concerns. I have already stated some of them. There is also the concern of the possible long term effects of which we have no way of knowing yet, from the vaccine. However, I do know the long term effects of Covid on my body which could possibly be death or dialysis for the rest of my life.
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https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Pfizer-BioNTech.html
https://www.kidney.org/coronavirus/vaccines-kidney-disease
Living Life With CKD 