Trying to Think Positive Thoughts

 I wrote earlier about FOMO and that fear of missing out persists especially when I see so many friends on Facebook writing about having had their vaccines and rejoicing in their fortune.  Then today someone called me to tell me that she had made just one call and gotten an appointment for Monday.  I was envious because I feel as if I have failed in this game and don't know how to do it better.  However almost all these success stories come from Michigan and Indiana friends and not New Jersey.

So as I have been battling my frustration and envy and even some anger, I tried to think about some positives for Jim and me.

We did our weekly shop today, one day early because we ran out of vegetables and worse yet, wine!   McCaffrey's had some empty shelves last spring and summer.    But today, there were no shortages.  There was plenty of frozen food, canned goods, and meat.  I didn't look for paper products or cleaning products so can't speak to shortages there.  But we left with plenty of food for the week--and wine too!

Jim had kept his RA (rhematoid arthritis) under control for the last few years with a weekly dose of methotrexate.  But when he started radiation treatments for prostate cancer last February, he had to stop the methotrexate.  This concerned us and he had a steroid prescription available in case he had a flare-up.  But he did surprisingly well and in fact, when the radiation treatments were done, his rheumatologist said that the RA was probably in remission.  Apparently radiation can affect RA  for some patients in that way.  He has had occasional painful joints but Aleve has taken care of the pain.  So how good it is that he is no longer taking an immuno-suppressant when there is such a powerful virus threatening us. 

And we do have an appointment which I happened to find open when I checked the NJ-DOH site ten days ago-but it is not for another week and it is 56 miles from here.  We have done a trial run to find Rowan College and the weather looks favorable for next week.  So that is reassuring but I am concerned that the site will run out of vaccine doses because this is happening in some areas. 

 I can be thankful that we are in the 1B category so we are next in line,  an advantage of our aging!   It may be a while before our children and our grandchildren will be able to get their vaccines.  I would gladly have them go before us. 

Morning walk with "Pray
as You Go" app

I keep checking local sites--at the Princeton CVS and Penn Hospital.  They update their pages daily saying that there are no appointments.  However tonight suddenly there was a notice that said you can call Penn Hospital tomorrow to get an appointment.  I will try to do so right at 9 am but there may be 700 others doing the same!  Still maybe there will be a wait list and we could have a backup plan for the Rowan College megasite appointment.  That is the first I have seen of any other option for us. 

So patience needs to be my mantra--and prayer my plan--for us and for our loved ones.
 

The screen shot shows that I redialed 24 times between 9 am and 3:30 pm and got a busy buzz every time. And I really appreciated a text from my wise younger son: "I'm hopeful that sometime in the next two months things will flip and it will be vaccines chasing people."