.....so, I've decided....

 ...and I'm not doing it, not this weekend anyway.  The 300 slots filled up immediately, so when I cancelled my spot, it made me happy that someone else is going to get something they are at peace about.

Before I give any reasons for my decision, I just want to say thank you so much for the kind and insightful comments, I am a rich lady, with so many nice friends!

Bethany, the antibody test is something I did consider, but my NP daughter said they aren't so accurate, especially because I may have had it a year ago, also they tend to pick up other viruses.  

I guess when I weighed the pros and the cons, I came up with more cons.

I've been exposed, totally and completely, and didn't get it.  I MUST have some degree of immunity.  If I'm not going to get it from totally snuggling with Paul, and that's all I'm going to say about THAT, then how on earth AM I going to get it?  

If I have immunity, either from being asymptomatic in the last few weeks, or having had a very mild case (you know, I had a sore throat, and all sorts of other symptoms that could have been phantom, or real), then it's a waste to get a vaccine, I know "they" are recommending a vaccine even if you have had Covid, but I say pish-posh to that.  Natural immunity is better, it seems to me.  

So the pros:  well, I could post a pic with that I Got My Vaccine sticker, or even get a t-shirt that says VACCINATED!!!, so there is virtue signaling.  I could travel internationally.  I could mention it to give others peace of mind around me.  Heck, I could use it as an excuse for every sort of bad behavior,  burp, "Ooh don't mind me, I've been vaccinated."  

Seriously though, I don't want to get sick like Paul was, but I also don't want the unknown side-effects of this vaccine.  I am not a medicine taker.  I get a headache, and I try to outsmart it, weigh and measure, bide my time, decide if it'll be one of those that go away on it's own, or if it seems like it's destined to be a humdinger.  It backfires sometimes, when I miss the window of taking an ibuprofen when it's mild, then I suffer the pounding of a migraine, but I still play that game, because I don't like taking ibuprofen unless I really really have to.  I don't take any prescription meds, just some vitamins and minerals and fish oil...(vitamins D, and K2, magnesium, potassium, collagen).    I had a bad reaction to ciprofloxacin, ended up in the ER for heart palpitations.  (I now take D-Mannose at the first sign of a UTI, and it works like magic!). I am of course not a doctor, and I know you know that, but it seemed like a good thing to say ha.

So it's not JUST a general distrust of government, it's that I am pretty darn serious about what I put in my body.  I cannot even tolerate more than one glass of wine anymore, I'm sensitive to stuff.  I don't eat sugar, except for occasional chocolate, usually with almonds, yummers.  I can't drink more than one Diet Coke without feeling jumpy, maybe it's mental because of the chemicals I know it contains.  I don't like processed foods because of all the garbage in them, and we mostly even use shampoos without the sulfates and phosphates.  

So for me, at this time, I just feel better with my decision to hold off.  There may come a time when I am more confident that it's a good choice, or maybe I'll really want to go to Norway, and it's the only way I can get on the plane.  

I hate to say this, but we do know that bottom line, everything is about The Almighty Dollar, as my father used to say.  I know there are doctors and health professionals and health department people who have huge hearts, have suffered through losses and been with and treated patients who didn't fare well, and they want the very best for people.  But there are also big corporations and pharmaceutical companies who are more corrupt than the day is long, and I can forsee them suggesting then requiring yearly boosters...because money.  It's always about the money.  

So in conclusion, I'm going to wait and see.  I don't have all the answers...but I did find this video by Dr. Ryan Cole to be interesting.  Keep those vitamin D levels up, keep your inflammation down (lower your carbs, stop the sugar), and get out into the sun...it can't hurt, anyway.  

In other news, Mr. Samuel James was here last night, my dear #8 child, who is all grown up and SO not a child.  He lives in Virginia now, but is still in the Army Reserves in central NY state, so he has to take these monthly journeys...this week, he had to go up to Fort Drum, in northern NY.  He had time to stop here for the night before driving a Humvee from the base up to Drum (he got to drive the company commander, how relaxing.)(I would have died)(I used to drive a 15 passenger van, but a Humvee?  nope). Anyway, we were painting at Margaret's, and he called me and said he would be at my house in half an hour, we didn't know he was coming, we finished up helping paint after only a bit over an hour's work, and headed home, and yay, Sam!  It was nice to spend a few hours with him!  He had to leave by five a.m., so and he had a long drive to get here, so he retired early.  But oh dear it was good to see him.  

Paul turns 59 tomorrow.  I'll be going to the pool at the rec center in the afternoon, it'll be so nice, it's been a while!  I'm thinking to order pizza and wings, and we'll have a quiet evening...then Saturday, it'll be nice out, and some of the kids will come over and we'll grill burgers and hot dogs.  

The trees are budding!  

I went for my walk again today, yay for that!

My girls are home from school, five days a week is going to be challenging.  We're going outside to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts...

So, if you have comments or opinions, please, give them, I am always game to be agreed with, but also to hear the other side, a different view.  Believe me, I am used to it, duh, we're on our SIXTEENTH TEENAGER here!