Edmund Schweppe

Today is both Massachusetts' state primary election, and the first day I was able to schedule this year's COVID vaccine at my local CVS.

I'd already voted early, so that wasn't an issue. And, unlike last year, there wasn't any insurance company confusion about which version of the vaccine was covered this time.

This year was quick and easy; in, jab, and out. As a bonus, the sweet young thing who gave me the shot was both gloved and masked.

Once again, Team Moderna for the win.

Once the news formally broke that the FDA and CDC had signed off on the latest COVID vaccines, I signed myself up for a booster at my more-or-less-local CVS. The appointment was early this evening, so I hied myself down at the appropriate time and presented myself at the vaccine check-in counter - only to be told that my health insurance wasn't covering the shot, and would I like to spend almost two hundred bucks out of pocket instead? According to the pharmacy tech, the insurers have yet to update their coverage files for the new vaccine. Left unexplained (because the tech had no information) was how CVS' online vaccination scheduling tool, which supposedly specifically checked my insurance status as part of the signup process, let me make the appointment in the first place.

Mumble, grumble, and whiskey tango foxtrot? I'll likely call the insurer on Monday and see if I can get an answer; I have a cynical suspicion, though, that much pointing of fingers and blaming someone else will ensue.

Anyway, I did not get vaccinated today. Which annoys me no end.

Today, I got my third COVID-19 booster vaccination; this one being the Moderna bivalent vaccine, which will hopefully provide good protection from omicron-variant infections as well as supplying death-and-serious-illness defenses.

This time around, I couldn't find an appointment at the local CVS that I got my previous two boosters at; but I did manage to get one at the other CVS in town. (Apparently, they'd just gotten a shipment of Moderna earlier today.) I did have to ask specifically for a new CDC vaccine card (having my original four slots all filled); on the other hand, waiting around for that nicely occupied the "wait to see if you're going to have a horrible reaction" time.

I just got my COVID-19 booster vaccine this afternoon.

Unlike my first and second shots back in March, I got this one at my local CVS pharmacy. Easier to get to, but not quite as seamlessly organized as the mass vaccination site at Gillette Stadium; we were lined up in the aspirin aisle, and the nurse was running a bit late. On the other hand, once I reached the head of the line, things only took a couple of minutes and I was out of there once the fifteen-minute observation period ended.

What with the state (and my county) still well into the high range of community transmission by the CDC's calculations, this does make me feel a bit better. We'll just have to see when the next set of boosters will be recommended.

Early in the morning on Tuesday (March 2), I somewhat idly brought up the state's vaccine appointment finder (https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/), expecting it to show its typical utter lack of appointments available. To my surprise, it was showing a small number of slots open at the Gillette Stadium site - presumably because some folks had cancelled their appointments for one reason or another. After several attempts, each of which brought me to a page showing a day's worth of unavailable times, I was able to find an appointment for the next morning (!) at 9:48.

So I toodled down to Foxborough bright and early Wednesday morning. The various online mapping services indicated that it was marginally faster for me to head east and take MA-128/I-90 to US-1 south, rather than head west and take I-495 to US-1 north, to get to Gillette. There are two vaccination sites at Gillette, and my appointment was at the "west" clinic (in the stadium in the Putnam Investments club). Traffic was non-existent, and parking was plentiful. One thing that didn't work perfectly; the directions told me to take the P6 entrance to Gillette, and I couldn't see any signage for P6 from US-1. (Instead, I saw signs for the P9 entrance at a traffic light, made a U-turn onto US-1 north, and took the P8 entrance that the directions specified for northbounders.)

Apart from that minor bit of navigational irritation, though, things went very smoothly. There was a very short line waiting to get into the site, but there were plenty of staff keeping things flowing. They had plenty of check-in stations; basically all I had to do was show one person the registration email and the completed health questionaire on my phone, and then I was heading up the escalator to the vaccination stations proper. Again, there was effectively no waiting, and I got my Moderna shot (and official CDC vaccination card) with no hassles. I spent most of the fifteen-minute observation period signing up (on my cell phone) for my second shot on March 31 - same location, same time - and was on my way home shortly after ten AM.

I haven't noticed any side effects from the shot; I'm going to plan on not being so lucky after the second dose. On the other hand, by mid-April I should be "fully vaccinated" - and in a position to do things like, say, visit my mom.

(Originally posted on March 11. Backdated to March 3, which is when I thought I'd posted this originally. Apparently I didn't.)

The tiny screw that holds one of the lenses on my brand-new pair of progressive eyeglasses decided to jump ship this morning - literally the minute before I was supposed to meet the nice new HR person, who'd flown in from Atlanta because this office of the Current Paying Gig does not have any admin staff on site.

Fortunately, she was understanding of why I was so flustered.

Also fortunately, I was able to get to the optical shop before it closed and get things squared away.

But, seriously, universe. Last night's primary results weren't enough of a hassle? You had to add this?

Following up on https://edschweppe.dreamwidth.org/382592.html, in which I learned that I have something called scaphotrapeziotrapezoid arthritis:

The Tuesday before last, the hand doc gave me a corticosteriod shot. It took a couple of days for the pain of the shot itself to wear off; once it did, though, my wrist felt fine. Until yesterday, when I started noticing the same sort of pain, in the same place, on an off-and-on basis.

Looks like I may have to investigate that surgery option after all. Exactly what I wanted to be thinking about the day before my birthday, during what is predicted to be a week-long heat wave.

Yay. </sarcasm>

My knee surgery (to repair a ruptured quadriceps tendon) was one year ago today.

I'm almost back to where I was before rupturing the tendon, as far as leg strength and mobility are concerned. My knee isn't quite at full strength (especially when nearly fully extended), so walking on uneven terrain can still be an adventure. On the other hand, with the help of a pair of trekking poles I successfully hiked the two-mile main trail through the town forest this afternoon. (Typical Massachusetts forest trail: granite ledges, exposed tree roots, and random rocks left over from the last glaciation. Not great footing, in other words.)

Also, the last year of walking as much as possible has had a pleasant side effect. When I first went to see my doctor about the knee (back when I thought it was only sprained), I weighed just shy of 275 pounds. Yesterday, at my regular physical, I was down to 255.

And I had my final session of physical therapy earlier this evening.[1]

My knee's not at 100% yet, but I can go up and down stairs without holding on to the banister, I can walk on uneven surfaces without the aid of a cane, and I even went for a (short) bicycle ride last night.

So. Yay!

[1] Although I don't think I'll be sending the PT doc a thank-you note. The last time he treated a patient with a quadriceps tendon rupture, the patient dropped dead of a sudden heart attack three weeks later on a Friday. The next Monday, the thank-you card that the patient had sent the PT doc arrived in the mail ...

I missed noting this in all the snowpocalyptic excitement of the Second Blizzard of 2015 (not to mention the last hours of Boskone), but my temporary handicapped parking placard officially expired last Sunday.

Nice thing to have when you need one, but it's far better not to need one in the first place.

It's now been twenty-four weeks since my knee surgery. And I can actually use both knees now in going up and down stairs! Progress!

Not yet fully healed, mind, since I really need a strong bannister or two to hold onto for support while putting a load on my left knee. But fully healed is now in sight.

Still no fancy medical usericon. Blame a local shortage of round tuits.

[1] Technically, twenty-four weeks and one day, since my surgery was on a Friday and today's a Saturday.

On the one hand, it's kind of hard to believe it's been that long since my knee surgery.

On the other hand, I'm pretty happy with my recovery so far. I'm walking well enough to routinely take the commuter rail into Boston, which saves me money, aggravation, and wear-and-tear on the car. And my physical therapist now has me doing step-up exercises. Small steps, mind you - I just graduated to the two-inch step - but definite improvement. (As a bonus, I finally have a new use for some of the obsolete computer programming language manuals I have lying around!)

Hopefully, by the time I find myself needing to navigate snowy / icy streets, I'll have two good knees to do the navigating with.

Saw my surgeon today for the ten-week followup; he's happy with the incision and with my progress to date. Then PT tonight included the stationary bike for the first time. Only a couple of minutes, verrrry slooooow, and no resistance - but first time on the bike, none-the-less.

It's now six weeks since my knee surgery, and I had a followup visit with my surgeon today. He's happy with the incision, and very happy with my range of motion to date.

Which means ... I no longer need the leg brace! I'm actually allowed to walk around without my knee locked! I don't have to stump from point A to point B! Yay! [1]

Of course, it's still going to be quite a while before I'm back to full strength and agility. For that matter, it'll be a while before I feel comfortable walking without my trekking pole as a balancing aid.

And, alas, I'll no longer have the leg brace to act as an automatic conversation starter. Oh, shucks.

[1] Insert Kermit-flailing arms image here. [2]
[2] Without any corresponding jumping up and down, alas. The knee's not in that good shape yet.

Is actually pretty good. I had my first post-surgical doctor's appointment today (thirteen days post surgery), and the surgeon is quite pleased with the healing to date. He says I can now start flexing my knee up to 90 degrees (instead of the 30 degrees I was limited to for the first two weeks). Of course, my knee is saying "whoa, not so fast there, bub!" since it hasn't been flexed that far since the surgery, but I've got new settings on the mighty leg brace.

Also a prescription for PT. Goodness knows I want my full range of motion back, but I don't want massive ouchies along the way. I suspect I may not get the one without the other, though. (Will call the PT place in the morning and see what they have to say.)

With some luck, I'll be rid of the leg brace in another month or so. I'm definitely looking forward to that!