Day: March 5, 2021

When the correct (and just) decision does not benefit you….COVID vaccine priorities

I’ve watched friends and colleagues get the vaccine. Yes, some of them work remotely, as I was doing for a while.

Yes, with my high risk wife getting vaccinated, I decided to return to the classroom ..ok, for 3 of my 4 classes.

Yes, masks, social distancing, etc…and yes, limited class sizes.

I’d seen my age peers get vaccinated…but some are just a bit older, others live in different states, and still others cannot work remotely or have comorbidities. Even some of my juniors have been vaccinated..but again…comorbidities.

And my place in “the line”: waaaaaaay in the back..as in “90 percent” are ahead of me.

I am old enough to be at somewhat elevated risk, but not old enough to be over the 65 year old threshold.

I was essential enough to work during the lockdown (April) but not essential enough to qualify for an “essential worker” vaccination …and yes, that is fair.

Grocery store clerks, gas station clerks, medical industry people, K-12 teachers..yep, they SHOULD be ahead of me.

But I am also behind: prisoners (ok, yes.. I get it), homeless..(ok, yes, I get it), those in group homes (ok, yes), “special needs” (ok, see the group home thing), the obese (yes, I used be in that category, 26-27 years ago) and…smokers….

So..it appears that I lost places in line because I took better care of myself.

BUT…the reality is, I am less likely to take up room in a hospital and expose medical people so… as unfair as it appears to my immature “what about MEEEEEEE” gut, it is the right decision from a public health standpoint.

So…as someone who, well, I was never treated to “first class”; I was really sort of a “business class/economy plus” type of person (“United Club” or “Media Deck” not “luxury box”, “prime (in between the 30’s) not “premium“, well, being told “you are last” takes a bit of getting used to, EVEN if it is the correct decision.

Grin and bear it…it is only a bit longer. I will remain careful, by choice and yes, I have that choice and I have health …..and I’ve had it better than many.
So time to accept my bottom tier status graciously.

Sore shoulder day 1

On Saturday I heard that “snap, crackle, pop” in the right shoulder that means…it is going to be sore for a while. So I am doing the two Naproxen thing for a week or two and being very careful with weights: do nothing that causes pain.

Yes, I had the “night pain” last night…that usually (doesn’t always) means the shoulder is on the way to healing.

rotator cuff/hip hikes: slowly.

Pull ups: sets of 10 singles and 5 singles, coming to a complete stop and limiting swing. Reps were good and worked the muscles appropriately.

shoulder press: 10 x 94, 10 x 94, 10 x 105 all decent form; slight twinge on reracking the first set.

rows: 3 sets of 10 x 134

curls: 3 sets …very light curl bar and 1 kg collars: 10 with 6 kg plates, then 10 with 8 kg, then 10 with 12 kg. Very strict form.

deadlifts (all low handle); 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 10 x 224, pretty easy (Naproxen helped?)