But, quite unexpectedly, there was a glimmer of hope. My doctors called to inform me that I somehow managed to gain early access to the covid-19 vaccine. As someone who was certain I was too young and healthy to get it so soon, I couldn't believe my ears. In fact, I remained in disbelief until I found myself seated in a small room at a grocery store clinic, seconds away from getting my first dose of the Moderna covid vaccine. The injection itself hurt less than the flu shot, and for the first several hours or so after getting the vaccine, I felt perfectly normal. Going to sleep that night with just a barely sore arm, I thought I'd dodged any side effects, and my immune system would create antibodies silently.

At around five or so in the morning, I woke up chilled to the bone despite having several layers of blankets on top of me. My whole body was throbbing in pain, especially the arm where I got the vaccine. I suffered from a blinding migraine that partially obscured my vision. Overall, I felt like a two-hundred pound anvil was tied to my legs after I'd been trampled by a stampede of cattle. 

Somehow, I managed to stumble to my feet and plod downstairs to get some water and a heat pack. Even more miraculously, I managed to climb back upstairs to my bedroom, where I was basically paralyzed for the day. My immune system was doing its job, not nearly as quietly as I hoped it would however. Still, I rejoiced in the pain. I wasn't sick with anything. I was just feeling the wrath of my over-reactive (yet somehow still very much nerfed) immune system. Soon, I could get back to life as it was before the pandemic, without risking ending up in the hospital or the grave. That alone made the vaccine side-effects so, so, so worth it!

The morning after that, I felt almost completely better. The nasty flu-like symptoms I'd suffered from were pretty much gone, aside from some lingering fatigue and achiness. However, nobody but myself could tell I was still feeling a little shitty, for I could finally see the light at the end of the long, grueling tunnel. I had just one more month left, then I could declare that covid-19 was finally in my rear view mirror! Finally, I had an idea of how much longer I had to put up with the bullshit. Finally, I could start plotting my escape from Washington back to my home in Colorado.