I spent today lying in bed or on the couch, staring at the ceiling as that is all the energy I could muster. My television was off. My blackout shades were drawn. I couldn’t handle the slightest of stimuli.

My body is fighting off chills and high fever. One moment, the warmth of a half-dozen blankets can’t keep me warm; the next, I feel like I’ve spent hours in a sauna. Every muscle seems to ache, especially my left bicep which I can’t even raise. My head is pounding. There’s also a weird tingly sensation in my mouth.

I couldn’t be happier though. As of yesterday, Friday, June 25, at 1:43pm, I am fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. The double shot of Pfizer may have taken me out momentarily but it’s also given me a world of opportunity as we start to get our lives back.