Member-only story
The COVID Vaccine Changed My Life
And I’m Breathing Easier In More Than One Way
I am an asthmatic. Today, the correct manner of saying this is to put the “person first” and say I have asthma (because my disability should not define me). Let me tell you from experience, though- this disability does define much of my life. It defines where I go, the activities I can do, if I can exercise outside or inside, and if I can meet with friends or be around cats. It’s the one constant thread in my life story.
COVID has made living with asthma tough. With chronic, moderate-to-acute asthma, I found myself getting overheated wearing a mask and would need to take my rescue inhaler before going into stores or going around people. It was frustrating, but it wasn’t anything I wasn’t used to.
A few months ago, information came out about several mRNA vaccines and their potential to help prevent COVID infections. I, myself, am personally iffy on them because they are newly tested, though I do trust the science behind the vaccines themselves. Regardless, the time came when I qualified, so I made the decision to get the vaccine. I wanted to go out and do things again, and I thought all this would do for me is give me back that freedom.
I got the Pfizer vaccine, and I was wrong.
