COVID Booster #5 done!

 WouldI get a Covid booster? It wasn’t something much that I had to think about since having Covid back in May 2022.  I had gotten my booster shot a month prior. The Covid that I had was not severe. It felt kind of like a cold. No chills no fever, not even a loss of taste. I could see now how Covid could be very contagious when symptoms are very minor for some. If I had not had the booster shot, I have no question that I would’ve had Covid pretty bad. My husband had just gotten his shot a week prior, so it shows that the booster shot has to have some time in your system to build your immunity. Unfortunately, for him, he needed to take packs of it because his symptoms were pretty bad. He wasn’t going to a hospital, but he said it was like the flu times 10. After Paxlovid for one day, he was back. We are lucky to have the medicines that we do now, unlike the beginning when it was such a scary situation.

I asked that the shot be administered in my right arm, when given a choice, because my right hand and right shoulder have been wonky at times. Because of that, I have been trying to learn how to use my left hand and arm more. So I thought this was a perfect opportunity to just not worry so much about my right arm, being righty my whole life. So having the shot in my right arm, reinforces the use of my left arm and hand. We will see you when I get to the gym, which is right behind me. See you later!

Note, this is just a journal of how I felt after the gym about 12 hours after getting the Covid booster. 

When I was getting dressed this morning for the gym, I noticed a slight weakness in my core. It was a little difficult for me to get dressed and get my leg crossed up over my leg so I can get my socks on in my pants on, but this is something that I usually go through, but it was a little different today. I ignored it and continued on my way, drinking my protein shake, and heading downstairs to my vehicle.

Getting to the front door of the gym was a little clunky, but thankfully somebody was there to keep it open for me so I could trudge on in. I felt like my feet were dragging in mud, and I felt that way before. I have felt that way when I have been sick, and although I am not sick, my body is down since the Covid.

I went to the Cybex machine for my cardio, where I usually have been doing 20 minutes before my workout. Today I could do no more than 10 minutes. My feet were also tangled up together, trying to get them on the plates. I have had this in the beginning when I tried to figure out how to best enter the machine for cardio.

I had a plan to keep it tight today, and not have to walk between machines as much. I used the back room which is called a functional training room. It is here that I did my abs, obliques, continued on to hanging back extensions, and wrapped up with hip abduction.  Being a trainer for me is really important especially at times like this when I have to make the most of my space and my time. I have no time to let my MS symptoms currently get me down. I know that this is due to the booster that was given to me, and I just have to keep reminding myself. I had to remind myself to head to the bathroom, because it is a far walk, but rather than sit in the locker room and eat an energy bite, I headed out to my car. Luckily, someone was there to keep the door open for me. Everybody knows me at the gym. It’s hard to miss me going between machines on crutches, there every day, and always determined. That’s how I always want to be remembered.

When I got to my SUV, I had trouble getting my right leg in the driver side seat. Well, not the seat, but just the floor. I had put on my ankle cuff before I went in to the gym earlier, knowing that I would probably not be happy, just standing, supporting my body weight and cranking out numerous hip flexion exercises with this ankle cuff. But it has been a lifesaver for me when I lock the strength to bend my knee and just get my foot up. I just grab onto one of the hooks and drag my leg in. It’s like a meat hook. A very handy one that I stowaway behind the driver seat on the floor. I never know when I’m going to be too tired to get back in. The driving is not an issue because I don’t drive with my feet anymore having hand controls, but I always need to keep this whole handy.

All in all, I am proud that I came to the gym, even though I knew it wouldn’t be a prime workout for me. It was a lesson in making do with what you’ve got where you are. There is always something you can do and never an excuse to do nothing. Even if you’re doing nothing, you can be working on your mind and meditating. That’s not nothing.

So here I am in my car before and after my work out on this blog. And loving it. Is there more you would like to know about me? And my never ending quest to stay empowered? Please let me know in the comments!