Flu Shot

The community nurse came to our home to give hubby and myself our flu shot. This is the first year we have not been able to go to the clinic.



Last year, we drove in the car, but hubby was not able to get out of the car to walk into the clinic. It was cold outside and he would have desaturated too fast.



I went in and registered both of us and then asked if the nurse could give him the flu shot in the car. I fully expected them to say "are you kidding?"

But, surprise, surprise - they agreed.

The nurse put on her coat, walked over to where we were parked in the handicapped spot and jumped in the front seat. She gave hubby his shot right there.



This morning, the nurse was scheduled to arrive in our home at 10:00. A decent time - not too early; not after lunch when hubby usually sleeps.

Well, hubby had to prepare mentally for this visit. He made sure he was up early. He took his time reading the newspaper while drinking his morning coffee. You can't rush when you have COPD. You become short-of-breath and have to stop. That makes it take even longer.

I got up, drank my coffee, and wrote my "morning pages" (see www.theartistsway.com by Julia Cameron for an explanation of "morning pages"), then went into the kitchen and had breakfast. Hubby came in and sat down to eat too, but I was off to the races. Bing-bang up in the shower, blow-dryed my hair, dressed, make-up, made the bed, like I was going off to work again.

Hubby was still eating his toast.

I finally got him upstairs an hour before the nurse was due to arrive. It took him that long to wash, dress and take his puffers.

By 10:00 we were ready and waiting.

After the vaccines were done, hubby had to go and rest.

"Whew" he said, "what a morning!" Then we both looked at each other and laughed.

Our "morning" as it was today, used to take "minutes" in the old days.

At least we can laugh about it. And at least we still have each other.