Living with Diabetes and Lapband

The most interesting thing I've done in the last two years is to participate in the Pfizer clinical trial.

When covid started, I signed up for just about every clinical trial you can think of.  For example, I had to interact with an app daily as to my physical well being.  I had to send blood samples several times to a lab.  I still interact with an app that tracks both covid and the flu.

I was vaccinated for covid through the Pfizer trial on September 22.  I have to read a 22-page document, which was summarized verbally before they gave me the shot.  We were originally double-blinded, meaning we were told we wouldn't know our vaccine status for two years.  I had to give a blood sample before being vaccinated and again shortly after.

Being double-blinded upset a lot of bioethicists and my endocrinologist.  More on that in a bit.

They have me check in with an app weekly and have given me a covid test to take and send in if I do get covid.

I got my second shot on 10/12.

Since the double-blind upset so many medical professionals, we were unblinded at the time we would normally get vaccinated and given our vaccines then.  I was lucky as I had actually been given the vaccine.

I was so relieved to find out.  I suffer from allergies and am afraid a lot of the time that it might be something else.

I am a huge believer in vaccines.  Every vaccine I'm eligible for I've gotten -- none of them completely prevent disease, but they make the symptoms less deadly, or in the case of shingles less painful.  

I will say that it can be hard to recommend the vaccine, anytime anyone suffers side effects -- which I never do -- I cringe.  

I was given the opportunity to participate in the booster trial but wasn't able to participate as I had recently taken steroids.  

I had to go back in for a blood draw, this year on September 27, and I got my booster shot at the same time.

I still check in weekly, with an app.  I'm still supposed to contact them if I test positive and send in my covid test.  They gave me a new kit the last time I was there.