I've been...

shot!

Finally!


This is medically a huge step for me and a day I've been waiting for a VERY long time! Over two years actually.

My stem cell transplant left me with zero immunities. That's right, zero. I'm medically responsible to be afraid .... very afraid. I must avoid any busy public places, like transportation, movie theatres, line ups etc. I also have to avoid touching or spending too much time with children and am not really allowed to visit hospitals, lest I be exposed to something nasty. I have to avoid any type of party foods because they sit out on the table and cannot guarantee having been refrigerated. That also goes for any kind of vendor food or basically anything fun. It's my job to be paranoid.

Wait, did you just cough!? Are you sick!? Do you think you might have Diphtheria? Or perhaps Pertussis? OMG! Is that a chicken pock?!!!

I carry around hand sanitizer which is sure to be the end of the world as we know it because of all the super bugs it's going to create. I'm a real bummer to take out sometimes.

People close to me occasionally think I'm going overboard but the chances of dying because I ate some dip at the wedding is a bit of a deterrent. Possible death or piece of broccoli? Hmmmm.

I try to keep my caution under wraps but it's inevitable that someone will say, why aren't you eating any of this delicious food that we've had sitting out on the table under the hot sun since an undisclosed time? Why aren't you kissing that rashy little baby? Why don't we just cram ourselves in that doorway with 13 other people so our bodies can all rub up against each other while we wait for our table? Their body heat will keep us warm.

Hell, my oncologist says I'm not even allowed to eat blue cheese or dig in the garden!

Anyway, I received 5 shots with about 3 different diseases being covered per shot. I have to keep getting a series of these shots for the next year. I am no longer a born again immunity virgin!

I'm finally on the road to an immune system that will protect me!