How It Started Vs. How It's Going: I AM FULLY VACCINATED! | Practical Tips for Your Vaccination

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HOW IT STARTED _{December 2020 and January 2021}

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During the last month of 2020, I was one of the many people who were so afraid to go out because of the possibility of getting the COVID-19 virus. The vaccines have been made but there were still no available vaccines in our country.

This was taken during December 2020 during the wedding of my big brother. I had to quickly take off my face mask and face shield in order to take this photo lol.

I had to take a photo with this lovely pink dress because why not haha. I may be smiling here but deep down I was so worried about what might happen in 2021. For realz.

December 24th, 2020 | Sending love to everyone *finger-heart sign

December 31st, 2020 | Welcoming 2021 with a hope-filled heart

Cheers for the new year!

Here's me wishing and praying for a 2021 full of hope for all people.

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HOW IT'S GOING _{June 2021 and July 2021}

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Fast forward seven months from the New Year's Eve, I am finally fully vaccinated! I am not as scared to go out anymore. Yay!! Indeed there is hope for us this 2021!

IMPORTANT NOTE: I AM NOT MEDICALLY TRAINED. I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. BUT I AM A BELIEVER OF THE VACCINES. THIS POST IS TO HOPEFULLY PROVIDE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION because there have been a lot of negative news about the vaccine. Because of such, people get discouraged. People easily get deceived by so much fake news circling around the Internet. This post is here to tell you my own journey about the vaccination and how I responded to it. I have my fears and worries, too. But how did I overcome it? Read ahead so that you'll know my tips for you. Please do not be a part of the people who discourage others regarding vaccines. Do not be a part of the problem.

FACT: Right now in Cebu City, Philippines, the cases have been rising. (Written today July 29, 2021). The news: one article, another update, and another, and another one. You can also check your news sources to do your fact-check. The majority of the people who are in the hospitals with COVID-19 are people who refused to get vaccinated. You do not want to be a part of that statistics, would you?

This was taken after my first dose.

FIRST DOSE SIDE EFFECTS TO ME: My left arm felt too heavy for me. I did not have any cough, colds or fever. I just felt sleepy, that's all. The whole second day after my first dose vaccination, I cannot move my left arm as much because it is a bit painful to do so. I really prayed that I would no longer feel that way, since the following day, I would do go Bantayan Island. True enough, the next day, my left arm did not feel swolen anymore, and I thanked God in prayer. Yay!

This was taken after my second dose.

SECOND DOSE SIDE EFFECTS TO ME AND HOW I RESPONDED:

1. Second dose of Pfizer vaccine was Monday July 12. Got it around 3PM. I felt really sleepy. But since I had some work to do, I pushed myself to work. After the work, I slept and rested.

2. The night of July 12, I took a paracetamol. My body was telling me to do it because I was starting to have a little fever-ish symptom.

3. The whole day of July 13 I felt tired, sleepy and I had a fever-on-the-inside and I experienced headaches from time to time. So I took two paracetamols that day. I rested and slept, but I still worked as well. I PRAYED A LOT. Every now and then when I feel like my head is terribly (huhu) aching (but I didn't cry and willed myself that I am strong through Christ who gives me strength), I recite Psalm 23 and constantly remind myself that God's got this. I am healed. God is healing me.

4. The morning of July 14, I PRAISED GOD THAT I NO LONGER HAVE FEVER AND HEADACHES. INDEED JESUS HEALS US AND HE'S GOT THIS. Thank you, Jesus! All glory to You, my God!

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TIPS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER YOUR VACCINATION _{Practical Tips that Helped Me which may Help You Too!}

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THE FIRST STEP THOUGH: PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR MEDICAL HEALTH PROVIDER/ PRACTITIONER BEFORE YOU TAKE THE DECISION TO HAVE YOUR VACCINE. You need to know your body's condition medically in order for proper assessment to be done.

To those of you who are planning to get their second dose or even their first dose, my practical pieces of advice would be:

Before vaccination:
a. Listen to your body. If you are not feeling well (you have cough, colds or slight fatigue), do not have your vaccine even if it's your schedule because they will not have you vaccinated once you are unwell.
b. Take your usual Vitamin C. If you don't drink Vitamin C on a regular basis, I strongly encourage you to take Vitamin C one week before your scheduled vaccination date. This is to boost your immune system. Remember, we will be injected with the virus (the vaccine aka vaxx), so it is important that you help your body be at its best shape.
c. Pray to God to give you the strength you need for the upcoming vaxx.

During vaccination:
d. Take your Vitamin C. Make sure to bring water, candies/biscuits, fan and something to read on the date of your vaccination. For my case, the process of the vaccination took almost four (4) hours in total. Plus it was so hot in the area, on top that of that I am wearing a face mask, all the more heat huhu.
e. Pray to God while waiting for your turn. I had lots of thoughts of anxiety while waiting. There are news articles about the "bad" effects of some vaccines. Fear entered my thoughts. Instead of making it big, I made God bigger. I focused on Jesus instead. I gave Him my anxieties. He gave me a reassurance that, again for the nth time jong, "I've got this", and I felt secured and at peace.
f. Please greet the medical and non-medical frontliners in the area. I made sure to say "good afternoon/hi/hello" to each medical Frontliner accommodating me, and man, I saw them lit up, their eyes smiled. Wow! The power of kind/good words indeed make one glad. One nurse even smiled and told me, "Sus dili na gyud mi maka good afternoon sa ka busy maam, bahalag busy no basta good afternoon ra gyud gihapon then laughs". I realized then and there that it's important to be always kind to each people you meet because you never know how much it can potentially warm their hearts and make their day.

After vaccination:
g. Thank the Frontliners, of course. Drink lots of water! Make sure to LISTEN to your body! We have different body types so dvery body has different reactions to the vaccine.
h. I felt really sleepy after three to four hour I had my second dose. I worked for a little bit, then I slept. When I woke up, I felt like I may have a fever, so I took one paracetamol and went back to sleep.
i. I had mild headaches for the whole day, the day after my second dose. I took paracetamol. I made sure to drink lots and lots of water and my Vitamin C and eat fruits high in Vitamin C. I eat lots of veggies and carbs, too. I took care of my body extra extra carefully. When I wasn't working, I slept through the day, to relieve my headaches.
j. Pray to God to give you healing of any side effects of the vaccine. That's what I did. And I know my prayer worked because I did not have a super dupe tired/drained body because I was still able to work on my vaccine days. Our God is awesome, all glory to Him! ❤️

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VACCINATION DAY: PROCESS _{Step-by-Step Process: In Photos}

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STEP 1: Fill out the form. Wait for your turn. I mean patiently wait for your turn.

STEP 2: This is the Screening Area. Again, patience is the key.

STEP 3: Line up for the Counselling Area.

STEP 4: You are up for the Vaccination Area. Yes I know, patience is a virtue indeed.

STEP 5: This is the actual "vaccination". Get ready to be vaccinated, yeyy!

STEPS 6 and 7: You will "check out" and they will get your signed consent form. The staff will monitor you for 30 minutes after your injection. Once you are cleared, you can safely leave the facility. Me in the photo: Of course I need to take my "I am fully vaccinated" selfie lol.

PLEASE PROTECT YOURSELF AND PROTECT OTHERS, TOO. GET VACCINATED! All vaccines work, okay. VACCINES WORK!

‘Til the next post, hivers! Remember that you are loved beyond borders and beyond time & space. Okay? Okay. 💛❤️

Ciao for now! 🤗🥰

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