Vaccine Emotions

There are quite a few emotional roller coaster rides associated with being a lung transplant recipient. The latest one I've hopped on is over the COVID-19 vaccine. I am enrolled in a National Vaccine Research Study for Transplant Recipients that will study COVID-19 antibody levels in transplant recipients who get the COVID-19 vaccine. If I'm going to get the vaccine, might as well donate some data (blood) to science.

Last week the community we live in announced that they will be offering the vaccine sometime soon, then on Christmas Eve we found that the vaccine is scheduled for the 30th. Trigger the excitement emotion. I notified my Transplant Team and the Study Team.  Since it was Christmas Eve, I just heard back from my Team. And... they haven't yet come to a consensus on recommending the vaccine to their patients. Trigger the disappointment emotion. Hopefully they will make a decision soon as I will have to cancel if they haven't come up with a recommendation by Wednesday. I do understand their hesitancy in recommending the vaccine without more definitive data, but it sure would be nice to be able to go our and about again without being as 'at risk' as we are now. 

COVID-19 has been very hard on the solid organ transplant community. The overall mortality rate for someone who has had a transplant and is hospitalized for C-19 is around 20%. Much higher for lung transplant recipients. So yes, a trip to the pharmacy or store has to include a risk/benefit analysis. This is why the anti-maskers and COVID deniers are so dangerous to us. We have to do some things that involve interaction with the public, and their disregard to the most basic public safety protocols puts us at risk.

I could really jump up on my soapbox about the idjits who put us all at risk, but this is not the post for that. This does highlight another emotional part of the vaccine roller coaster, a bit of anxiety about being infected before we get the full effects of the vaccine. 

And no, the vaccine isn't some sort of magical COVID shield. It's 90% effective in healthy individuals, likely less in the immunocompromised. Let's assume it is only 70% effective for us, this still makes us much less likely to be infected by incidental contact with the virus. Add a basic mask (30% effective) and our risk is reduced by 79%. Add in handwashing and social distancing, we can really minimize our risk and be able to see our loved ones and maybe even have a meal at a favorite restaurant. A bit of normalcy will be awesome.

Update: I had to cancel my vaccine appointment for tomorrow.  I had to let them know if my Transplant Team had approved by early this afternoon, and that didn't happen. The Team just doesn't have the data yet to make the recommendation for me. Since I am participating in the ECP Clinical Trial there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration before I get the vaccine.  So back to my cave I go.

Update to my update: Just after posting the previous, I received a call from the Team telling me I could go ahead and get the vaccine. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.

Update #3: Since I am getting the COVID-19 Vaccine tomorrow, I drew my first blood sample for the research study I mentioned earlier.  Here's the kit I received in the mail today:

And here is the video of how to perform the blood draw:

Blood sample is drawn and delivered to FedEx. An interesting alignment of C-19 procedures is happening at the same time tomorrow. We get random COVID tests and ours came up for tomorrow, so we'll get swabbed then injected.

Update #4: I have to admit to a surprising bit of baseline anxiety this morning. I am excited about the opportunity to get the vaccine and maybe get back to normal sooner rather than later. Being amongst the first lung transplant recipients, and likely the first who is also receiving Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) to get the vaccine, does trigger the anxiety snake.  Writing about it helps.

Update #5: We received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Initial side effects... relief, and some hope that we might be able to hang out with our grandchildren this summer.

Update #6: It's coming on 6 hours since my vaccination and all is stable. Temperature, blood pressure, lung function, and heart rate and rhythm are all good to go.  I was a bit tired earlier, and there is a minor amount of soreness at the injection site, but just another Wednesday evening here at Casa JR.

Update #7: 26 hours since the vaccination. So far the side effects are pretty much right in between what I get for the flu shots and the pneumonia shots. The only thing happening is a slightly sore arm at the injection site. It's likely that my suppressed immune system would slow any immune system reaction to the vaccine. I had some concern about any effects my ECP treatments would have but everything seems to be just fine. A bonus about participating in the vaccine research study I mentioned above is that they will give us our test results during the study. It will be interesting to see how my immune system reacts to vaccine over time.

Vaccine Dose #2 - I received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine today. Hopefully I'm about 3 weeks away from returning to some form of normalcy. For me normalcy means still wearing a mask when out and about and using hand sanitizer/washing hands, but I will be able to go out. That is pretty cool.

So far, about 2 hours post vaccine, the only side effect is soreness at the shot site. It is more noticeable than with the 1st dose.  As with the 1st dose I'm taking Tylenol and Benadryl to help minimize any potential side effects.

Dose #2, Update #1: I had no issues overnight. The only noticeable side effect is soreness at the injection site. It is probably the same as my pneumonia shot, a little more noticeable than after the first dose. 

Vaccine Dose #3 - Today I went in for my 3rd dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Solid organ transplant recipients and other immunocompromised folk are able to get a 3rd dose.  It is important for us as we don't build up antibodies as easily or rapidly as healthy people. While I was there I also received the flu shot.

Eight hours post vaccine I have had nothing noticeable in the way of side effects. Temperature and blood pressure have been stable. I did take Tylenol prior to the shot, and had a Starbucks Refresher after. Haven't taken Benadryl this time around as I no histamine reactions from the 1st two doses.