On 18 November 2021 I had my first Pfizer vaccine due to it being mandated for my workplace. I have always known I wasn’t comfortable doing it, but I am a single mum to three boys and I was backed into a corner because I had to provide for them. With my first vaccine I just had a dead arm.
On 9 December 2021 I had my second vaccine at 8:50am. I felt ok and confident I’d be okay, but by 7:30pm I felt nauseous and started having cold chills while at my son’s basketball training. I drove home, and I was freezing. I couldn’t stop shaking uncontrollably. My son helped me into the bath, but nothing helped me and my back started aching badly. I got into bed and wrapped myself up still shaking. My temperature spiked causing me to have convulsions. My son was absolutely scared and thinking I was having seizures, called family and the ambulance. I was taken to hospital as my blood pressure and heart rate were erratic. I was in so much pain in my back and shoulders and then the chest pains started under my left breast. The only way I could stabilise my heart rate was being on heavy pain killers. I spent the night in the emergency department only to be released after scans and tests showed nothing and being told the vaccine was causing these “normal” reactions. Ever since, I’ve been lethargic and not able to be myself. Every week without fail, I’ve caught something from my day-care work whereas I previously had a great immune system.
Fast forward to 1 January 2022, I woke with a sore throat and feeling fatigued. I took Panadol and went about my day. By that night my body aches were bad. I went to bed hoping it was just the many late nights over Christmas, but I was wrong. I woke up feeling worse. I tested positive for COVID on 2 January 2022. It started as just a normal flu-like cold. I thought after a few days I would be better but I was wrong.
On day nine I took a turn for the worse. My breathing wasn’t good, I was back to being lethargic and the cough wouldn’t budge. My son again called the ambulance and they told me I most likely tore my chest muscles from coughing, and to be mindful of not breaking ribs. Apparently, this is what COVID does. It comes in waves, and it can be months of recovery, yet they are forcing a booster vaccine upon me.
Funnily enough not one my three sons are vaccinated and have been isolating with me and not one has caught it, yet I’m suffering badly. Every day I never know how I will be. I’m still short of breath if I talk for long periods or move about too quickly. How am I supposed to work like this? Let alone be a mum like this? I can’t get any finical support either.
It all seems so unfair, and something doesn’t add up to me.