This has been a very busy week from my perspective with the first three days all tied up with different things. On Monday, I paid a visit to a skin doctor, not the one who I have seen forever who makes the initial examination and if she can treats, whatever she finds. No this one is a specialist in the Mohs procedure, whatever that is. All I know is that he very lightly injects the area to be treated and then I suppose, he starts cutting. Anyway, between him and about three different nurses, they worked on two different areas, both on my upper cheek and both very visible. I guess it doesn’t really matter too much regarding spoiling my good looks as they are long gone, disappearing into the sunset to be replaced by an old and wrinkled face that I have difficulty in recognizing some mornings.
Seriously though, too much Texas sun can play havoc with my skin and as I am out in it so much, I really should pay more attention and put on sunblock if I know that I am going to be out for any length of time. I have resorted to using skin cream that contains sunblock but I am not sure how efficient it is. Obviously not too much judging from my latest trip to the Dermatologist. I was a bit sore when the numbing wore off but nothing too bad. As a badge of honor, I now have two very large Band-Aids adorning my right cheek for all of the world to see. Incidentally, the process required a lot of waiting as they perform in house testing to see if all of the cancer has been removed and if not, they go back in and do more cutting. I was in there for almost three and a half hours.
On Tuesday, I got my first Covid 19 shot. I had not bothered about it too much but the more I thought about it, I decided that rather than keep telling anyone that asks, “No not yet”, it was easier to go ahead and get it done. As no one had turned into a zombie that I had heard of, I figured the shot is safe. So I started looking in earnest and managed to locate a website that looked promising. I filled out all of my details adding with much pride, my age and sat back and waited. Two days later, I received a response telling me that I needed to be in Round Rock at the Dell Diamond at a certain time in a couple of days. Round Rock is in Williamson County but apparently, that doesn’t matter as I live in Travis County and also Hays County with the RV.
My appointment was for between 11:00 and 11:30 giving me time to drive there as Round Rock is a good hour away as long as there is not too much traffic on the Interstate. Luckily for me, it was comparatively light and I made good time arriving just at 11:00. The first problem I ran into was actually finding the location where the shots were given as the address was not that clear. I asked an older couple who happened to pull up alongside of me and they pointed out where I needed to go. Thanking them vert profusely, I made my way to the entrance to immediately be confronted by lines of orange cones which I assumed needed to be followed. This was confirmed by a young lady who was directing this traffic in this giant parking lot. I drove for what seemed like ages following the cones that twisted in all directions and sometimes doubling back on themselves with no rhyme or reason. Luckily, where there was a tricky intersection , there was a live person directing the traffic. By now, I had caught up to those in front and was boxed in by those behind as this endless stream of cars and trucks traversed in weird directions around the parking lot. Eventually, one of these people that were directing us, was stopping the line of cars and trucks and asking questions and when it was my turn, I discovered that he wanted to see my appointment paperwork and asked a few questions about if I had Covid and stuff like that. Satisfied with my responses, he marked on my windshield and sent me on my way following the car ahead of me. Before long, we had split and become two lines slowly creeping forward for what seemed like an eternity. Then, after being stopped for the final time, we were directed into one of at least ten different lanes and we could see the tents just in front of us. Slowly, very slowly, the cars inched forward until there was just one car in front of me. Many people were scurrying around all in a state of high activity as they asked questions, made notes and finally administered the Pfizer Covid shot while we sat in our vehicles. They made one guy get out but that was because he was such a big man, the nurse was having trouble administering to him in his car. Just as I thought we were all through, I was in for yet another surprise. We were directed to yet another area and a staff member with an iPad arranged for the follow up shot giving me a date and time. They also made us wait for fifteen minutes to make sure that no one was having any after effects from the shot.
Finally, I was cleared to go and make the long trip back home this time, in rush hour traffic. Altogether, it took an hour to get there, almost two hours for the shot and another hour to get home. Still, at least I am halfway there and next time, it won’t be so strange with the intricacies of following the yellow brick road or rather the orange lines of cones. My follow up date is in three weeks time.
The third day, Wednesday was spent at home cleaning the 5000 gallon pond and getting ready for the upcoming fish rescue.
More on that later in the next blog.
Go check out my old blog at https://pondblog2011.com/ for all of my previous blogs.
Written 03/24/2021
Yes, the sun can do numbers on our skin. I too have been to the dermatologist.
After my 15 minute wait, indoors in a hospital, the person who was assigned to check me was only wearing her mask over her mouth; her nose was exposed (and she was right on top of us). I issued a complaint to the head nurse in charge of it all.
At least all of the people that attended me wore their masks the proper way. I was more concerned with the needles and scalpels that the masks.
After reading of your experience getting a shot, I realize how lucky we were. We waited in line for about 45 minutes and 15 minutes after that. The second time we didn’t have to wait at all. We lucked out. All of my friends now have had their shots. What a relief!
A relief that you have friends or that they had their shots. Or both? In some ways, it was interesting watching all that was going on except that it took way too long. Wonder if we will need boosters next year?