Getting Vaccinated In Ontario
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Getting Vaccinated In Ontario
Dose 1 of my covid vaccine
There has been so much discussion around the topic of covid vaccines. As a health & wellness professional and someone who shares most aspects of my life with you anyway, I thought it was important to share this experience on the blog. I know there are a lot of opinions and conspiracies floating around. My intention is not to convince anyone to take the vaccine nor shame those who have chosen not to. I just want to share insight on the process from a Black female lens. I noticed many of my peers who took the vaccinate were quiet about their decision for fear of conflict or being judged. That is not okay - we all have the right to choose what we do with our bodies. I too had many concerns about the vaccine at first but I got to a point where I was just tired of doing nothing.
Our province remains stagnant, as the world progresses around us. Businesses continue to close, the mental health of many continue to decline, and sadly we are losing precious lives to the virus - especially within the Black community. I personally lost a family friend to covid complications on April 26th. Still shook up about it. One of the kindest humans - someone I have known my entire life. He even lives on my street. A husband, father, brother, uncle and grandpa. A leader in the Jamaican - Canadian community. His legacy lives on and was highlighted by the hundreds of people across the world that celebrated his life virtually. We will miss you forever Fadda Ramsey.
Scheduling Appointments:
I heard the vaccine booking process referred to as the “hunger game”s many times and I would have to agree. Although I live in a peel hotspot and was eligible for booking, appointments were scarce. Many opted to attend a pop - up vaccine clinic but I simply didn’t have the time or patience for that. The line-ups at these pop up clinics were horrendous. Unfortunately the Ontario booking process is also extremely outdated; my heart goes out to the elderly or people with language barriers as I’m sure this process was especially difficult for them. I remained patient and diligent. On May 3rd, I managed to book my appointment after waiting on the phone for about an hour and simultaneously in the 658,781 spot on the Ontario health website!
For support in finding vaccine appointments, follow: Vaccine Hunters Canada. This volunteer based organization turned out to be the super hero of this process. They frequently update their pages with info on vaccination sites near you. https://twitter.com/vaxhunterscan https://www.facebook.com/vaxhunterscan
Appointment Day
On May 13th I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Trillium hospital’s vaccine clinic. The process was seamless and all the staff were friendly. The actual needle felt like I prick - not painful at all. Then I was asked to wait for 15 minutes to be evaluated. I was also auto scheduled for my second dose in four months.
Symptoms:
From my own research I was aware that the vaccine will effect every body differently. Thankfully, for the first 24 hours, the only symptom I experienced was a sore arm. However the real tea came weeks later… (warning - I’m about to discuss menstrual cycles!)
One of my biggest reasons for vaccine hesitancy was due to reports that it could effect your reproductive health. As a woman with no children yet - I was concerned. As a women who’s spent years healing her hormonal health - I was concerned. As a Black woman living within systems that don’t always look out for my best interest - I was concerned. Low and behold my first menstrual cycle since the vaccine is where I believe effects from the vaccine showed up in my body.
After spending years cleaning up my diet and taking supplements specific to my needs, I generally have a peaceful period. Mild cramps for about 1-3 hours on the Day one of my cycle.
My first period after the vaccine however was the most painful menstrual cycle I have had since my teenage years! For about three days prior I could barely move around much or sleep through the night. Constant cramping and sharp pains in my lower back. I didn’t go to the doctor for the pain but I did find a reliable article that shared a plausible link as to what may have caused this outcome. It stated that the lining in a women’s womb is a part of the immune systems. Since immune cells play a role in building up, maintaining and breaking down the lining of the uterus, it is highly likely that chemical signals from the vaccine triggered a response in my ovaries. Again, my reproductive system may be extra sensitive but I thought it was crucial to let my ladies be aware of this. Especially since I know of other women who experienced similar symptoms. Please do not use this information as a deterrent use it as insight to do further research for yourselves.
Here’s a forum by the City Of Toronto titled: Black Scientists Task Force On Vaccine Equity. It offers a wealth of knowledge from Black medical professionals:
Do I agree with all the decisions the government has made during the pandemic - NO. Would I have loved more extensive vaccine trials to be conducted on women - YES. Would I have loved more trials to be conducted on women of colour - HECK YES. However, I really had to take a breath, lean in on my faith, do my research and make a decision that I believe is best for myself and family.
I miss hugs, I miss creating in person experiences for people to cultivate joy, I miss traveling, I miss carnival, I miss buffet brunch dates at CIBO wine bar, I miss not wearing masks and having my lipstick pop in the sun, I miss house parties, I miss going to my nephews soccer games… I miss boat rides, I miss regular eye brow appointments, the list goes on…
Thinking of you all - praying for you all and your families.
Cheers to brighter days ahead!
