It’s been so incredibly frustrating and sad that this is where we are one year into the pandemic. It was somewhat cathartic for me to call the MOH and leave a message about paid sick days, at least (and I generally hate making phone calls). It’s also a bit of a boost to see many organizations including the police push back against the province.

So sorry to hear things are not going well! But I am happy you are signed up for the vaccine.

I am very thankful that we have the vaccine available.

I had my first shot and dreaded it but it went fine with mostly tiredness afterwards. Hubby got his second shot yesterday, youngest got the J&J so is all done and oldest goes today (middle lives in Utah and works in public health so has been vaccinated for several months). I am in Michigan and cases are high again but everyone just pretends it is business as usual - go figure.

Thank you thank you all, for your words of encouragement, for boosting my confidence in getting vaccinated (not that I ever doubted the vaccine, but rather I just find it hard to block out the voices that would cast doubt on it, so it's anxiety-inducing), and for the perspective.

Fellow Ontarians (and Lisa, because you clearly get it lol) - let's just hold out hope that in a couple of years we can vote this dolt out of office, and in the meantime, as Jules says and to their credit (which I loathe to give), they are not immovable on their policies when we speak up!

To everyone in worse straits, sending so much love and support your way.

And to everyone who is starting to come out the other side, thank you for giving the rest of us hope!

xoxoxo

Helena, if you need a lift and a laugh and are on Twitter, check out the trending #GenXZeneca

Kerry, I started following it yesterday ... I was absolutely dead from laughing what was your favourite??? I loved the roundabout one (the old metal clunky thing in the park we used to spin on and fly off of) ... Mainly because a commenter deadpanned, "I almost died on that thing". Struck me as so hilarious . And tapped me into the "me" before anxiety came. Amazing!!! *Applause*

Kerry, a new winner lol ... 39 years hahaha.

Dupe post.

I’m enjoying Toronto Memes on Facebook - it’s mostly DoFo (our not-so esteemed premier Doug Ford) memes at this point. I like your positivity as always but I give them no credit for changing their policies, to me it just shows their basic incompetence as a government that isn’t leading anymore but just following the local health, education and police authorities.

Yep, Jules, can't disagree with you there! Will look for those memes too

Just read that Biden spoke with Trudeau yesterday and offered to send more Covid vaccines in the future. I hope help comes quickly and more can get vaccinated.

Those are hilarious!

I think this one got me first ...
https://twitter.com/martantomk.....70528?s=21

Tuesday night I was crying with laughter ... what a stress release ... at all of these tweets. My DH and DD were already asleep but sitting by myself reading these, I felt surrounded by good vibes, togetherness, a can-do attitude and hope. What a gift! I needed it

Just got back from the vaccine clinic! Moderna on tap today. They are alternating with Pfizer, depending on what they get. The volunteer I spoke with said they are vaccinating 400-500 people a day. Clinics are full, but some have been cancelled due to lack of supply. Only one scheduled for next week, and one for the week after. Of course we are a small community. #staysafe

Helena, hang in there because it’s not all terrible.

Yes, politics have definitely muddied the situation, as have normally reliable media outlets who have been less than diligent in separating speculation and opinion from science in the rush towards “late-breaking” news. Throw in indiscriminate use of highly charged language which labels everything from a day’s delay in a vaccine delivery to an overwhelmed ICU as a “disaster” and it’s amazing we haven’t all succumbed to bouts of weeping in our Zoom interactions.

Oh hahaha! I didn’t see that, the 39 years! I laughed so much at that ‘Saving’ one even so!

Much love to you, Helena, and the rest of our Ontario sisters, I feel for you all. I'm following the Ontario news closely--my sister is in the middle of it (and suddenly vaccine hesitant!).

Here in New Brunswick, we've had one recent case of clotting after the AstraZeneca vaccine. There is an effective treatment for it, which the patient received and has completely recovered. Because we now know to watch for it, the very tiny risk is even less significant set against the risks of getting the virus. All this is meant to be reassuring!

Helena, so sorry to hear how dire things are for you and your family. Your poor daughter - and poor you - it is so hard to put on a brave face for your children when you are feeling overwhelmed too.

I understand your concern about the vaccine as all we seem to hear on the news in Australia is issues with the Astrazeneca vaccine and clotting - which is not helpful at all as that is the only vaccine available to us in Australia at the moment. My friends who work in medicine and in the police force have all had the Astra vaccine and have been fine. As L'Abeille says, now they know to look for it - the risks are really very low.

It will be a few months before I am eligible for the Astra vaccine and like you, I am scared of an adverse reaction. However, my rational side says the risk is far greater without it so I plan to book in as soon as I can. Where I live we are going back into lockdown as once again we have community transmission and it is the 'bad' UK strain or a variant of it that has come out of India unfortunately people caught it through aircon whilst waiting 14 days in quarantine and now it is in our community.

Thanks so much all xoxox

Gaylene, yes, hindsight is 20/20 and it's easy to be an armchair quarterback on these things, I agree. I sort of looked a little deeper and the lack of control is killing me (so many of us, I know) and the politicians certainly bear the brunt of this frustration. And you are right, there is a massive amount to be grateful for. Thanks for offering that perspective x

L'abeille, thanks so much, yes, I am very comforted by the fact that they know how to treat. As hugely pro-vaccine as I am, I do understand why people are scared, because official communication has been sketchy at best, and of course the true anti-vaxxers are happy to take advantage of this. Hopefully your calm words will encourage your sister as they have done me

Bijou, rational side high five!! And thank goodness for it!

Kyle, now you know why Canadians care about US elections x

Rachy, lol ... I was laughing so hard at these. Honestly the best vaccine marketing campaign the world has ever seen.

Carla, yay that you got yours!! So many frustrations, but the uptake in the last few days is so encouraging. I'll posty "vaxxie" on Monday!!

Chiming is late here but I wanted to add my good thoughts for you, your family, your province, and your country. I'm so sorry to hear your daughter's comment (which really hit home; I can easily imagine one of my daughters having that kind of reaction if she were still young and home with us). I can't imagine the stress of this year on kids, although I hear a lot of stories from my educator husband.

For you and everyone, I wanted to add that I had a terrible time with the Moderna 2 shot, but it was short-lived. I was vaccinated on Wednesday at noon, was feverish all night, and was absolutely knocked off my feet yesterday: exhausted, achy, splitting headache, still feverish. I basically slept through the day and it was ROUGH but it was just one day. So much better today and back in the office. No regrets at all. It's a small price to pay to help move society in the right direction.

Hang in there!

xxxx

H - I'm not sure why i didn't see this thread when you posted it - I could have really used it because, gosh, I feel EXACTLY the same way. It's been so, so hard to see us going BACKWARDS instead of forwards because of all the governmental bungling. And seeing our premier crying and saying he made mistakes doesn't help when there isn't clear direction moving forward.

Anyway - don't mean to get all political - just wanted to say that I am feeling this with you, and my heart breaks for my kids too, and even more for essential and frontline workers still to be vaccinated. We will get through this together and THANK YOU for posting about it and opening the conversation xo

ps - had my vaccination on Monday and it went fine! yours will be too!

Right there with you! We got vaccinated in Florida, but rising rates in Berlin might mean my son’s school can’t give IB exams. Also, at an entirely different order of magnitude, the Van Gogh show my sisters and I were each going to see in our own city (me for one third to one half the prices they’re paying) is closed here for now. https://www.berlin.de/en/news/.....ly.en.html

https://www.eventim.de/artist/.....xperience/

Viva, huge hugs and glad you're through it! Roxanna, yes to everything you said ... And thanks, we bumped our appt up to tomorrow, yay ... Glad to get it, and to get it over with frankly! FI, so disappointing ... I hope you so get to immersive van Gogh, we saw it here in Toronto and it was terrific!

I think there is a Blockbuster membership card in the junk drawer in my kitchen . That cracked me up .

And DoFo (hahahaha) and his backup stack of Blackberries from the 90’s has got to be the stupidest thing I’ve read this week . I had my Pfizer shot last night . Kind of anticlimactic in a way . So impersonal too . Today my arm feels like someone punched me , and I had to have a 2 hour nap this afternoon . But other than that , it’s all good . I feel for those who don’t have the luxury of recuperating at home .

DoFo, lol!

Got my AstraZeneca yesterday! I napped for several hours yesterday afternoon, and had a rather achy sleep, but feeling much better this a.m. and so glad to have it over and done with. Frankly the scariest part of it was having to go into a Costco (thank God it wasn't very busy, and very organized, spaced, etc.)

It occurred to me that some of the excitement about vaccinations might stem from the fact that it's the first action regular people have been able to take that contributes to actually ENDING this situation (vs. just managing it, with masking, etc.) ... It's nice to feel that sense of control for a change, however small it might be!

Good for you, Helena! I’ve been thinking of you this weekend (and said a little prayer) hoping that all would go well for you and your DH. I took the 24hrs of mild symptoms as a sign that the old bod was building up some immunity - so not a bad thing. ♥️

So glad you got vaccinated! My husband had to go to Walmart for his.

Yay!!!
Yes, I read a good CBC article that mentioned one motivation for the stampede is people trying to do their civic duty.

Yay, pleased stage one is behind you!

YAY, Helena! A relief

Hope everyone is hanging in there, and that you are fully vaccinated soon!

We got our second Pfizer jab today. Fully vaccinated.

So happy for you, Helena! You look great in that vaccination' selfie!