On Saturday the children and I walked to Giant Eagle so I could get vaccinated. (My second dose of Shingrix, not for COVID-19. I am the only adult in my immediate family — including three sisters living in three different states, parents, spouse, and father-in-law — who has not yet had received the coronavirus vaccine.)

From my shingles vaccination back in October, I anticipated flu-like symptoms, so I drank copious water and took ibuprofen in advanced. Nevertheless, I suffered tenderness at the injection site, achy eyeballs and knee joints, dry throat, and overall exhaustion. I fell asleep before 8pm.

Over the past two nights I have averaged over seven hours of sleep, which is two hours more than I usually manage. During a full of Zoom calls yesterday, I remained off-camera and largely prone. This morning the worst has passed, although I am still tired, a bit fuzzy in my thinking, with swollen hands.

…

I received this vaccination on the weekend for two main reasons. First, the lines at the pharmacy are extensive on weekdays, when they are delivering the COVID vaccine. Second, this would allow me time to recover and rest.

Rest. Two more hours of sleep. Prone. The vaccination forced me to take a sliver of vacation. Even during weekends, I am normally focused on writing and reading on the glowing screen of my laptop, in order to compose and reply to email messages, grade and assign homework, plan lectures.

The vaccination enabled me to take a break without guilt. To care of myself.