For The Record

 Lib and I had our second AZ shot on Friday 15 Oct, having had our first one in July. We didn't have any adverse reaction to the first. Lib said the injection site had mild soreness for a couple of days, I didn't have that at all, as if I hadn't had it.

It was the same after the second shot. Then, last weekend I developed soreness in my chest bone at the top of the ribs, and across the top rib, first on my right side then on the left. With that I also had stabbing pain in that area when I moved or turned, extending under my arm round to my back, and into the neck. It was really quite severe. I remembered too that I'd had stabbing pain, with movement, for a couple of days in what I thought was a ligament at the top of  my right leg prior to the chest pain. After a couple days of it I said to Lib if this continues I'd better go the hospital and have them check my heart with an ECG or whatever they do, just in case I was having some sort of heart issue. It was the weekend so I was thinking I'd do that Monday if the improvement didn't come. I was marginally better on Monday and after a few more days of gradually diminishing discomfort, by Friday, I was fine, no more soreness or pain. Relieved I was.

I had suspected a heart issue because I'd read that heart attack symptoms are not always obvious and can be pain in the neck shoulders and arms, not in the central chest. And I couldn't work out why I had soreness and pain in that area as I hadn't hurt myself straining lifting or falling or being hit by something. Then it dawned on me that maybe it was a side effect of the vaccination which took a week to manifest. I googled side effects to second dose AZ and it said possible symptoms were chest pain, muscle pain, joint pain, as well as fever and temperature (which I didn't have). I had also heard it said somewhere that reactions can come a week or two after the vaccination.

So my conclusion, unconfirmed of course, is that my discomfort was a reaction to the vaccination. I can see no other explanation. I don't think the doctor or the hospital would have been able to say what it was, and as it turned out I was fine after a few days anyway without any expensive testing. All's well that ends well. For now at least. Who knows tomorrow. Today I took my sandshoes and socks off at the beach and walked in the shallows in bare feet. Gee it felt good. I plan to do this every day now if I can, weather permitting. And who knows, a land lubber like me may even be swimming in the surf soon. There was one bloke swimming there today. How good would that make you feel? I think I want some of it.

For the record too, I have a tomato plant in the back yard nearly 4 ft high. Never in my life have I had that at end of October. It was a seedling bought at Bunnings late August. And we picked our own basil leaves yesterday for our spaghetti dish, from pots I seeded in August. Much fun.