 |
| Sign on my barber's door yesterday when I first made an attempt to get a haircut |
I had two goals to accomplish today:
Get a haircut (for my class reunion tomorrow)
Get a flu shot (for my Winter Experience)
I only got one accomplished. I called my barber (best one I've ever had in my life) only to find out she wouldn't be in again today. Drat! So I'll go to my class reunion tomorrow as Old Shaggy Ron. Oh well, at least I'll be one of the few with hair, shaggy or not.
My second goal was to get my annual flu shot.
I've always been leary of getting these flu shots. It seems as if every year I still get colds/flu regardless of whether or not I have gotten a flu shot. Oh sure, I know there's a difference between colds and flu which I won't go into here. All I know is that most years I've had something in the winter months that's really knocked me for a loop.
 |
| A generic image - NOT ME but the way I felt |
Thus it was last year I seriously debated whether or not to even get a flu shot, especially since I heard the year before that the flu vaccine was only 13% effective. Excuse me? But, after some semi-relentless nagging from Bill I got the darn flu shot and wonder of wonders, last year was the first year in I don't know how long I actually did not have a cold. Now that was a pleasure. Especially witnessing my friends Larry and Pat (neither who believe in or get a flu shot) endure all the stages of "I have a cold."
Our flu shot appointment was at the Georgetown VA Outpatient Clinic at 1 PM today. Bill and I arrived early (about quarter till). It didn't take too long before more Old Vets like us started to show up and congregate. It wasn't too long until I heard someone say "Here we go, hurry up and wait", that being the mantra all of us first were exposed to during our individual basic training exercises.
 |
| The warriors gather for their annual flu shot this afternoon (snuck this with my iPhone) |
I will give the VA Outpatient clinic credit though, they handled us (a bunch of old goats) very expeditiously and with respect, the way they always do.
 |
| The gathering |
We filled out our sheets and handed them in and it wasn't more than fifteen minutes until I heard my name called: "RONALD TIPTON?"
That be be. I parted through the Sea of Old Vets and made my way into the Needle Puncture Unit. "Ed", the vet volunteer was sitting at the table with my papers and a heavy set black woman was getting my needle ready. She said "Which arm?" I offered up my right arm. She swabbed it and she brought the waiting needle up to my arm. I, of course, looked the other way before the actual puncture. There! It was done. I told her "I didn't feel a thing!" She said "I didn't either!" Ah yes, that's what I like, a sense of humor.
 |
| Bill demonstrates where he wants his shot |
Now for my class reunion tomorrow. This one is my 55th (high school) class reunion. I would have liked to gone with a spiffy new haircut but it is what it is. At least I'm inoculated.
Pictures of the class reunion tomorrow.
 |
| A selfie while Bill and I waited to get our flu shot |
