Tone shift

I am departing from my usual breezy creative style to sit you down and tell you three things I just found out.

First: Did you know that a bad virus can weaken your immune system sufficiently to make you vulnerable to a secondary, different virus, say, Covid? Since flu and Covid are both contagious respiratory illnesses with overlapping symptoms, it feels like one endless rollercoaster scourge. Anyhow, I now have Covid, and so does Sam. Where did we get it? Beats us. Do we feel like dogshit warmed over and served again in an even less attractive bowl? Yep.

Second: You can get the flu vaccine and the Covid vaccine on the same stupid October day and in mid-November, come down with both viruses, and not the easy or fun versions. You hear that the vaccines keep you out of the hospital, but sequential viruses is another, tougher nut to crack. Your body is still in baby lamb mode when a slightly different and nastier wolf attacks and starts gnawing on your vitals.

Third: Since you are over 65 and, despite an abiding dedication to steady habits and wellness, you feel vulnerable enough that Paxlovid, the antiviral you’ve never taken before during your two previous Covid bouts, sounds prudent, because all things being equal, you’d rather live. They were giving away Paxlovid to appropriate populations last time you checked, and that’s what you expect, when the doctor prescribes it. But it is no longer covered by even supposedly decent insurance like mine. Paxlovid cost me $450 out-of-pocket at Walgreen’s. It cost Sam $600 at CVS. WTF? I want to blame RFK Jr. so I think I will.

Sorry for what amounts to humorless information sharing, but think of it as a public service message. If I ever get out of this house, I’ll be onto another topic, promise. In the meantime, my novel is almost completely edited, one of the perks of being an invalid, and I am endlessly grateful for everyone of you who has helped out by feeding and caring for us. I may be in a weakened state, but my love for you is fierce.