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Yesterday was one of the rare days when Chéri and I are both off from work.

We usually take advange of it to do our shopping, or pending chores. But Chéri suggested that we went to the cinema to see the latest film starring my all-time favorite Québécois actor (Rémi Girard… Awwwwwwwww).

He didn’t have to insist. Our last time out to the movies was more than a year and a half ago, and since we were going on a monday, during the afternoon, I knew it wouldn’t be crowded.

At the last minute, Chéri said ”We’ll be just minutes of walk away from the Olympic Stadium… Why don’t we also go for our fourth dose?”

Fair enough… We were due, and had no reason not to go. So we stopped by the huge clinic after enjoying our movie. On site, they offered both the latest covid vaccine and the one for this year’s flu. I had never taken the flu shot before, but with Chéri’s condition, and both his and my parents not getting any younger, I thought I might aswell get both vaccines at once.

While registering, the nurse asked me if I was in contact with anybody who was immunosupressed. I did notice her intense stare, but I couldn’t lie, and said ”no”. She went on with her list of questions and asked if I was a care-giver. Again, the intense stare. I took my time to answer, getting that she was trying to get a message across.

”My parents aren’t getting any younger… So…”

She looked around and almost murmured,

”Québec is the only Canadian province making people pay for the flu vaccine, unless you fit one of these criterias, and we (all of the vaccinating professionals) agreed to bend rules to provide free vaccines to anyone who are willing to have them. So you are a care-giver… Right??”

She didn’t wink, but it was just as if. I nodded, and she smiled.

”There you go! Move to the next station, and give them these two tickets.”

So I did move on, and sat at the next station… Handed my two free vaccines’ tickets, and got the two shots.

Chéri and I waited the usual 15 minutes to make sure we didn’t have any after effect.

And we walked back home.

This morning….

Ouch. My first three doses of the Pfizer vaccine against covid had barely given me a reddish spot on the arm. But this time? Again, ouch.

I have to say that I haven’t had so much as a runny nose in three years. So when I woke up with both arms terribly (read pretty mildly) sore, and a sensation that I was feverish (though my stubborn thermometer would prove me right), all day, I felt devastaded (read just not at my best).

My body just isn’t pleased with my ”good” idea of getting both vaccines at the same time. It raised it’s veto.

”Nope” it said.

”No!”

I’ll still go to work tomorrow, but never again will I get two vaccines at once. I’m no longer eleven… And I don’t like feeling sick even if I don’t think that I actually am.