Scared of the fated vaccine but doing it for the best.
12:11 am
You know how a lot people are mortified of injections? No? Okay... They are. Like, I've this friend Hugzy, she squirms at the mere mention of the word "shots" (the vaccination kind, NOT the alcohol shots; I rather think she likes those). And then I have this other friend, Ankita who had such a high fever that she passed out in the shower. And even after that action packed morning, she was initially apprehensive of going to the doctor...because, of course, the ever-looming fear of injections.
Me, I'm not so scared of needles. I can live through blood tests, and all of that. There is, however, one vaccination that I am petrified of, and which, sadly, turns out to be a recurring event of my life. And that would be the anti-tetanus shot. What. The. Hell. I've heard about how anti-tetanus injections hurt most people like crazy and they get fever after taking it and how it hurts them for a day. But my case is a little to the extreme. Even while that fated shot is given to me, despite the doctor's supposedly reassuring words (somehow, I cannot trust a doctor when they say that the injection won't hurt because more often than not, it does), it hurts like crazy at that moment. And the days that follow are agony. I think that anti-tetanus affects me slightly more than it does other people; but my mother thinks that I am a drama queen. Either way, the affected area hurts for days to the extent that I basically cannot lift, swing or do pretty much anything with it. So, you see why I am scared of that one shot.
Like I said, that is the one vaccine I get quite a few of and some of them in odd circumstances. I remember when I was in the 3rd year of my college, one day I was buying cold coffee at the college's Nescafé stall and when I turned around, to my surprise, there was a stray dog (not totally stray, as they roam around in our college and the students love them dearly, giving them food etc) lying practically next to me. I tripped on that poor dog and was about to fall on him. Now this is how my mind worked in that spilt second--I was going to fall on the dog and I had a split second to prevent that and I simply mustn't hurt the dog. So what did I do? I tipped my balance in a way that landed me right next to the dog, and I fell on my knees on a rock. Then followed the wonderful joyride to the hospital.
Then I remember the first ever time I took a driving lesson. Here is the thing: I had wished I could drive since forever, so when I was finally behind the wheel, I was super excited. Except for in the end, where I don't know where I nudged my foot and a metal-edge wounded my foot and blood started pouring out. So much for the driving lesson for weeks to come (how am I supposed to learn driving with a wounded foot and a useless recently-tentanus-injected arm?).
Anyway, point is, I am scared of anti-tetanus shots. A few days ago, after talking to a friend of mine (Shreya C., who has taken the following shot), I realised that it is time I took the vaccination for cervical cancer. I admit I knew nothing about this vaccination before Shreya C took it; I wasn't even aware that there was a vaccination like this. So I'll just write this bit down that I know so any female reader of this blog can go talk to their doctors accordingly.
Cervical Cancer is a type of cancer that affects women (since it happens in the uterus) and apparently it can be prevented by taking this vaccination. It is meant for adolescent girls and adult women, or so I have heard. There are 3 shots that you have to take, each with a gap of some specific months. And apparently it hurts. But do not go by me, all I really know is that it is crucial for any woman to take this vaccination. Please speak to your doctor about cervical cancer vaccination as your doctor would know about it best and do not go solely by my account.
Anyway, Shreya C told me that this vaccination hurts "quite a bit" which, to my over-hyper mind translated as "a lot". My first shot of the three-shots course is to take place this friday. I am mortified. I swear, I had a dream last night where I was given that shot and then my arm hurt like mad. I woke up in horror and called up Shreya C who told me to grow up and just do it. She has a point; it is either this temporary pain or cancer. I chose the temporary pain any day! So, Friday, here I come!
Me, I'm not so scared of needles. I can live through blood tests, and all of that. There is, however, one vaccination that I am petrified of, and which, sadly, turns out to be a recurring event of my life. And that would be the anti-tetanus shot. What. The. Hell. I've heard about how anti-tetanus injections hurt most people like crazy and they get fever after taking it and how it hurts them for a day. But my case is a little to the extreme. Even while that fated shot is given to me, despite the doctor's supposedly reassuring words (somehow, I cannot trust a doctor when they say that the injection won't hurt because more often than not, it does), it hurts like crazy at that moment. And the days that follow are agony. I think that anti-tetanus affects me slightly more than it does other people; but my mother thinks that I am a drama queen. Either way, the affected area hurts for days to the extent that I basically cannot lift, swing or do pretty much anything with it. So, you see why I am scared of that one shot.
Like I said, that is the one vaccine I get quite a few of and some of them in odd circumstances. I remember when I was in the 3rd year of my college, one day I was buying cold coffee at the college's Nescafé stall and when I turned around, to my surprise, there was a stray dog (not totally stray, as they roam around in our college and the students love them dearly, giving them food etc) lying practically next to me. I tripped on that poor dog and was about to fall on him. Now this is how my mind worked in that spilt second--I was going to fall on the dog and I had a split second to prevent that and I simply mustn't hurt the dog. So what did I do? I tipped my balance in a way that landed me right next to the dog, and I fell on my knees on a rock. Then followed the wonderful joyride to the hospital.
Then I remember the first ever time I took a driving lesson. Here is the thing: I had wished I could drive since forever, so when I was finally behind the wheel, I was super excited. Except for in the end, where I don't know where I nudged my foot and a metal-edge wounded my foot and blood started pouring out. So much for the driving lesson for weeks to come (how am I supposed to learn driving with a wounded foot and a useless recently-tentanus-injected arm?).
Anyway, point is, I am scared of anti-tetanus shots. A few days ago, after talking to a friend of mine (Shreya C., who has taken the following shot), I realised that it is time I took the vaccination for cervical cancer. I admit I knew nothing about this vaccination before Shreya C took it; I wasn't even aware that there was a vaccination like this. So I'll just write this bit down that I know so any female reader of this blog can go talk to their doctors accordingly.
Cervical Cancer is a type of cancer that affects women (since it happens in the uterus) and apparently it can be prevented by taking this vaccination. It is meant for adolescent girls and adult women, or so I have heard. There are 3 shots that you have to take, each with a gap of some specific months. And apparently it hurts. But do not go by me, all I really know is that it is crucial for any woman to take this vaccination. Please speak to your doctor about cervical cancer vaccination as your doctor would know about it best and do not go solely by my account.
Anyway, Shreya C told me that this vaccination hurts "quite a bit" which, to my over-hyper mind translated as "a lot". My first shot of the three-shots course is to take place this friday. I am mortified. I swear, I had a dream last night where I was given that shot and then my arm hurt like mad. I woke up in horror and called up Shreya C who told me to grow up and just do it. She has a point; it is either this temporary pain or cancer. I chose the temporary pain any day! So, Friday, here I come!
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