Hey Jealousy: In Which I Try Not to Hate You for Various Reasons
Every day, every hour really, another photo in my feeds. Someone grinning with their sleeve rolled up, showing off their Band-Aid or certificate or, in the cool states at least, an “I got vaccinated” sticker. It’s like early voting but instead of doing an inner “Ba-booooo!” (victory cry coined by my high school class that, 25 years later, I’ve yet to shake), my emotional roller coaster begins.
Your parents are vaccinated! Yay! Mine too. What a relief! Wait, where do they live? Maryland? Damn it! That’s so close. What the f… oh, right, she has an underlying condition. Good for her.
School teacher. Great. Right on, right on.
How old *is* he?
For you see, after waiting and wondering whether I could get vaccinated at all, the MS Society released their verdict in early February: all MSers not only could but should get the vaccine. FANTASTIC. Where do I sign up? Oh, DC is starting with folks 65+ in at-risk neighborhoods? That seems fair. I’ll just sign up for the alerts. And wait. And wait. Each text notification raised and then dashed my hopes until I stopped reading them. Then one day Neal told me that DC had announced plans to open vaccines to people with lowered immune systems. Glory hallelujah!
I’m mildly immunosuppressed due to my disease modifying therapy (Ocrevus). It’s not the scariest of immunosuppressions, but it is cause for extra concern in these virulent times. So I’ve been cautious and am now hella eager to get some COVID antibodies up in here (up in here).
“You want the vaccine, Rebecca, and it’s available in DC… why are you even writing about this?” you may be thinking.
Well.
While I’m cleared to get the vaccine, the timing is tricky*. I can either complete my shots at least four weeks before my infusion or get my first jab twelve weeks after. March 1 was the first day I was eligible to even pursue an appointment. I’m due to be infused the first week of April. So again I wait.
We all know social media is a double edged sword. It makes us feel both connected and isolated. It allows us to celebrate friends’ victories… and hate them a little for their good fortune. And/or hate ourselves for being too lazy to do whatever they’ve done. Chronic illness intensifies this. It can be a struggle not to lean in to bitterness, especially when scrolling. Oh, you ran five miles today? Amazing! My phone says I managed 572 steps *and* I only fell once. Golly, those homemade croissants look delicious. My hands, which used to do amazing things in the kitchen, can barely manage a successful pancake flip. You dumbed into a COVID vaccination ahead of schedule? My dodgy immune system and I must wait until July.
Logically I know your getting the vaccine has no effect on me except to give me a pang of jealousy followed by guilt for begrudging anyone, especially someone I love, protection against a nasty virus. Similarly, your family dance party, your delectable eclairs, and your hiking getaway are things to be celebrated, but it’s often a toss-up whether I’ll grin or deepen the crease between my eyebrows. When I go into a guilt spiral, I remember the title of a terrific album by talented young (So very young! Damn them.) rockers The Regrettes- Feel Your Feelings Fool! All of these feelings are valid-joy, frustration, anger, jealousy, guilt, hunger (it always sneaks in), and they deserve to be felt.
It’s also good to keep a little perspective simultaneously. Things are shitty, and I have a lot be thankful for. Everyone I know personally is healthy. I haven’t seen my parents in over a year, but they’re awaiting me in my childhood home when travel feels safe. It feels like there is real cause for hope in the US (thanks, grown ups in charge). Plus, I’m trapped in a condo with a handsome and charming man.
I’m also the #1 Walk MS fundraiser in the DC area, which brings me lots of joy. Want to share a serotonin hit with me? Click here.
*So tricky that when I asked my neurologist what to do, she said, “Check with the MS Society.” I found this profoundly annoying. If you were part of an MS practice wouldn’t you release a statement or video summarizing recommendations for each medication? I was delighted to receive a video from my MS center last week… until watching it and discovering that it said, you guessed it, “Check with the MS Society!” Further reason to support this marvelous organization.
Leadership coach, word enthusiast, and lover of all things food-related. MS-haver since 2004. View all posts by rebeccascott
Originally published at http://stumblr.blog on March 14, 2021.
