This morning I receive a letter from the local health authority informing me that I'm eligible for a shingles vaccination. They've given me an appointment at the health centre this coming Monday. The offer comes as a bit of a surprise as I'd never considered having one. The letter delicately informs me that the vaccine ' is beneficial for those who reach a certain age'.
The weather continues to be wet and windy and grey. It's rough enough for the fulmars to remain firmly anchored to their nests on the cliff edge.
When we get there the bakers shop is already busy. We wait in line behind three builders who are torn between ordering a breakfast steak and haggis pie ...
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Harvest mice :https://x.com/Britannica/status/2012569445734977954
Unlikely here:https://www.popsci.com/science/do-trees-explode-from-cold/
That other thing :https://mei.edu/commentary/irans-coming-reckoning-regime-collapse-is-likely-democracy-is-not/
A very British monument :https://x.com/historydefined/status/2013786153220981148
That's surprising :https://x.com/the_transit_guy/status/2014094157862539631
Canada - again. 457 Brits also died fighting alongside the US in the front lines. These comments probably put paid to the Kings visit :https://x.com/glen_mcgregor/status/2014394485908607037
14 comments:
My doctor last year recommended I consider a shingles vaccine based on my family history and recent medical papers. I'm too young to get the vaccine for free, but before you say no, to your free offer, Google reliable health sources about studies showing the vaccine reduces the chance of dementia occurring and perhaps progressing to make an informed decision.
Hari OM
As a retired medic I can say that vaccines, on the whole, have been a positive for society. The shingles vax push has me hesitant (although there claims of other benefits as mentioned by LOR): in the ten years I was linked to an age-care facility, I saw precisely four cases of shingles. Sixty residents, (moving popn, so maybe closer to a hundred different people), over ten years... four cases. In my personal connections over continents, I know one person who has had shingles. One. All that before this thing appeared, so I admit I struggle to see the need for blanket enforcement. If there is family history, or pre-existing factors, then definitely go for it.
As for the bakery, I'd be tempted by the spinach roll... YAM xx
My father has Shingles one summer, my Mother had to drive them home that September, it was debilitating. I have had the vaccine. As we gain wisdom, more vaccines are recommended.
Shingles are beyond painful and debilitating. Have witnessed several friends and family deal with it over the years. I've received the updated, double shot which is given six weeks apart. Worth it.
What a lovely stained glass window.
We're about to experience the polar vortex during the upcoming week with subzero temps arriving by tomorrow morning. As the article mentioned, trees don't actually explode but they can split and crack open with noisy pops and groans. We've lost a few fruit trees to such a phenomenon.
Another vote for the shingles vaccine. We've been vaccinated at the recommendation of our physician. I've also witnessed family and friends who have been afflicted; the pain can be excruciating. I once had a mild case and that was painful enough.
Better to have the vaccine rather than the disease, which is painful, debilitating and takes a long recovery.
I had the two part vaccine after a friend was debilitated with shingles. I lost two young Crab Apple trees in 2024 from the trunks splitting top to bottom. The rabbits enjoyed chewing on the exposed inner tree. We are expecting the volar vortex to arrive this weekend. Wind chills -30C or colder. North shore of Lake Ontario.
It's been a rough week, so thank you for the harvest mice. Regarding the shingles vaccine, you should definitely do it. Under what the US recommendations at least used to be, the shingles vaccine was recommended at 60. We tried to get it in Japan but it hadn't yet been approved so we got the chicken pox vaccine instead. It may have helped me but not my husband. He noticed a weird rash one evening, and we knew what it was after two minutes on google. It was too late to go to our regular doctor, so he went to the emergency room instead - there is an antiviral that can help but only within the first 24 hours. They confirmed it was shingles but they couldn't provide the remedy as they didn't have an "appropriate doctor" on call. Second and third emergency rooms, same response. (This is one of the top ten reasons why we no longer live in Japan.) He went to our doctor the next morning but it was already too late and he ended up with full-blown shingles, which was very painful and took a very long time to resolve. Definitely something to be avoided.
Do get the shingles vaccine, as Lisa in France has said, full-blown Shingles is extremely painful and debilitating.
Google "Ramsay Hunt" syndrome. It's beyond horrific, Diane Feinstein developed it before her death. Do please get the vaccine, you will not enjoy shingles. I got the vaccine because I don't know if I had chicken pox or not, and did not want to chance it.
I've had two very mild cases of shingles. Got the vax several years ago, but found the side effects so awful that I've, so far, refused the second dose. You all have convinced me to try again!
In 1988 I became permanently profoundly deaf in one ear in a matter of 2 or 3 seconds. The specialist said it might be due to childhood chicken pox; they'd know more when they do an autopsy :-) Since the odds of getting shingles is 1 in 3, I was scared of further issues that might involve chicken pox, and got the vaccine last summer. I might have had a bit or a sore arm for a day or two, but nothing that really bothered me. It was worth it for me. Cathy, in frigid southern Ontario, Canada
If you haven’t had chickenpox, you don’t need the shingles vaccine.
Years ago, a young colleague of mine developed shingles and was seriously ill and in great pain. She was off work for nearly a year and has much scarring on the left side of her face. My neighbour had them too. It was very painful and she recommended the shingles vaccination. I know of others. We procrastinated for a long time because of the cost. We had just scheduled to receive the first of two shingles vaccines next month when we read about the possible dementia prevention aspect.
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