Elderly people and young children are more prone to catching pneumonia because their immune system is lower than teens and young adults.
I didn’t know that I should get a pneumonia vaccine aside from the annual flu shots. I only found out after I had my second bout with pneumonia last month. Old, aging, mature, that’s me, so I need this vaccine ASAP.
Four days ago, I began coughing again. I experienced severe left chest, left side and back pains for one whole night which kept me awake and grinning in pain. Baka may hangin kako o naipit na ugat.
I went to the doctor yesterday morning but many clinics were closed for the long holiday.
Luckily, the other doctor was kind enough to have a reliever.
The secretary told me they have no more pneumonia vaccines. They reserved two for me two weeks ago but since Edmund and I didn’t show up, they gave it to another couple.
I didn’t want to go home yesterday without a pneumonia shot. I was beginning to feel joint pains again and I was afraid to get sick again.
I thought, I should have the vaccine ASAP to protect me somehow.
My persistence paid off, they found another doctor who still has some supplies. They sent it to the clinic where I was.
I was concerned about the side effect of this new drug, Prevenar 13. It’s supposed to protect me for 20 years but since it’s still new, after two years, the manufacturer would issue an announcement if it’s necessary to repeat the injection after 5 years. Ibig sabihin, they are not yet sure. I interrogated the female doctor of any side effects. She said joint pains, sometimes fever. If you have ubo, then you can have pneumonia symptoms. Meron nga akong ubo, but she said my lungs are clear.
The vaccine could not protect me from all pneumonia causing organisms, only from the 13 strands of streptococcus pneumoniae which is the common cause of this disease.
Although I was terrified, I went ahead. I was scared of the needle. My deviation tactic was to ask personal questions to the doctor.
“Doc, where did you graduate?”
“UST”
O syempre school mates pa kami. Kala nya batchmates kami. When I told her she’s just a little bit older than my daughter, she made a second look at my chart, tiningnan nya birthday ko. She said mas mukha pa raw syang matanda sa akin. I am not nice. Dapat when someone compliments me, I should just say “thank you for the compliment”. But instead, I responded by saying “exaggerated ka”.
Cost: P5,500
