Vaccinations
To protect me from meningitis and other serious infections that can result from cochlear implant surgery, I’m getting two vaccinations. The vaccines occur about eight weeks apart. Their names are Prevnar 13® and Pneumovax®.
I got my first vaccine yesterday at RiteAid. It wasn’t difficult — I just filled out an intake survey and waited for the pharmacist to prep the injection. That said, the event was still significant to me. Getting a needle pushed into the muscle of my arm somehow made things more real: It was like someone slapping me across the face and yelling, “THIS IS HAPPENING!”
It’s weird how the mind works, but each step I take in preparation makes something I only conceptualized in the past become more and more my reality.
Now my arm is sore, and I have eight weeks to forget about how much that hurt before they do it again. I guess I’m going to have to work on my pain tolerance — it’s no small thing to have an implant. I hope I’m not too wimpy!
Learn more about vaccines for cochlear implant recipients: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/hcp/dis-cochlear-gen.html
More milestones to come! Stay tuned here and on Facebook for future updates on Dr. Yoder’s cochlear implant journey, including recovery, activation, and rehabilitation.