The booster didn't boost my giddy-up

I got a COVID-19 booster shot on Monday, and it's sort of set the tone for the week.  My body took very little issue with the original two shots that I received last spring, but this booster shot has provoked a reaction.  Not a terrible one--I haven't gotten violently ill like several people I know have--but sort of a low-grade crummy feeling.

By Tuesday morning my left deltoid area, where I got the injection, was wicked sore.  Fortunately it didn't interfere badly with my gym session or my loop of the harbor with Joe.

Tuesday evening I noticed a lump forming in my left armpit area, sort of like a swollen gland.  By yesterday morning the lump had grown and was sore and unpleasant.  I was also feeling some very mild cold/flu-like symptoms.  I'd planned to do an hour bike ride, but I cut that back to 40 minutes and kept the pace easy.

This morning the lump was still there, and still angry and sore.  The cold/flu symptoms weren't so bad, but my energy level was still kind of low.  My original plan was to do another one of those intense "bike-plus" workouts, but besides my sluggish feeling, a couple of factors led me to reconsider.  The weather looked to be beautiful today--sunny with a Fahrenheit high in the low 70s--and the river beckoned.  Lately I've been paddling on Saturday, but the annual marathon race here in Memphis will be shutting down many of the streets between my house and the riverfront this Saturday, and I'd just as soon not fight all that.

So I went to the river and paddled today.  It was another 80-minute distance paddle, but I didn't go any harder than I felt like going.  I even kept the G.P.S. device turned off so I wouldn't be tempted to worry over my speed or my stroke rate or anything like that.  As I paddled I quickened the pace some and took it easy some, but overall I just relaxed and enjoyed the nice day on the river.

Here in the evening that lump in my armpit is still there, but it doesn't seem as sore as it was earlier.  I hope it'll go away soon, and I hope I'll be feeling energetic enough to do the bike-plus workout tomorrow... we'll see.

For more information on what this blog is about, click here.