Whew–we both received our first injection of the zoster (shingles) vaccine in September before leaving Montana. I felt crummy for about 24 hours post injection, the Cowboy had no side effects. We went to Tucson Monday and among other things–received the last dose of our shingles vaccine. By evening I was feeling crummy and I’ve spent most of today in bed, sleeping. The Cowboy has tried to tough it out but he’s also feeling crummy. I still am a firm believer in these shingles vaccines–I would rather have 24 hours of feeling crummy than shingles!
Sunday was a very low key day–we didn’t do much of anything most of the day but in the evening we joined Janice, Dan and Louanne at Linda’s for a light supper. Great friends and good times. Linda passed along some sad news while we were there–the first person we met after moving to Pearce has died–Reid.
While our temps in Arizona have risen to more normal levels for this time of year, the folks in Montana have been in the deep freeze with minus 39 degrees! Way, way too cold! In the 24 years of living with the Montana Cowboy, I experienced minus 32 one winter day and it was awful! We were in Billings and in spite of having the correct fuel mix and some type of additive on board our diesel truck gelled. We were headed to the airport–I had a business trip and had stopped at a copy center to make copies for a presentation I was giving. The owner of the copy center took me to the airport while the Cowboy tried to get the truck home. Every wrecker service he called told him they wouldn’t be able to get to our truck for hours–they were all out on the freeways helping the semi drivers with their gelled trucks. The people who were just visiting us in Arizona, Bob and Judy owned the Chevrolet dealership in Big Timber. Bob came all the way to Billings (80 miles) with a wrecker, loaded our truck onto the rig and hauled it to Big Timber putting the truck in the heated garage. While the truck warmed, Bob took the Cowboy home with him to watch the Super Bowl that year. Small town living!
In Tucson on Monday we found a Walmart which was slightly convenient and offered grocery pickup. I placed my order online Saturday and drove into the Walmart parking lot just as the lady was coming out of the building with our groceries. We made a Home Depot run buying a pallet of floor tile for the main house and our last stop was Costco–groceries, shingles vaccine, etc.
As I said above, today we’ve been couch/bed potatoes–hopefully we will both feel better tomorrow!
More Whitewater Draw photos.
On our way to Tucson yesterday on I-10 we saw a message on the overhead electronic billboard–“accident ahead, prepare to exit.” Ugh! We crept along at 5-10 mph for over 30 minutes before reaching the scene of the accident and exiting the freeway to go around the blocked westbound lanes. It was a sunny, bright morning with dry roads. Three vehicles were horribly mangled and we saw a life flight helicopter leaving the scene. Tonight I was cruising Facebook and came across this post from the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, “Did you know distracted driving is the leading cause of all traffic crashes? Drivers who use their cell phones while driving are four times more likely to be in a crash than those who don’t use their phones while driving.” We have no idea what caused this horrific accident but would be willing to guess it was a distracted driver.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
There are studies that say you are better off driving drunk than distracted. The major oil company I worked for banned cell phone conversations, hands free or not 10 years ago, fired a couple of pretty senior folks for not complying. I am sure even way down south in Montana they have that fuel issue figured out now, we used diesels exclusively in the Arctic and I bet it has been 40 years since I heard of anyone gelling up.
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I don’t know what the answer is to distracted driving, people think it just couldn’t happen to them.
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I had the shingles shot that you did, BUT now I’m waiting to get the latest version Shingrix, which is a two shot deal, and supposed to be more effective ! I wondered, have you heard of this vaccine? They tell me there is a shortage of the drug cause of the need and demand ! Have you heard about any of this ??
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Cindy—a few years ago we had the original single injection for shingles. Now we have both had the two injection vaccine. There has been an ongoing shortage of the Shingrix vaccine but we were able to obtain it in Montana and now Costco in Tucson had a supply and we received the second dose on Monday.
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So glad to hear you have had the second Shingrix shot. It’s now 9 months since I had shingles but I have pain EVERY day from the phn. I can have my first Shingrix shot next month! We haven’t had a day above 0degreesC since January 31st. Most days have been between -16 and -26C and we wont even talk about the wind chill!!! We’ve also got tons of snow. March definitely came in like a lion so hopefully it will go out like a lamb-but that’s several weeks away!
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I am so sorry to hear you still have pain as a result of having had shingles but glad you can finally have the Shingrix vaccine. Where do you live–I am assuming Canada judging by your email address. That’s way too cold and our March is coming in like a lion too but the natives of this valley tell us not to complain about the wind! They say that once the wind dies then it gets really HOT!
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I live in Calgary, Alberta. We have tons of snow and we haven’t had a day above 0degreesC since January 31st!!! It’s been the coldest February since the 1930’s. My cousin and her husband have a winter place in San Tan Valley in Arizona. One of my brothers and his wife are visiting them down there at the moment and he said it’s around 30C at the moment. Sounds wonderful!!
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Yes, our temps are perfect right now!
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We will be looking to get our second shingles injection in April…fingers crossed! I too had a uucky feeling second day, but so agree it is worth it to. It have shingles.
The birds are amazing!
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I’m hearing of so many younger people getting shingles–a 35+ year old in my sister’s church! I don’t think anyone under 50 years old is eligible for the vaccine?? I never tire of going to Whitewater Draw.
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I had the second Shingrix last month and also had side effects, even though I had not had side effects from the first. I think I’m with you: I’d rather have the shots (the crummy reaction notwithstanding!) than have shingles.
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Yep, my feelings exactly!
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Please play attention to how you feel. Husband got shingles from publically available vaccine. He had a single-shot version. He is immunocompromized and was not warned. Never had the rash, but had intractable pain where a rash also would have been—for months. Guess it was a “mild” version. He did not get help early enough. There are meds that help if used early.
I had a single-shot private-pay version before insurance began paying and had no ill effects at all.
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I’m so sorry your husband had shingles, it’s a painful disease. We too had the single injection vaccine several years ago and had no ill effects. That single injection shingles vaccine is only 35% effective after 6 years. The two injection shingles vaccine is totally different–it’s not a live virus as the first shingles vaccine was. It does cause flu like symptoms in many people who receive the two injections.
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To clarify: The vaccine gave him shingles as he had increasing reaction within a few days of getting vaccine.
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What a sight to see so many beautiful cranes! I guess the cooler Arizona winter feels pretty good when you hear about the Montana temps!
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Makes it seem mean to be enjoying such nice weather when Montana folks have been miserable!
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I left a comment when you first posted this, but it must have been lost in the gowifi Navy internet. Sigh. I’ll try again. My trucker kids are having a lot of trouble with freezing up fuel filter this year in their brand new truck. Got stranded in Montana of course and someone had to go back to somewhere to find a part for them. Ugh. I can’t remember getting a second shingles shot, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t. LOL Never noticed any kind of bad feeling though. I’ll have to check when we get back home I guess. Stay warm and out of traffic. We have been driving Jacksonville freeways for a few days. Not much fun.
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I received the first shingles vaccine in 2011, eight years ago which means it is now only 35% effective!! This Shingrix vaccine is new, really new as of October, 2017. The Shingrix vaccine is a two part injection, given 2-6 months apart. I have a fear of shingles, I’ve seen people suffer horribly with it, shingles made my grandfather blind in one eye–I don’t want shingles!
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