Maryland put us in the 1C category for getting COVID vaccinations (65 and older). Some facilities have been giving 1C shots for several weeks. Danita was checking all the sites daily. I would hear that a site had appointments available, only to find that either the website was not responding, or the reservations were no longer available. Monday, I got a message that the Colts football stadium has appointments available. Of course the website was not responding. But there was a number one could call if they weren’t able to use the internet. I decided that included me (my screen was frozen after all) and used the call-in number. I waited 20 minutes, then was connected to a very helpful person who got Danita and me appointments for this weekend. We were delighted. We were talking about visiting friends, eating in restaurants, and traveling. Even scheduling my colonoscopy sounded upbeat. Euphoria was rolling out of our ears and getting in the carpet. Until Tuesday morning, when Danita got her Email confirmation. And I did not.

What did that mean? Did I have an appointment? Was I required to have the confirmation before getting the shot? The phones were not manned all day Tuesday. Or Wednesday. I was in a massive funk. (Emotions are not logical.) Thursday they opened the phones. I talked to a very helpful woman who corrected my Email address. That sounded good, but I still didn’t have a confirmation. 23 hours later, the confirmation Email finally arrived. There was no more euphoria, but the tension level dropped precipitously.

Now both Danita and I have our first shots. Our second shots are scheduled for March 22.

The football stadium is one of Maryland’s mass vaccination sites. They’re doing a soft start — 500 vaccinations a day. They are gearing up to do 10,000 a day. The facility shows it. They have spent tons of money on computers, iPads, carts, people, and every other thing you can think of. Being a football venue, there is plenty of free parking and more bathrooms than they could possibly need. They even bought cute little white busses to shuttle people who are mobility challenged. Everybody is being as pleasant and helpful as possible. If you show up without an appointment, many sites send you home. This site gives you the option of standing in a long line and getting an appointment. That way everybody comes home with something. Several people in our neighborhood drove 45 minutes to another mass vaccination site at 6 Flags near DC. A few drove an hour to Waldorf. The Colts stadium is an ideal venue for us. It’s just 20 miles away, right off I-95 on the south side of Baltimore. It’s as good an outcome as we could possibly want.

There’s nothing else nearly as interesting. I hope this finds everybody doing well.