Tuesday the metal guy came to pull down the metal yard shed. My dad had taken the simple version that was popular in the 70's and made it tougher. When a neighbor got rid of theirs, my dad added an addition onto his, and added wood shelving around inside - it was on a cement pad.
It took two guys with the right power tools more than 6 hours and two days to take it apart. The wood alone filled a small 6 x 6 dumpster, the metal alone was 740 pounds.
The day before my helper and I talked about tetanus shots. I'm 13 years since my last booster - I really need to get one - she can't remember her last shot. Then while trying to top off that dumpster and pulling down more wood, I kept trying to avoid the nails sticking up in the wood, but at one point a block of wood is stuck on my shoe. It must have been the only short nail - everything else was 3 inches or longer - and it was in my shoe - but it hadn't touched my foot - amazingly lucky. Okay - I'd thought about it one day - next day I get a big warning - next time you won't be so lucky - go get a booster shot now.
So I call my doctor today. He's on vacation. Go to the walk-in emergency care clinics.
I know that the drug stores around here offer flu vaccines, and shingles shots, and so I call them. Do you do tetanus boosters? I call two chain drug stores - one has tetanus vaccine - but you need to have a prescription to get it - $55 for the shot.
How do I get a prescription when my own doctor is out of town? I'm fine with paying for the shot - I just don't like paying $100. to get that prescription.
If I go to the clinics aren't they going to get $100 for me to just walk in the door? More than a doctor visit fee?
Yep. But your insurance will cover it.
I don't have insurance.
In my world - the dumpster fee is $123. To pay a doctor that doesn't know me $100.+ for a booster shot prescription seems crazy.
Here's the number for the free clinics in town. They won't charge you for the visit, they will give you the shot free. Here's a second free clinic.
I call the second one - she is very nice - tells me that they don't do tetanus shots, they don't have the vaccine - Try the other clinic or the county health department.
I call the other clinic - press this or that number phone thing - nothing applies to me.
I check the county site - they did do shots because we had bad flooding years ago and 100's of people needed tetanus shots, they don't do that anymore. Their web site says - see your doctor or go to the walk-in emergency clinics.
I call back my doctor again - fine I give up - did what you told me to do with the exception of paying more than I would for a normal office visit to get a booster prescription - can I just make an appointment for when he gets back? - yes, you can.
She tells me sorry for the run around - I say I'm not upset - but that I did call places, and this is what happens. I said I just need to get the prescription, and it really should be just like getting a flu shot when you know you need one.
She says she can text him while he's on vacation - she asks him about other patients each day - he answers his texts once a day -
No - I'm fine - don't bother him while he is on vacation - it can wait till he gets back - I'm healthy and just fine - I'm just looking to get a booster - next time I won't be so lucky as yesterday.
Nope - she will text him, and maybe he will answer tomorrow morning - and where would I need the prescription sent, and what's a number she can call to tell me if she gets something back from him. I tell her that info.
Really - tetanus boosters should be easier to get - and $55 for a shot you need once every 10 years isn't too crazy. I read that the mortality rate for tetanus is rising and is now at 11%.
With people that haven't had boosters, and people over 60 making up most of that 11%.
I asked the pharmacist if you could get it from any break in the skin - and I understood a nail, but could you get it from just gardening with a break in your skin? And she said she thought you were more likely to get it from gardening than you would from stepping on a nail, but people don't think that way about it.
But if one shot every 10 years keeps you safe while gardening or lots of other things it seems smart to keep up on the booster shots.
So even if you aren't stepping on nails - when was your last booster shot? As women - we are reaching or cleaning something that has the potential for tetanus at least once a year, and probably more often than we know. And we need to protect each other on some level.
So really - keep up on your tetanus boosters - even if your own doctor is making it difficult to take care of yourself.
And the nurse called me back at 10:45 the next day - the doctor approved sending a prescription to the pharmacy for me - Hooray!
Now I just have to get my helper lady boosted too. I said I'd pay since she is helping me for free, and she needs to be safe while helping me.
13 hours ago
