The Shingles Vaccination

On a cruise to Alaska last summer, my partner discovered immediately as we were settling into our cabin that she was missing some medication. We decided to look for the medication at our first stop, Ketchikan.

A little internet research revealed that the only pharmacy in town was in the local Safeway -- yes, the only Safeway in town. So we found one of the taxis at the port and he drove us to that Safeway early that morning. We had to wait an hour for the pharmacy to open, and were met with a very friendly female pharmacist.

The pharmacy had a huge sign saying, "SHINGLES SHOTS HERE!" so I thought I'd take them up on that. After all, I'd been searching local East Bay pharmacies for the vaccine over the past year, only to be told that they were all out and didn't know when to expect the next shipment. Alas, the friendly pharmacist said the same thing: she had hoped for another shipment in a few months from then.

I found the same sort of sign at a Rite Aid in Montclair last month. I filled out the paperwork they gave me, but the pharmacist was out to lunch, so I decided to come back the next day. Unfortunately, I caught a cold before I could return. They won't give you the shot if you're sick at all.

That cold lingered for a month, but the day I was sure I was over it, I was back in that Rite Aid pharmacy again. The pharmacist ascertained that I was over the age of 50, collected $140 (!), $20 of which went to the pharmacy, and got the shot in the flab under my left arm. A peculiar place, I thought, as he put the needle in. I barely felt it.

The pharmacist told me that they were running out again. I felt fortunate. When I complained about the cost, not covered by my insurance, to my son, the son who had contracted shingles two years ago and still has the scars, he had one thing to say to me: "It's worth it!"