So, I finally located and got my flu shots. Not from the government, though - the county health department still has a bizarre system involving pre-registering so you can stand in line for hours with thousands of other people at a school or stadium, and might or might not get a shot for your trouble. The private marketplace came through, instead. I went to my local pharmacy to pick up ‘scrips, and they had a sign up advertising both seasonal and H1N1 vaccines. Ten minutes later I was vaccinated, and also got a Pneumovax shot as well, which I had never heard of but qualified for. It protects against the 28 most common types of pneumonia bacteria. I’ll need a booster in 15 years, if I’m still alive then.

The pneumovax, unfortunately, has made the lymph node in my left armpit swell up like a painful apricot, but apparently this isn’t uncommon and will subside in a couple days.

Meanwhile, it is unbelievable how badly the government is botching distribution of flu vaccines. Maybe it’s always like this - I’ve never bothered with flu shots before, but figured I’d thumb my nose at the anti-vax idiots this year. It’s been a total clusterfuck for at least the last two months, and it took the private sector to finally come through.

But let’s dismantle all that, and make sure everyone gets exactly the same, shitty care - or complete lack of care - everywhere.