Shots and stops

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I wish it is but this is not about drinking.

We marked yesterday as the day when we can say that the whole family is now fully vaccinated from the virus that caused the world to stop last year and continue to claim lives more than a year after. 

We had to take turns in different circumstances, times and kinds of vaccines. The older ones had theirs first separately, then the young. 

Last Friday also marked the day when the last two adult cats were neutered. Their humans weren’t the only ones who had to go through a medical process of sorts during the lockdowns. Since September last year, I made it a mission to get the then seven cats to stop procreating. 

There were discussions, points raised like "What about the next generation?" but I stood my ground and painstakingly nagged everyone almost monthly to book a slot and then take the cats to the city vet.

We waited patiently for any free spaying and neuter schedule we can get. They could only accommodate one pet per family. So the siblings had to go in batches. 

Mommy Tefnut had to go to a private vet because we couldn’t risk another pregnancy. She’s already had four and on her second to the last, all the kittens were stillborn. With the last haul, only two survived. 

Now we’re down to Tapuey and Bugnay (the survivors) who are still too young but will go when they come of age. It feels as good as accomplishing a project. Better even.

For humans, the only discussions on getting the vaccines were about when and how. Of course, it’s still not sure - nothing ever is and we have to take the same precaution as everyone - but the feeling of being somehow safe is better than just all-out vulnerability. 

Having a semblance of control over something unseen, unpredictable and life-threatening feels good. Empowering even. 

Stop. 

Cheers.

"I am an X in an indeterminate equation. And that X is the rock upon which I stand." - Mario Puzo

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