Polk County Commissioner Warren Strandell released another County Line Column earlier today. It can be found down below-
Thoughts in this column don’t have anything to do with Polk County business or issues. Instead, they only report that I have passed the screen test and why the result of that development might have some meaning.
It was a couple of weeks ago now that I was the subject of a short video done by Pioneer PBS. Now in the final stages of development, the video will air on Prairie Public TV and Lakeland PBS as part of an effort by state, county, and regional health organizations to get more people vaccinated against COVID.
I don’t know much about how this promotional effort will be done, only that COVID vaccination has saved many lives and that I wish that the vaccine(s) would have become available much sooner. Vaccination is especially important now with another resurgence of the disease underway.
Pioneer PBS, based in Granite Falls, Minn., is a non-profit 501 regional public television network that primarily serves the southwest and west-central portions of Minnesota, northwestern Iowa, eastern South Dakota, and southwestern North Dakota, and beyond. The video will likely be shared on Facebook as well.
I was not selected for the video because of any thought that I might somehow be screen worthy, but because the disease led to the death of my wife, Annie, and because I had a thought to share.
Annie’s fight to live ended on Nov. 3rd, 2020. That was on election day now almost two years ago. The memory of that time is difficult. She is no longer there when I get up in the morning or when I come home each day. Her chair is empty when I look in that direction when reading or watching TV in the evening. Loneliness prevails in so many ways.
Election day (this year on Nov. 8) will mark my attempt to be elected one last time as a county commissioner. But that’s another subject, not to be dealt with here.
In the video message, I stated that I have had both shots, both of the two boosters and that when the next shot becomes available, I will be standing in line waiting to get that one, too.
I also said in the 30-second video that I can think of absolutely no good reason not to get the shots. That’s a strong personal opinion.
Vaccinated people who still get COVID almost always get through the illness without any real problems. Some have said that they didn’t even know that they had COVID. Any reaction to getting the shot(s) is rare, if at all. I never really felt the shots — they were less than a mosquito bite — and I had very, very little reaction.
By contrast, unvaccinated people who get the disease… well, that often leads to the sad story that I know so well.
The shots weren’t readily available back two years ago when Annie contracted the disease. I tested positive then, too, but had no symptoms. We had talked about the shot development that was underway and was waiting to get the first one.
During a first short hospitalization back then, Annie was told “you’re sick but not so sick that you have to be here” and was sent home. She had to be re-admitted a few days later.
This was at the time when no hospital visitors were allowed, not spouses, not parents, not children, no one. Visitation was done by phone. Nothing in person. During her last two days, I would call her and she would answer saying, “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. Just talk to me.” She was in great, great discomfort. The strain on her heart finally proved to be too much. She had to be brought back to life three times on that last day before it couldn’t be accomplished a fourth time.
Why am I telling you all of this? The reason is simply to urge you to get the shots, to give yourself a chance.
I see your options as either facing the rare chance that there is something dangerous in the vaccine, or that not getting the shots could lead to a very serious illness or worse, the end of your time on this Earth.
I know people who survived a COVID encounter. All of them — some who thought that they were going to die — say they wish now that they would have gotten the shots.
End of story. I hope this is a good end… for you, your family, and for all of us, your friends. We love you. Get the shots. Please.
Thoughts for the day:
- I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to politicians — Charles de Gaulle, French general, and President
- I’d rather argue against a hundred idiots than have one agree with me. — Winston Churchill
Disclaimer: Thoughts expressed in this column are those of the author and are not necessarily a reflection of the opinions of the other members of the Polk County Board.
