There are moments in life when you realize you might not be as on top of things as you thought. For some people, it’s forgetting where they parked. For others, it’s discovering milk in the cupboard and cereal in the fridge.
For me? It was standing in the ER, holding my throbbing finger, being asked the world’s simplest medical question:
“When was your last tetanus shot?”
And responding with the confidence of a Deer in headlights.
It all began with Ebony a creature who decided that Saturday was the day to reenact The Shawshank Redemption.
One moment she was where she belonged. The next, she was halfway to freedom.
Catch up on that story from my previous blog here: Morning Show: Ebony’s Late-Night Adventure – Your Sunset Country
In re-enforcing the fence, I met my nemesis, a piece of fencing wire with the accuracy of a guided missile.
Straight. Through. The nail bed.
I learned two things instantly:
- Pain has levels I had not previously unlocked.
- I definitely did not know when my last tetanus shot was.
The nurse asked again.
“Do you remember your last tetanus booster?”
I searched my memory. I found:
- A vague recollection of high school gym class
- A dentist appointment from 2016
- Internet password from my childhood home
But no tetanus shot.
“Nope. Not a clue. Could’ve been last year. Could’ve been 1999.”
And so, I received the sacred booster, the adult version of a gold star sticker!
The nurse informed me:
“You’re good for ten years now!”
Which is great, because:
- I will absolutely forget again
- Fencing wire is apparently out to get me
- Ebony is plotting her next escape as we speak
If you don’t know when your last tetanus shot was, congratulations, you’re in good company.
If you find out because fencing wire tried to turn your finger into a kebab, well… welcome to the club.
But hey, I’m now officially protected for a decade. A whole ten years of not having to answer that question, and the holiday’s without doing dishes!
And that, my friends, is what we call growth.
