“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1966”

On Friday, I tested negative for COVID-19 as part of my pre-surgical admission testing for a knee replacement surgery that will take place on Monday. A recent stuffy nose had me worried, but thankfully the results were negative and my surgery will go ahead as planned. It’s the first of two knee replacement surgeries I will have over the next few months. Thank you for all of the prayers and support surrounding Emily and me these last several months. I have to admit that the physical limitations of chronic and severe knee pain have been more challenging than coping with my dementia symptoms. Though Emily would probably say differently. We both truly appreciate the tremendous support of our friends, colleagues, and extended community as we face the unknowns and fears of two surgeries and the extended recovery.

The video above was filmed nearly two weeks ago, at Metrohealth medical center, where I was grateful to participate in a community awareness campaign with other faith leaders who received the COVID vaccine. “Roll up your sleeves,” the tagline says, hoping to increase trust and participation in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. I didn’t experience any significant side effects from the shot (aside from a sore arm) and it brings me so much peace of mind to know that I might be able to interact more in the world again one day soon.

As a person living with early-stage dementia (and a natural extrovert), I sometimes need to be reminded of the habits that keep me safe like handwashing and proper mask-wearing. And I know will have to continue to do these things even after receiving the vaccine. But we wear masks and get vaccinated not just for ourselves, but to keep our friends, family, and community safe, too. Especially those who are most vulnerable and those who may not readily trust the medical system. Even after being vaccinated, research has not yet shown if you still might pass the virus on to other people without experiencing any symptoms yourself. So please join me in helping take care of each other until it is safe for us to hug one another freely again.

Please share this post and video to help others join the effort to combat vaccine misinformation and build trust in this community-wide effort. Those interested in getting vaccinated are encouraged to visit https://www.metrohealth.org/covid-19/covid-vaccine for the latest updates. Because of limited supply, there may be delays in getting vaccinated, even for those in the category of people eligible to get vaccinated.