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Radical honesty: My decision to get in line for a COVID vaccine was not an easy one.
A thread.
A thread.
It should have been an easy one. I am an epidemiologist, recognized as a #40Under40 leader in public health.
But I am also a woman who has struggled to get - and stay - pregnant.
But I am also a woman who has struggled to get - and stay - pregnant.
Last November, two weeks after I transitioned into a new job, I suffered a second pregnancy loss, 13 months after my first pregnancy and loss.
The emotional toll of a second loss is still hard to fully express, but one of the side effects of multiple losses is fear.
The emotional toll of a second loss is still hard to fully express, but one of the side effects of multiple losses is fear.
I was scared after that second loss. Scared of doing anything that would jeopardize the chance of another pregnancy, and of that pregnancy being successful.
While the vaccine gave me hope, I also knew there was limited data on the impact in pregnant women.
While the vaccine gave me hope, I also knew there was limited data on the impact in pregnant women.
The lack of information made me scared. My grief made me scared. The thought of another loss for any reason made me scared. And so I was on the brink to choosing to not get in line for the vaccine.
Thankfully, I have the best damn OBGYN (DM me for a reference) who talked through it all with me. She asked me what happened to the few women that got pregnant during the course of the trial. I sheepishly said "Nothing".
And then we got into a discussion of the science of it, of the risks of not getting the vaccine, and finally came to the conclusion that getting the first mRNA vaccine would be "really fucking cool" 
So I am in line. I'm hopeful that this will help turn the tides. I'm hopeful that it will protect me & help me stay healthy if I do get pregnant again. I'm hopeful it will help so many get back to work, school, and play.
If I'm being really honest, I'm hopeful the vaccines will help bring back @MinskysPizza Italian Club sandwiches, cuz I miss those so much. 
