How many COVID doses have you taken? Have you been infected?

[MightyGiants]

Good news / Bad news

Good news: Shingles are all cleared up 
Bad news: I'm passing a kidney stone     

I am in soooo much pain

Ouch!  feel better soon

[Ed Vette]

Good news / Bad news

Good news: Shingles are all cleared up 
Bad news: I'm passing a kidney stone     

I am in soooo much pain

I hope you pass it soon and it doesn't have to be broken up. Sounds like you've had this before.

[LennG]

WOW Ric you trying for the medical man of the year award.

I know we all like to 'tough it out' but when there is help, go for it and don't try and be a hero.

Hope it all ends well for you and soon.

[MightyGiants]

To circle back to the topic, here are some very interesting stats


https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#rates-by-vaccine-status

[DaveBrown74]

JBG,

How are you feeling? Any improvement?

[Jolly Blue Giant]

JBG,

How are you feeling? Any improvement?

Thanks for asking Dave. I'm still going through pain and have passed a small speck of a stone, but I'm apparently not through because it has started up again, just not as severe....yet 

There was one night I nearly got out of bed at 2 in the morning to go to the hospital, but I toughed it out and the next day it wasn't as bad. The hard pains come and go, but getting further apart. Irritating, but I'm hanging in there. Hopefully it'll all be gone in the next few days 

[DaveBrown74]

Thanks for asking Dave. I'm still going through pain and have passed a small speck of a stone, but I'm apparently not through because it has started up again, just not as severe....yet 

There was one night I nearly got out of bed at 2 in the morning to go to the hospital, but I toughed it out and the next day it wasn't as bad. The hard pains come and go, but getting further apart. Irritating, but I'm hanging in there. Hopefully it'll all be gone in the next few days 

JBG,

I am glad to hear that the "attacks" are spacing themselves out more and that you managed to pass a fragment of a stone at least. This is certainly progress. I'm sorry you're not completely over it yet, although my very rudimentary research on the subject suggests that that is not an unexpectedly bad outcome.

I hope it is all over within the next few days. Sounds like you're heading in the right direction at least.

[Ed Vette]

From an AARP newsletter.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2023, Medicare enrollees won't have any out-of-pocket costs for vaccines that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends for adults. 

Medicare Part B, which applies to doctor visits, diagnostic tests and other outpatient services, already fully covers some vaccines, including flu shots, pneumonia vaccines, hepatitis B inoculations and coronavirus vaccines (initial shots as well as boosters).

But other vaccines, most notably the expensive vaccine for shingles, are covered under the Part D prescription drug plans, and many of those plans currently require enrollees to share the cost of those shots. The new law eliminates that cost-sharing.