Why’d I Get the Shot?, by Sonny Jackson

This month, we’ll have a series of dispatches that have developed out of extensive conversations in our workshop around Covid-19 and the vaccination, particularly the logic of whether they plan to to get it. This week, Sylvester “Sonny” Jackson explains why he recently decided to get vaccinated.

During my short 61 years of life, I’ve had to fight many battles. My battles started early in life. Actually from birth. I was a preemie, being born 2 pounds 6 oz, in Alabama. I was born at home and had to be rushed to the hospital.

My family moved to New York when I was young and we lived mostly in white communities and I had to fight to fit in.

At the age of 19, I joined the marine corps and was almost killed on several different occasions. Those are just some of the life battles I’ve been through, but the real tests were yet to come.

Later in life, after many years of drinking and drugging, I contracted “Hep C” and cirrhosis of the liver. The doctors at that time gave me 5 years to live, I beat those odds. In 2016 I contracted Stage 4 prostate cancer, late in its development and once again the doctors gave me 5 years to live, and presently I’m one year past that. I’m fighting this battle daily, and Covid comes into play. So brings the question, “Why’d I get the shot?”

For me already having cancer, it’s a little more dangerous to put a vaccine into my body to fight a virus. During chemo, to say I was scared understates the true fear of not knowing what would kill me first.

I’ve been fighting this cancer for quite some time, and I’d like to say I’m winning, even though it’s still slowly killing me, there’s no way around it. I’ve learned to accept that. But to have another illness come into play and knock out all the hard work I’ve put into living, I really had no choice but to get with my cancer doctors and see if taking these shots or shot was even on the table for me. Thankfully, because I’m between treatments, my doctors told me to go for it.

We don’t get many years of existence to live, and already having cancer I’ve learned to be grateful for each and every day, so for me getting these shots was a no-brainer.

I did my research, I spoke to my doctors, and watched what happened to the people who took the shot before me.

Listen I've been in the system and I know the system has a history as to where black and brown people need to look before we leap, but for the last six plus years I've put my trust in my doctor's hands and thank God I'm still here. I'm in -between my chemo treatments and my doctors told me this if any would be the safest time to get the shots.

I really have this desire for living today, which hasn't always been the case, I was fortunate there were no side effects for me, it was a personal choice for me and I went for it. 

I can’t speak for anyone else on why they should or shouldn’t, I can only say that I love life today, and if getting a shot gives me a little longer to be with friends and family, then I believe I made the right move.

I take public transportation to see family and to make doctors’ appointments, so I don’t have a choice. That being the case, and not knowing who had or has the virus, I felt for my own safety it’d be better for me to get both shots. Which I did, and feel more at ease.

Editors' Note: For up-to-date information about Covid vaccines, treatment, and prevention, please visit this page.

Sylvester “Sonny” Jackson is a writer and retired Marine. His written work has been recently archived at LaGuardia Community College. Currently undergoing treatment for Stage 4 cancer, Sonny and his cat Bentley are two of the most treasured members of our writing workshop for people returning from incarceration.