Fran Goldman told CNN that she had been trying to get a date since they became available in Washington. She said that she and her daughter, Ruth, would try several times a day to no avail. Finally, Goldman found a place at the children’s hospital for Sunday, February 14.
But there was a potential problem.
“There was a snow forecast and some clinics were postponing their clinics until the end of the week,” said Goldman.
“On Saturday, I woke up and there was a good 15 to 20 centimeters of snow on the ground, and I continued to check that the clinic I was going to was still open and I didn’t hear anything.”
Then Goldman began to plan how she would make her appointment five kilometers away, considering conditions. Its steep road was not plowed and several cars tried unsuccessfully to climb. So she knew that Uber or driving was out of the question.
“I finally booked a place; I wanted to keep it,” said Goldman. “On a snowy Sunday, the bus is not going to have a very good schedule, so I decided ‘Well, I’m going to walk.'”
During the pandemic, Goldman said he used to walk as a coping mechanism, and five kilometers was not much for her.
Since his normal hikes are usually not in the snow, Goldman decided to go two-thirds of the way to see if walking was possible and how long it would take. Goldman determined that she could arrive in about an hour.
Getting the vaccine was important for two reasons
“On Sunday morning, I left here – my appointment was at 9:10 am, I left just after 8:00 am and it took me an hour and five minutes,” she said.
Goldman said the walk was beautiful and peaceful. For part of her journey, she was the only person on a bicycle trail covered in pristine snow.
When she arrived at the hospital, she was admitted, got her first injection and walked home.
For Goldman, walking seemed normal, but she was determined to get the vaccine for two important reasons.
“Personally, I feel more comfortable being outside and being able to do my own shopping, which I miss, and spending more time with family and friends,” said Goldman. “As a citizen, I think it is important for all of us to create immunity so that we can get back to life as soon as possible or as close as we can.”