Waters on 50th resident: ‘We are signed up with Moderna for the vaccine’

This community reporting project documents the coronavirus pandemic by recording the personal stories of Minneapolis residents and workers whose daily lives are in a state of flux. All interviews are conducted over the phone, and conversations are edited for length and clarity.

Arminta and Ron Miller, residents, The Waters on 50th senior living community

Arminta: We are signed up with Moderna for the vaccine, and it looks like it’s going to be the first week in January. They’re going to give us the shots in one room, and then we’ll go into the exercise room and wait a half hour to make sure nobody has a reaction. I think they’ve covered everything very well, which makes me feel more comfortable taking it. I talked to my doctor, and even though I have drug allergies, he told me it was OK to take it. 

I’m really glad the vaccine’s coming. I hope it will ease things up a little bit, because we really are stuck here. 

Ron: We were very fortunate for Christmas. We were able to Zoom our kid in Spokane and our son in Missouri and our daughter here in town. We had a good time considering the conditions.

Arminta: I was not looking forward to it, but the church across the street had a service outside and we could see them and hear them through the FM radio. We all got to sing hymns with the church, and I think that made it more normal for us. 

Ron: They had three big bonfires going and a lot of people in their cars. 

Arminta: And then they had a lovely dinner here with Beef Wellington and a tiramisu dessert. It was very elegant. I was really surprised that Christmas wasn’t as disappointing as I thought it was going to be. 

At dinner, we sit 6 feet apart at this big long table with two other people, our very good friends Marlene and Ron Nauman.

Ron: Sometimes we have to have a microphone to talk.

Arminta: Ron and I are both doing physical therapy again now. My gal came back a couple weeks ago. Ron goes to Fairview and his therapist is meaner. 

Ron: First she put me on a big machine and gave me two minutes. Then she said, “OK, Ron, let’s do five minutes. If you can’t do it, let me know.”

Arminta: Ron took great offense to that.

Ron: That last minute almost killed me. They put a carrot out for you and they keep moving it.