Father ‘relieved’ daughters protected against COVID-19

After months of waiting, Martin Gaal said he was relieved when his daughters got their COVID-19 vaccines.

“It actually shocked me a little bit that I felt a physical weight being lifted off my chest, that I had a shortness of breath that I don’t even think I recognized,” Gaal said.

He said he has been talking with his daughters about getting vaccinated since before his own vaccine. Those open and honest dialogues — and some coaxing on the day of — helped his two girls roll up their sleeves, despite their nerves.

Gaal said his daughters — eight-year-old Sasha and five-year-old Eilise — did really well getting their shots.

“They were both really, really nervous. Neither of them like needles,” he said.

But while neither wanted a shot, they did want to be vaccinated — to get back to their normal life of going to the art gallery with their dad on Sundays and visiting places like the Nutrien Wonderhub. They also want to be able to see their family members safely.

“When it became real, there was a certain hesitancy. My youngest got quite upset,” Gaal said. “She’s like, ‘Don’t tell me until the day of. I don’t want to know ahead of time.’ ”

Gaal said he spent some time with his daughter in his office at the University of Saskatchewan, where he’s a lecturer in the political sciences department, before heading down to the on-campus pharmacy.

They went through all the reasons why the shot was important, and he told his daughter the vaccine came with the benefit of a bit more freedom with where they could go.

That got Eilise’s attention.

“On her hit list was the Wonderhub for sure. There’s a painting studio … so we’re going to try and plan in about two weeks an event where we can invite some of their friends and we can all go out and do something,” Gaal said.

Gaal said the visit went pretty smoothly. In the past, he said they’ve had to corral his oldest, but this time she was ready.

“The older sister put on a brave face and took the vaccination first and the youngest had no problem and they’re all excited and brave to show off their stickers and little Band-Aid,” he said. “My youngest was a little nervous but my oldest volunteered to go first and show her that it didn’t hurt and hold her hand.

“They felt a great sense of accomplishment when they were done.”

Gaal said his family has been in a pretty tight bubble throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, only seeing certain people and going certain places. Now that his daughters have their first shot, he said he’ll be much more comfortable with them going to birthday parties and other fun places again.

In an update Tuesday, the province said 22,000 appointments for child vaccinations have been booked in Saskatchewan, with plenty of availability for more.

“The minute it was possible, we made our booking,” Gaal said.

While their pharmacy was perhaps a more subdued kid experience than places like Prairieland Park, there is one tradition that his daughters adore — adding an adorable stuffed microbe to their collection.

Sasha picked a blue stuffie of the common cold, while Eilise chose a muscle. Gaal said at home they have a liver and they even collected a COVID virus with a stuffie vaccine.

After more than a year of hearing “no” to so many requests for their own safety, they’re excited to finally start hearing “yes” — and Gaal is excited to start saying it more.

He says he’s feeling secure about his daughters now that they’ve had their first shot, but they’ll certainly be back for their second in about eight weeks. He’s very excited about it.

To parents debating whether or not to get their children vaccinated, Gaal says he considered the vaccine a small risk compared to the fear of not knowing the long-term effects COVID could have on his daughters. That, and the immediate relief of visiting people like their grandparents once again safely, was worth it for Gaal.