Karen Wils photo Baby Ellen’s t-shirt from many years ago at the health ­department.

ESCANABA — As I waited in line last week to get my COVID-19 shot, a flood of memories filled my mind.

For a few moments I was back in second grade at St. Thomas the Apostle Grade School. A long row of blue uniforms spilled out into the hallway from the principal’s office.

I was nervous. I shifted back and forth in my knee high socks and shoes.

It was “shot” day at school. The Catholic school nun had a stern look on her face as she helped usher the students down the hall.

The two nurses who came from the Delta County Health Department were all business, too. It wasn’t the most cheerful day at school.

Mom always told me “be brave and just look the other way.” She explained that the preventative medicine was good. She reminded us of the time, years ago, when my uncle Bob had TB (tuberculosis) before there was a shot for it.

One kid always seemed to pass out just because of the smell of rubbing alcohol. After all the grades received their vaccinations, the good sisters always treated us with extra recess time on shots day.

Then more recent memories danced in my brain. I recalled holding cute, little Wils babies at the health department. We went there for wellness check-ups and the immunizations. When your own child gets a vaccination, Mom feels the pick just as much as the child.

Then came the treat, a sticker or a neat Band-Aid with a cartoon character on it. My kids as toddlers did not mind the health department visits at all.

They loved playing with the educational toys in the waiting room. I still have the tee shirt that Ellen got from the health department with her photo on it saying “I’ve had all my shots.”

It is an ironic thing, but now, after my stem cell transplant, I have to get all of my “baby shots” over again because my immune system was wiped out and is now re-growing.

So if you find yourself in a line waiting to get a COVID shot, think about all the people who helped keep you healthy along the way.

Count your blessings, be well and think spring!

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Karen (Rose) Wils is a lifelong north Escanaba resident. Her folksy columns appear weekly in Lifestyles.