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--- 195705 [2016/04/02 16:23] – [Operation Holdsworth] kennettj
+++ 195705 [2016/04/02 16:24] – [Operation Holdsworth] kennettj
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 Betty Holdsworth
-One fine day - Melbourne - I found myself thinking of Henry who made the classic remark "My abdomen is distended" but when a young spinster finds herself thinking these things it is high time to go and investigate so I took myself to the doctor for SOME tonic water. To be told that an operation was necessary was indeed disconcerting to say the least. Not even a bottle of pills was I offered and so I took myself back to work. All were sympathetic but it didn't help the zipp fastener. At 2 a.m, in the dead of night it dawned "an Operation" - I must gohome - I packed my bags and at noon the next day flew back to Sydney. My chief and his secretary met me at the Air Port and took me back to the Office whore after looking me over and saying "What have YOU been up to?" phoned "his" doctor. The thought Struck me - My God! what if the doctor in Melbourne made a mistake - I shall be undone. However, I took my courage in both hands and 4 p.m. on the next day I Was an inmate of St. Luke's Hospital.
+One fine day - Melbourne - I found myself thinking of Henry who made the classic remark "My abdomen is distended" but when a young spinster finds herself thinking these things it is high time to go and investigate so I took myself to the doctor for SOME tonic water. To be told that an operation was necessary was indeed disconcerting to say the least. Not even a bottle of pills was I offered and so I took myself back to work. All were sympathetic but it didn't help the zip fastener. At 2 a.m, in the dead of night it dawned "an Operation" - I must go home - I packed my bags and at noon the next day flew back to Sydney. My chief and his secretary met me at the Air Port and took me back to the Office whore after looking me over and saying "What have YOU been up to?" phoned "his" doctor. The thought Struck me - My God! what if the doctor in Melbourne made a mistake - I shall be undone. However, I took my courage in both hands and 4 p.m. on the next day I Was an inmate of St. Luke's Hospital.
-Life in a hospital is fabulous to say the least. I thought one rested a lot and slept a lot. Do not be misled. Day breaks at 4.30am with a thermometer and temperature reading. Tea at 5 am. - 2 cups, and what goes in must come out.. This takes lots of time. 6a.m.  Bath time. 6.30 to 7.30 catch up with the gossip-with bod in next bed, 7.30 Breakfast, 8 am pills, 8.30 Temperature, 10 a.m. soup, 11 a.m. orange juice, 12.30, Lunch, 1 p.m. pills, 1.30 p.m.'Temperature, 2.30 Tea - what % goes in comes out but this, carries on all day - no need to mention it every time.
+Life in a hospital is fabulous to say the least. I thought one rested a lot and slept a lot. Do not be misled. Day breaks at 4.30am with a thermometer and temperature reading. Tea at 5 am. - 2 cups, and what goes in must come out. This takes lots of time. 6a.m.  Bath time. 6.30 to 7.30 catch up with the gossip-with bod in next bed, 7.30 Breakfast, 8 am pills, 8.30 Temperature, 10 a.m. soup, 11 a.m. orange juice, 12.30, Lunch, 1 p.m. pills, 1.30 p.m.'Temperature, 2.30 Tea - what % goes in comes out but this, carries on all day - no need to mention it every time.
 And so on until 10 p.m. when one has the knock out pill followed by the hot 'milk to knock the pill and then if one is the lucky type and nothing has to come out sleep until 4.30 a.m. Incidentally did you know that Doctors wear un-ironed white boiler suits - you know like the local painter wears - to do the job in. In such a delicate condition the disillusionment is far too great. I am sure I receded to an all time low so great was the shock. Also I have discovered that in all my experience Doctors are the most secretive of men. Tomorrow Dr. Dutton will call to see you and in due course Sister arrives and presents Dr. Dutton. "Tell me all" says he. I proceed. He taps and pokes and then says "Thank you. 'Good morning". I draw breath to say tell all, but they are gone.' After we had gone through Drs. Slater and Reventhall in the same fashion, D day arrives and what do they do - give me pills and needles so that by the time I get to the Theatre - operation, I mean - I cannot even see them to check and make sure they are on the job with the exception of Dr. Furber in his whiteboiler suit.
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 By now I also have to go to the bathroom for my bath, no more calesthenics in bed. But alack, a day comes when one cannot get in the bath - one sits on a chair in front of the hand basin - a truly ludicrous action when thought about. One cannot even stand up to clean one's teeth, a job I've stood up all my life to do. Then comes the day when I can walk with both hands by my sides and stand up to clean teeth. One is really on the road to recovery and the sense of achievement is terrific. And now I am becoming a nonentity when I put on the light; the little nurses no longer come at the double - I can hear them strolling leisurely along the corridor - the danger period has passed and they can afford to take their time, but it was good being important while it lasted.
-(Many thanks indeed for such an enlightening article on your many and varied experiences, Betty. We all wish you a speedy recovery and hope that you'll be on the track again in next to no time ,- Ed.)
+(Many thanks indeed for such an enlightening article on your many and varied experiences, Betty. We all wish you a speedy recovery and hope that you'll be on the track again in next to no time, Ed.)
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