The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-07-05
HOSPITAL LIFE HAS IT'S
UPS AND DOWNS

After nearly month of mac
tivity, drop a few lines to many
friends in remembrance of their
thought of me during my severe
illness. On June 9th / was stricken
without warning by a bleeding
stomach ulcer, and by nightfall was
too weak to stand on my feet. DIR.
Wallace Harvey injected some bot
ties Of anti-freeze in my veins and
sent me off in Twiford's ambulance,
arriving at Leigh Memorial Hos
pital, Norfolk, in the early morn
ing hours Of June 10th.
Here l had the best of medical
and hospital attention. They start
ed pouring blood in my veins and
by the afternoon of the following
day had me built up so they could
take me to the operating room
and remove two-thirds of my stom-
ach. / didn't eat in the usual man.
ner for about week, so l lost 80
pounds Of my weight, dropping
from 223 to 1913 pounds.
| cannot say too much in praise
of the good treatment / got at the
hospital on the part of the nurses,
and other employees. This treat
ment was so comforting it spoiled
me. I learned however that such
luxury cannot be provided without
cost, and on receiving my bill for
the first weeks board, which equal
led the weekly salary of Federal
Judge, l had a bad setback which
delayed my recovery. l am con-
WINGED that poor folks cannot af-
ford to be sick.
/ My recovery got a fresh start,
for the nurses continued to be so
good to me and as soon as l began
eating again at the end of the 18th
day, 1 rapidly built up strength. On
the 18th day was allowed to re-
turn home, it being June 26th, and
here have been a prisoner, ever
since, allowed to do nothing bu;
walk around the room, eat. and
sleep.
I am grateful for the more than
200 cards received from thoughtful
friends, countless messages, anG
all the flowers my room would &C.
commodate. / was fortunate in be-
ing shut up alone in an air-condi-
toned room, which deadened out.
side sounds and protected me from
the terrific harassment of the need.
less noise which seems to prevail
in SO many hospitals, partly due
to the shouting and laughing. of the
kitchen help, and the field day eel
ebrating of visitors to other less
fortunate patients.
Many valued friends called to
see me, but "no visitors" sign
put up in the early part of my i'll
ness, remained to protect me and
helped to save me from the misfor.
tune that attended some of my
neighbors, driven almost hystericaI
at the end of a long day like Sun
day, by constant stream of Wis
iters, and who had to have opiates
in order to be able to calm down
and to get rest.
1t just seems as if visitors
traipse in in droves sufficient tc
drive well man to desperation
One concession has been made fol-
the good of the sick, on the part Of
the hospitals which now deny free
range at all hours to other thar
adults. This restriction of course
was not planned for the sick adults
but for the protection of children
against possible contagion.
/ / don't know how l would have
gotten along without the thought.
full messages, and the several visit:
from sensible friends. Now that
am slowly convalescing. need en-.
couragement more than ever. While
hospital bills caused a relapse
medical and surgical bills now
coming in, give me a more severe
set back. Fortunately / am now
stronger. Not that / am anything
but grateful to these good men fol
their skill and attention. It just
may be will be most unhappily
embarrassed at having to make
them wait SO long for their money
am sure they saved my life. and
am forever in their debt. Let me
say to all, stake good care Of your
selves"
! For many years I have been a
glutton. ! love good food, and have
so often found it. just about every
place wherever ] went. My stom-
ach seemed indestructible and il
never rebelled at anything save
limburger cheese. ] had no symp-
tom Of pains or nausea to warn me,
The night before my seizure, l had
visited with friends at Hatteras,
was out late, slept well, and ate
my usual hearty breakfast.
Now / am down to 1913 pounds.
I am not yet gaining weight. I eat
only about 20 per cent of my usual
volume of food. / am enjoined not
/ IN 11aa a tx,noxy,.;fa, ~. a. cif 81 :,