Cape Breton's Magazine

that you gave, and the hot pads that you put on--for how long, and whatnot--and what the discharge was like, from that you're cleaning up the wound. And the douche, you had to examine the returns of that. And all the rest of it. Then she said, "I think I'd better teach you to give an enema." All these things! What a day! So on Sunday, in those days, you got off at three o'clock. See, you worked from seven to seven--it was twelve hours. And so, then they had to go down, of course, to the dining room. And the meals were aw? ful, scandalous. Dieticians! I've never ever known anything that could give meals like dieticians! But, nevertheless, that's neither here nor there. It wasn't like my mother's cooking, I will say that. Laughs. You'd go down at noon. No--in the middle of the morning, you were allowed to go out to the diet kitchen, and you had bread and molasses and milk. Everybody had bread and molasses--not coffee or tea or pop. That was what you call your diet. And it was a wonderful thing, because it gave the nurs? es, in molasses, iron. Which they all needed. You had to be 18 to go in nursing. And milk. Better than sweets or chips and all of the rest of the things. Well, then you went back and worked again. And you might go first dinner, or you went second dinner, or whatever it was. I still see the jello--and I'd never seen it be? fore. We'd never had jello very much in our house. But it was just a little square like that. It was about two inches square, on a serving-dish, with--I don't know how she got the cream so small. Because it wasn't a teaspoon. Chuckles. We had that every Sun? day. Every Sunday--that was dessert. So more than likely when I got up after din? ner, I guess we got into the enema. And be? tween, there'd be more pads. Because the pads were put on every two hours, or every three hours, or one hour--whatever.... And there would be twenty patients there, you know. You didn't do any bathing on a Sunday, because there was a shortage of nurses. But you had to rub their backs. Everybody had to have their back (rubbed)--whether you want? ed it or not, you got your backs rubbed. You had to take the temperature, and pulse, and Your Vacation Centre i-sfore financing O.A.C. Satellite - Stereo - T.V. - Computer • SALES • SERVICE • REPAIR PHONE 295-3208 • FAX 295-1931 • SYDNEY 567-4416 | Chebucto Street, Baddeck respiration. So I learned an awful lot that day! Laughs. We had more fun--laughed. We still laugh about that day. See, here was a student nurse teaching a student nurse. She wasn't even a senior nurse. She was only second-year. The next morning 1 guess, on Monday--! was more than likely taken in hand. I don't remember. I remember the first day so plainly. But whenever you had done--usually in the afternoon you would start to do baths. It seems to me I was there a week. And then I was moved over to the male surgical ward. And I remember this man that had his leg straight up like this--a mine accident, of course. Don't ask me who he was--I haven't the faintest idea of that. And I had to change the undersheet. Now that is some? thing, especially with all these pulleys and whatnot. And he taught me how to do it.... But anyway, as I said, I loved nursing. We had a lot of fun. (Was nursing-- you had to keep the place clean-- was it strict, and was it very military?) Yes. You had to stand, for everybody who was your senior. Now, I was in by myself, the lone little proba? tioner- -they Glenda walks me three tiines a day! .jJlk A subtle hint to mv oioners. A subtle hint tc While you'i-e away, I need fu ll-ti me love andi i. Buathill Kennels gives me all * that and more! V'hen I board ' with Glenda I'n ' And she even takes cats!!! f, Vacanation certificate required. • 4 i/eai s exf). as a vet assistant • dog-p ooming by appt. , 'h ijualtty pet food ipfJL'' such as TechNI-Cal irVr' • individual attention ?DELI?BAKEEYV _ A delightfully unique cafe, deli & bakery in downtown Baddeck • featuring... • SANDWICHES ON HOMEMADE BREAD • DAILY SPECIALS • FRESH COFFEE • DELICIOUS DESSERTS, SHORE ROAD ESSO BADDECK • 29&3005 UNIRQYAL Tires • Rust Check BFCoodrich Computerized 4-Wheel Alignment Exhaust and /'ee' ''" ''i?' Credit Muffler Repair (|CSS0|) cards Accepted MON to FRI 7 AM to 8 PM • SAT 8 AM to 5 PM 1''' Exit 8 Trans-Canada Hwy 105 • Baddeck i''nllii Baddeck: The Beginning and End of the Cabot Trail