I recall that a couple of years ago a Toledo barber visited the Soldiers and Sailors home in Sandusky, Ohio (it is quite beautiful architecture, by the way). But, he began collecting money to buy underwear for these men. He was so disgusted that they lacked this basic garment. That was one fund-raiser I wholeheartedly endorsed. What a guy, Anna ----- Original Message ----- From: "E. B. Keith" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:18 AM Subject: [FOLKS] Re: Vee's Special Back Rubs!! > Dear Vee, > > Thank you for your look back at the harshness of war, and the suffering > that continued for years for many of the men and women who served > because of their injuries and war time memories. Thank you also for > using your special brand of humor, (Of note, at the Veteran's Hospital, > the men anxiously waited for a back rub from me!) to break the harsh > reality of it all. The image of those men just waiting for your back > rubs broke me up!! > > Ethel > Ontario, Canada > > > ______________________________X-Message: #3 > > Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 02:32:18 -0500 > > From: "Vee L. Housman" <[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > > Subject: [FOLKS] Making up my bed > > Content-Type: text/plain; > > charset="iso-8859-1" > > > > Dear Folks, > > > > I don't know what gets into me in the late hours of the evening but > > tonight I made up the bed and I have a story to tell you about it. > > > > I had stripped the bed in the afternoon, finally got the bed clothes > > washed and dried and then this evening I made up the bed again. But > > it wasn't long before it triggered a memory. It was when I was > > flapping the bottom of the sheet up over the bed to get a start on it. > > That's when the memories clicked in. > > > > I was back in early 1955 as a volunteer Red Cross Nurse's Aide who had > > just gone through the rigorous intense training that was required > > before any of us were ceremoniously "capped" in a moving ceremony. > > And as I was making up the bed this evening all of the memories of my > > training came back to me. > > > > In the first place, we were trained that when any of us had to change > > the linens on a patient's bed, for the most part the patient was still > > lying sick on the bed. Therefore, we were trained how to first roll > > the patient over on one side so that we could remove half of the > > present sheet and slip half of the fresh sheet under the patient. We > > would then roll the patient over to the other side and do the same > > thing. It wasn't the easiest job in the world, trust me. > > > > Not only that, as I was slipping the pillow cases into my bed pillows > > this evening, I recalled how we were instructed regarding pillows and > > pillow cases. In the first place, one does not tuck the pillow under > > one's chin and then slip the pillow case on to it. No indeedy! Not > > only was there the possibility that it might be the chance of germs on > > the pillow, but by touching the pillow with your personal body breath > > it might transmit germs to the patient but transmit germs to the > > nurse's aide! Therefore, you grasped the bottom of the pillow with > > your hand and carefully enclosed it with the pillow case. > > > > Regarding making up my bed this evening, I was also reminded about > > making hospital corners. I've done it for years. Not only because of > > my Nurse's Aide training but from my Navy days. Who knows but what my > > mother originally taught me. > > > > But with all of these memories flooding me at this time, I feel that I > > have to go on with my memories of being a Red Cross Volunteer Nurse's > > Aide. > > > > During my training in the old Memorial Hospital in Niagara Falls I > > performed all of the duties that the head nurse assigned to me without > > question. Note: the only duty that I could refuse to comply with was > > that of attending a patient who was expected to die at any minute. An > > attendant was required to be there at the moment of expiration in > > order to record the time of death. I had been trained for that job > > but at least I could refuse to be there. > > > > For a time I worked as a Red Cross Nurse's Aide volunteer at Memorial > > Hospital and then worked as a volunteer at the Veterans Hospital in > > Buffalo. During that time I willingly gave enemas, emptied nasty bed > > pans and gave expert back rubs to prevent bed sores. Of note, at the > > Veteran's Hospital, the men anxiously waited for a back rub from me! > > > > However, during that time in early 1955 I knew I was dealing with > > soldiers who had been recently shipped back to the States because of > > their war injuries. It was during the Korean War and there was a > > particular case that was difficult for me to handle. He was a patient > > on a gurney (obviously almost paralyzed) all by himself trying to make > > his way down the hallway. I noticed that it was difficult for him and > > I cheerfully asked him it he needed help. He snarled back at me and > > let me know that he didn't need ANYBODY'S help! At that point I > > realized the anguish of the soldiers in trying to deal with their > > injuries and trying to cope all by themselves with the thought of what > > the rest of their lives might be. > > > > Although I was a well trained and a dedicated Red Cross Nurse's Aide > > and even though I continued to serve at the Veterans Hospital in > > Memphis, I couldn't quite deal with the limit of their injuries. Not > > only that but I was trying my best to manage to get through the VERY > > difficult Navy electronics school that I was attending in Memphis. > > > > Such are the memories that can start up with just the simple act of > > making up my bed! > >