BACK IN HOSPITAL by Ralph Bice
From January 25, 1978
Just some notes I wrote during my more than three weeks in the hospital.
January 1. This is a heck of a time to now wish everyone a Happy New Year but that is how I started my little diary. I came by ambulance from Huntsville on Friday, December 30th. While in Huntsville I had been given a temporary pacemaker. I am to get one that is permanent.
Nice ride down only I had a bit of horror to think what would happen if we were to have had an accident. I could just imagine standing by Highway 400 trying to hitch a ride with only a short hospital gown on and it open up the back.
One of the attendants was a hunter and we did quite a bit of talking about the very poor deer situation and the small prospects for any improvement. The very pleasant young nurse that was seeing that none of the tubes and wires they had attached to me came loose quickly told us she was not in favour of killing any wild animal or bird but then kept out of the discussion. However our talk was not so much about killing by bemoaning the fact that as far as hunting goes there was so little game to be seen. But it was a nice ride and before long I was in a new bed, the only patient on the ward.
The first nurse I met was a Scottish girl who told me she was very fond of Canada and that she had been here 17 years. She also thought that Toronto was just about the grandest place to live and she would not want to live anywhere else.
I had to get in a few words about the north. She told me she did not want to go too far from Toronto as she could not speak French. This after living here for 17 years.
But I did make a good start to the new year as I went to church. A nurse came and asked if we would like to attend church and I asked how. This is a service for patients able to be moved and there were ten in wheel chairs. I was wheeled back to my room by a woman who had come a great distance just to help people attend church. A very beautiful chapel and rather nice impressive service.
January fifth – On January 3rd I was told the pacemaker would be put in the following day so that evening I was prepared by having my chest shaved and told I was not to eat breakfast and not even a drink after midnight. But about eleven o’clock something went wrong and the first pacemaker started an infection and in a very short time I had a very high temperature. So bad that a doctor, two nurses and an orderly worked for almost three hours and it ended by being swabbed with cold water, and I mean really cold, for more than two hours. This meant no pacemaker and I was out of sorts for a couple of days. In fact I felt so bad that I was just about ready to hammer a harp. So it may be early next week before I will have that very light operation.
I perhaps have been spoiled by the way I had been treated in Hospital in Huntsville. But I know nearly all the doctors, some of the nurses are daughters of old friends and I have been there quite a few times. But the treatment in T.G.H. could not be improved. What is it that makes nurses able to act so pleasant and helpful day after day? Is it their training or the type of girl who wants to be a nurse? I do not know how many nationalities were represented but nearly all. And all so friendly and smiling. (They could even smile and say ‘I am sorry’ when they were pulling adhesive tape off and you felt they must be taking some hide too.)
January tenth – Well, I am back to normal and believe I will be getting the pacemaker tomorrow. Have been told there are five on the list. Again, no breakfast.
January eleventh – Well it was not so bad. It was 12:01 when they covered my eyes and at 12:34 it was all over. And so little pain. Have been told I will be able to go home on Monday the 16th.
Have had a lot of visitors. Mrs. B. came down when I missed my turn as well as Doug and his wife. Lots that I knew in the city including two I went to school with more than sixty-five years ago. Several of the top men from Fish and Wildlife and a nice pot of flowers from the Minister Frank Miller. Also a daughter from Streetsville as well as several grandchildren and a nephew.
They asked me if I would go back to Huntsville so Dr. Sargent could look me over and see all was well. So another nice ride back and then back in my own bed in the same ward and the same nurses I had had so often.
So Monday I came back home and all looked the same, even the snow. Back on Thursday to have a check and the stitches removed. All seems to be well.
Note: Doug is Ralph’s son who became an Ontario Supreme Court Justice.