Page 34 - Adobe Photoshop PDF
P. 34

and painted a board to be strapped on the back of my left arm. On top of
        WKH ERDUG  WKHUH ZDV D SRFNHW LQWR ZKLFK WKH ¿QJHUV ZHUH WR EH LQVHUWHG
        This pocket had a spring that pulled the pocket backward, thereby pull-
        LQJ WKH ¿QJHUV EDFN IURP WKH SDOP  , WULHG LW IRU ZHHNV  7KH VFDU WLVVXHV
        under the skin were like steel cords; they gave not the slightest. Grant’s
        H൵RUWV ZHUH FRPPHQGDEOH DQG , DSSUHFLDWH WKHP  EXW QRWKLQJ ZDV DF-
        complished.
               In the spring of 1931, Grant was in the University of Pennsylva-
        nia as a fourth-year medical student. Grant wrote Mother and Dad that
        he had observed the plastic surgery skills of Dr. Bruce Gill and Grant
        felt that Dr. Gill could improve my hand. Mom and Dad decided that we
        should try. In March, Mother and I took the train to Philadelphia, where
        we stayed for a couple days with Laurine and Grant in their apartment.
        I was then taken to Ward D – a children’s ward – at the University of
        Pennsylvania Hospital.
               +RVSLWDOV  QRZ  DUH  DV  GL൵HUHQW  IURP  KRVSLWDOV  LQ        DV  RXU
        FXUUHQW DXWRPRELOH PRGHOV GL൵HU IURP      FDUV  ,Q      D KRVSLWDO
        connected with a medical school, as was the University of Pennsylva-
        nia Hospital, treated patients as if they were doing the patient (and the
        family) a favor. Everything about hospital operations were done for the
        hospital’s convenience; patients and families were a necessity but were
        only tolerated on the hospital’s terms.
               I was a 10-year-old boy, 2,500 miles away from home. I was put
        LQ D URRP ZLWK ZKLWH WLOH ÀRRUV DQG ZDOOV  QR SLFWXUHV  QR UDGLR  REYL-
        ously, no TV) and a tiny window. From the window it was possible to
        see the bare branches of a small tree across the street. Patients were
        permitted to have visitors only on Sunday afternoon and Wednesday
        afternoon – no other time. Mother came to see me twice every week, but
        it was very lonely.
               That night I was given repeated injections – for what purpose,
        I don’t know. Both my arms swelled as a result of my injections. In the
        early morning hours one nurse asked me if I would prefer to have my
        next “shots” in my legs. I told her, “No, my legs are the only part of my
        body that don’t hurt!”
               The next day I was wheeled into an operating room and prepared


                                         30
   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39