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"MY OPERATION"
By Susan Cespedes, Senior Student
Class of 1940

I should join a bridge club,
I'm eligible you know,
Cause I could lead a conversation
That concerns an operation.
You folks hear this day in and out
But me-- I love to talk about MY OPERATION.

After one evening of fun and mirth,
A little pain was given birth,
As time went on the pain did too
It moved about and grew and grew.
While pills and ice bags helped a lot
But drugs wear off and bags get hot.

My friends told me the best they knew,
Was to go to the hospital and see what they'd do,
First place, I was starved and hungry
Second, I had to sort my laundry.
Third, I want to finish in September
Fourth, pains will vanish as I remembered.

When you read the above its plain to see,
That being sick would inconvenience me,
But much against my better mind
I was wheeled to four north, and what to find?
Only that imprompte consultation
Recommended operation.

I said, "Doctor, come now really",
You are jesting, don't be silly,
Some minutes later plain to see, who was the jester it was me.
Soon there came examinations, Blood counts, "prep" catherization
B.P., chaos, M.A., Then I began to think and pray.

Next, it was fun to ride a stretcher,
Without being caught, you'd like it I betcha,
But on reaching 3 AB is not so funny
Your BP ascends and your eyes feel "runny".
May I say here, there's nothing worse
Than being ill and being a nurse.

You know just what they're going to do,
And what could happen to even you,
They pull the cap down over your eyes
Your best friend couldn't recognize
The person that you used to be,
That vaseline! Oh mercy me.

I'm skipping some cause all of you,
Know all the rest there is to do,
I got cold feet so I thought I'd say
This last remark to save the day.
Listen Doc., if you don't mind,
Call this thing off, I feel just find.

Don't have a pain, not anywhere,
Don't even think twas ever there,
My eyes were covered, I couldn't see
But Doc. must have been disgusted with me.
Any way I know, or need I mention
The remark died without medical attention.

Then down the hall to O-R-A I think,
Now was the time to pray,
They tossed me over on the table
And up I sat though hardly able
This last interruption is really serious,
I know folks talk when they're delirious.

So, events related are purely mental,
All names called coincidental,
They finished scrubbing and come on in
I whispered, "Lord, forget my sins".
As nurse in O.R. I'd rather circulate
Than lay restrained, and wait and wait.

Till the ether knocks you out,
It burns your nose, can't even shout
"I'm suffocating--that is enough"!!!
On my! Its awful, awful, stuff.
My decision reached, and it is final
Is that my next appendix rates a spinal.

Than I passed out and they operated,
When I awake, I had evaporated,
If just my teeth could have been wetter
My mouth would have felt a whole lot better.
But I got wise and found it nice
To drink the water off the ice.

I remember talking silly,
Tho' I didn't mean to really,
My chatter was boring and a brief hello
To Mum, was all--Then I got a hypo.
This went on for days and days
And now my mind is just a haze.

Of the mind it used to be,
Talk to me sometimes and you'll see,
Well my hypos stopped, and I learned to talk
And days later, I was taught to walk.
Physically, I'm back to normal
Tonight, I shall attend a formal.

But the thing is that I go somewhere,
Then sit and wonder why I'm there,
In spite of everything, it was heaps of fun
Doctors and nurses were grand, in fact everyone.
But do not tell a soul I'm going and hide
Cause there's a pain in my right side.

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[[image: black and white photo of members of class of 1943]]
Class of 1943

[[image: black and white photo of members of Nursing Staff of 1943]]
Nursing Staff of 1943