The Nurses’ Home, The General Hospital
Birmingham
Feb 13th 1915
My dear One
I was very glad to get your letter today and had been wondering if the 9th Worcesters had been unexpectedly sent to the Front!
I had not time to read it properly until this evening owing to a somewhat adventurous day, of which I will now relate.
I was sleeping peacefully in my little bed this morning when about 5.30 a voice awakened me saying, “Nurse Constable, get up and dress as quickly as you can, and go to the theatre and prepare it, there is a case for operation for strangulated hernia, an emergency to be done at once.” The theatre night nurses did not get to bed until 3.30, and as one of them was the Theatre I day nurse relieving the night staff, and she had to be on duty at 9 am they could not be awakened. The day nurse in charge of Theatre II, where the operation was to take place, was away for her weekend so the nurse in charge of Theatre IV (Women’s) and I had to manage the best way we could! We were told first Mr Woodman would operate – then at the last minute we were told the RSO would do it, and that meant chasing round and boiling different gloves and changing things round. No two men perform the same operation in the same way.
Well, to crown everything, in the middle of everything I fell down an awful bump on the stone floor knocking my head on the corner of a glass table, whilst carrying a glass jar of sterilized sponges, which by a miracle I kept in my arms and the jar was not smashed.
I picked myself up and proceeded with my duties, when suddenly I felt something trickle down my neck. It was blood – it came through my mask and after a bit the RSO noticed it and told me to slip away to Ward 6 and see what had happened. So away I flew and found that there were two cuts behind the lobe of the right ear. The ward nurse dressed it temporarily for me and back I went. After the operation was over the RSO examined it and said the slits must be sown up, so then and there he did it and I have been going about bandaged up under my cap, such a funny sight you never saw. The stitching up hurt rather but it is not painful now and we had no more operations today but simply had to clear up and do our usual cleaning of instruments, so there was no necessity for me to go off duty.
It is a rotten feeling being suddenly called up and Nurse Hopcraft and I felt awfully sick and queer as we did not get breakfast until my ear had been sewn up and that was 8.45 – quite late for us, especially working with nothing to eat beforehand, just a very inferior cup of tea.
I had intended going to the Early Service but as you see, I spent the morning rather differently - and I have been lazy and not gone tonight, also my vanity kept me from going with a bandaged head and no hat on top! So I am reposing comfortably in bed, a kind nurse having volunteered to bring me some supper.
We’ve got a big day tomorrow, I know of ten cases already and there are sure to be some more by the morning.
You have had a busy week and no mistake. I expect they are getting the New Army up to the standard necessary for long marches abroad.
You haven’t told me anything more about the little daughter of the house. Am I to infer from this that you have transferred your attentions to the elder one?!!!
You are lucky to be in the country – what wouldn’t I give for a breath of fresh morning country air instead of stuffy old plenum mixed with chloroform.
Wasn’t that a daring deed our airmen succeeded in doing. I actually bought a Times last night and found plenty of interesting reading – but it was sad to see the long list of the Roll of Honour.
If you get 3 days leave before you go I shall take my courage in both hands and ask for leave too, even if I am still in the theatre. I do wish you were a bit nearer and could spend Sunday evenings with me – 4.30. until 10 – is quite a nice long time.
Do you remember our Sunday evenings at Blackheath and at Sydenham? How well we got to know each other in those days – tis sweet to look back upon but I think in the end these hard times will have been the best for us. I often used to think then that what we needed to really make us completely one was some great trouble or sorrow of which we should both be partakers. I had seen so much and you had seen so little of sorrow that we could not possibly feel and be absolutely at unity. I think, dear, if you’ll forgive me saying it, that of the two, you needed this separation and anxiety more than I. It has changed you but I feel much nearer to you in many ways, although we are apart, than I did in the Blackheath time. There always seemed something and I did not know quite what it was, which just spoilt our complete unity. I feel too, darling, that your love for me now is of a higher nature, I know that you loved me but there is less of passion now and more of love. You used to almost frighten me sometimes but now I do not have that feeling. It is good for me to be able to feel so sure about our Love before you go away. I want it to be the greatest thing in your life, just as it is mine – to be always before you like some Great White Light, to help you, cheer you, and when you come back, oh – my darling – it will just be Heaven on earth. I pray almost hourly as I go about my work that you may come back safe but I remember also the words of Christ before His Crucifixion, “not My Will but think be done,” and pray for strength to meet the future whatever may be in store. All my heart’s love, goodnight, Beloved. God bless and keep you in the constant prayer of
Your devoted
Mela
