This Week March 21, 1990. Page M7

PRIME TIME

ver notice how easily we accept the opinions

of others, rather than make up our own

minds? We listen to hearsay, and it colors

our judgment. It’s an effortless exercise on

our part and leaves us with someone to blame if the

assessment is proved wrong. I have fallen into this

trap dozens of times, and should, by now, know better.

I remember tossing needlessly through a long
sleepless night over one such preconceived notion.

It was one o'clock. The nursing station was quiet. It

was the temporary lull while

For it was indeed a beautiful day. It was late fall and
the drive home from work along the winding country
roads was thoroughly enjoyable. There was just a
hint of winter in the air, and the big trees were just
beginning to shed their autumn gold. Berry bushes
made splashes of vivid color along the edges of the
bluffs.

Half way home, I saw a familiar figure walking
along the side of the road, shopping bag in hand. I
had given her a lift one day in a rainstorm. This

she gathered in her wild harvest. I liked the lady, and
listened with interest, and all too soon, I came to our
lane. I offered: to drive her right home, but she
wouldn't hear of it, so I let her out at the corner.
Afterwards, I wished that I had asked her name.
She knew such an incredible amount about living off
the land that I thought she would be the ideal person
to give a talk to our nature group at our annual
meeting the following month. I would just have to
hope that we would meet again.
And we did.

dinners settled. We were going
@ over the list of surgical admis-
sions for that afternoon. It was

a small country hospital, so the

list wasn’t long. It was the
patient booked for gall bladder
surgery that held our atten-
tion. Though retired, this wom-

— Goldenrod

By IVY KENT

When I got to the hospital
the next day, and took report, I
found my patient, the infamous
director of nursing of City Gen-
eral fame, was in a private
room in the east wing.

I straightened my back, and
did a quick check before enter-

an has been the director of

_ nursing at City General and we had all heard stories

about her iron-handed rule.

___ It was with trepidation that we checked the roster
to see who would be taking care of the lady the next
day. It turned out to be me. Oh well, I thought, Tl
worry about it when it happens, maybe she’s not as
dictatorial as rumored. Then I noted that the strict
rule about admissions being in by two o'clock the day

" preceding surgery had been waived in her case, and
that she wasn’t coming in until evening. I knew how
sticky the admissions office was about that, and came
to the conclusion that even in retirement, the lady
must have considerable clout. Anyway, I wasn’t going
to let it spoil the rest of my day.

afternoon she seemed in a hurry, so I stopped again,
reaching over and opening the passenger door.

“Like a ride?” I asked. She nodded, smiled and got
in the car. =

She was a tall, pleasant looking woman, possible in
her late 60s. Her greying hair was fastened back in a
bun, and she wore warm slacks and a well-worn
woollen sweater. Her shoes were sturdy, built for
walking, and she carried leather work gloves. Her
bag was full of clippings from rose bushes. She picked
out a twig loaded with bright red rose hips.

“Did you know that three of these have as much
Vitamin C as an orange?” she asked. I said I hadn’t
known that, and she went on to talk of other things

ing; uniform spotless, no nail
polish, wedding ring only, hair neat, nylons runless
and freshly polished shoes. This lady’s reputation
had indeed preceded her. I took a deep breath and
opened the door.

My patient was sleeping. Long hair lay in wisps
around her face and curled in grey tendrils across the
pillow. There was no mistaking her identity. Here
was my nature lady. I tried to picture her as the stern
disciplinarian of the General, but failed.

Once again I had been guilty of preconception, of
letting myself be swayed by opinions other than my
own. Next time, I vowed, I'll not listen, ll wait and
make up my own mind. It’s amazing how many times
I have to remind myself of that vow.

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382-2121

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382-2121

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