By Donald F. Cox
Bob Radcliff certainly is to be congratulated on his “remember” series in the “Lookout.” Madison Holroyd also contributed here. Both of the gentlemen have 8 or 10 years on me, but I certainly do recall the people they write about. I have contacted them both with comments.
This week Radcliff wrote of Owen Lavely, and that brought to my mind a very important day in my childhood here in Cedar Vale. “Think late 30s...” I had the measles and was very sick with them. Dr. Hays and his nurse Luella Lang, saw me through this glitch and soon I was running around town barefoot and carefree. Well, Dr. Hays came looking for me (a very strange occurrence, since he was a very busy man.) Seems the infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Lavely had the measles and was quite sick and even near death. They knew I had universal donor blood which was crammed with fresh antibodies. They wanted me to give blood for the infant. As a seven year old, I wasn’t very thrilled about the prospect, but he put me in his car and we went to see my parents. They naturally convinced me it was the right thing to do, so Dr. Hays took me forthwith to the humble home of the Lavelys down in the Santa Fe Addition.
An intravenous tube and needle were hooked to me and the baby was brought to my side. A direct hook up was made with (I think) a glass syringe in the middle as a pump and the transfusion was done. The baby lived and I almost forgot about it in a few days until Dr. Hays came to our house to pay me for my blood. I said I guessed the Lavely were even poorer than us so I didn’t want to charge them. As was his manner, Dr Hays was very adamant. He said he was paying and anyway it was a part of his fee, which he would collect. He gave me the princely sum of $12 and my mom quickly appropriated it for kitchen supplies.
I do remember that I got a new Schwinn bicycle for my birthday, which I was sure we couldn’t afford. I wonder if the $12 had anything to do with that?
Can you imagine a physician wheeling, dealing, and healing like that in these modern times? Such a practitioner would not be able to get malpractice insurance—some would be quick to sue because he hurried to do what he could with what was available. So sad.
(From Public forum)
1 comment:
Dr. Hays took my tonsils out and had told me when I awakened from the Ether I could eat anything I wanted. Woke up, asked for ice cream, ate it and immediately threw up a pint of bloody ice cream. He was as good as his word.
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