MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES
May 8, 2015
By Olivene Godfrey
Today, Tam and I was recalling childhood illnesses after she told me that her two granddaughters have "pink eye" this week. I think I had all of the ailments except whooping cough. The very worse one I remember was the mumps when I was 14 years old. My family and I lived in a rural area of Georgia. This was in the 1940's and the only doctor in the area was an older man. He came to our house to examine me. His diagnosis was "mumps". I felt really bad and looked hideous with my swollen cheeks. The old doctor took a jar of coal black cream from his bag and applied to my cheeks. He told my mother to continue applying the cream until the swelling was gone.
I wasn't about to let my boyfriend see me with swollen black cheeks. So, when he came to see me, I kept the door closed. We would slip notes to each other under the bedroom door. I finally healed and was elated to be well again.
I think the most painful condition of my life was in 2002 when I had shingles. I felt worse than I ever had and during that period my husband, Ralph, passed away. A few weeks later Barry had the shingles, too. That was an awful time.
Thank God, those times are in the past. And, I pray that the good Lord will keep us healthy in the future.
See you nest time. Comments welcome. (As told to Tam.)
By Olivene Godfrey
Today, Tam and I was recalling childhood illnesses after she told me that her two granddaughters have "pink eye" this week. I think I had all of the ailments except whooping cough. The very worse one I remember was the mumps when I was 14 years old. My family and I lived in a rural area of Georgia. This was in the 1940's and the only doctor in the area was an older man. He came to our house to examine me. His diagnosis was "mumps". I felt really bad and looked hideous with my swollen cheeks. The old doctor took a jar of coal black cream from his bag and applied to my cheeks. He told my mother to continue applying the cream until the swelling was gone.
I wasn't about to let my boyfriend see me with swollen black cheeks. So, when he came to see me, I kept the door closed. We would slip notes to each other under the bedroom door. I finally healed and was elated to be well again.
I think the most painful condition of my life was in 2002 when I had shingles. I felt worse than I ever had and during that period my husband, Ralph, passed away. A few weeks later Barry had the shingles, too. That was an awful time.
Thank God, those times are in the past. And, I pray that the good Lord will keep us healthy in the future.
See you nest time. Comments welcome. (As told to Tam.)
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