I was born at the Civic Hospital in 1944. I was born with a club foot and had to wear a cast and then a brace. When I was six years old I had my tonsils removed. At sixteen I had my appendix removed as well as a cyst on my ovary. At 21, I was in a car accident and spent Christmas in the hospital. At 24, I had cysts on my ovaries again and had one ovary removed and half of the other.

My other surgeries were in the Queensway Carleton Hospital and the General. I remember in the early days the student nurses always had time for a chat and a back rub. Everything was very clean and the hospital had an odour of disinfectant. The bedding was changed every day.

My mother worked at the Civic serving the meal trays and the food was made in the hospital kitchen. I always liked the hospital food 🥘. I don’t know what would have happened to me if the hospital was not there.

Looking forward to seeing the new hospital. Best of luck.