REMEMBER WHEN FROM THE PAST--OLD PAYSON HOSPITAL

Remember When
Thursday, March 26, 2009
KennaHolm
Memories of the Old Payson City Hospital

I've been thinking of all the things that are so different now than they were many years ago. For instance, my hospital bill came this week for my four days stay in the hospital. It about put me back in as I hyperventilated reading it. Then I talked my husband into looking back in some of his things he seems to hold on to (he's a pack rat) like old hospital bills and check stubs and etc. (by the way it is fun to look back over those things and have a good laugh). We had our daughter Vicki's receipt from having an appendectomy in 1972 and her four days in the hospital
was $147 compared to my four days that was $3,361.50. OUCH!

 Another receipt where our youngest daughter Rebecca had an ER visit that cost all of $3.50 for the ER room. Those were the days when our insurance paid 100%. None of this 80/20. Our babies cost $50. to the doctor. And there were no computers. Everything was written by hand or with a typewriter. Not nearly as fast as it is today.
 I remember the hospital administrator wore many different hats. He not only run the hospital but he took the x-rays and helped all around. The first administrator I remember was George Cheever Sr. and the

n Harold Harmer. I remember that Mr. Cheever also did the x-rays at that time too. They had to be minute men and know how to do everything.


 The nurses then all wore bright white dresses or uniforms and the head RN's wore their nurses cap all starched and proper. They also wore white nylons and shoes.  I'm not sure I remember if there was a PA system or not. Maybe the hospital was small enough they could just yell or phone the other end.
 As I lay in the hospital up here, all the calls that came over the PA were for people I didn't even know. In the old hospital it used to be calls for Peg Butler, Jeanne Lofgran, Jerry Wilson. And then there were the few doctors we had  like Dr. Oldroyd, Dr. Max Stewart,  Dr. Curtis, Dr. LD Stewart and then Dr. Hall and Dr. Brockbank and Dr. Hogan. Now there are so many different doctors that it's hard to keep up with all of them. Those  were the days we had one doctor that did it all. Now there's a different doctor for every part on your body. But we have some excellent doctors now as we did back then.  
  In those days there were specific visiting hours...3 - 4 p.m. and 7 - 8 p.m. No exceptions and now it's anytime with no restrictions. Children under 14 were not allowed in the hospital to visit. Now it doesn't matter the age of the visitor.  We then had three labor rooms for mothers-to-be and one delivery unless it is for a C-section.   Now they have birthing rooms.   Lot of changes over the years.
 I did miss the wonderful back rubs that the nurses used to give you at night with lotion,  they felt so good.  The nurses would come in in the morning and while you showered or had your bed bath.   They changed the linen  on your bed.  They put crisp clean white sheets on and they were made with such tight corners and very neat. 
 Don't you sometimes just like to sit back and remember when.....