Oh yes . I was there several times. I can remember four. It was a 20 mile drive from Rutherglen to the Civic Hospital in North Bay Ontario.
Once for stitches on my right knee. Caused by a peace of glass on the ground and wearing short pants .
Once to get a sliver ( it was very large ) removed from beside my right eye. Caused by following Buster under a spruce tree without paying attention.
Once to get a burn on my back bandaged up. Caused by reaching across the kitchen table and bumping moms arm that was carrying a pot of hot pea soup above me. I think she was passing it to dad. She had to change the bandage every day for a week or so. It hurt like hell.
The last time was for a month or so in 1959. I was 5 years old an very nearly died from this accident. The “hay track” in the cow barn came off its track and hit me on the top of my head. The hay track is a complicated bit of machinery that carries around 10 bales of hay up off the wagon to the top of the ceiling in the barn and then south along a track to the hay loft in the cow barn. You pull a rope on it to release its load when it gets over where you want it dropped. The cable attached to it is pulled by the tractor and hand signals are used to tell the tractor driver when to stop. The day before it hit me. Mom had been the tractor driver and had been day dreaming while driving . She missed the hand signal from Emmett and ripped the hay track off the end of its rail. Emmett put me on the tractor instead of mom after that. Dad patched of the hay track to get it running again but didn’t put the two wooden end stops back on because he was in a hurry. He told me to stay out of the hay loft but as usual didn’t tell me why. This was pretty normal on the farm . I just knew that something up there could likely kill me and dad didn’t have time to explain it to me. Grandpa, Emmett, Dad, Chester where all the same that way. To not obey them was foolish.
My cousin from the city came to visit me the next day and wanted to play in the hay loft . We had previously swing on a rope hanging from the hay track and coasted across the loft.
I tried to tell my cousin that dad had said not to go up there but he was from the city and didn’t under stand that a farm is a dangerous place and you need to do what your told. He also was two years older then me so I thought he knew more than me. We went up into the loft and he climbed the ladder and pulled the hay track toward him. It came off the track and nearly hit him and fell past him and hit me. There was blood every where. My cousin asked me if I wanted him to stay with me or go and get my dad. I told him to go get dad. He left me there. After he left I started to get scared and decided to try and get to the house myself. My right arm was parallelized but my legs and left arm where working. The hardest part was climbing down the logs from the loft to the ground wirh one arm. I almost fell but managed to do it and ran to the house . Carol and Wendy were in the kitchen when I walked in. (see their comments)
Mom , Dad and me all loaded into the International School Bus. Mom held my head together to help stop the bleeding. Dad had to stop for gas at Corbeil . I remember the
guy that filled it up wouldn’t take any money he just waved dad on. He phoned the police for us. They met us at the North Bay Hwy 11/17 intersection. We had an escort with sirens all the way to the Civic Hospital. Once we got there they pricked my finger to get a blood sample and I can remember dad asking why they did that since there was blood all over the place. I don’t remember much until I woke up after the surgery. I can remember a nurse saying there was two doctors and one wanted to just sew me up but the other wanted to open the wound and clean it out. The second doctor won. Thank goodness. We kept me in the hallway close to the nurses station . I got three shots of antibiotic every day for a week or so. After that they moved me into a room with Robbie Fisher (can’t believe I remember his name). Robbie had a broken leg with a cast on it. He had some neat toys so I climbed into bed with him. Next thing I know me, Robbie and the toys are all on the floor. They sent me home the next day . I was too much trouble.
Found the bill for when I was born in the hospital.
Also the bills for my hernia operation when I was three years old. The hernia operation worked for 60 years . Just had the same thing done over in Jan 29 2024. Hope it holds for another 60 years.
WENDY’S ADDITION TO THIS MEMORY…
When this happened, I was 3. This is likely my earliest memory.
Our electric washer and dryer were in the kitchen, and over these were cupboards. Mom had mirrors on the inside doors so you could do the back of your hair, and see the back of your head in the opposite mirror. I was sitting on the washer/dryer, looking in a mirror, towards the entry door to the kitchen, while Carol was doing my hair.
Wayne came in the door crying and covered in blood. I repeat – I was 3! In my mind, Wayne’s head was falling off. My memory was Wayne’s head to one side and he was trying to flop his head back on his neck. There was blood everywhere. It was traumatic.
CAROL’S ADDITION TO THIS MEMORY…
I remember this well. I was in the kitchen with Wendy when Wayne came in with blood on his face. He wanted to look in the mirrors and wondered if he would die. I, being older and wiser, left him looking at himself and ran out the door to find help. Mom was in the garden and I screamed for her to come quick. Wayne says Randy went for Dad but I don’t really remember Dad coming in, just them getting in the car to go to North Bay. Mom had on a redish dress I think that had blood on it when they returned.
I think Dad was low on gas for the trip to North Bay and had to go to McLarens store for gas and I believe they called the police who escorted them into town.
I think this is true.