A new day A new experience: I am a Doctor--not!

Friday, August 13, 2010

I am a Doctor--not!

Mildred Foreman and me circa 1937 or 38

While I was still in elementary school I was friends with a girl named Mildred Foreman. She lived in a place that was on my way to school. I often stopped there to play after school. Once I was at her house and my sister Mary Ruth was with me. We decided to play doctor and nurse. I was the doctor and Mildred was a nurse--Mary Ruth was the patient!

We found some pills in her medicine cabinet. They were laxative pills. I was smart enough to know we should not give any kind of pills to a kid but I also was smart enough to know that laxative pills were not life threatening. So we gave Mary Ruth a laxative pill. I was the doctor so I prescribed the pill for Mary Ruth. Mildred gave one to her. Nothing bad happened so I thought it was all OK.

Later, when we were home again, Mary Ruth mentioned to our Mother that she had taken the pill. Then my mother started digging into the story. She really got on to me for doing such a thing. I said that I thought since they were just laxative pills it wouldn't hurt anything.

In the end Mary Ruth survived and I don't even remember if she had any effect from the pill. I don't think she did!

After that when I played doctor I did not prescribe any pills to anyone!

I often think of Mildred Foreman and wonder if she is still living and what she did with her life. Maybe she became a nurse!