Bathrobes and Vicks...

From: Colleen Stout <colleenestout@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 2:32 PMSubject: Bathrobes and Vicks 

I once read a clever piece about a guy who was outraged that his newly married young wife did not know how to take care of an " obviously sick husband". After handing him a glass of water and some Aspirin, she had the audacity to leave him alone while she went to work  No juice,.no cold wash cloth, no heated blanket-- just water. She had no idea how moms were to take care of sick and dying men.  He had a point!

  As a child I was often sick. Now as I look back on it, I feel so sorry for my wonderful parents and plead for their forgiveness. I am so sorry!  I did get the best of care however,  and as the years went by, I am an expert on how to take care of the sick and ailing. I will start with a child-- me!

  First and foremost, you don't leave the ailing one alone in some bedroom. You place  her tenderly on the living room sofa. She needs to be near her caregivers so they can hear her cry about real or imagined needs.  Then she needs to be wrapped in her daddy's large flannel bathrobe,with tassels  and plaid for entertainment. Then  an assortment of clean rags. You don't know about rags? Kleenex had not been invented!

 Next she needs a loving mom whose bathroom medicine cupboard consisted of a jar of Vicks. That is all. Vicks Vapo Rub cures everything, from a sore throat, cough, congestion, cold, earache, headache,aching legs, arms,back,chest---you name it.It probably helped measels, mumps, chicken pox and sunburn too. Not sure. 

 Next it has to be applied with loving maternal hands.They could be a slight bit rough from doing all of that hand laundry, or hanging out frozen clothes on the line or breaking and shoveling kindling wood into the small pot- bellied stove. 

 Next a flannel diaper,heated in a coal stove oven is applied over the affected area. No fancy cloth will do, just a large piece of flannel!! 

 Food for the sick: Cream of Wheat-- of course, and half an orange! What a treat that was, just for the sick and afflicted. They were not cheap. Later maybe a Popsicle or Milk Nickel. There was an icebox but if we had ice cream, it  had to be homemade. The popsicle came from the cafe next door, or maybe I sucked on a piece of ice chipped off the block.

 Next a radio. Yes, an old time radio, which played a succession of dramas all day long, and fun comedy sketches at night. Amos and Andy, The Great Gildersleeve,  or Top musical hits.   They were usually only 15 minutes in length, and were called " Soap  Operas" as the commercials or ads were often for soap, hand, washing, or laundry soaps. I could read the daily log of programs, as soon as I could read, so I knew what was coming on and how to sing along with Duz, Camay, Brilcreme, Rinso White, Palmolive or Lifebouy jingles.

 It was exiting to listen to President Roosevelt and his Fireside Chats-- even at my young age. He and H.V. Kaltenborn talking about important things. 

 Next is a stash of pennies, my parents paid me a penny a glass for water drunk. Oh, and a bank to put them in. I still hear their gentle pleading to " drink some more water and you will be all better!"

 

 Since the  sofa and kitchen were not that far apart, I could ask Mama a million questions while she worked. Like, " what does frustrate mean?"  Or "why are you worried?"  

 Yes, there were other wonder drugs at the time, like Smith Brother's Cough Drops, Argerol ( sp),Mercurochrome, hot water bottles, ( enemas) and Iodine. There were  tweezers and bandages too. They filled an entire small shelf in the medicine cabinet!! The other ones were for tooth powder, brushes, razors and shaving mugs, but I digress. 

 As for nursing skills, it was amazing how the tender care of Mama, plus Daddy's bathrobe and Vicks put me back on the road to health. That and many a " kiss it better!"

 I have not mentioned the most important medical care, prayer. I am sure that there were many fervent prayers uttered  in my behalf and for others laid low with  sickness. I loved to hear them, and KNEW they worked, and I would be well in no time! I was. 

        Colleen Engh Stout

On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 3:22 PM, Andrea Pederson   wrote:

I  LOVE this!!!! I was just telling Steve about how you took care of me when I had 2 broken arms. I had a bank that you put pennies into if I would wiggle my fingers. IT WAS SO PAINFUL!!     

I also remember being "set up" on the green couch with a sheet covering it, and having one of the white stools next to me to put things on...esp. water! 

I remember being super sick and not eating for days, and you made me a toasted tuna fish sandwich with margarine on one side, and some dill pickle slices.

It tasted soooo good to me, and every time I was sick after that I requested the same thing...unless of course it was stomach flu that was ailing me...then either Ginger Ale or a popsicle was in order.

I also loved your cool scratchy hands rubbing my fevered brow, or my back when I had the chicken pox...nice and rough from eons of Mama time in hot soapy water, no doubt.

After reading this I want to go back in time and have a sick day with Mama... at home in the old house of course. Just to be so loved and nurtured so sweetly again.

Thank you for being such a loving and caring Mother...you certainly did your best, and made those hard times bearable and special...even sacred.

I love you.

Andrea