A Nurse's New Year's Day

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XIV, Issue 2, 1 April 1921, Page 81

A Nurse's New Year's Day

Extracts from Letter of Nurse m Backblocks

As you will see by the address, I am not yet m the cottage, but hope to get there very shortly. I have been kept so busy since I came here, that I have not had time to arrange or settle anything. Of course it is the distances that have To be travelled that take up one's time. The call may only mean an hour's visit to the patient, but one may be six hours getting there. I had a [great experience on New Year's Eve. I Avas nursing at Mataroa, 25 miles north of here, when I received a call to go 120 miles south, to a child 4£ years. The parents were very alarmed — afraid of appendicitis; so I started off at 11.30 p.m., saw the dawn of the new year break by the shores of Lake Mapourika (it was a pretty sight), reached the Waiho about 4 a.m., had some tea and toast, and last but not least a hot bath; started off again and rode to Karangaroa, about 30 miles further on, partook of more refreshments, changed horses, and on to the Maihiti, another 30 miles. Lunched and changed horses again, then on another 27 miles to the Blue River, where 1 met the patient, who was being stretchered up for Hoki-

tika, dismounted and examined her, and, nothing urgent at all, reassured her parents, held a council of war, and decided to take her on to the Maihiti, as there is no house between it and the patient's home. So I slowly wended my way back there behind the party of stretcher-bear-ers. We reached the homestead at 2.30 p.m. — the longest ride I have ever done. A dose of oil soon put the child right (too much Christinas fare!). 1 stayed two days till she was quite well, then did the return journey by easy stages and thoroughly enjoyed it. The settlers were most kind to me, both coming and going. Horses and a meal were waiting for me at every stage of the journey, and I found the parents of the child most grateful and obliging; m fact, it has been so the whole of the time that I have been m South Westland. 1 have received every consideration from the settlers. The scenery here is lovely. The Franz Josef is a never-ending delight and wonder, and the coach-drive from the Boss Avas fine. I have never seen such beautiful bush country before.