Bad Memories

The Sanatorium c1955
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I was in the Sanatorium, the children's section, aged seven in 1949 suffering from TB, my mother was sent there the following year and stayed in the woman's section, also with TB, and unfortunately she died there after just a few months. The Sanatorium was a very cold place with the windows open all the time, I was not allowed up and I stayed in bed for over a year. I woke up one morning with a terrible pain in my tummy but the nurse did not believe me and dragged me along the floor from the dormitory to the wash room along the passage and made me wash my face and clean my teeth whilst I was on my knees in agony, if it had not been for the other children telling her to fetch the doctor quick I may not have been here to recall this event. I was rushed to Winchester Hospital in the back of a car driven by a Dr Hart and my appendix was removed that night. In 1951 all the children, me included, were transferred to a brand new Sanatorium/ convalescent home in New Milton called the White House. I remember the smell of fresh paint and the new beds and bed linen especially. I was very glad to see the last of The Sanatorium, nothing but bad memories I am sorry to say.