Two Aylmer Boys Return Home 1905, Part: 10
Oct 9, 1905 from Mary to Fred, “Tom has just been over and he and Frank both got weighed. Ward and Murray brought the scales in the sitting room. Tom weighs 114 and Frank 149. Quite a jump from 174.
Oct 10, 1905 from Frank in Bayham to Fred & Claude probably in Manitoba, “Poor Tom got home last night and the poor fellow is so weak he can hardly walk. I wouldn’t trade places with him for anything as I hope to be O.K. in a year while I fear that before that length of time Tom will be out of any earthly troubles.”
Oct 15, 1905 Mary in Bayham to Fred in Fairfax, Manitoba, “Last week quite a number came back from the North west so now I am beginning to think it is getting about time for my dear boy to turn up too, but for pity’s sake don’t get under the train like poor Frank.
The Dr seems quite encouraged about his feet now. He dresses them every other day and says he thinks they are healing all right and Frank thinks so too. The left one is doing fine, is closing in and getting quite a lot smaller and the Dr thinks he will be able to let it down some in about a week and he says the right one is looking ever so much more healthy and natural and he believes it will come all right yet. I tell you that cheers Frank up for the poor boy came home fully expecting to have his foot off and if he had stayed there that is just what would have happened for they told him he would have to have another operation. When he came away they had not been dressed from Thursday till Tuesday. They said it was better not to disturb them too much as it only irritated them but Dr Riddell treats them quite differently and they are doing ever so much better. It may be because he is our Dr but it does seem to me if he could have had the treatment of them from the start they would have been better now than they are. It just does me good to take his meals in to him he has such a good appetite and enjoys everything so much. His left foot does’nt pain him any now but his right one does some most of the t8ime not very hard as a rule but just aches and some time s it jumps for a little while. They say it is the muscles contracting.
My but Frank does enjoy having them come in. I heard them saying a little while ago that they were going to have a football match Thanksgiving and they were going to have Frank for referee. I don’t know how they will make that work without they take him chair and all in a democrat and then it depends on the day. The boys are just going away and I hear Frank saying “come up again boys, by jove, I like to have you come in.”
Pa went to town the other day and rented a wheel chair for him so nice days he wheels himself around the yard. Saturday he went over to Mr Smith’s alone and out to the barn and back and around the yard and when he got tired we took his upholstered chair out and he sat in that till the Dr came about 4.30. He went out about 10.30.
It really looked pitiful to see those two boys Saturday. Tom sitting in a rocking chair just inside the door with consumption and Frank on that chair just outside perfectly helpless but still far far better off than Tom. He walked over here twice since he came home but could’nt do it now to save his life if he just gets up to walk across the floor they have to take hold of his arm.
(Monday morning) Got breakfast ready and they were not in so ran over to see how Tom got through the night. He put in a very hard night had such a fearful pain in his right side. His mother came over Saturday about noon and I have never seen her so downhearted as she was there. He had vomited everything up that day so I gave her a slice of boiled ham and some celery and alittle fresh butter for him and in about half an hour she came back clear built up for he ate that and kept it down and she thought he had taken a change for the better and was going to get better right away. So she came over and got the wheel chair and brought him over here but I tell you the Dr don’t think much of having Frank near him he is so afraid of that disease but I would’nt have any of them know it for anything.”
Oct 29, 1906 Fred, in Fairfax, Manitoba to Frank in Bayham, Ontario “Claude got a letter from his father the other day and he said that Tom might not be alive by the time he got the letter. Is he that bad, it does not seem possible. I do hope he is not."
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Sue's Note: Tom did pass away and Frank went on to an below knee amputation.
And now back to the 'present' - January, 1915.
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