Chapter Thirty-six
A Veteran's Plea
The water broke much earlier than expected. Bill called a cab. A nervous driver drove them at breakneck speed through the Downtown rush hour traffic, and up the hill to the Royal Victoria Hospital. Whilst Bill was detained in Admissions, nurses whisked June by wheelchair up to Maternity. Bill filled out the requisite forms. It seemed to take an eternity. Would he be too late?
"You can go and join your wife now Mr. Benson."
"Where is she?"
"In the labour room."
"Where is that?"
"On the third floor, sir.
Bill didn't need further instruction after reaching the correct floor. He just had to follow the hair-raising sounds.
The labour room contained six screened off beds, all occupied. As a nurse led Bill to June's bedside, he noticed a large blackboard situated on the wall opposite the entrance. Listed were the names of all the women presently in labour. Two numbers were written next to each name - the present extent of dilation, and the time between contractions. June had the lowest number for dilations and the highest for contractions. It was going to be a long wait.
June was in mid contraction when Bill reached her bedside. Her face was grimaced in pain. She reached out for him. Her grip intensified with the spasm. Her long fingernails gouged in to his palms. Stoically she refrained from expletives, unlike a woman in an adjacent bed who was loudly expressing her displeasure in some foreign tongue. The contraction eased.
"God Bill I never expected this." She was panting, gasping for air. It's the worst pain I've ever experienced."
"Just hang in there love. I'm here to help." This he did, acting as a brace during the contractions, and cooling her fevered brow in the intervening periods of relief.
During one such period, an orderly approached him. "Like to place a bet?"
"A bet? What are you talking about?"
"We're running a pool. Which lady is going to deliver first?"
"But there's no gamble there. You have all the information posted on the blackboard."
"You can't go by that. Labour can be very erratic. Come on man. Surely, you can support your wife. It's only a fiver."
Bill could ill afford such extravagance, but placed a bet anyway.
As time passed, it looked as if he had thrown his money away. The period between June's contractions started to decrease, but the dilation remained stubbornly constant. However the duration and intensity of the contractions began to increase. After one that was particularly intense, and had even June screaming obscenities, she turned to Bill.
"Bill. Could you ask one of the nurses to bring me a bed pan?"
Bill obliged and politely stood outside the screen as the nurse attended to June.
"Oh my God. She's fully dilated. The baby's coming."
The nurses hustled June off to delivery, ignoring Bill.
"Can I watch the delivery?" he asked one of the nurses.
"I'm afraid not sir. It's not for the squeamish."
"If only she knew the things I've seen," Bill thought to himself.
"Just go and sit in the waiting room Sir. We'll come and get you after delivery."
Bill retired to the waiting room his mind in turmoil. Becoming a father was a wonderful thing, but what about the expense. What if he became unable to work? What if he died? He had no life insurance. How would they manage? Maybe he could get help from the D.V.A. He went to the nurses' station and borrowed pencil and paper. He started to write:-
13, Selby Street
Westmount, Que.,
November 8th 1945
To whom it may concern.
Sir,
I joined the Canadian army on the 11th of September 1939. My unit, the 9th Field Ambulance left for England on the 8th December that same year and arrived there on the 17th. I was stationed in England until the 15th June 1943. At that time we embarked on the invasion of Sicily and Italy, landing on the 3rd of September 1943. After a brutal campaign I was lucky enough to return to Canada with the first rotation leave group, departing from Naples on the 3rd November 1944. We landed in New York on the 15th December and were granted 30 days leave.
Subsequently I reported to D.D.4. on the 15th January and was posted to the Montreal Military Hospital where because of my war experience I was made a ward master. I was given an honourable discharge from the army on 16th August 1945.
On entering the army I took my medical board exams and passed with an A grade. At that time I was in first class shape. However during my army career I suffered several medical problems. In 1940 I was admitted to 15th General Hospital, Bramshot suffering from a perforated eardrum. The treatment was not successful as I still have impaired hearing. In 1941 I suffered a broken toe and in 1942 I was admitted to the British General Hospital with a fractured jaw resulting from an unfortunate motor bike accident. I have suffered no after effects from either of these injuries. However whilst in Italy I contracted malaria. I was never evacuated because treatment on the line was considered adequate. Unfortunately the malaria has recurred and I have had two attacks since returning to Canada (Lab tests at M.M.H. confirmed this).
In 1942 I experienced some breathing difficulties. I was diagnosed by Captain Stevenson and he concluded that I was a slight asthmatic. The condition subsided and didn't bother me again until 1943 when we landed in Italy. There, I had another attack. This time the doctor, a Captain Carswell diagnosed it as bronchitis. Again the condition cleared up, but I suffered another attack when returning home on leave in 1944. I was examined on board ship by an American Medical Officer who combined the previous diagnoses. He said I was suffering from asthmatic bronchitis. This condition has never cleared up completely.
I was discharged from the army on August 16th 1945 and started work a week later at M.M.H. I soon found myself unable to function because of breathing difficulties and reported to D.V.A. I was given pills and medicine, but these did not help and a week later I was admitted to the Ste. Anne Military Hospital. There I was examined by Dr. McQuitty, a chest specialist. He told me that it was too bad I didn't have T.B. as he could have treated that. Apparently my lungs are in terrible shape and he knows no way to cure my condition. He has basically said it is just a matter of time and that if I wish to prolong my life I should move to a place with a dry climate.
Under the present circumstances this is impossible. I have a wife about to give birth. I am unemployable and my only income is the D.V.A. allowance. Is there any possibility of further aid, not just for me, but for my wife and child? I have been led to believe that a widow's pension is only given to wives of soldiers killed in battle or who die as a result of wounds suffered on the battlefield. I do not qualify under these conditions but surely my case warrants compensation.
I have served my country well; enlisted as private in 1939, promoted to corporal (may 1940), sergeant (1942), Staff sergeant (1945) and awarded the Military Medal ( Italy 1943). Surely something could be done to help me and my family.
Yours Sincerely
S/Sgt. William Benson
D93642
"Sir, you're wife and baby are waiting for you in the recovery room." Bill whooped with joy.
"Is it a boy?"
"That's not for me to say. By the way the orderly asked me to give you this."
The nurse handed Bill a bulky envelope. "Your wife's a winner in more ways than one," she said with a smile.
He rushed to recovery. June, worn out by the delivery, had fallen asleep. At the bedside was a bassinette containing the newly born child. The babe was swathed in pink.