Grandad – Rain today first time for weeks. I did more at the trolley.
Mum – Work all day. Had a look at my hospital notes – nothing very exciting! FR rang in am – sending me some duplicating or something. Didn’t sleep very well last night.
Notes
Comment on Weather
Grandad noted that it rained and that this was the first time for weeks.
Repairing a Run-about/Trolley
Grandad had a purpose-built cabin at the back of their house that he used for practical tasks particularly woodworking, see Chapter 85. Over the previous few months, he had been less able to work on it. However, the previous day, he had started some work repairing what he described as a run-about that he had made for my brother Alan. I believe this refers to a four-wheeled run-about he had made for Alan in April 1973, see Chapter 109. He continued to work on this although here he referred to it as a trolley.
Over the years, grandad made us a number of such run-abouts which were various forms of trolleys/go-carts/wooden bikes and which I recall as a child, see Chapter 85.
Mum Worked for Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens
During this period, mum worked as part-time medical secretary for the private practice of two surgeons, Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens, see Chapter 121. This practice was based at 41 Newmarket Road. She worked all day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and half day on Fridays. As this was Tuesday, she worked all day.
Hospital Notes
As part of her work role, it seems mum had access to NHS medical records. I am not exactly sure why given that mum worked in the private sector but perhaps this was, and possibly still is, common practice. She took the opportunity to look at her own hospital notes. She described these as “nothing very exciting“.
In January 1976, mum used this access to read grandad’s hospital notes, see Chapter 116. Again, she was able to do this because of her role as a medical secretary. This would not have been possible for someone who was not in that, or similar, position.
Times have changed in terms of individuals accessing their own medical records. I can now access my GP records through the NHS app although this does not yet cover hospital records as far as I know. I don’t think accessing someone else’s medical records was allowed then nor would it be allowed now unless you had permission or power of attorney. Grandad, I know, had died by the time mum looked at his notes so perhaps it is a moot point but I would have hated mum accessing my medical records! This is not because I have anything to hide but because they would have been none of her business, certainly once I had reached 18.
Rev Dowson
FR refers to Rev F R Dowson. Frederick Rodham Dowson entered the Methodist ministry in 1936. He was born in Haxby, York on 5 August 1912 and he died in Selsey on 4 September 2011, aged 99. I believe he was superintendent Minister for the Park Lane circuit from 1968 to 1974. He and mum were close and they spoke and corresponded frequently, see Chapter 114. On this occasion, he phoned in the morning (am). Mum noted that he was sending her some duplicating “or something“.
Insomnia
Mum often found it difficult to sleep, particularly getting off to sleep. During this period, she was prescribed different sleeping tablets, see Chapter 116. On this occasion, she does not comment if anything particular was keeping her awake nor does she refer to what sleeping tablets she took.
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