… My new coworkers were glad to hear my story but still wondered why I chose to work here at the medical center. I had to explain what had happened in the factory and UPS. Also, how the chance encounter with a nursing student in the parking lot of a community college lead me here. When I mentioned her name they all smiled. She was well known at the medical center in a good way.
… She was known at the local high schools because she was a voice for the medical center’s Respiratory Therapy program where she would try to recruit students on career days to the medical center. She actually did that on her off days and the hospital administration held her in high regard because of it. My coworkers had heard she was now a Registered Nurse and told me I was lucky to run into her. I thought so too.
…Just as I was wrapping up the story, our supervisor appeared wanting two of us to make a run to the basement of the old civil war hospital, and bring up an old operating room table. Ernie was quick to volunteer himself and me. Our supervisor wanted it to be brought to the decontamination area where it would be cleaned. We would know it was the one he wanted because it had a green surgical sheet over it. Ernie looked really excited as our supervisor handed him the keys to the area. I couldn’t help noticing on a large ring of keys were Skelton keys. They looked very old. “Wait to you see this place,” my coworker grabbed a cart and we headed out.
…Ernie was really motivated as he pushed a cart through the Hospital Stores to a large double door to what looked to be the basement of the civil war hospital. This old hospital was connected to the Hudson Building. I would find out much later that all the buildings in the Detroit Medical Center were interconnected. I was amazed by the size of the doors and how he knew what key to use, and the ease he used them. He did this before I thought. When he swung the doors open I could not believe what I was looking at.
…This was a surgical amphitheater. I felt an eeriness but also an overwhelming sense of complete awe. Every isle was filled from the very top of this auditorium to the surgical theater floor with medical equipment. Ernie was completely ecstatic. He was quick to point out that his parents wanted him to go to Medical School but this to him is where the 21st century medicine will be headed. He’s going to study bio- engineering, and he wants to develop the technology that will advance the field of medicine significantly. He informed me that he had arranged all of this equipment with the oldest equipment being stored in the top isles of the auditorium and then digressing in age as you worked your way to the bottom.
…The operating room tables were stored on the floor of the surgical theater. The one our boss wanted, like he said, was covered in a green surgical sheet. Ernie smiled when he saw it. He informed me that this one is a museum piece. It was made by a company named Harvard and Ernie informed me it was manufactured in Ohio in the 1880’s. It was made of Iron, wood and leather. The craftsmanship was amazing. It had stainless steal gears, handles, and wheels, that could maneuver the table in any direction or angled degree. The leather padded cushions looked brand new. It looked like it had never been used.
… This was going to a museum in Ohio. It was in extremely good condition for its age. Ernie continued to inspect it, and while he did that I looked at all the equipment that was being stored here. It had to represent at least a century, but better yet, Ernie was the one who kept track of all it. He said once a year they would scrap some of it, and the good pieces would be held. I could understand his fascination. We loaded the table onto the cart heading back to where it would be decontaminated. >>>My Life’s Journey>>>TO BE CONTINUED>>>> Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23
MJ-Way 