In hospital

The value of acupuncture, for strength, and the value of taking control of your life

Margaret was admitted to hospital on 2 May, for the craniotomy operation at 8am Wednesday 3 May. The forthcoming ordeal, and all the uncertainties of outcome, bore in when visitors went away. But Margaret and Cao Lingling [acupuncturist, second picture] were determined that Margaret should have some acupuncture (see news for 4 May). These pictures, taken over the night of 2-3 May, show:-

Margaret's distress before acupuncture...

[Lingling's photos]

... the transformation after acupuncture and a couple of hours sleep

and her confidence after taking control and having me cut off her hair at 3am on 3 May, before the operation.

After the operation

We have a number of nice and interesting photos from Margaret's time in hospital, but none shows both Margaret's spirit and the wonderful, cheerful quality of nursing provided by the Canberra Hospital better than this photo taken on 12 May, of Margaret giving Dinah, the nurse in charge of her room, a little bunch of flowers for all the staff of Ward 9B.