Sacred Heart
Hospital,
Obudu,
Ogoja Prov.
Sun 20th May, 1954
My dearest Mammy & all,
Your big long letter was terrific
– it was great to get it. I haven't got
a chance to write letters or do anything much this past while. We had Benediction & Rosary in the evening 6 pm for May & by the time I get up
from Siesta, have tea & did the
round it was time for Benediction & then it was dark just after that. Next month I might catch up again D.V. You needn't worry any time you don't get a
letter because the posts are terribly erratic anyhow, & will be worse for
the wet season. Our letters go out &
come in 45 miles by bicycle to Ogoja so when it’s wet they're not too
keen! Now your questions – I wrote to
Mrs ? but I must write again now – they must have been in a bad way about poor
Johnny R.I.P.
There are 3 Sisters here with me,
Sr. Patrick in charge, who used to be in Afikpo, she's a midwife. Sr. Felicity who is Scottish, a convert &
just professed before she came out in Feb.
She is a trained nurse & in charge of the hospital. Sr. Philomena who is not a nurse but looks
after the Leper Village & things in general, gardening etc. There are 2 Fathers here – Father O'Reilly
from Ferbane P.P. & Father Cafferty who is from Mayo, the principle in the
P.T.C. (Prep. Training College for Teachers) here. Sister Ruth is in Anua. Sister Muiredach is in Ogoja & Sr.
Ambrose is in Afikpo.
There are 5
Sisters in Afikpo now, Sr. Gabriel, Sr. Ambrose, Sr Vincent (matron), Sr
Brigid, Sr Jude (pharmacist) & Father Bradley & Fr. MacNamara. So now you've got the set up of Obudo &
Afikpo. There was no hospital here
before there was just the Leper Village which is about ¼ to ½ mile away &
in the last few months a 6 bed maternity unit but anything abnormal could not
be dealt with. About April '53 the
building of the hospital was started & they're not quite finished yet. I will take snaps & send them when it is
ready.
I am held up for instruments & drugs but I put the first few patients into the wards last week even though they're not painted yet. I see 40 to 60 patients at the dispensary every morning, do the abnormal midwifery (we had 2 sets of twins last week by the way!) & any accident cases.
It’s very slow & uphill as we're just
making do & fiddling along on what we've got but D.V. it will pick up
gradually. Denis Freeman comes out to
the Leper Village once a month as he's in charge of all the leprosy ? in
Ogoja. I do a dispensary there in the
village once a week & see anything
that crops up in the meantime. Any
problems in the village I keep for him monthly if possible!
[photo: Sacred Heart Hospital, Obudu c. 1954]
I am held up for instruments & drugs but I put the first few patients into the wards last week even though they're not painted yet. I see 40 to 60 patients at the dispensary every morning, do the abnormal midwifery (we had 2 sets of twins last week by the way!) & any accident cases.
[photo: Sacred Heart Hospital, Obudu c. 1954]
[photo - Dr. Emily P. Timoney and Dr. Jerry Twomey with Fr. Eugene O'Reilly (Kiltegan Missionaries).]
The house sounds great. I'm looking forward to seeing it D.V. Which is John Dunne? Is he married to a Catholic. I'll certainly be home before or for Christmas '55 D.V. I am keeping very well T.G. Most of the others who have come out have had 'fever' (malaria) but T.G. I haven't been sick at all – I say the prayer to St. Roch every day. Sr. Ruth was in bed 2 weeks with fever.
Yes, I think you should get a head stone up for Daddy R.I.P. & a little fixing up to the grave. Our official opening here is on 25th June D.V. so we'll have a crowd up for that day. Monsignor will open it. Monsignor O'Flaherty sent cheque for $25 for the Sisters & myself. The Sisters & Fathers & I were at a candlelight dinner party at the D.O.s (District Officer's) sometime ago - I wore the grey shimmery skirt & top – it’s very useful indeed. I'm sending on some more snaps & stamps for Sean & ? Did Seamus get my letter? Be sure & keep the snaps for me please.
Love to all,
Emily
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