Entry 1
12 July, 1965
I gather the fresh paper from the drawer and my ink pen and go to my favourite place in the sun room, where the light pours through and fills the room. I sit down and begin to write, not expecting a reply. I spend an hour writing the letter and seal it with my stamp. I tell him how we have been receiving news updates on radio and broadcasts through the television, as the first war broadcasted on Television it is very significant for our country. I post the letter at the post office then meet Barbara for lunch in the center of Wellington and we have coffee at our usual place. Barbara and I have both been alone for a very long time now, comforted by each other knowing our men are serving our country in Vietnam. We …show more content…
I am so proud of my husband and son, they are protecting our country and are so brave. __ Has been training for years to do this and my son is so dedicated to our country. I am so honoured in having 2 men from my family in this way. News of ‘Operation Rolling Thunder’ is spreading and I can only worry what it will bring, the operation has 4 main objectives were to boost the morale of the Saigon regime, to persuade North Vietnam to halt supporting South Vietnam without taking any ground forces into communist North Vietnam, to destroy North Vietnam 's transportation system, and to stop the flow of men and materiel into South Vietnam. Operation Rolling Thunder sounded to me as if it will be sucsessful and be good for our …show more content…
I covered patient check up at 7am as usual. As I made my way towards ward 2 bed 56 something did not look right. The bed looked empty and not like yesterday. I felt a rush in my heart and hurried over to the bed skipping the man with an amputated leg. The bed was empty with new clean sheets replacing the old ones. I was so concerned for the young man and what had happened to him that i rushed over to the head of Ward 2, Patricia Williams. I saw her by bed 67 and asked her what happened to the boy in bed 56. She told me he died during the night due to blood loss.I wanted the boy who died to be alive. I wanted him to be with his mum. I wanted him to fall in love, to marry and to live. I heard Patricia 's voice ringing in my ear, “get up Miller, GET UP!” I pull myself together and pretend everything 's okay. I stand up to face Williams and she looks down at me menacingly. She tells me I am hopeless and to not feel pain for anyone of anything in this hospital. I apologize and get back to the ward for patient checkups. I spend the whole day dwelling on the boy from bed 56 while attending to hundreds of injuries and patients. I don 't think this boy will ever leave my mind and i keep thinking of what he would have become. I am told not to show empathy or pain for my patients in this hospital but I cannot do that. Seeing the boy there and then 8 house gone, how could i not forget. I just remembered i don 't even know this boy 's name, I go to the