Chapter 3
August 1631
Krystal was out of sorts. Nothing had gone back to normal yet and everyone else seemed convinced things never would. Instead of heading back to her friends, her boyfriend, and her college life, she was stuck in Grantville going to their so-called nursing program, which really just trained LPNs and nurse’s aides, not RNs. Grantville didn’t have a hospital before the Ring of Fire, even if they were building one now, and it certainly didn’t have a nursing school, so the whole thing struck her as pointless.
It isn’t fair! Uncle Raymond made me register for this stupid, so-called nursing school in Grantville, as if I’ll learn anything there. When I am back in real college, I’ll be so far behind! Krystal’s bad case of self-pity was getting on everyone’s nerves. Everyone had lost loved ones, and most had lost children, spouses, parents, and other close family, plus jobs, saving accounts, and retirement income. I want to leave West Virginia, not spend more years here, making up for the time wasted in this LPN program at the vo-tech instead of a real nursing school, even if Grantville is technically in Germany now.
“Are you ready to start classes in a few weeks, Krys?” She had no idea how Uncle Raymond could be so upbeat when everyone knew the pharmacy had run out of life-saving medications for a lot of people, including asthma inhalers for people like Grannie B. Seeing her grumpy nod annoyed him. “You are lucky, Krystal. Nursing down-time is different than nursing up-time, but at least you can still study and have the career you wanted. A lot of people can’t. Look at Bitty Matowski! Ballet is completely gone. You studied ballet with her. Do you remember how much she loves it? Well, ballet was her life’s passion, and now it’s gone. And you’re going to be handling more gunshots and trauma care than an inner-city ER. If you are right and things do somehow go back, you will be way ahead of everyone else in basic trauma care and triage.
“You’ll also learn a lot about old-school ways to do things, which can be helpful sometimes, especially when the power goes out or in an emergency. I’m starting to learn a lot about herbal remedies, which I’m sure you will too, if we stay here for a while.” As a pharmacist, Raymond deeply missed regular shipments of manufactured drugs, but he had never opposed herbal remedies. His issue was not effectiveness, but the difficulty regulating their potency to ensure patients took consistent dosages.
“The school might give me some kind of eco-award for washing and reusing my disposable gloves and masks.” A weak attempt at a joke, that was still the best Krystal had done in months. “I didn’t stay in dance long, so I don’t remember much about it. I am sick of hearing about people who are worse off than I am, who lost more, who were left with less, whatever way you want to spin it. This sucks! I hate it. And I hate what freaking Pollyannas everyone is being about the whole thing!” She stomped out of the pharmacy and went for a walk to calm down before saying something she couldn’t take back.
When she got back, Uncle Raymond handed her a book. “This isn’t the first time you have accused me of being a Pollyanna, as if I’m in some kind of denial about what is happening around us and, frankly, you are getting on my last nerve about it. Pollyanna was one of Grannie B’s favorite books as a girl, which means all her children, and most of her grandchildren, were read the story. When I asked her, she still had her copy, the one I just gave you. Read it. Once you are done, I don’t ever want to hear you use ‘Pollyanna’ as a pejorative again. Clear?” Krystal nodded. “Good. It shouldn’t take long for you to finish that. Bring it back to me when you are done so I can return it to Grannie B. She loves that silly book.”
September 1631
This was far from the first “first day of school” for Sam or Krystal, but none of the others had been anything like this. For starters, the high school now required German, and Latin was highly recommended. The vo-tech wasn’t requiring either, yet, but that was only because of the teacher shortage. Most importantly, their moms weren’t here to see them off. Sam even missed the teary hug that had gotten embarrassing the last few years. At college, Krystal had seen herself off to her first day of classes, and her mom had been working and unable to see her off the last few years, so that part was easier for her, but she still had taken a first day of school picture at some point in the day, at her mom’s insistence, and she missed her parents.
While their down-time classmates were amazed by the books, desks, and all that went with an up-time school, Sam and the other up-time students missed a backpack filled with new pencils, notebooks, erasers, and other school supplies. And, of course, a new back-to-school wardrobe. Even if part (or most) of it was hand-me-down, at least a few items would have been brand new. Socks and underwear, if nothing else. This year, everyone had leftovers from previous years, things from around the house, and nothing but hand-me-downs.
Krystal snapped a quick first-day-of-school pic of Sam, then shrugged into her backpack, looking at him a bit enviously. “Thanks for making breakfast. Have a good first day at school. I’m glad one of the bikes fits me since I, unlike some pampered youngsters, don’t have a bus to drive me to school.”
“Why not? Your classes are in the vo-tech space at the high school. Just catch the bus with me if you don’t want to ride the bike.”
Krystal had told him several times that her classes were half-days with half-days working with patients, so she rolled her eyes in reply, then pedaled as hard and fast as she could, taking a few short cuts through yards and parking lots, hoping to be first to class so she could be settled and reading when the others arrived. Once things went back to the way they were before, she expected all the down-timers to be gone. Since either they would be gone, left down-time, or she would be gone, back to her real life soon, making friends would be a waste of time. Uncle Raymond’s argument that learning some herbal remedies and old-school techniques could be useful was the only reason she was here at all. Well, that and boredom. It was definitely a chance to treat injuries and illnesses that those left behind would never see.
As she locked her bike and looked up at the vo-tech center where the LPN, EMT, nurse’s aide, and combat medic classes were being held, the term “gird your loins” randomly popped into her head. After a deep breath, she took her first step through the door and into her future. Then she turned around, ran outside, and threw up in the bushes. When the teacher arrived ten minutes later, Krystal was still sitting on a concrete bench while a small gaggle of other students stood around, quietly watching her and talking behind their hands.
“Why are we outside…” Krystal dry heaved at just this moment. “Well, I guess that explains it. You look to be one of my students. LPN students, please help your classmate into the room. Later, you will be explaining any efforts you made to help and why you were standing there, not helping, when I arrived. For now, one of you must carry her things. Instead of our planned lesson, we have our very first patient to diagnose and help!”
As they all settled into their seats, Alice Sims started talking. “Mikki, welcome and please find a seat, we are just starting. I am Nurse Sims. My husband, Doctor Sims, and I retired from medicine six years before the Ring of Fire. He is a medical doctor and not a dental doctor like our esteemed son. We run a well-baby clinic at the Refugee Center two afternoons a week. You will all work there, learning about infant and post-natal care, which is the only time most of you will see us. Even by up-time standards, we are old!” Alice said this last with a grin and a wink.
“The requirement for fluent written and spoken English means we have no Germans in our course this year, but the medical staff hopes apothecaries, barber-surgeons, and herbalists will join within the next year or two.
“As you should know, our shortage of teaching staff means many of you will be teaching lessons based on your personal skillsets. Someone will take notes and videotape your lessons to create lesson plans for next year.”
“Now, let’s see what you know! Who would like to lead the examination of Miss Reed?” Alice’s palpable enthusiasm infected her students. The final diagnosis was that Krystal ate some greasy, slightly “off” sausage for breakfast. Add in a bumpy, fast bike ride to dumping the grease on an otherwise empty stomach and too much general stress and anxiety, and tummy troubles were inevitable. The recommended treatments were mostly up-time medications that were either gone entirely or being kept for more serious health problems. Krystal refused to eat or drink anything with ginger since it had become rare and expensive, totally unrelated to her intense dislike of its taste. A down-timer woman assisting Nurse Sims for the first day of class suggested lavender tea, which worked quite nicely.
“I hope that is a good lesson for you, class. You can, and should, learn from everyone, not just doctors and nurses. There are a lot of good home remedies. Chicken soup really is good for colds. Honey is a good antibacterial. Lavender tea helps with upset tummies. Don’t dismiss something just because it didn’t come from a textbook!”
Englishman, tool, and the only down-timer in the class, Justin Marbury interrupted. “Clearly, up-timers are not the only ones with medical knowledge. You depend too much on things others made. You can’t even treat a simply upset stomach without medicines that are gone now!”
Alice glared at him before continuing as if he had never spoken. “But do test down-time and home remedies first. Lots of home remedies are so much bupkes. Use your common sense. Much like blood-letting, filling a cavity with crow dung will not make anything better!” Justin turned red and his eyes narrowed at the mention of bloodletting.
“Seriously? People put poop in their mouth on purpose?” Mikki asked.
“Yes, that is something some people, dentists, technically, actually do here and now. Doctor Sims and I have been collecting some of the more…questionable medical practices. We plan to add explanations of why they aren’t the best course of treatment and give alternatives, then have copies printed to send anywhere and everywhere we can.”
* * *
Alice Sims looked tired as she smiled at the nursing students. “You young people have been doing a fabulous job in the well-baby clinic. The first down-timers who came were nervous but it’s a hit! However, the refugees feel overwhelmed by all our staff. Director Szymanski agreed that starting this week, you will be split into two groups. You will alternate weeks at the Refugee Center, helping with triage and other basic care in addition to the well-baby clinic, and the Bowers Assisted Living Center, where you will treat some long-term illnesses and help with rehab exercise.”
Krystal spoke up. “At the Bowers, will any of the residents be teaching us?”
Justin sneered. “What can a bunch of old people teach us? Most of them can’t even feed themselves anymore.”
Krystal and Alice glared in unison, but Krystal answered, voice as cold and clear as ice. “My Grandpa Eli was in WWII. Many of the men out there were, and some of their wives served, too. They saw things. Many can’t remember what they said thirty seconds ago, but most can remember fifty or seventy years ago like yesterday. Grandpa remembers holding pressure on a leg wound so a soldier he never saw before, or since, didn’t bleed out. He remembers when and how they put a tourniquet on it. He can tell you exactly what the stretcher looked like. Ask him. He’ll tell you about the tan canvas and the straps used to hold people in. Without straps, some patients fell out, especially in ambulances. Others didn’t believe they were really hurt and got up when they shouldn’t, if they weren’t strapped in. There was a metal rod underneath. It locked in place across the width of the stretcher when it was open and folded for storage. But Grandpa’s shirt got caught when one locked open, so he had to stay with the stretcher until they got to hospital and the patient was removed. Another old guy mentioned some kind of wheeled ‘litter carrier’ to help remove wounded from the battlefield or move them around at the hospital with only one orderly carrying the stretcher.” Krystal finished with a withering look. “They remember plenty, Justin, even if they won’t remember you a minute after they meet you.”
After a pointed pause, she continued more warmly. “So, Frau Sims, will the old folks be teaching us anything?”
Alice took a moment to compose her answer. “We honestly hadn’t thought of that. All we were thinking about was how to help the staff, stretched thin as they are. Some of what they know or remember is probably dangerously out of date. In 2000, tourniquets were out of favor, for example, although military medics here brought them back this summer for battlefield injuries, especially amputations. That’s not as bad as trying to bring back bloodletting, but we’ll still need to be careful. I’ll talk to Beulah, Director MacDonald, that is, Doctor Adams, and the other hospital staff to see what they think. In the meantime, your next instructor has arrived, so I will take your leave.”
“Guten morgen, class. I am Frau Zimmerman. The doctors of Leahy asked me to teach you about herbal remedies. This I cannot do, not entirely. To learn herbal remedies takes many years. You will start by learning some of the simplest remedies, such as for heartburn, fevers, and aching heads, and I see you have already learned one for upset stomach. The doctors at Leahy will be telling me what important up-time medicines they no longer have. Together, we will find the best herbal cures, and I will teach these to you. Some herbal remedies do not work and may even be dangerous. I have done this for many years, and my mother and grandmother before me. Problems happen when inexperienced herbalists, or those with no training at all, try to make remedies, or with new patients, when unexpected reactions can occur. You will learn about some remedies that do not work as well, so you know what to look for.
“We will start with tincture to reduce fever. Before you finish the course, you will learn how to make a potion with sage, dandelion roots, and a flower you call lily of the valley. This can help problems of the heart, but can also kill, if the dosage is wrong or the heart muscle is not the problem. Normally, I would not teach it to anyone who has been studying herbalism for such a short time, but the doctors at Leahy are most adamant this medicine is needed very much.
“What questions do you have for me?”
“What can a person like you possibly teach me that is worth my time? When I return to England, I will study under a real medical doctor. Someone who has forgotten more than you ever will know.” Justin’s sneer was epic. He was almost thrown out of the program that day, but the need for trained people saved him.
“Such as bloodletting? And the humors? Will this ‘real medical doctor’ teach you how much weaker women are, and that they can’t handle anything? Pah! Up-timers have shown how foolish these things are. Some herbal remedies, like willow bark tea, were still used in 2000, in a different form. If you aren’t too stupid to listen, you will learn more cures from me than that ‘doctor’ is ever likely to teach.” Frau Zimmerman had heard this line of attack many times before.
“Aren’t you afraid to teach us this? What if we get it wrong?” Krystal asked, but other arms went down, their owners nodding in agreement.
“No. I am working with an up-timer on ‘curriculum development.’ You will have the needed skills before you make anything. It will build on other things you learn during the year. Making it will be your final test for herbalism, at the end of the year. The up-timers will make sure you have the knowledge of when to use it. We will both discuss dosing. If it ends up being too much, we will not do this. So, no, I am not afraid. A little worried with so little time, yes. Afraid, no.” Her smile set most of the class at ease.
Two weeks later
Krystal’s stress level hadn’t improved and Frau Zimmerman announced they were going to start studying uses of belladonna.
“Frau Zimmerman, are we seriously studying deadly nightshade?” Krystal’s stomach was constantly knotted up and she felt sick to her stomach more often than not. Being told they would make potentially deadly herbal remedies was the last straw.
“Please do not use that name again. It is belladonna and this plant has many good uses in medicine. You must to know them. If it makes your stomach better, you will not prepare any remedies using belladonna. It is too dangerous with so little knowledge.” Frau Zimmerman didn’t look pleased.
“Why bother studying it at all then? It seems pointless.”
“Because when you know what it can do, you can find a good herbalist to make what your patient needs, if it’s complicated, or make it yourself, if it isn’t. Did you ever make the medicine yourself up-time, or did you always buy it from someone else? As much as you fuss about medicines you no longer have, it seems that you must not have made any medicines at all yourself.” The tart answer didn’t make Krystal feel any better. The idea of making medicines herself, even uncomplicated ones, made the knots in her stomach curl a titch tighter.
“May I be excused? I am not feeling well.” Krystal went directly from the classroom to find Garnet.
“Director Szymanski, I need a few minutes of your time, please.”
“Wait outside my office. When I finish here, I’ll come find you.”
By the time Garnet was finished and came back, Krystal felt calmer. “Please come in. Something must be quite wrong for you to be here before class is over for the day. What is it?”
Krystal saw no point in prolonging the pain. “I need to quit. I’m too stressed. I feel sick every day. I don’t sleep well and I’m not retaining enough. I wish I could stay, but I just can’t. I’m sorry. I know I’m disappointing everyone.”
“Krystal, no! You just lost both your parents, two of your grandparents, your friends, and so much more. You need some time. That’s okay. Do you think you will want to come back? Or perhaps do the nurse’s aide program first?”
“Not the nurse’s aide, no. I hope to come back next year, but we’ll have to see. I’m going to ask my Uncle Raymond for more hours at the pharmacy and maybe I can work at the Bowers a few hours a week. I already volunteer there.” We’ll be back in 2000 before that’s an issue, but I don’t want another lecture, so I can’t say that.
“Would you like to stay on staff for the well-baby clinic? Nurse Sims and Doc Sims have both said you are a natural. It won’t pay much, but you will keep getting experience.”
Krystal lit up, just a little. “Yes! I really enjoy that. Helping mothers and babies is so much better than helping the old people out at the Bowers, or even the families at the Refugee Center. Some things like weighing them and actually delivering the babies is almost exactly the same down-time as up-time.”
“Consider yourself on staff for the clinic, then. I’ll let the Simses know and you can start next week, both days every week. If you want to do any work for the Sanitation Squad, they can use help too. Just let me know and I’ll put a word in for you. For now, I’ll make sure your teachers know you won’t be coming back for the rest of this year, and we will double your pay at the clinic. Fingers crossed for next year!”
“Wait a minute! I’m a volunteer! You said I would be paid for the clinic work?”
“You caught me! Yes, we will pay you, but it won’t be a whole lot more than double your rate of ‘free,’ so don’t expect much.” Garnet grinned, happy to see a small smile on Krystal’s face at her corny old joke.