though they had scars on their necks they
appeared healthy and they heard many inter-
esting tales of their sojourn in the United
States. After this, tnere was less apprehension
about going.
There were usuaily several Marshallese in
the group going to the United States for hospitalization. In one group there werefive
patients. They were taken to Kwajalein, where
they would meet the plane taking them to the
United States. Meanwhile, we took them to the
one departmentstore on Kwajalein, and necessary clothing, including warm winterclothes,
toilet articles, and suitcases were purchased for
them.
The patients usually were taken to the
Hospital of the Medical Department of BNL for
one to two weeksfor preliminary examinations
before surgery at the New England Deaconess
During their stay in the United States. we
took our Marshailese visitors on a numberof
sightseeing excursions, including automobile
tours around the countryside and villages. as
well as visits to our homes. Sightseeing visits to
New York City included a boat trip around the
harbor. They were greatly impressed with the
big city and were awe-struck by the towering
buildings, the streets crowded with bustling
people and the congested traffic with cavernous
sounds of honking horns and screeching brakes.
They marveled at the view atop the Chrysler
Building and enjoyed guided tours of the United
Nations Building. The Marshallese were most
grateful for these excursions and took back
tales of their adventures to their fellow isianders.
Hospital in Boston in the first years, and later.
to the Cleveland Metropolitan Generai
Hospital. The hospital rooms were warm, but
the Marshallese were sleeping under several
blankets and compiaining of being cold. We had
to turn the heat up to a level which was uncomfortably warm for us. At first, they were apprehensive about sleeping on the high hospital
beds since they had been used to sleeping on the
floor. By putting up the side bars on the beds,
they were less afraid of falfing out of bed.
TheHospital at Brookhaven was stall! arid
the nurses and hospital'staffwere friendly and“
solicitous ofthe patientswhotradcortefrom so
far. In this informal milieu, the people became
at ease with thé hospital surroundings and the*
many examinations being performed of them.
Following the preliminary examinations at
es
retge
waver esaminai..
wa ae
Marshallese patientsafriveai thé*toupital-st~-
Brookhaven Nationai Laboratory for examina- °
tions prior to thyroid surgery.
the Brookhaven Hospital, the patients were
then taken to Boston or Cleveland hospitals for
surgery.** At these large hospitais, the
Marshallese patients were on wards with many
other patients and, although they were given as
much consideration as possible, they could not
receive the personal attention that they had
been given at our small hospital. As the time of
surgery approached, they were naturally apprehensive. We stayed with them to reassure them
during the surgical procedures.
It was gratifying to see the rapid recovery of |
the patients with only slight discomfort and, on
healing, the surgical scar was usually hardly
discernible.
13 As of 1989, 77 Marshailese had thyroid surgery.
26
TOU ETT
Marshallese enjoy a boat trip around New York
Harborafter visiting the United Nations Building.