7th and 8th March, 1948 - Suspected appendicitis and transfer to the large military hospital at Sarafand

Sunday, 7^th March, 1948

There is a very strict routine laid out for a hospital day beginning with the taking of temperatures.  I have not felt too bad in myself today and was allowed to eat two thin pieces of bread and butter at lunch time and a poached egg at tea.

The Sisters are all very nice to us patients although the orderlies tell me that their relations with the staff are not so cordial.

This is not to be wondered at.  The orderlies were conscripted into the army and were told to be Medical Orderlies.  Some like it others don’t therefore some work while the others dodge and I suspect it is the latter to whom the Sisters complain.  The majority of the orderlies here seem to be capable but a little lazy.

The Doctor tells me he suspects that I have had appendicitis in a very slight manner & am to be sent to Beit Jacov near Sarafand for confirmation.

Monday, 8^th March, 1948

I felt quite good this morning first thing so fancied some breakfast when asked by the sister.  I eat two poached eggs and two slices of bread & butter.  Almost immediately after, gripping pains made me lie in agony for about an hour.

At 9.30am the orderlies put myself and the others into three ambulances ready for our journey to Sarafand.  We were lying on the stretchers in the Ambulance for an hour before we started off.  I had a small window to look out from onto the two scenes we passed through, the bleak bare mountains of land around Jerusalem and the rolling green fertility of the coastal plain.

We reached the huge military hospital at 12 midday and again had to wait for more than an hour until our fate was decided.  The army sergeant who had been shot in the shoulder was in our ambulance and was crying out with agony by the time we reached the camp.  The huts are very large and long.  From the bed I have calculated that there are about 50 patients in this ward and there are 37 wards in the camp.