Remember having your tonsils out in the 50s

[johnme 10]

I had my tonsils and adenoids out at Shirle Hill in about 1965 and well remember the ice cream. They also did a sinus washout that didnt work and I was sent to the Royal Hospital on West Street for an operation. Dont think either are there now.

 

had mine done there, lived on ice cream for weeks:D

[davidpw 10]

I had mine out about '63 but had them done at Thornbury Annexe which is i think a private hospital now. They had a freezer at the end of the ward and you could help yourself to ice cream or lollies any time. Different now days they make them eat dry toast.

[SILLY 10]

Joan all my growing up years I had earache middle ear deafness, and septic tonsillitis. I was bedridden the first week with a temperature, I couldn't even eat. Our Dr would always give me a penicillin injection before my course of pills. He didn't believe in you having your tonsils out, so I went to a lady doctor. She sent me to a specialist when I was 14 and I was 3yrs on the list. I've never looked back, it was the best decision I ever made, I don't even get colds now. The sad thing is I missed a lot of school, and almost lost my job because of being continually sick. My doctor ( Dr Anderson) was old fashioned, didn't seem to think it mattered I missed my schooling, he used to make me stay off school 3 wks. Of course by the time I went back I was completely lost, and had to catch up. Of course by the time I did I was off sick again.

 

 

 

 

 

Very much the same as me Joto. I had my tonsils out when I was 19 because of quinseys the same as Joan though. It was in 1964 also at the Royal and there were just four of us older ones in a ward. The children all had their names biro'ed on their chests and we said hope that they don't do that to us. My first meal was cornflakes it was like eating razor blades. I don't know how good a job they did though because one of my tonsils has actually grown back.

Edited April 5, 2013 by SILLY

[rodbender 10]

Remember going to the old Royal Infirmary where we were operated on in batches and waking up on makeshift mattresses on the floor.The only upside was being spoiled with ice cream while your throat was still raw.

 

hi all i had my tonsils out in the 50s the only thing i remember about it was eating loads of ice cream had never tasted it till then but does anyone know why so many kids had to have them out together was it a precaution thing or what

[caz2go 10]

My Grandson had his tonsils out a few weeks ago , 6 days after the op he was rushed by ambulance back to hospital bleeding heavily from his throat due to an infection. Luckily after a stay in hospital on an antibiotic drip he,s now okay Thank goodness .

Reading about tonsil ops in the 50,s and 60,s and kids waking up on mattresses on the floors makes me wonder how anyone survived at all .

We were probably tougher in those days .

[lynnielass 10]

my first `meal` was cornflakes! torture!!!

[25195348 10]

Remember going to the old Royal Infirmary where we were operated on in batches and waking up on makeshift mattresses on the floor.The only upside was being spoiled with ice cream while your throat was still raw.

 

Hi You certainly rang some bells on that one I remember it,the mattresses were red rubber,I guess to stop the blood going on the floor I think there was a lot of that, don't remember the ice cream

[Janner 10]

I remember my young brother having tonsils & adenoids removed at the same time, it was in 1944, guess who was really envious when he was given ice cream.

[medusa 16]

You got ice cream when you came round? I didn't have mine out until the early 80s, but I got dry toast and fresh pineapple!

[spats 10]

My friends dog had to have his tonsils out. Didn't even know that dogs had tonsils

Why dont people have their tonsils out so much now?

[ptrA 10]

Sore throat and it was a tonsils out job, in late 40's & 50's My Father refused and I missed out on the ice cream. He must have been right because Iv'e still got my tonsils and it's rarely done these days. Same applied to the School dentist, it was nearly always a tooth out job.

[Puffin4 10]

As a child, I suffered a lot with tonsillitis and my name was placed on the waiting list to have them removed. When my turn eventually came round I was 14 (1953) and I was called to The Childrens' Hospital on West Street.

 

I recall having to walk into the theatre in my vest and trousers and climb onto the operating table because, as the nurse put it, I was too big to be lifted. A gauze thing like a strainer was placed over my nose and ether dripped on it and I heard a boynging in my ears. The next thing I remember was waking up on a matress on the floor with a nurse banging me on the back saying "don't swallow it" and making me cough-up blood into a kidney dish. I was surrounded by a number of whimpering children (all younger than me), in a similar condition. I was sent home by ambulance later that day. At no time did I receive any ice cream and felt quite miffed about it!

 

That was the only operation I had until 2009, when I had a triple bypass. I was much better looked after for that one.

 

Mike