Arta Remembers a Stethoscope

Today, when Dr. Katelyn Mueller was checking in with Arta, Dr. Katelyn put on her stethoscope to listen to Arta's stomach to make sure she could hear things moving around in there.  Suddenly her phone rang and she apologized that she needed to take this important call she had been waiting for.  She left the room and I looked over at Arta who had one tear streaming down her cheek. One tear can do that -- just be unstoppable.

I took Arta's hand and asked her what she was thinking about and she recounted this story:

When Catherine was in medical school and about to get married Erva Sherwood came to Arta and said the women in the ward wanting to have a bridal shower for her.  Arta insisted it was not necessary and pointed out Catherine had not been in the ward for some time now (having attended institute ward during her undergraduate degree and then moving to Edmonton).  She also said Catherine was already living on her own and probably had all the household items she needed. Erva insisted that the women wanted to celebrate with Catherine.  

So Arta told Catherine of the plan to have a shower and asked what Catherine might need.  Catherine said she needed a stethoscope.  Arta passed this information on to Erva and the women of the Bow Valley Ward who had watched Catherine grow up contributed money to an envelope which was gifted to Catherine after the usual fun of shower games, snacks and visiting. Catherine used this money toward the purchase of her first stethoscope on her journey and calling as a medical doctor.

Catherine and her Stethoscope -
Photo taken April 26, 2021
after coming home from working all day at her clinic
at the Montreal Jewish General Hospital.

 

One woman, (Arta thinks perhaps Toko Ishikawa, though it may have been Dolena or any of the others), took her monied paper dollar contribution and carefully folded it into an origami flower for Catherine.  Catherine never could use that money up and unfold that piece of paper, and that flower followed her to Montreal when she moved there to do her medical residency.  During her early years in Montreal, her apartment was broken into and she was robbed.  Catherine told Arta the most precious thing that had been taken, the one that made her the saddest, -- that folded flower.

Arta told me, when Dr. Meuller took out her stethoscope and so gently and carefully attended to Arta, that the Stethoscope Shower memory came flooding back. While Dr. Mueller was listening and tapping, that the beauty of the woman's medical accessory of a stethoscope was in her mind.

Arta said said the thing that brought tears to her eyes was the memory of women helping another woman in that woman's journey to help other women.  A Jacob's Ladder of women helping one another, tied together and connected though they would never meet.

~~ Mary

ARTA ADDS:  not everyone will know the reference to Jacob's Ladder.  I understand it as a group of people gathered together to push an idea forward.  The idea has found expression in practice, in song and even in toys!  Here are a couple of links to try:

1.  Pete Seger 1968 singing a version of the anti-slavery anthem Jacobs Ladder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a0XJ019Oac

2. for some old Jacobs Ladder toys:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVWrdSz2Q5c