A Doctor among the Oglala Sioux Tribe: The Letters of Robert H. Ruby, 1953-1954

Fifteen. October 1954

Fifteen. October 1954 Last Thursday the parents of a girl came to me and said they had gotten a letter from the Department of Crippled Children in Pierre to take the girl to Dr.Ahrlin, a bone and joint specialist in Rapid City, on Friday for an appointment at 2:30 p.m. They didn’t have gas money and wanted to know if I could do something about it. I reminded them that their daughter has a short leg and equina talipes varus, probably the result of an old polio leg. Now she has a chance to have medical attention and get something done to help her to walk better. I explained that I had made all the arrangements for them to get this free medical care, but they had to take their daughter to Rapid City. I reminded them they go into Nebraska and distant places for dances. Now the least they could do was to get their child to the doctor in Rapid City. The parents have no sense of responsibility. No sense, period.When I was a youngster, my father would have walked and carried me to Rapid City under such circumstances. But I can’t understand people who won’t make the effort. October 2, 1954 I’m working this weekend. I have already admitted six patients for Saturday , mind you, besides seeing others as outpatients. What a beautiful day. It is so autumnish. Already we are beginning to think about our trek back home. The movers were here to move Dr. Gassman and gave us an estimate on poundage.But darn it,we have jars,including pints and quarts,of fruits and vegetables and their trucks are not heated. Besides, our stuff will have to be in storage for a short while so it could all freeze and burst. 301 That means,I guess,that we will have to haul it with us and stay at night in a hotel with a heated garage.1 We will leave approximately the middle of December. If we go to McCall first we will be camped at your place for Christmas. If we go on out to Jeanne’s mother’s home, then we will come back for a visit later. Would you all be willing to drive back about the time we pack and drive out home with us with all your expenses paid? Poor Jeanne. She has little Edna Phyllis, age three and three-quarter months,Vicky Mast, age eleven months, and Lorie Mast, age six years, at home today. The Masts went off for the day. The Masts are the ones who kept Edna last weekend for us while we went off the reservation. October 10, 1954 I performed an appendectomy on a nine-year-old kid from Rosebud because his appendix ruptured. Charlie Yellow Boy dropped in to get some medicine. He is an elderly gentleman. He never asks for money or other things, just medicine so he won’t have to go to clinic and wait, I guess. I accommodate him. The mother of Kenneth Ghost Dog was here at the house.Her boy is one we are sending to Omaha in the morning for care. I get so fed up with these Indians. Sometimes you can’t do enough for them. I’m beginning to show fatigue. Last Thursday the parents of a girl came to me and said they had gotten a letter from the Department of Crippled Children in Pierre to take the girl to Dr.Ahrlin, a bone and joint specialist in Rapid City, on Friday for an appointment at 2:30 p.m. They didn’t have gas money and wanted to know if I could do something about it. I told them that their daughter has a short leg and equina talipes varus, probably the result of an old polio leg. Now she has a chance to have medical attention and get something done to help her to walk better. I explained that I had made all the arrangements for them to get this free medical care, but they had to take their daughter to Rapid City. I reminded them they go into Nebraska and distant places for dances.Now the least they could do was to get their child up to the doctor in Rapid City. The October 1954 302 parents have no sense of responsibility. No sense, period.When I was a...