03-04-2017, 08:35 AM
1
This wouldn't happen now
Chatting with friends we said this would never happen in this day and age but it's quite an interesting story .When I was around 7 yrs of age we lived in Aden , dad was in the RAF. I was taken into hospital with a sore knee , told I would be in overnight , but the doctors didn't know what was really wrong and weeks turned into months , my leg was encased in plaster and I became unable to walk when the plaster was taken off . My leg was unusable due to lack of movement . My parents time in Aden was up and I was told the RAF forced mum and dad to leave and return to UK without me . I remember dad coming to say goodbye and leaving me , I couldn't speak or say goodbye and remember it all so clearly . My parents were told I would be casivaced home ASAP . In fact I was left out there for around 4 or 5 weeks before this happened . When I was eventually flown home my family were not informed and I was put in a hospital in Wroughton for weeks and no one knew I was there . I was in hospital for many months until mum and dad took me out . It was a long time before I could walk again .
I don't think a small child of 7 ish would be left alone 4thousand miles away nowadays do you , also mum always said the doctors never really knew what was wrong and she said I had water on the knee due to a fall
I was showing friends my photo and thought you might find it interesting too . Can you Immagine the pain my mum must have felt leaving her child alone in another country .
03-04-2017, 08:45 AM
2
Re: This wouldn't happen now
Terrible time for you but yes it still happens now, I know a couple who were taken into custody in Yemen, their kids put on a plane as they were arrested at the airport, and arrived in a new country not able to speak the language. No one took a blind bit of notice of them wandering out of the airport and if was two weeks before they were found by Sally Army in Croydon ! Poor kids no one knows where they've been and mum and dad are still in Yemen.They are in care in Woking now learning English and doing ok but I'm told it's not first time kids have lost contact with parents it's more common in some countries than others.
03-04-2017, 08:52 AM
3
Re: This wouldn't happen now
I am surprised that the RAF took both of your parents out of Aden, whilst they had a child in hospital! Who arranged your transport home and why did they not know where your parents were to advise them?Who would have signed the consent form for any life saving surgery you may have needed, or did they just operate without consent in those days?
03-04-2017, 08:57 AM
4
Re: This wouldn't happen now
Twink , things were different I guess , my mum always said the R A F were a disgrace . Of course I only have my memory and that of a brother 18 months younger . I don't think the RAF would allow it today though .Julie , what an awful thing to happen to those children .
03-04-2017, 09:47 AM
7
Re: This wouldn't happen now
What a sad story Susan. I remember being in hospital when I was five years old, my parents visited every day but I remember how lonely I felt when they left and I only had to wait a few hours before they returned. Not knowing when you would see them again must have been terrible.I was lucky in that I was put on the men's ward and they took the time to talk to me and play board games. I doubt if that would happen these days either.
03-04-2017, 04:13 PM
8
Re: This wouldn't happen now
I think as a child you just accept what is happening , I don't think I had any concept that they were 4 thousand miles away from me until I grew up . I think the worst was when I was flown home I didn't see them for what seemed weeks as they didn't know I was home I in the UK , I think of my mum and how she must have felt . I do wonder why the RAF didn't put me on a stretcher on the same plane as my family . It's only as an older woman I see the bigger picture .|
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