The Caregiver

New England Baptist Hospital (NEBH) provides orthopedic surgery and treatment for musculoskeletal diseases. It is nationally recognized as one of the nation's top hospitals for orthopedics and has ranked in the 95th percentile. For the past seven years, NEBH has received the Press Ganey Summit Award for its high customer satisfaction. In addition, it is also affiliated educationally with Tufts University School of Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard Medical School.  

What does this have to do with my grandpa? Well, before New England Baptist Hospital became the prestigious and premier medical hospital it is today, it was originally a small and poor hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. It was there that my grandpa served his country in an unconventional yet significant way.

Being raised Mennonite and a pacifist, Grandpa could not fight in the Vietnam War. The Mennonites were given alternative choices for service instead of being enlisted in the military. Shortly after Grandpa married my grandmother in Pennsylvania (where they both grew up), they moved to Boston, Massachusetts. There, he served a two year term for the New England Baptist Hospital. Classified as "1W," he worked as an orderly in the operating room. My grandmother also served a two year term as a ward aid.

The 1W men were under the supervision of Mr. Booth, a retired military personnel. Because of this fact, the 1W men were intimidated by Mr. Booth, fearing harsh treatment. However, the men were God-serving farm boys, and their commitment to their work won the supervisor's respect. Oddly enough, even after Grandpa and Grandma returned home to Pennsylvania, Mr. Booth's respectful admiration and friendship continued. My mom recounts Mr. Booth visiting periodically during her childhood and teenage years.