Jim Shere has just written a beautiful piece for The Kenwood Press called Two Tales of the Drooling Ward. In it, he draws comparisons between Jack London’s Told In The Drooling Ward”, and my own, In All Things, A Return To The Drooling Ward. Here is how it begins:
There are two quick reads that will stay with you for a long, long time, and they will take you quickly and deeply into an apparently surreal – yet so acutely real – world that many avoid, and few understand. Written in broad strokes and with great compassion, they are certain to change your mind about those severely disabled people that are conveniently tucked into a corner of the community.
And here is a link to the full story:
After reading “Told in the Drooling Ward” I had some reservations about reading “In All Things: A Return to the Drooling Ward” but having worked as a learning disability nurse, starting in the late seventies I was interested to see the difference between a British and an American experience. Sadly some of the attitudes were similar, even some of the terminology but not surprised that there were many caring people. One of Davis’s comments “On Michelle’s face and in Michelle’s eyes, I wanted to see recognition and wasn’t sure that I did. On Baby’s, I saw recognition immediately and wished that I didn’t” struck a familiar chord, often one hoped that there wasn’t any real understanding.
Thankfully times have changed and looking back it’s easy to condemn the institutions and their culture, however it is equally important to remember that many of the changes experienced today came out of the drive and desire for change of those staff, clients and their relatives.
Thanks for the thoughtful and insightful comments!