Cindy Delaurentis:  

My name is Cindy Pauly DeLaurentis, I was born in Loma Linda Calif. in the old Sanitarium hospital, Nov. 25, 1957. My story here involves the old Sanatarium,(the original hospital that Ellen G. White picked out from her vision.) before they built the current Loma Linda hospital. My mother was in the RN program there in 1956, but dropped out to marry my dad in her home church of San Barnadino where she lived most of her life. She went to Loma Linda Academy, and graduated from La Serria Academy. My father graduated from La Serria Academy too. Both of them looked like movie stars back then, with my dad being yearbook editor, and class president. My mom was busy just being beautiful! My father, after graduating from PUC with an English degree, first worked for public relations of the medical school at Loma Linda, then did a stint with the San Baradino newspaper. He then started the Loma Linda newspaper, where he was instramental in documentmenting the ground breaking of the new hospital, and stayed with the story until the Hospital was built and dedicated. I don't remember the year it was finished, but I remember the dedication when I think someone in government was helicoptered to the grounds, for I was on the roof sneaking around, when the secret service found me and told me to scat. I was in the 6th grade I think, about 11 years old. But the real story is that I was one of the last non-workers to enter the old Sanitarium the day before they tore it down. There were certain advantages growing up with a father in the newspaper business. My father was allowed to go unescorted that last day before demalition. I was allowed to go, as well as I think my brother Steve. What I remember, what I encountered, will stay with me the rest of my life. These are the memories on that long ago evening. I remember it being very scary, very quiet, except for the "pop" of my dad's old fashioned flash camera. I remember going down to what I guess was an old labatory. The place looked like nothing was taken out of it...there were old glass bottles filled with body organs in cabnets from floor to ceiling. Old lab equipment, tables, (I think it was part of the medical school.) I asked my dad if I could take a "heart" home with me to show the kids at school in "show and tell", (remember that game?) "Sure", he said, never guessing the objection of my all-knowing mother. There were many body organs to choose from, but the heart was the only organ that I could reconize, so picking up the heavy glass bottle filled with some caustic liquid, I lugged it with me the rest of my "tour". I do wish my dad had taken a picture of me with it! Next memmory is my dad taking off a room number of a patient door. He said it was the room Ellen White stayed in when the Sanitarium was dedicated at the turn of the century. I don't remember how he knew that. I do remember seeing for years those old (metal?) numbers, and I don't remember which number but it was black and I think consisted of 3 digits. My father does not remember what happened to the room number. I don't remember if he told about taking the number in his story in the paper.(Loma Linda Bulleton.) My next memmory is my favorite. I remember going to the deep basement of the hospital. It was a mass of dark narrow tunnels, lit by bare lightbulbs that were hung from a thin wire all the way down. It was very eary. It felt like I was in a old mine. I could see the brown earth, no reinforcement. I was glad my dad had thought to bring his flashlight, for I was fascinated with these tunnels and wanted to see how far they went. But my dad was a little wary, for it was night by then, and no one was leading us. I could see how the thought of getting lost in the vast century-old basement would have sped him up the dirt trail to the old creaky wood of the hospital floor. My father led me into the maternity floor where I was born. Back then they didn't let dad's in to witness their babies being born. But since my dad was with the newspaper, he got in claiming he was going to "do a story about the maternity floor." I do remember seeing an old b/w picture of him in old hospital scrubs, complete with head covering,with his big, old black flash camera, waiting patiently to see me. My aunt, who was a RN, came from another local hospital to help in the delivery room since they were "short staffed" that day. She must have been the one who took the picture of my dad. The same doctor who delivered me, was the same who delivered my elder brother of one year earlier. (Dr.Wright, I think.) Back to the tour. I remember being shocked of how many things were left in the hospital. Loads of paperwork, medical gadgets, glass syringes and glass needles. (I wish I had taken more then a heart!) I remember the old OR rooms reeking still of cloraphome. (please excuse my spelling, been years since I have written that word!) Opening closets, which were few, I found operating gowns, starched and neatly hanging up. I remember a big room with those old wooden rocking chairs. I saw the old hydrotherapy rooms with big old metal tubs, all lined up in a row. There were portable drape like contraptions stacked in a corner. I saw "wards", with multiple metal beds, and many of those old fashioned wheel chairs. But also saw some regular looking rooms that looked like living quarters with just one bed...like the room where we pried the room number off. That room was on the ground floor. I remember the emergency room, at least I think it was called the emergency room, back then. I did remember going there when we lived in Loma Linda while atteding Redlands Jr.Academy. I was having an allergic reaction to a bee sting. I remember being scared when they told me that I was lucky I didn't die, for it was a bad reaction. I remember the nurses wearing starched white uniforms with big "Flying Nun" caps! I remember some with blue capes with red satin linings. Back to the tour,I remember looking around trying to find a nurses cap, but did not find on...Expand for more