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It was mid-November and flu season had come to Poplar. Given their status as a clinical house, cleanliness and hand hygiene was paramount and Nonnatus was rarely infiltrated by the bugs going around. In the winter of 1964 however, there was a breach.
It started with Phyllis, who woke up one morning with a sore throat and a blocked nose. She hoped it was just due to the dry air or a cold, but banished Lucille from their room to avoid spreading it all the same. “You better bunk in with the girls tonight, lass,” she said, shooing her out of the room.
She kept out of the kitchen and took herself off the roster, opting instead to do laundry and work on administrative tasks. But as the day wore on, she started feeling worse. On top of her previous symptoms, chills crept up and down her spine and she started feeling achy and tired. She hung the last of the laundry and took off her apron.
Knocking on the door of Julienne’s office, she waited until she heard the familiar, “Enter.” She opened the door but didn’t step over the threshold.
“I’m afraid I’m not feeling any better, Sister. Quite the opposite in fact.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear it, Nurse Crane,” Julienne said sympathetically, her head tilted slightly to the side. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Phyllis shook her head and swallowed. It hurt, but she couldn’t stop herself. “No, thank you, not at present. I shall retire to my bed and attempt to sleep. Hopefully I’ll feel better in the morning.”
Julienne gave an understanding nod. “Of course. But there’s no rush, take all the time you need to recover. And do let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“Thank you, Sister.” She made to leave but then remembered something. “I thought it best if Lucille stays in with Trixie and Valerie. Whatever it is I’ve got, I don’t wish to spread it.”
Julienne thought for a moment. “We should have a few old camp beds somewhere. I could locate one to be set up by this evening.” She sat still for a few seconds, clearly deep in thought, before snapping back to reality. “Don’t worry, I shall take care of it. You go back to bed.” She waved Phyllis off with a kind smile. As Phyllis headed up the stairs, she heard her get up from behind the desk and head to the storeroom.
By the time Phyllis had changed back into her nightwear and slipped under the covers, she was exhausted and freezing. She rubbed her arms for warmth and curled up on her side, and eventually she managed to drift off to sleep.
When she next awoke, her throat was burning and her chest felt tight. It took her a few seconds to understand she’d been woken by her own coughing. The congestion didn’t seem to want to shift, so the coughing wouldn’t stop. Her already sore head was hurting increasingly with every cough and her face felt flushed at the effort. She pushed herself up a little in the hopes it would help.
Then the door opened, and the room was flooded with light from the hallway lamp. Sister Julienne quickly approached her and pressed a glass of water into her hand. “Here, drink a little.”
She accepted the glass and took a small sip. She coughed a little more and took another sip. Eventually the congestion finally shifted and the fit subsided, and she was left sweaty and trembling.
It was then she noticed Julienne still standing next to her bed, looking concerned.
“Thank you,” she croaked. “But you shouldn’t be in here.”
“Here, let me refill that for you,” Julienne said, ignoring her statement and taking the glass from her hand. “And I will get you another pillow so you can breathe a little easier.”
She wanted to protest, but was too tired. She laid back down and focused on taking slow, deep breaths to calm her heart which was pounding hard and fast.
Julienne soon returned with the refilled glass and carrying two pillows under her arm. “Here, sit up a little for me,” she encouraged. Phyllis pushed herself up again and Julienne put the pillows behind her back. She leaned back into the pillows with a soft groan. Despite feeling too hot, she shivered and pulled the covers tighter around her.
“Can I get you anything else?” Julienne asked.
“No, thank you. You should go, I don’t want you catching this.”
She watched Julienne look closely at her. Then she felt a cool hand being pressed to her forehead. She closed her eyes. It felt good, offering a small relief for her pounding headache.
“I’m going to fetch you some aspirin.” She removed her hand and Phyllis instantly missed the cool comfort of it. “And I think we should keep an eye on your temperature,” she added, the concern clear in her voice.
Julienne disappeared again and returned with aspirin, cough syrup and a thermometer. Phyllis swallowed down the aspirin while Julienne dosed out the cough medicine. Another chill went down her spine and she shivered, then turned her head to cough.
“Here.” Julienne held out the measured out cough syrup. When she took it, Julienne walked over to the cupboard and retrieved a blanket, which she draped over Phyllis. Then she held out the thermometer.
Phyllis took it and stuck it under her tongue. They waited in silence, until a tickle in the back of her throat made her cough again. Julienne took the thermometer and read it before showing Phyllis.
“Try to get some sleep,” Julienne half-whispered. “You certainly need it.”
Phyllis gave a small nod, afraid that speaking would set off more coughing. She closed her eyes and burrowed into the pillows, when suddenly she felt a damp cloth being placed on her forehead. She hadn’t seen Julienne bring it, but she appreciated it greatly.
“I thought this might feel nice,” Julienne offered.
“Mmh. Thank you,” Phyllis replied, already half asleep.
Over the following hours, Phyllis drifted in and out of sleep. She was vaguely aware of the familiar sounds of footsteps up and down the main corridor, the phone ringing, the front door opening and closing. At times she found it impossible to get comfortable, tossing and turning, pushing away blankets from being overheated, to shivering pulling them back on minutes later.
Then she suddenly found herself being very gently shaken awake.
“I’m sorry to wake you,” Julienne said softly, “but I don’t want you missing too many meals.”
When Phyllis peeled her eyes open she saw Julienne leaned over her, and a tray on the desk. She turned her head and coughed. “I know you had plans to make a pie, but I’ve made you soup instead.”
“Oh. Thank you, that’s very kind.” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and pushed herself up into a seated position. Julienne adjusted the pillows so she could lean back against the headboard, then placed the tray over her lap.
Phyllis wasn’t particularly hungry but she knew it would do her good. If anything she hoped the soup might help warm her up, as she was currently suffering from chills again.
She picked up the spoon and took a first spoonful of the soup. With her nose blocked she could neither smell or taste it properly, but it felt soothing against her sore throat.
While she ate, Julienne busied herself with picking up used handkerchiefs from the nightstand and replacing them with clean ones, getting her fresh water and putting medicine within arm’s reach.
The soup appeared to help loosen some of the congestion, as a few minutes in Phyllis’s nose started running much more than it had, and she frequently had to wipe or blow her nose.
She tried her best to empty the bowl, but eventually she had to give in. “I’m afraid that’s all I can manage for now,” she said, putting down the spoon. Julienne threw a quick glance in the bowl and smiled sympathetically as she removed the tray. “Could you try to drink a little?” she asked, indicating the glass of water.
Phyllis didn’t exactly feel like it, but knew the importance of proper hydration. Besides, she was well aware she’d lost a lot of fluid to sweating as her temperature had gone up and down. And now that she was thinking about fluids, she realised she could do with a trip to the bathroom.
She drank as much as she could before putting the glass away and pushing down her blankets, shivering. “I just need to make a quick visit to the facilities,” she explained when she saw Julienne’s confused look.
Julienne nodded. “Of course.”
Phyllis slowly made her way down the corridor to the bathroom. Her nightdress was still a little damp from perspiration in some areas and it clung uncomfortably to her. Her head pounded and it worried her how short of breath she was upon her arrival. When she returned she found Julienne in the process of changing her bed linen. “I figured you might sleep better in fresh sheets,” she said tactfully. “And I laid out a new nightdress for you,” she said, pointing at the chair where she’d put it.
“That’s very thoughtful. Thank you.” Speaking triggered a short coughing spell and she turned to cough into her elbow.
Julienne plumped up the pillows and then picked up the tray. “Try to get some sleep,” she said. On her way out she nodded towards the glass. “And drink a little more if you can,” she encouraged. “Sleep well,” she added before closing the door behind her.
Phyllis was grateful to slip out of the uncomfortable nightdress and into the clean and dry one. She slipped back under the sheets, cleared her nose, swallowed down two aspirin and drank as much as she could manage, before curling up on her side and drifting off to sleep.
The next day Phyllis was no better. Her cough was persistent and her nose was running like a tap. She was still suffering from a fluctuating fever which Julienne insisted on keeping a close eye on, but while she was uncomfortable it never rose to dangerous temperatures. And so far no-one else seemed to have caught it.
The following day however, it became clear that containment had been breached. Lucille started showing symptoms after lunch, Valerie just before supper and Trixie started feeling off around the time the evening’s episode of Emergency Ward 10 had aired.
“Oh no,” Phyllis said sympathetically when Lucille sniffling came into their room that evening carrying her pillow and blankets and informed her of the latest developments.
“I’m sorry, Phyllis,” she said sadly, sniffling again and coughing feebly into a hankie.
“It’s me who should apologise,” Phyllis croaked. “You’ve all likely caught it from me.”
“Mrs Turner called. It seems both she and Dr Turner have come down with the flu as well,” Lucille said.
Phyllis arched an eyebrow. “Well, it certainly seems to be making the rounds…” She turned and coughed deeply, her chest rattling.
Lucille curled up in bed, and soon after there was a knock at the door. Julienne entered to let them know that she’d spoken with Mother Mildred and requested support, given that a significant portion of the Nonnatus House staff would be out of commission for at least a week, if not more.
“The groundskeeper at the Mother House has agreed to drive them here tomorrow,” Julienne announced.
It was not ideal, Phyllis thought, but better than nothing. “We must ensure no one else succumbs,” she said seriously. “Especially Sister Monica Joan.”
Julienne nodded. “I agree. I want to keep everyone as separate as possible for the time being. The two of you, along with Nurse Dyer and Nurse Franklin, will stay upstairs and use the upstairs bathroom. Sister Frances, Sister Hilda and Sister Monica Joan will use the downstairs lavatory.” It did not escape Phyllis that she didn’t include herself.
“To reduce the risk of contamination I will be the one to bring you anything you might need. And I shall of course refrain from clinical matters in the coming days.”
Phyllis wasn’t sure this was the best solution, but her mind was foggy with fever and she couldn’t think of a better idea.
Over the next few days the top floor of Nonnatus House was a cacophony of coughing, sniffling and nose blows. Phyllis got worse before starting to get better, and Lucille, Valerie and Trixie all suffered from chills and fatigue.
Julienne appeared to spend most of her time walking up and down the stairs. She would deliver food, measure out medicine, pick up used dishes and handkerchiefs, change sheets, provide hot water bottles, wash up, do laundry, lay cool cloths on feverish brows, and probably a lot more that Phyllis wasn’t aware of.
She supposed that there wasn’t all that much time left in the day to do both her administrative tasks and sleep. And as her brain fog started to lift, she became increasingly worried about which one Julienne was choosing. Every time she entered the room, Phyllis began noticing little things about her.
There were furtive sniffles, often timed to be covered by someone coughing but not always successful. She was moving a little slower and more gingerly. There were bags under her eyes, which grew more and more prominent. Then she started looking a little pale, and as time went on her eyes were looking decidedly red rimmed, as were her nostrils, and eventually these were accompanied with two pink spots high on her cheeks. It was obvious that she was suppressing coughs while visiting, only for Phyllis to hear wet, harsh coughs from downstairs soon after she disappeared.
Phyllis brought it up and questioned her on it at every opportunity, but Julienne firmly denied having any symptoms or feeling under the weather at all. But she was clearly struggling, looking worse and worse as time wore on.
Had Phyllis been at her full strength, she would have put a stop to it days ago. But five days after she fell ill, she was only able to get out of bed for short periods at a time before becoming lightheaded or wracked with chills, forcing her to return to bed. However much she would have wanted, she wasn’t in a position to make Julienne slow down. And as the others had effectively been banished from upstairs she didn’t have much of a chance to discuss the matter with anyone or ask for assistance.
Then finally, one week after Phyllis had fallen ill, she woke up feeling much lighter and more rested than she had since she became unwell. Her nose was still a little blocked but not nearly as much as it had, and she still hadn’t shaken the cough, but her temperature was back to normal and the aches and pains associated had vanished.
After a much needed bath she got dressed. It was just slacks and a loose-fitting shirt, but wearing something other than nightwear felt like a win. She headed downstairs and as soon as she reached the landing she heard a deep, chest-rattling cough which made her wince in sympathy. It turned into a fit which seemed to just go on and on, and she traced its source to behind the closed door to Julienne’s office.
Phyllis approached the door and gave it two quick knocks but did not wait for a reply before entering.
Inside Julienne was sitting behind her desk, red-faced and coughing into a closed fist. Even as the coughing fit subsided it took her a few seconds to notice Phyllis.
“Oh, Nurse Crane,” she croaked in surprise. She cleared her throat and took a quick sip from her cup before continuing. “How are you feeling? Is there anything I can do for you?”
“I am much improved, Sister, thank you. And there is indeed something you can do for me.”
Julienne swallowed thickly, unable to hide a grimace at the clear pain it caused her. She turned her head slightly, as if she was having trouble hearing her, but after a moment's hesitation she made a questioning noise. “Mmh?”
“You can go upstairs, go to bed, and let me take over from here.”
Julienne stared blankly at her for a moment. “There’s no need-”
“There’s every need, Sister,” Phyllis said a little more harshly than she’d intended. She turned and coughed into her elbow before continuing. “You are clearly unwell and have been for some time. In my medical opinion it’s a miracle you’re still upright.”
“It’s not that bad,” Julienne wheezed, her chest heaving with the effort of suppressing a cough. It wasn’t successful for very long, however, and she coughed harshly again, the effort leaving her winded.
“Sister.” Her voice was laced with sympathy and concern. She rounded the desk and fished out an unused handkerchief from her pocket which she pressed into Julienne’s hand. As Julienne wiped her mouth Phyllis brought a hand to her forehead. “Sister, you’re burning up.”
Julienne’s eyes were focused on a dent in the desk. She took an unsteady breath, and then in a small and shaky voice she said, “I know.”
She looked up and Phyllis looked back into her glassy eyes.
“I just… I couldn’t risk anyone else getting sick.” She turned to cough, then used the hanky to blow her nose. Phyllis didn’t point out that if she’d allowed the newcomers to help out, then she wouldn’t have had to run herself into the ground like this which undoubtedly contributed to how unwell she had become.
“We shall talk about it at some point but now is not the time. Come along, let’s get you upstairs,” she encouraged.
“But-”
“No arguments, Sister. I shall speak with Sister Hilda, and Mother Mildred if necessary, and we will sort it out. You’ve done enough,” she said, not unkindly. She held out her arm. “You have shown me great kindness this past week. Now let me return the favour.”
Julienne hesitated for a moment before taking the proffered arm and stood carefully. It was as if admitting she wasn’t feeling well drained the last of her energy, and Phyllis could feel her trembling. Julienne was leaning heavily on her as they ascended the stairs, and by the time they reached her bedroom she was practically asleep on her feet.
After being assured that Julienne would get changed on her own, Phyllis went to fetch water and aspirin. When she returned Julienne had indeed changed but was leaning heavily against the chest of drawers, head hanging low. Phyllis put the glass and bottle on the nightstand and walked over to her. She put a hand on her back; she was radiating heat through the nightdress.
“Just a few more steps,” Phyllis promised. Julienne responded with a faint nod. Phyllis led her to the bed and pushed the covers down so Julienne could climb in. She then tucked her in and held out aspirin and the glass of water.
When she had swallowed the pills she burrowed down into the pillows and released a slow, relieved sounding sigh. Phyllis turned off the bedside lamp and stepped out of the room. Before closing the door she was just able to make out the faint sound of soft snores coming from within.