Two Remembrances from Ryland Safford Stacy about her grandfather Dr. Alfred Philo Howard

Dr. Alfred Philo Howard circa 1918

When I was 4 I had to have my tonsils out, and Dal said no grandchild of his would have to stay in the hospital at that age, so he gathered his doctor friends (Carlton, Kincaid,Thorning) and I think I became the first outpatient surgery case in Houston!  This was 1950.  Mom got me a new pair of pj’s, slippers, and robe for the occasion, and I was promised all the ice cream I could eat.  I thought that was great until I woke up…..  I remember Dr Thorning holding the ether thing over my mouth and nose and I counted forward (because I couldn’t count backwards) and we did the deed in Dal’s offices!

Also:
When I was in high school, Biba was at Vanderbilt so i spent many chunks of nights at Nannie’s while Mom and Dad went out of town.  I LOVED being there because Dal and I would listen to the radio in the evenings if he could find something in the sports category (especially baseball!) and we would play gin rummy.  I don’t think I won many games in those two years!  Needless to say, he was a crackerjack at any game we would play.   why didn’t I inherit that trick?????

Love, Ryland (the younger)

 

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