“Women did sorting; men worked the wash floor with huge bales hoisted with chains. I was the first woman on the wash floor... we broke ground.”
“I walked into Royal Columbian Hospital in 1978 and a woman hired me because she’d never met a Megan before. That was the beginning. I worked in housekeeping then laundry. We had to wear these white shoes and housekeeping dresses. I wish I’d kept them for Halloween.
Laundry was a blast. Women did sorting; men worked the wash floor with huge bales hoisted with chains. I was the first woman on the wash floor. I’m a bit of a tomboy; we broke ground. Now, I’m an equipment porter. I’m the social moth of the hospital. I move beds, pumps, wheelchairs and I’m constantly cleaning. Things are stored in many different places – I have to know where it all is.
I have 40-year friendships here. I’m Auntie Megan to my friends’ kids; I’ve seen them born here. I love dogs. I’ve had seven. Our dog is a Japanese Akita named Tika. At the lake I go tubing, dig clams and bag rays on the deck. Music is big for me. I’ve seen Elton John. I’ve seen Elvis. I’ve seen Tina Turner three times. Once I was in the front row and gave her a dozen roses and held her hand. That was so mint.”
- Megan Tait, nursing assistant/equipment porter, Royal Columbian Hospital