KAREN: So how much training did you end up getting?

TRUDY: I don't know.

KAREN: Do you remember -- You said you were in Sitka right at the beginning.

TRUDY: I was in Sitka already.

KAREN: Right. So you'd already started the job and then you went to Sitka to have your baby?

TRUDY: No. I had my baby and they sent a telegram there and said I was their next health aide. I didn't say no or I didn't say yes, because they hadn't asked me. They just told me by telegram that I was the next health aide and I said: “No, I'm not.”

And I told the doctor: “I don't want to be because I have small children, and I want to take care of them.” I ended up being a health aide. I said: “That's how well you folks listen.” And the doctor just laughed. He said: “Well, we wanted you to be health aide.”

I said: “That doesn't count.” I said: “I think you ought to -- you ought to find out how the people feel.” A lot of things go around here too just the same. They make the decisions for you and: “Well, we have you doing this,” and “Why are we doing it?” “Well, your name was on there, so we thought it would be a good thing for you.”

I tell the people there: “You know, I like to know these things first and make up my own mind whether I want to or not.”

KAREN: Yeah.

TRUDY: Then if you think I have to do it and I cannot make up my own mind, then you could tell me: “We had to make up your mind, because it says you have to do it.”

KAREN: Right. So then you went to Anchorage for training?

TRUDY: Oh, several times.

KAREN: Do you remember how long you were in Anchorage for each training?

TRUDY: Well, we were up there for a couple of weeks. I remember the first time I went up there was for two weeks. But I had gone several times, for like about a week sometimes. But that one time we went for two weeks. I forgot something happened down in Southeast, I forgot. It involved all the communities. And I was in class and they told me and I walked out and went down to the telephone and called. And it was very true. Said, "Well, we can't do nothing, we're up here."

KAREN: It was a big -- a tragic event or something?

TRUDY: I don't remember. A lot of things happened while we were gone.

KAREN: I was thinking if it was that plane crash.

TRUDY: No.

KAREN: You know that one in Juneau with all the kids going back to school. Wasn't that uh -- I don't remember when that was.

So, when you went to Anchorage for two weeks did you take your children with you?

TRUDY: No! Are you kidding? I would never have been able to study. But we went alone as health aides. We were requested to go, so we went.
There was Barbara. I was always with Barbara.

KAREN: So what did you do with your children?

TRUDY: My husband had them. I threw them away! (laughs) I felt like that some times. Instead of worrying about my children, I am worrying about everybody else's children. Used to tell that to Barbara: “I feel so weird. Here my children need help and I'm helping somebody else.”

KAREN: Have any of your children ever talked to you that they felt that way?

TRUDY: Uh-hum (negative). No --

KAREN: And that. Oh, go ahead.

TRUDY: I have one boy that said -- almost said something like that. He just said: “Well, I'm 13 now Mom. You can just go ahead and be a health aide forever.” And I quit the next day. Now he is married and has his own family.

KAREN: So, you quit for a while and then you went back to being --

TRUDY: No, I never ever quit.

KAREN: Did you ever want to quit?

TRUDY: Oh, I wanted to quit from the day one. But I didn't want to leave the people. People were my concern. Always.