Story of a surgery nurse

For me and my fellow citizens, the war started on May 2, 1991, with the massacre of Croatian guardsmen in Borovo Selo. Until August 25, the wounded were brought to the hospital every day, indicating that fights were going on close to Vukovar. We never expected such destruction and terror but realized that we had to prepare for a total war. The Crisis Management Council of the hospital was established in July. We decided to make supplies of food, drugs, dressing material everything we might need to survive. We received donations from all over the world. In the beginning, we thought they were unnecessary – we could not believe that the war could be so brutal and that we would soon run out of everything. Shelters were also prepared; Dr Matoš organized the cleaning and sanitation of never used anti-atom bomb (AA) shelter. By August 25, when an extensive air attack was launched on Vukovar, the shelter was hardly usable. It was located near the new building of the hospital. The patients from the old part (Psychiatry, Ophthalmology, Neurology and Pediatrics Wards) went down to the basement. After August 25, airraids were not anymore announced and the general danger warning was in effect the whole time, and the hospital started living and working in the shelters. While the communication with Vinkovci was still open, the gravely wounded were transported there. This was the only way to create place for the wounded we expected, as the shelters were relatively small.