During 1911 a tornado struck Mary’s house at Use, one of the stations.  She fixed the house herself.  During this she strained herself and had a heart attack which was followed by a severe fever.  Sometimes the fever was so great she was delirious.  But still she would not stop working.  She continued to teach school and hold worship services on Sunday.

Dr. Hitchcock of the Slessor Hospital came to see her every week.

“You must not go to Ikpe again,” he said.  “You must not ride your bicycle.  You must spend more time resting.”

But Mary disobeyed the doctor and held services the following Sunday.  It was too much for her.  She almost fainted before the service was over.

“You must stay in bed,” said Dr. Hitchcock, “until you are well enough to get up.”

“All right, doctor,” said Mary.

“And you must eat meat twice a day,” said the doctor.

“But I’m not a meat-eater,” answered Mary.

“You’re going to be, or I will send you to Duke Town for a long rest.”

Mary laughed.  “I’ve all my plans made and I must not draw a salary without doing something for it.”

At last the doctor sent her to the Slessor Hospital for a rest.  Because of her hard work, she had a bad fever sickness.  Now Mary saw that she was foolish in not listening to the doctor.

“Life is hardly worth living,” she said, “but I am doing what I can to help the doctor to help me, so I can be fit again for another spell of work.”

The Christians at Ikpe sent some men to see Mary to ask her when she would be back.  “Seven weeks,” said Dr. Hitchcock.

“I may run up sooner than that,” said Mary.  “I’m very well if the doctor would only believe it.”

Near the end of 1911 Mary was allowed to leave the hospital.  She hurried to her friends at Ikpe.  But Mary still was not very strong.  Her friends in Calabar and in Scotland urged her to take a long-earned furlough.  While thinking about this, Mary decided to have a box on wheels made so that she could get around since the doctor would not let her use her bicycle.  Some friends heard about this and they sent her a light cart which could be wheeled by two boys or girls.

“Now I don’t need a furlough,” said Mary.  “Instead of going home as I had planned, I shall stay here and enjoy going over ground in my cart that I couldn’t get over otherwise.”

A new government road was being built between Ikpe and Ikot Expene.  Mary wanted to start schools and churches all along this road.  But she was not strong enough to carry out her idea.  Her heart was very weak now and she had to rest often.  If there had been someone to take her place, she would have gone home for a rest.  Mary wrote to a friend: 

We were never so shorthanded, and I can do what others cannot, what indeed, doctors would not allow them to try.  No one meddles with me and I slip along and do my work using less strength than many would have to use.