Olga and Maria in Ekaterinburg

[Sunny]

I think you're right; that's me who has a problem with "dramatic" 

[blessOTMA]

I think you're right; that's me who has a problem with "dramatic" 

I think any story about the girls which removes the rough housing( as we say in English,)  and fighting  misses an important aspect of OTMA...they could play rough: but nothing assailed the bedrock . This kind of security in a relationship tends to allow vigorous fighting that would surprise outsiders who aren't aware it doesn't reach the deeper levels.
So shouting and laughing in equal parts would answer =)

[Justine]

a bit off topic, but why did Olga have arsenic injections?

[Sunny]

Because of her health - she had a nervous breakdown during the war, and at that time they thought arsenic was good for nerves.
But i don't think she had anymore in Ekateriburg; she had in tsarkoje Selo during the War, maybe in Tobolsk, but i can't remember her having in Ipatev House.

[blessOTMA]

Because of her health - she had a nervous breakdown during the war, and at that time they thought arsenic was good for nerves.
But i don't think she had anymore in Ekateriburg; she had in tsarkoje Selo during the War, maybe in Tobolsk, but i can't remember her having in Ipatev House.

No I believe they were just in 1916...certainly not in Siberia...a medical person would know...but it seems to me the effect of arsenic is long term ...alot depends on how much Olga was given...still  haven't found that answer. But it's a poison that stays in the body and since she lost her youth so dramatically, I think it should be kept in mind when the question as to why that happened. Certainly in their situations there many other reasons! Arsenic was  thought good for nerves...amazing ...I guess the idea was to get you to  calm down...but it's a hell of way to do so . 

[Sunny]

I agree with you, Annie; when olga is described as "already old" and no more beautiful in Siberia, i thought it was not only because she was depressed, but also because she had arsenic in her veins.
I asked my brother in law (he studies to become a doctor and has quite finished) but he couldn't answer; he said that nowadays they don't use arsenic anymore, so he doesnt' know well how it worked on one's health.

No I believe they were just in 1916...certainly not in Siberia...

I have an extract of one of alix's letters to Nicky where she talks about arsenic injections. It's dated  31 october 1915, i know 'cause i used it in a novel, but i've only in italian. Try a rough translation:

Zarskoje Selo, 31 Ottobre 1915
(…) Ol'ga si è alzata solo per un giro in macchina e adesso, dopo il té, resta sul divano e noi ceneremo al piano di sopra. (…) Deve stare sdraiata più a lungo, perché se ne va in giro troppo pallida e stanca, e le iniezioni di arsenico faranno effetto più velocemente, così, capisci?

(...) Today Olga got up just for a drive tour, but now, after tea, she lays on the sofa, and we'll have dinner upstairs. (...) she has to lay for a long time, 'cuase when she goes around she looks so pale and tired, and (if she lays down) the arsenic injections will have a faster effect, you know?

[blessOTMA]

I've never seen that!! Thank you!!  So we know for sure there was more than one....unbelievable! And in 1915....wow!

but he couldn't answer; he said that nowadays they don't use arsenic anymore, so he doesnt' know well how it worked on one's health.

But since it's a famous poison,  it can't be good. We would have to know how much she got to really judge. Still it's a consideration when looking at her health later and how she is described as being "skin and bones." at the end. It must of been remarkable because TN was always the thinnest in the family ....but also as I say there are plenty of other reasons for Olga's health to suffer and she become "old" looking.
 I think for various reasons, by July of 1918 AF, Nicholas, Alexis and Olga were looking at death and TN,  Marie and Anastasia were still looking towards life  so to speak .

[Sarushka]

Still it's a consideration when looking at her health later and how she is described as being "skin and bones." at the end. It must of been remarkable because TN was always the thinnest in the family

Due to her height TN was indeed the thinnest, however as early as summer of 1917 Olga was the lightest.

(I know I've posted the list of OTMA's post-measles weights somewhere, but so far I can't find it. I'll have to refer back to N&A's diaries, and my copies are in a display case at the library until June 25...)

[Sunny]

I'll try to scroll for it in the forum; otherwise, we'll wait untile you'll be able to qrite them, Sarushka; i'm so curious! Thanks ^^

[Sarushka]

Finally found it in a post by tian79:

On a side note. Olga's weight on 23rd of Aug 1917 was 58,7 kg.
Tatiana 63,5 kg
Maria 68,8 kg
Anastasia 59,4 kg
Information from Dnevniki Nikolaya II i Aleksandry Fedorovny: 1917-1918 II

[Sunny]

That's very interesting... i can't remember their heigts (i know they're not certain, and that there's a chart somewhere in the forum, i'll look for it) but this is interesting. Olga was really thin; she was even thinner than Anastiasia - who obviously was the lightest because was the shortest.

[amartin71718]

Actually, Anastasia is often described as being the 'chubbiest' of the girls.

[Sunny]

She was expecially in captivity; Alix was always worried for her, cause she has become "very fat and with short legs" (i'll try to find the correct wuotation from a letter of alix's, if i manage to)

[blessOTMA]

[Due to her height TN was indeed the thinnest, however as early as summer of 1917 Olga was the lightest.

Thanks for the grid!

It's significant  to me Olga is described as "skin and bones" ...being so often next to someone Gibbs called unbelievably thin ( TN)
In that case the term " skin and bones"  isn't just about being thin... To be honest Olga is so gaunt  in the photo were Alexis is swinging ...the Tsar and Anastasia are there as well.....she is nearly unrecognizable.  Olga's hands are the same however . She had her mother's large hands . Anastasia was indeed said to have gained  weight  in captivity , but she doesn't look heavy in her last close up photo sitting at the desk in their bedroom...I think perhaps she was still growing in height during all this and  so when her weight or height  was measured would need to be known ( in this case,  right after her illness) ...it can't just be"  in captivity " since she was changing  though out it 

[Sunny]

[Due to her height TN was indeed the thinnest, however as early as summer of 1917 Olga was the lightest.

Thanks for the grid!

It's significant  to me Olga is described as "skin and bones" ...being so often next to someone Gibbs called unbelievably thin ( TN)
In that case the term " skin and bones"  isn't just about being thin... To be honest Olga is so gaunt  in the photo were Alexis is swinging ...the Tsar and Anastasia are there as well.....she is nearly unrecognizable.  Olga's hands are the same however . She had her mother's large hands . Anastasia was indeed said to have gained  weight  in captivity , but she doesn't look heavy in her last close up photo sitting at the desk in their bedroom...I think perhaps she was still growing in height during all this and  so when her weight or height  was measured would need to be known ( in this case,  right after her illness) ...it can't just be"  in captivity " since she was changing  though out it 

Of course Anastasia was the one (among the girls) who grew up more in captivity, just 'cause she was the youngest and the other had grow up already. She was the one who made most changes - not counting Olga, of course, because her being "skin and bones" wasn't due to growth! - and the fact we don't have very clear photos of her during the last months makes me think he would recognize her with diffculty!
Of course i'm guessing - we can't know - but i'm quite sure she changed very much in captivity. simply, she grew up, a girlie became a young woman. I'm pretty sure this was one of the reasons because Anna Anderson made people discussing about her for nearly 60 years: no one excpet her (dead) family saw Anastasia when she was changing so much growing up; when AA came up in 1922, everyone thought:; "Am i sure Anastasia would be as i remember her?"