On May 18, 1959, Orlando and I were at the drive-in movies. I fell asleep during one movie and when I woke up and sat up, my water broke. We hurried home and got in our apartment. I took a shower, we called my doctor, and he said to come to the hospital.
We arrived at the hospital in about an hour and I got in the hospital bed. Labor had started but I slept off and on. In the morning my doctor checked me and dilation was pretty low. Because my water broke, I was to stay in bed or sitting.
The day progressed and not much was happening. By evening, pains were a little more frequent and dilation progressed. Finally at about 9:00 I was taken into the delivery room and about 24 hours after it all started, our baby girl, Teresa Lynn, was born. What a long day!
In August, about two and a half years later, I went to the hospital with the anticipation of another birth. Sister Marianna was the only nurse on the floor. I was in bed and my water broke. After getting reprimanded by this same nurse, we hurried on to the delivery room. In a couple hours it was evident that the baby was going to be born soon, without the doctor present. Sister Marianna was pretty upset with me and pushed on my belly to help keep the baby in.
Finally the doctor showed up and soon Carolyn Anne made her arrival. She was in a little stress but finally cried and her color changed.
When I was dismissed from the hospital I wasn’t greeted by little Teresa in a positive way. She wouldn’t talk to me or come close for a couple days. That soon changed and we were friends again.
In February of 1964 we made plans to move into our new home that had been built. I knew that baby #3 would be born soon. It was a sloppy day but we got everything moved and in place.
When we were done about mid-evening I put the coffee pot on and we were about to sit down and have coffee and a piece of apple pie my neighbor brought over. As soon as I sat down my labor pains came thick and fast.
The plans changed and we went to my mother’s house to clean up and head for the hospital. The three girls were there, and we told Mother what was happening.
I was worn out and after getting to the hospital I went to bed and, except for a severe backache, was able to go to sleep. A helpful nurse rubbed my back and after a couple hours I woke up and it was time.
After going to the delivery room it didn’t take long and #3 Cynthia Jo was born.
In November of 1970 I had an appointment with my doctor, and since this baby was late I told him I was coming in with my suitcase and wasn’t going home.
He broke my bag of waters and took me through the tunnel from the clinic to the hospital. My pains which had started now stopped and we were in a holding pattern over the noon hour.
They started up around 1:00 and after an easy labor and birth Sandra Kyle was born at about 4:30.
I hadn’t eaten all day and was very hungry. The people in the kitchen fixed me a nice meal of pork chops and the fixings. Boy, did that hit the spot!
Our family was now complete!
