Lee's acceptance and assignment to Anesthesia School

Our trip to Texas was uneventful, we arrived at our sponsor's quarters late on a Friday afternoon. The couple who were our sponsors OJ and Ruth are still our closest friends. They had 1 little boy who was about the same age as our daughter, so they played well together. It has been almost 42 years ago that we landed on their doorstep. They insisted that we stay with them although we had purchased a pick-up truck with a small camper on the back. Our first meal with our new found friends consisted of Macaroni and Cheese (the boxed kind) green beans and hot dogs. It was a delicious meal and we thought we were in "high cotton" having found such a generous Christian family. The next day Lee and I started looking for a house to rent as there were no quarter's available for us at that time on post. Luckily we only looked at a couple houses and we found a nice 3 Br, 2 bath house with a spacious enclosed patio and big walled in backyard, all for the sum of $125/month. Those were the days, huh?? When we returned to OJ and Ruth's place they insisted that we stay with them until our furniture arrived. These people would not take no for an answer. The four of us just clicked and started talking and have been talking ever since. Over our 42 year relationship we have supported each other during some very tough times which included drug addictions in both of our families over a twenty year span. Our stay with OJ & Ruth lasted 10 days. By that time we were pretty much settled, and our son had started a new school. Even though I had changed schools many times as a child, (3 different 3rd grades) because my father was constantly changing jobs, I believe now that those many moves were especially difficult for our son. Lo all these many years later I still feel guilt over up-rooting him from his friends. People think that kids can "bounce back" from most anything, and I believe this is wrong now. On the face of it, why should it be less painful for children to lose their friends than it is for us adults? It was devastating for me each time we relocated. Although I always tried to keep a "stiff upper lip" for the family, you know I always put up a "good front." But, I digress, yet again!
The time was edging closer for Ruth and OJ to leave Texas and drive to Michigan where there family's lived. OJ had just finished Anesthesia School at William Beaumont Army Hospital and had orders for Viet Nam. There was an air of foreboding and sadness among the four of us. By this time it was late October when they left Texas, and it wasn't long and OJ was en-route to Viet Nam. A few weeks later Ruth notified us by letter that she was expecting their second child, due in August. We were all elated for them as Ruth had suffered two previous miscarriages.
Lee had started his Anesthesia classes and took to it like a "duck to water" He excelled as always with his grades and in his popularity. There were seven anesthesia students in total, all were married, except for one. As we had done in OK we got together for parties and barbeque's frequently. We were a pretty tight knit group. One of the activities we indulged in was a card game called "Michigan Poker." It was a lot of fun and a fast moving game. We all brought our penny jars along, so you see we were not "high rollers." Usually, after we had eaten we all got the kids ready for bed. There were babies and toddlers all over the house sleeping. They were sacked out in the bedrooms, living room, any place that was big enough to accommodate another "little one." It was cheap fun as none of us really had much money at that time.
Our neighbors were wonderful, they we retired from the Army and they had 3 teenagers, two of which were girls. So finding someone to take care of the kids was no problem. If the girls were busy the mom loved our kids, and she would watch them for us. The time seemed to really fly by when Lee was in school, but school was certainly not a hardship for him or for us. He would be home in early afternoon many days which we enjoyed. One of the drawbacks of the Mayo Clinic was that students would be assigned to a "room" early in the morning and be required to stay until that room was finished with all of their scheduled surgery. This could possibly be 8 or 9 o'clock at night before they were leaving the hospital.
We considered ourselves very fortunate that Lee had been chosen for this program.
Army programs for Anesthesia training have long been held high in esteem for the excellent caliber of CRNAS they graduate. On April 9,1969 Lee was promoted to Captain, which not only was a wonderful achievement and milestone, but more importantly a nice pay raise.
On April 11,1969 we welcomed our third child and second daughter to our family. She was a beautiful blond haired little girl with blue eyes who captured our hearts immediately. As I said earlier I had the same physician for the delivery as I had started out with in OK. At that time in military hospitals this was rare. It was very feasible to get a different doc each visit and then someone different for the delivery. Therefore, I considered myself very fortunate in that regard. It was a very difficult forceps delivery. The physician pulled so hard at one point that I was partially pulled off the delivery table. Luckily, at that time there was anesthesia available called a "caudal" which was similar to an epidural, except that it is given in the sacral area of the spine. I had only been given an injection of demerol for my other two labors, so this was a God send for me. I opted for this "Cadillac" anesthesia because this was to be our last baby and because it was "available" This delivery was special for us because Lee was allowed into the delivery room. Remember this was 1969 and dads in delivery rooms was not in vogue. It was wonderful for me having Lee's caring nature and support during the delivery, and especially afterwards when the baby was finally presenting herself. We kissed and hugged and both of us spilled some tears of joy and relief that our baby was healthy. It was a lot of fun in the delivery room that day. There were 2 EMT students who came in and asked my permission to be part of the delivery, of course I gave my consent. They were so supportive and interactive, and they thanked me many times to be allowed to be a part of the delivery. I can not be certain how many people were in the delivery room that day, but also included were some of Lee's classmates, and just a big gathering of well wishers. It was certainly a much different atmosphere compared to our first two children's entrance into the world. They were both born at a small community hospital in Western New York. Lee was allowed to be with me while I was in labor, but then I was taken into the delivery room alone. They notified the fathers after the delivery was all over and I was heading for my postpartum room. In retrospect, it was a lonely, sort of scary feeling, especially for our first child when I was only 19 years old. Fortunately, for me I had a wonderful warm, and very competent, physician who had delivered everybody within a 50 mile radius, and he was held in high esteem.
In those days patients were kept in hospital for 5 days after delivery. The military hospitals were big on patients doing for themselves. In the morning when breakfast was served we all had to walk to the end of the hall and carry it back to our room, then return the tray after we finished. This was the same for all meals and snacks. In actuality, I felt much better after this baby was born because I had to do for myself. The day arrived when we brought our new bundle of "joy" home. The welcoming committee was waiting in the driveway for us, our two children and the neighbor lady all anxiously awaiting their first glimpse of the new baby.
I awakened at 0550 this morning and felt eager to start writing. Hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to make comments. This is my first endeavor at writing and I could use any suggestions you may contribute.
Have a wonderful day and do something fun with someone you love! Every day is precious and remember tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Fondly, Carol