Tag Archives: Lafayette

Pasteurized Milk (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Oct. 3 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

We are in Laf. again today. Glen & Pauline want to start home tomorrow so we all came down. J. & M. came along to help take care of the babies. David makes so much noise I didn’t want to bring him in. Mother just seems about the same – only weaker. She didn’t eat anything yesterday except a little breakfast and ate only some broth at noon today & a little ice cream – Says she doesn’t want any supper. I think she is having pain in her abdomen now. She moans some & that is so unnatural for her to do any like that. She had a B.M. a few minutes ago. For no more food than she takes her bowels moved pretty good. Her abdomen is quite swollen today.

I was able to find enough flowers in my flower beds to bring a nice bouquet. The marigolds don’t smell good but make a pretty showing. I was thinking about the frost not bothering them yet. This time last year we had had snow. I was in the hospital in Sept. & there was snow on Sept. 25. It is a little chilly today but the sun is shining. I hope G. & P. have nice weather for their trip home.

I am going to put D. on pasteurized milk if you think I can give it to him without boiling it. If I have to boil it will just keep him on carnation. I was checking over a baby manual given me when he was born. He was ahead of nearly all the things he was supposed to do at 3-6-9 months – however

[page 2] at 12 mo – the questions were – walk alone, ride on a kiddie kar, climb steps – He doesn’t walk alone yet, doesn’t ride a car but he gets around and one day I sat him on the stair way to put his wraps on and he started upstairs on high. I think he is doing alright. He was much more advanced in everything than J.L. at the same age. The only thing J.L. does that D. didn’t or rather wouldn’t do was hold his bottle. Of course D. doesn’t get a bottle now – drinks out of a cup.

I saw Bill Funk yesterday & he said he was going to write you another letter. He has taken your address several times – Took it so he could write you while on vacation, but I’ll bet he didn’t write then.

Zell’s finished the outdoor fireplace Parr’s started and had a hamburger fry last night. They asked J. & M. to eat with them. They have canned meat & don’t use many of their ration stamps so can have extra meat for company. Mr. Z.’s father lives on a farm & furnishes them with most of their meat. Portteus’ are going to butcher a hog soon & Mary said I could have half of it. If I can get enough points we’ll take it. I used 988 for the beef which took several weeks ahead. However, when buying meat in quarters or half, the point value is lower. The beef should last us until after we have points to use again.

While in Laf. I can hear planes going over all the time. They certainly are getting lots of practice all the time. Mark watches planes & identifies every one he sees. I don’t know whether he knows or says he does. I think his tonsillectomy was the best thing he could have done. He still isn’t much heavier but has a good appetite & isn’t nervous.

Love Mother

P.S. – Something new has been added – I see interns in the hospital again.

St. Elizabeth's Hospital

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/03/20/pasteurized-milk-gladys/

Paul & Leanna’s Baby (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
Sept. 29 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Sept. 18 came today. Also the letter I sent you Apr. 24 came back and I am enclosing it with pictures I had enclosed with that letter. I had addressed it A.P.O. 43 the same as previous letters then but it was returned with all king of markings on it. This is a beautiful warm fall day. Both David & J.L. are out in Taylor Tots enjoying the sunshine. David just took a short nap after his dinner so I put him out as soon as he woke up. Bobby has been out there entertaining them, but got too helpful around Glen & he sent him away – Bobby pushed Martha Zell out of the trailer (they have a trailer to haul things in that stands over by our garden & the children climb around on it). When told to go home Bobby will say, “I don’t have to.” He has an answer for about anything.

Had a letter from your Mother telling about Paul & Leanna’s baby – She has to have a section done. It is a girl Linda Louise. I have three pr. of baby sox I think I’ll send to the new niece. I bought them to give to Mary McGee Arnott but didn’t get them sent out so have decided to send them to Linda instead. I have changed positions – I am sitting out in the yard with the babies. It has been so seldom this summer I have been able to sit down out here. The yard has been nice this summer but the grass isn’t so good in spots now – that crab grass seems to take the back & west side yards every fall. It doesn’t last long but looks awful while it’s here. John finally quit mowing – said he got the biggest job this summer. Mark’s garden didn’t require

[page 2] nearly as much work as the yard. The garden still has beans, tomatoes & carrots we can use. We have enough carrots to store some for winter. Mr. Zell is experimenting with a tile for their vegetables. Buried a tile and filled it with vegetables. I think I’ll just put our carrots in the basement in a jar.

Glen & I sent with Mrs. Zell to Laf. yesterday. I wrote you a v-mail about it. I called Dr. Cole & he said all he was going for Mother now was giving calcium & sedative. He stopped all other treatment because of no results. They have tried ammonium nitrate to reduce the fluid in her abdomen without any results – Insulin to stimulate her appetite – Vit. B shots for the same purpose. Dr. C. said she isn’t good – I thought she looked a little better yesterday but he said it was only temporary.

Glen & Pauline are getting ready to start home. They have been waiting because of Mother but feel they must get back. Glen feels so bad most of the time. Is all chocked up today.

I saw Dr. Ade yesterday for a throat treatment. My throat feels good today but has been bothering me quite a lot since cool weather. I suppose having strep last winter is the cause of this early attack this fall.

I saw Harold Foulkes in town Mon. afternoon and he said his brother-in-law (the Dr.) is back. He was sent South – somewhere around S. America. I heard that Dr. Flack was back from Panama too. However I have not seen anyone yet myself. Just have heard about them being back.

Thanks again for the roses – the pictures rec’d Mon. & the ck. – which I banked that day. When the roses were delivered & Miss Bergen said they were wired from San F. Mark thought you were there and was all excited about it. I told him how it was.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/03/12/paul-leannas-baby-gladys/

Pictures Received (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 27 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

I really got the mail this a.m. Yours of Sept. 15, 16, 16, 17 & 18 came today with 9 pictures & one check. I deposited the ck. and have had lots of enjoyment looking at the pictures. Now if you had been turned just a little more toward the camera in one picture I could have seen more of your face, but nevertheless all pictures of you were easily spotted. You looked much more natural than if you had posed in any you were working in. They were all good clear pictures I thought except on had a little light place, but I can still see you very plainly. That must be your personality showing thru – I am enclosing some of David’s birthday pictures. I took one picture from the back so you could see his curls, but they don’t show very plainly. I must give him a hair cut but do hate to cut the curls off. I would rather leave them on for a while but if the pressure gets too strong around me I suppose I will cut the curls off. David is as limber as Mark used to be. Much more so than James L. There is so much difference between the two. David is a much more

[page 2] active child than James L. Pauline puts J. out in the buggy nearly all day or in the Taylor Tot & he stays put – at 8 ½ mo. David was climbing out of his buggy. He is getting a little better about staying put in the Taylor Tot. He fell out on his face the other day & I think it made an impression on him. He started to climb up the handle & over went cart and David. The grass was soft so he wasn’t hurt. I put him out today so he could be in the sun & he stayed put.

Glen is getting ready to start home. He has been waiting because of Mother but feels he must get back to work. He got special C tickets to make this trip so had to go to the ration board here to get tickets for the return trip. He is really miserable most of the time the way he fills up. He was going pretty good until last Thurs. I think the medicine Dr. Cole prescribed helped him because he didn’t feel like being up and now he is up tho chocked up most of the time. I wish you could do something for him. He does pretty good in Nev. but has an attack now & then.

I had to go to town to the bank this afternoon – I don’t get up town very often. I saw that Henderson woman (the last baby you delivered – not pd. For yet) up town. I wanted to talk to her about their baby. The last time I saw him was early in the summer and he didn’t look very healthy – had a unhealthy color and wasn’t very heavy – was too thin for his age. She was in a hurry & so was I so didn’t get a chance to talk to her. I might have been sticking my neck out but I hate to see a baby not properly fed. When I saw the baby the mother seemed apologetic about his weight & looks. I should have asked her

[page 3] then what she was feeding him. She said then she was going to finish paying her bill.

I enjoyed the comment you made about the furniture. Except for changing the desk from one end of the room to the other & moving the piano out of the den – the living room was the same as when you were here. The change I made recently was the first time I had rearranged the entire room.

I was trying to figure out a little financial statement to give you & if I haven’t made a mistake our bal. at present in $283⁰⁰ – out of that I’ll have $133⁰⁰ Ins. to pay (Hancock 2 pol. – Laf. Life one). Rent $45⁰⁰ – Light $6.30, tele ? – groc ? – etc. Jim gave me $100⁰⁰ to pay hospital  bills but I have used most of that – Mother had abo $100⁰⁰ and gave that to me but I have used most of it too – It doesn’t take long. I still have $40⁰⁰ from what Jim gave me for next week. So far I have just pd. a night nurse ($15⁵⁰ for 2 nights) but as you advised I am not buying bonds so will have money on hand if & when I will need it. The room at the hospital is $35⁰⁰ a wk., but that was all I could get when I took Mother in, and she wanted a private room. The x-rays & medicine have been high and make each weekly bill more. – I will have the regular monthly ck. to add to the above bal. ($283⁰⁰). I usually dep. $170⁰⁰ & keep $30⁰⁰ for current expenses. These trips to the hospital sure take the gas. We didn’t go today but plan to go tomorrow. We were there yesterday all afternoon. It is getting late and will have lots to do tomorrow morning so must get to bed.

Love – Mother

YEG1943-09-23 Birthday party #1

David with cake on his first birthday, September 1943

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/03/08/pictures-received-gladys/

Soup & Ice Cream (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 21 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Back from Laf. today. I talked to Dr. Cole. He said he quite giving Mother the Betalin shots because she wasn’t responding any. He talked to Baylee and B thought the ammonium nitrate would take that fluid down in her abdomen but Cole said he didn’t think it would help much. Baylee said to give insulin to make her eat so they are going that now. She gets weaker every day. So weak she can hardly feed herself, and today complained of pain in her bowels. The Dietitian came up to her room and asked her what she would like to eat – she had a nice supper tray and did eat some soup & ice cream but as soon as she started to eat complained of the gas bothering her. Glen & Pauline are talking of going home the end of the week. He has to get back to work and hates to leave here with Mother so bad. He got all the storm windows hung. There was a pane broken in the French doors & a basement window & he is going to fix them tomorrow. Also going to paint the

[page 2] Taylor Tot for David and do a few other odd jobs around. Pauline has cleaned all the upstairs, stairway & Nursery. She really cleans & never seems to know when to quit working. We have to wash at least one tub of clothes everyday and she hangs the thing out if it’s chilly because of my hands. I told them to take that old washing machine & the rug I had rolled up in the attic. Glen is going to see about shipping the washing machine & if the freight isn’t too much will send it. I think Bun Loughridge has forgotten he was supposed to take it because it has been here almost two years now or is it three? No guess two is correct. Bun hasn’t changed. I took the sweeper down and after two weeks or more went down and got it still not fixed. The band broke but I can still use it for suction.

My throat has been sore so went in to Dr. Ade today & had a treatment. I have been hacking & spitting all evening. Will go in for another treatment the next time I go down if it persists in being sore. I told him I didn’t like starting in the fall with a sore throat but I believe the strep I had last winter left my throat in a weakened condition. Dr. Ade wanted me to take sulfa but I told him I am allergic to it and having had such a severe attack of allergy so recently am afraid to try sulfa now. Maybe when you come home & if necessary I can have tonsils out but

[page 3] will try to get by without that little “ectomy.”

I mailed a letter in Laf. today I wrote last night, with two pictures. I am enclosing two more in this letter.

Dorothy couldn’t go shopping for David’s birthday gift so had me buy something for him. I got him a pr. of red corduroy overalls and a red & white t-shirt. He has his red snow suit jacket so will be a red bird with all those things on. He trys to say John. He really attracts attention wherever I take him. He turns on the personality and has everyone looking at him – or is his Mother just imagining things? Yesterday Glen went to town with me & we took D. along. We went into Nick’s and David got a lot of attention. Glen said something about the fuss everyone made over David.

John & Mark went to a football game tonite & Mt. Ayre won. John is still having headaches & Van Buskirk says his glasses are correct. I wonder if his age hasn’t something to do with his headaches. His face is a sight – worse with pimples & blackheads than ever.

It’s past 10:30 so I must get to bed. David has a habit of waking around 7 so if I don’t get to bed in time to get my sleep out by 7 a.m. I just miss it.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/23/soup-ice-cream-gladys/

These Prairie Winds (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 19-1943

Dear Daddy –

Sun. evening & bedtime. Glen, Pauline, the babies & I went to Laf. today. John & Mark stayed home. David was so full of pep he wore us all down. Slept all the way home. He is tucked in now but was so tired from the trip he was a little cross before going to bed. James is a much quieter baby than D. Glen doesn’t know what to do about going back home yet. He hates to leave with Mother so low and feels he should get back to work. Mother looked much thinner today & Fri. and seemed weaker. She wouldn’t eat any supper – Dr. had ordered some new medicine for her and after taking the first dose threw it right up. The nurse brought in another dose at 4 P.M. – There were 4 large brown tablets and I think it was ammonium nitrate. She kept the last dose down but refused to eat at 5 P.M. I looked at her abdomen and she was distended quite a lot. It is full of fluid. Mrs. Zell came over to see about Virginia going to Laf. with us Tues. & when I told her Mother is thinner she said she didn’t think it possible, however she is.

Glen worked on the storm windows Sat. He washed the frames and when he gets the windows washed will hang them. He gets chocked up once in a while but is better than when he first came. He said the window casings should be washed but I told him just to brush the dirt off & wash windows.

[page 2] It was warmer today than usual. Warm enough to be out without wraps & so far since cooler weather wraps were in order. Seems to me we are having an early fall – while driving we can see flocks of birds going mostly south – if that means anything. I told Glen it will probably turn warm after we get the storm windows on. He wanted to know how we got any ventilation after putting all those storm windows on. I told him when these prairie winds blow across here we get ventilation. I told him it was hard to keep that wind out. I suppose they have winds in Nev. but any wind would have to be strong to beat these.

I am sitting on the edge of our bed writing. I came up to get to bed early but it’s past 10:30 and no shut eye yet. I want to get this written. David is sound asleep but a little stopped up – I was a little worried about him having a cold so early in the fall but have decided it is an allergy – here one day & gone the next. He sounds now like he has some mucous in his nose but not enough to wake him up. John is better of his condition. Dr. Van Buskirk gave me a bromide prescription to have filled & I did what you have had patients do – didn’t get it. Dr. Van says John is nervous & needs the sedative for his system but I know John – he is like he has been all his life – his cough is gone and I am not going to give him bromides. Dr. V. doesn’t know our John – just because he squirmed around when he tried to look into his nose & throat he tabbed him as too nervous. Well John is better & no medicine so I guess that is O.K. –

Love Mother

FOS1940s Pauline with James L.

Pauline Foster with James L., circa 1943

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/19/these-prairie-winds-gladys/

Glenn’s First Wife (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 18 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Wind, Sand and Stars (1939), a memoir by French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Yours of Aug. 28 – 31 & Sept. 8 came today – I think you will be able to write a book by the time you come back. I remember reading a book written by a French aviator or some similar rating and I didn’t think it was as interesting as your letter of Aug. 28. Yours of Aug. 31 was answering my letter telling you what Dr. Cole had said about mother’s condition. I was down to see her yesterday & Cole didn’t have much to say about her condition – that is he didn’t seem very hopeful about her recovery – Of course I know or feel that she won’t get well and we can’t do much about it now. Dr. Cole is still giving her Betalin by hypo every day but it doesn’t pick up her appetite any. If I had only known sooner and could have had surgery done – but I didn’t know and it’s too late now for that. Her abdomen is distended so much – Dr. Cole says she is full of fluid.

Glenn is washing the storm windows and the frames – Is going to take down the screens and put the storm windows up. He is going to clean the furnace too. Pauline is cleaning the upstairs. Cleaned Mother’s room and

[page 2] the boy’s room – Is working on our bathroom today. She is a worker. Her parents came from Poland & she is very strong and likes to work. She enjoys doing housework. She & Glenn haven’t much yet in the way of worldly goods – When he got a divorce from Norma he didn’t get anything but his clothes and with the baby coming, haven’t got much ahead. I told them they could have the old washing machine & rug I took out of the den. Glen is going to see about shipping the washer out by freight if it doesn’t cost too much. Glenn has been in pretty good health since living in Nevada and has had steady work but lived with the wrong woman too long to get anything saved. I believe Pauline will take better care of his money. She says she wants a home & their own furniture. I think he & Norma had their furniture but Norma got everything. Glenn doesn’t care to talk much about things but did tell me he should have left her long before he did – she ran around with other men. Pauline said she (Norma) was going with a man whose wife was an invalid, while she & Glen were still married and after Glen & Pauline were the invalid wife died so naturally everyone thought this man & Norma would be married, but after he was free to marry again he married someone else. A little complicated but maybe you can make it out. Elida has been married six times. Now is married to an Ensign in the Navy. Margaret Ann is married to a boy in the Army but Pauline says she doubts if it lasts – M.A. seems to be like her aunt & Mother – enough about such people.

[page 3] David & James L. are both taking naps. I took D. to Laf. yesterday but Dr. Cole was so busy I didn’t get him in to see the Dr. I was starting back to the car & saw Dr. Cole coming back from the Home hospital and talked to him out in the yard. David seems to have the same thing John has – an allergy – maybe Hay fever – maybe something else – One day he has it then the next day its gone – however John’s just stays. I took John to Van Buskirk for his eyes last Sat. then had him go over him for this cough & Van said John didn’t have a cold but some kind of allergy. When Jim was here he said how would John have hay fever – I said he had plenty of bla back ground for it. I have some good pictures of Jim & Glen & I with the babies – will send you one when I get more made. – Just had to stop & put the babies out in the sunshine – They are watching Glen & Mark washing windows.

John has been washing dishes and it’s time for me to do something – as if I haven’t been busy – but had to take time out to write my daily letter. Pauline wanted to know what I wrote about every day – I said just what happens around here. Haven’t had time this week to scan the paper for local news. Bob Hufty called me to invite me to Rotary Mon. eve.

Love – Mother

P.S. – Enclosing a picture of D. & me.

YEG1943-09-14 #6 Gladys & David

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/17/glenns-first-wife-gladys/

900 Points of Beef (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Sept. 17 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

No letters today but have had up to Sept. 6 so can’t complain. I went to Laf. today to see Mother & meet Glen. He left T.H. Tues. eve. & drove thru to Williamsburg without stopping & then started back the same day he got there. If you could see him now with Mark you would never know he had missed any sleep. When we came home from Laf. Mark & John went out to the fair with Statons and after feeding Mark David, I fried some of the new steak for our supper. I went to Sheldon & got some meat this a.m. – the quarter we got was over 130 lbs. It will take over 900 points. I am going over to get the bones when it is cut up and

[page 2] cook the bones to get soup broth. I had never thought of that until someone else told me about doing it.

I saw Dr. Cole a few minutes and he couldn’t give me any encouragement about Mother. – Her abdomen is full of fluid. He is still giving her Betalin every day.

There is so much noise & talking going on around I can hardly think. I saw Sister Celerita today – She has just been put on 3d Main. She was in O.B. three years ago. She was so glad to see me & asked about you. Sisters we knew when you were here are in other hospitals. Only a few are still in St. E. Sister Amelia is now Supt. of Nurses in St. E.

Will try to do better next time.

Love, Mother

St. Elizabeth's Hospital

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/15/900-points-of-beef-gladys/

Family Photographs (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Sept. 14 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters today but rec’d 5 yesterday and David’s birthday letter. I’ll put that $2⁰⁰ toward another bond for him. He & James L. keep things lively around here. Jim wanted his car at Norfolk but he & Thelma were afraid to risk driving it back so they are to start back this afternoon by train & Glenn is bring the car for them, and come back on the train. He is to be in Laf. Fri. This is Tues. We plan to go to see Mother tomorrow then again Fri. & meet Glenn too. Pauline wants to do some shopping tomorrow for J.L.

Alma Walker called me this afternoon to inquire about things and told me before if there is anything she can do, will be glad to, so she is going to stay here tomorrow afternoon with the babies. They are both good and not as hard to take care of as two yr. olds. Alma had Dr. Van B. work on her nose Sat. & said he tortured her. She said she still has a headache from it. John sure had hay fever – or whatever it is he has – this morning. Said he hated

[page 2] to go to school – he was sneezing so – his eyes were red and he coughed. I believe we will have to do something about his condition in another year. Last fall he had a mild case. – This year it’s more pronounced. I imagine it will get worse every year unless we can do something for him. I had picked some flowers for Glenn & Jim to take to the hospital and had some marigolds. Glenn said he could feel the pollen from them the minute I brought them into the room. Said it just seemed to go right up his nostrils. I haven’t yet found anything that bothers John but I suppose it is some kind of vegetation. Probably marigolds. Arlene said they couldn’t raise them in their garden because of Bobby’s hay fever.

We took some pictures today before Glenn & Jim left of all of us with the two babies – that is Jim, Glenn, Pauline & I. J. & M. were in school. I do hope they are good so I can send you a few. We are out of film so Boonie loaned us his Kodak with five shots left on the roll. Jim was wearing his blue uniform. He had to get has coupons from the ration board to drive the car to Va. Thelma got them at T.H. but he needed gas to get from here to T.H. so had to go to the board here. They gave him coupons for 10 gal.

[page 3] Mrs. Roberts called me last night to inquire about the family. She has kept in touch with me all summer either by phone or coming over. I have called her too but haven’t been over but once early in the spring. Of course we always talk about you & Joe & wonder when you will get to come home.

Mark has green beans, carrots, Swiss chard, onions and cake on exhibit at the Fair. He got a free pass by exhibiting for 4-H. He did the baking entirely by himself – no one was in the kitchen when he made the cake.

David is in the play pen making a little fuss & James L. is in the play chair banging things around. Yesterday morning I called to John to get David’s bottle and David said “dah, dah” right after me so we have been trying to get him to say John. Once in a while he will say “dah” after we say John. He is making a fuss now so I’ll have to see about him. He pulls everything down he can get his hands on if we don’t watch him. I was talking over the phone & he was in the Taylor-Tot and I turned around just in time to catch him – He won’t stay put in anything he can climb out of.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/08/family-photographs-gladys/

Birthday Letter (Gladys)

1943-09-13 (GRY)Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
9-13-43

Dear Daddy – Yours of Aug. 26-29-30-Sept. 1-2 & 6 came and David’s birthday letter. I read it to David and he jabbered something I couldn’t translate. He is drooling again so must have more teeth coming in. I’ll put the $2⁰⁰ on another bond. Jim & Thelma got to come home again. Thelma is in T.H. today. Jim & Glenn are in Laf. at the hospital with Mother. Jim got 5 days again. Will be here tomorrow then start back. Mother was a little better yesterday so let the night nurse go – just had her two nights. Have supper ready waiting for Jim & Glenn to come. John is snuffing – Seems his allergy, hay fever, whatever it is, is worse this eve. He came home from school sneezing, nose itching. Mark is getting his vegetables ready to take to the 4-H exhibit at the fair this week. It is cloudy toady – won’t be dusty or hot for the fair this week. Have been so busy with everything here haven’t had much time to think of the fair – Jim & Glen are here now – They talked to Dr. Cole – He said he couldn’t give much encouragement about Mother’s condition. However she was pretty good today – Will go down Wed. if not called sooner – Mark is busy again baking a cake for the exhibit at the Fair. David is tucked in for the night and I am ready to go to bed too, a bit sleepy.

Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/06/birthday-letter-gladys/

Glenn Returns (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

St. E. Hospital
Sept. 11, 1943.

Dear Daddy,

Writing from the hospital again. Glenn & family returned last night – got in just before Juanita & I returned from the hospital. Glenn, John & I came down today. John had an appointment with Dr. Van Buskirk and we spent some time in the clinic waiting. No seemed to be in a hurry. Alma had taken John with Jimmy two weeks ago and we had this appointment together too. We went to eat lunch and had a little time before our appointment so went out to Cole’s office but he was so busy we couldn’t see him – I will talk to him on the phone before going home. Mother seems better but is so weak & pale. I noticed Dr. Cole had two ampules of coramin of C on the dresser so I think he must be expecting another spell to come on like Mother had yesterday morning. I was afraid to leave her last night so got a special nurse to stay during the night. She said this morning she didn’t want her to stay tonight – she bothered her – but I am afraid she will have another spell and won’t be able to call a floor nurse. While in the Clinic I talk to McClelland about the X-Rays but he said Mother didn’t have enough barium to get good pictures & he couldn’t make a diagnosis from the X-Ray. There is a lot of fluid in the abdomen and he said that could be caused from a lot of things. However Cole says there is a mass in the abdomen – I am not a Dr. and I can feel it when I press on her abdomen.

Juanita & Pauline are holding forth today with Danny, Mark, David & James L. Juanita was going to pick tomatoes & makes catsup. Also help Mark dig potatoes. Just so they take care of the babies & do the necessary things – I don’t care about the extras.

[page 2] John has been “hacking” around with an irritating cough so had Van Buskirk look at his throat. He wanted to know if John had any allergies. I said he had day fever – he said this cough is an allergy condition and it wasn’t anything serious. I think I wrote you last year about this time that John would cough & sneeze every morning during hay fever time. He had been doing that some this year then the cough got more persistent and goes on thru the day. The Dr. listened to his chest – looked at his nose & throat. He gave me a prescription – bromides, but said John is on the jittery order & thought a good sedative was indicated. You know how jumpy John is about having anything done to him. Dr. Van kept telling him to relax when he was trying to look at his nose & throat.

This weather is still on the cold order. This is the first third of Sept. gone and as cool as we expect in Oct. Glen says it’s probably cold in Nev. now. He isn’t as bad as when they left to go to Penn., but says he will be glad to get back to the dry air in Nev.

John & Glenn are tired of sitting here in the room so are going to walk down the hall & mail this.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/03/glenn-returns-gladys/