A Very Special Day!

It was on Friday January 8th 1954.  We lived at Owl's Nest at Hyden, KY 
where Gene was Extension Agent for U of K.  Leslie County. Gene was 
working in town that day. He had been out of town all week.  I was at 
home with Russell almost 6 and Carol Lynn 26 months old.  I had been 
having some discomfort most of the day.  I cooked soup beans (pintos) 
for supper.  As we were eating, I told Gene I probably needed to go to 
the hospital after supper.  He immediately began to get ready to go. He 
called a neighbor to stay with Russell and Lynn.  Then he made a pan of 
warm water and washed my feet!  We went to Frontier Nursing Hospital 
which had a midwifrey nurse training school. Midwifrey student nurse 
Ruth Brown took care of me. (No anethesia) Gene was with me and little 
Stephen Douglas was born at about 9:30 P.M.

We stayed in the hospital for about 8 days and the baby was beside me 
during the day and was taken to the nursery at night. We were in a 27 
bed ward with most of the mothers needing special attention. That was 
an experience not to be forgotten! The nurse midwives delivered most of 
the babies at the homes of the mothers. They made follow up home visits 
for about a month to be sure mother and baby were doing well.

Nurse Brown gave me a delightful warm sponge bath after the baby was 
born! She planned to work on the missionary field in Africa when her 
training was finished.

Gene took Russell and Lynn to stay with my mother at Mt. Victory.

Steve is a beloved son and  a wonderful man.  Gene and I were very 
blessed to be his parents.

EVH