My Mother Continues to Write

"                                               Wednesday, Sept 5, 1979

          Today Daddy came early because he and your mother have an appointment to see your Doctor - Dr.  Bartoletti.  Before they left for the hospital, Mommie called to speak to nurse Debby.   She shook all of us up because she announced that they've discovered you have a heart murmur.  We're happy the doctor thinks it's something you'll outgrow.  It's called Patent Ductus Arteriosus.
           This morning Aunt Mary Beth's friend, Linda Yerbourogh came to visit.  She had her little boy, Roger, and little girl, Marjorie.  Carla Kennedy and her daughter, Lynn, came too.
            Uncle Bob had to go to Canandagua on a business trip"

"                                                   Thursday, Sept 6, 1979

          In the afternoon, Mommie and Aunt Mary Beth visited you at the hospital.  When they got home we had dinner - stuffed peppers and chuck steak.  After dinner Aunt Mary Beth went to her new class.  I stayed home and babysat for cousin Brian and cousin Diane.  Mommie rested.
          There was a heavy rain today but the weather cleared by evening.  Uncle Bob got home after nine from his trip to Canandagua. "

During this time Bob and I lived in a newly built (by Tony Crisifulli & Sons, Phil & Mike)raised ranch at # 9 Oakwood West in Colonie, NY.   Bob and I and our son, Brian, moved into this house in 1978 and on May 11th 1979 our daughter, Diane, joined the family.  On August 21, 1979, Luke was born at Albany Medical Center via C-Section ( my sister Meg was asked by the Doctors if she wanted to "go with" a C-section in order to increase her baby's chances of survival from 10% to 30% - if I remember correctly).   I'm sure Meg can confirm this for me.   The trauma of a vaginal birth might have been too much for such a fragile, tiny baby. After being discharged from AMC, Meg came to stay with us so she could be nearer to the hospital since she and Carl lived at least an hour away in Sagerties, NY.   Meg also needed to be nearby the NICU so she could supply her baby with "liquid gold"i.,e, her breast milk.  This is "vital stuff" for such a premature baby and it was the one thing Meg felt she could do for her precious son.   I can still hear the electric breast pump going in the bedroom at the end of the hall.   Bob became known at the "Milk Man" as he delivered the breast milk to the AMC Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on his way to work each morning.
I was attending Russell Sage College in Troy part time in pursuit of a Masters Degree and also "to get out of the house. This was a hectic time at our house but then again, isn't it always a hectic time at our house.  I guess I wouldn't want it any other way.   I am blessed by the people in my life. 
Luke, glad you outgrew your Patent Ductus Arteriosus.