Karen found a copy of a Visiting Teaching booklet that was put together this past spring. She re-wrote a little about my hospitalization in 1977 and scanned it in for me to include here, even though it’s out of order, time-wise. Thanks again to Karen for her help in writing this story.
A great service was done for our family in 1976-77. Many of my visiting teachers have been outstanding but this experience comes to mind at this time. Not only my visiting teachers, but also the RS president, many sisters in the ward and even people in the neighborhood became involved.
While living in Eyota, Minnesota, Jim/Dad was diagnosed with an old-fashioned type of pneumonia (which is unpronounceable!) shortly after Christmas in 1976. It hit him hard and he was hospitalized for six weeks.
Kimberly Sue was age 13 months and I was expecting another baby, Katy in April. David was age 6 and Matthew, 9. Worry about Dad’s health and recovery, daily trips to the hospital in Rochester to visit him, shoveling snow out of our long driveway during a Minnesota winter, getting back from the hospital in time to pick up my kindergartner (David) from school at noon, keeping food in our children’s tummies and the weariness of a pregnancy all took its toll.
As I look back I was pretty healthy. Guess I needed to be to handle all of that! Visiting teacher Adele Swift called to check on me, arranged for meals and tended Kimmy or arranged to have sisters tend her during visits to Jim. Neighbors like Mr. Anderson, shoveled our driveway. One sister (Nancy Judd) even brought us a TV to use because ours needed repairs. She thought we needed stress relief, l guess!
One of the most thoughtful and generous acts of compassion was Bishop Max Welker called a prayer circle of the priesthood in our ward (or branch) to meet at the church in Jim’s honor. We know that was a big factor in Jim’s recovery. Heavenly Father was looking over us.
The RS president Cathy Reynolds called often to see how we were doing and told me what was going on in the ward to keep me grounded and give me perspective. It’s easy to become consumed with your own problems when husband, daddy and bread winner is out of commission. She shared other members’ happenings which opened my eyes and kept me from looking inward so much.
After 5-6 weeks of hospitalization, it was good to have Jim home. After a while he went back to work part time. Then Katy was born April 6 and soon after he was back to work full time. What a four to five-month period!
It was one of the most beautiful Aprils when Katy was born. Our yard had lush, green grass and we enjoyed warm sunny days. That’s an early Spring for Minnesota.
Or maybe it was my attitude after having family back together and realizing how blessed we were.
Dad