HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BOY

JULY 25, 1978........FLUGPLATZ HAHN, GERMANY........5:30PM


The week before I had spent 24 hours in false labor and been sent home.


July 24th I had an OB appointment. My husband was scheduled to fly with the Wing Commander. Seven year old Lucky woke up that morning with chicken pox!


When you are an Air Force wife the subject of whether or not your husband will be around for the births of your children comes up in conversation a lot. It was well known that a mission would not be cancelled for the birth of a baby, much less because your daughter had broke out in chicken pox the morning of your OB appointment.


I sat Lucky, covered in calamine lotion, on the big expanse of lawn in front of the Base Hospital near a tree with orange juice, donuts and Barbies. I could see her from the waiting room window until I went in for my appointment.


I was weighed, my blood pressure and temperature taken, then left to undress and wait for the doctor. When taking the first step to get onto the exam table a rush of warm green liquid gushed to the floor. My water had broke! I don't recall how long I stood there before someone came in.


All I could think of when I was told I was being admitted was of Lucky sitting under that tree with chicken pox. Someone called Luckyzdads squadron. Luckyzdad was taxiing for takeoff with the Wing Commander when his plane was radioed that I was being admitted and Lucky was sitting in the middle of the lawn at the hospital with chicken pox (he had not known about the chicken pox). If he had been scheduled to fly that day with anyone other than the Wing Commander he would have had to finish the mission. The Wing Commander cancelled the flight.


Lucky was rescued from under the tree and my husband joined me at the hospital.


It was a very long and difficult labor. My labor was finally augmented after more than 24 hours. When I went into the delivery room exhausted, there continued to be problems and a more experienced OB was called in to do a high forceps delivery. It was then discovered, not only that Lucky had a baby brother as she had hoped for (this was before it was possible to know the sex before birth), but that he had a true knot in his umbilical cord (it is usually just a kink).


Luckyzbrother was 8# 8 1/2 0z and 21 inches long with a silky shock of thick dark hair like his Dad. He was given his fathers first name as his middle name and a derivation of my maternal grandfathers middle name for a first.




He has become an amazing, delightful man who I am very proud of.