MAY 9, 1960: The Food and Drug Administration approves the birth control pill, Enovid. One hundred percent effective is is later found to cause life-threatening blood clots and the approved dosage was ten times too high.
United States sends U-2 over USSR. I gave birth to a baby girl then gave her away.
MAY 10th, 1960: John F. Kennedy wins primary in West Virginia. The Silver Beatles audition at Wyvern Social Club in Liverpool in hopes of becoming a back up band for Billy Fury's upcoming tour. They did not get the job. Still in the hospital. Want to get out of here.
MAY 11, 1960: This is the 131st day of the year of 1960. Living under the assumed name, Ricardo Klement, the Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann is captured in Argentina. Eichmann is known as the architect of the Final Solution. His capture opens up the horrors of the Holocaust to the world. Finally, a visitor. My spirits are lifted today.
MAY 12, 1960: Elvis Presley appears on a Frank Sinatra special. Prince Aly Khan dies. I receive a visit from attorney explaining terms of adoption and finalization papers.
MAY 13: Eisenhower and Khrushchev showdown in France at Cold War Summit concerning U2 shot down in Russian airspace. Average cost of a house is $12,700. Gas is .25 a gallon. A Ford Mustang 2 door hardtop costs $2368. Making a to do list for when I get out of here. Maybe I can get on with my life and put this behind me.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Please touch the baby!
What an amazing day! I am going home. Everyone looks happy; the nurses, Dr. Ellis, my new mom and new dad and even my new sister. Life is good. I can relax and just sleep. Or so I thought.
The house on Jerry Lane is nice and cozy. Neighbors, Dorothy and Buck St. John, knock on the door to see the new baby. My mother, Artie and Elmer, are very protective. Mom was a nurse so Dad accepts the idea that the neighbors will not drop me on my head. They are both beaming as they hear, "Look at all that hair! Look at those big brown eyes! She's long isn't she?". Yes I was long, 21 inches in fact. I have jet black, curly hair and big brown eyes. Everyone says I look like my Dad. Dad is very dark complected. He is a brick mason and is working out in the sun all day. His skin is dark with a reddish tint. He has dark black hair and beautiful brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. Mom is taller than he is but that doesn't bother him. They met in school and became head over heels for each other. Mom will tell me later that she though Dad was the "prettiest" man she had ever seen. All her friends thought he was drop-dead gorgeous. Mom was a tall, skinny, white as a lily, freckled faced tomboy looking girl. To top it off she had gorgeous, wavy auburn hair. So I guess I do favor my Dad a bit more than I favor her. My sister is the opposite of me. She is a dainty little blond, very white child. Two and a half years older than me, she was adopted too. She wants to hold me and tells everyone that I am her sister and she will take care of me all by herself! I can see pride in every one's eyes. They are glad to have me, glad to hold me, and even glad to hear me cry. They all want to touch and hold me, feel my fingers, and look at my monkey toes! I am very lucky!
The house on Jerry Lane is nice and cozy. Neighbors, Dorothy and Buck St. John, knock on the door to see the new baby. My mother, Artie and Elmer, are very protective. Mom was a nurse so Dad accepts the idea that the neighbors will not drop me on my head. They are both beaming as they hear, "Look at all that hair! Look at those big brown eyes! She's long isn't she?". Yes I was long, 21 inches in fact. I have jet black, curly hair and big brown eyes. Everyone says I look like my Dad. Dad is very dark complected. He is a brick mason and is working out in the sun all day. His skin is dark with a reddish tint. He has dark black hair and beautiful brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. Mom is taller than he is but that doesn't bother him. They met in school and became head over heels for each other. Mom will tell me later that she though Dad was the "prettiest" man she had ever seen. All her friends thought he was drop-dead gorgeous. Mom was a tall, skinny, white as a lily, freckled faced tomboy looking girl. To top it off she had gorgeous, wavy auburn hair. So I guess I do favor my Dad a bit more than I favor her. My sister is the opposite of me. She is a dainty little blond, very white child. Two and a half years older than me, she was adopted too. She wants to hold me and tells everyone that I am her sister and she will take care of me all by herself! I can see pride in every one's eyes. They are glad to have me, glad to hold me, and even glad to hear me cry. They all want to touch and hold me, feel my fingers, and look at my monkey toes! I am very lucky!
May 10, 1960
I woke up this morning feeling empty. Relieved of my responsibilities should feel good. But it doesn't. Why? It is different but I can't find a word that describes how I feel right now. Nurses are whispering outside my door. Do they know? Well of course they do, they were the same nurses that were here yesterday morning and I will probably see the same nurses that were here last night when my baby was born. My baby. My baby. Where is my baby? I clench my eyes shut trying to forget the cries. Cries from a baby I will never hold. "Are you alright?", a small voice asks from the other side of the curtain. Now I remember that I have a roommate. She definitely knows. She asked hundreds of questions about my....the baby, until the nurses finally hushed her up. I could hear the whispered voices and gasps when she was told I was giving my child up for adoption. What do I care? Who does she think she is! She has no idea what I have been through; the condemning stares, the disapproving gazes from my mother, and him, where is he now? Probably out celebrating the fact that there will not be another mouth to feed. He could at least come see me and comfort me. It doesn't matter. I don't need any one's help and especially any of their pity. I did what I had to do and it's done. No turning back. Finally the whispering stops, I am told I will be moved to another room so I will "be more comfortable". Will that stop the whispers, the looks, the sometimes blatant hostility?
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