"Mrs. Ford?" A tall woman with dark brown hair that pulled back in a chignon came into the room, a pencil behind her ear.
"Yes," Rilla confirmed as she sat in the sterile room of the doctor's office. "Is the doctor delayed?"
"Heaven's no," The woman said smiling. "I am the doctor? Dr. Halliwell, did Mrs. Stanley not tell you?"
"No, I just mentioned I was looking for another doctor for a second opinion. Laura told me to see if I could get an appointment here." Rilla explained. "I never realized Kingsport had a woman doctor."
"Yes, males doctors prefer to ignore my presence," The doctor smiled wistfully. "Step up on the scale for me." Rilla nodded and did was asked of her. "What was your weight before your pregnancy?"
"Oh, about 56 kg," Rilla said thinking for a moment.
"You say you are 5'8?" The doctor looked down at the sheet Rilla filled out.
"Since I was fifteen," Rilla told the doctor. "I'm a touch taller than my mother, one sister," she explained.
"Large family?" The doctor hummed.
"Mom had seven children, five of us are alive today," Rilla stated. "Joy, my parents firstborn. She only lived a few hours. Walter died during the war." The doctor nodded jotting things down.
"Any other family history?"
"Jem was ten pounds, I have a set of twin sisters, they are fraternal. After Shirley was born mom was supposedly sick for a few weeks. I'm the youngest," Rilla rattled off. "I had diphtheria the year previous."
"Anything on the paternal side?"
"Not that I know of. My mother-in-law told me that my husband and his sister were average size children?" Rilla explained.
"So why the second opinion?" Dr. Halliwell asked putting her pencil down.
"Well, my father, he's a doctor back on Prince Edward Island. He was worried about me when we were over for Thanksgiving and my sister's wedding." Rilla started. "He thinks that the doctor that I've been going to is outdated and isn't correct in his diagnosis."
"Well, there is nothing wrong with second opinions," Doctor stated. "What has been bothering you?
"Since I found out I was pregnant, I've been ill. For almost four months, I was ill multiple times a day. I survived off ginger snaps, arrowroots, bananas and weak tea, for weeks on end. He would just pat my shoulder and say since I was managing some things. That I was keeping hydrated that he wasn't worried, even when it went on throughout my second trimester. I've gotten better, but at the same time, I'm constantly worried about eating something that will set me off for days. I'm exhausted, day and night even when I can't sleep. The only thing that keeps me sane is how much I feel the child move. I have people constantly looking in on me, asking me how I am feeling. It's bloody exhausting in itself." Rilla said gathering more force near the end. The doctor raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly.
"Feels good to get that off your chest?" She asked. Rilla nodded rather ashamed of herself.
"First off, your father is right to be concerned. Why your other doctor dismissed it so lightly, makes me question him. You said you weighed about 56 kg pre-pregnancy and yet you are barely 61 kg, which is less than a ten-pound weight gain. At twenty-seven weeks, I would have liked to see you gain more. I have a feeling you lost weight from being sick and gained what you have lost back plus a couple of pounds?"
Rilla nodded, as she rested her hands onto her bump.
"Anything else I should know about?"
"I get nose bleeds, not all the time, but often enough," Rilla told her.
The doctor nodded. "Since you mentioned your father is a doctor. Has he mentioned Hyperemesis Gravidarum to you? Has your other doctor at all?"
Rilla only shook her head. "Dad did, the other did not."
"By what you told me, I would diagnosis you as such. Is your family fairly consistent in meat-eating?"
"Generally, I less than Ken lately, mostly since it doesn't look appetizing. Or the smell of it cooking makes me want to be sick," Rilla replied. "Ken is my husband," she explained
"I can only imagine that you have developed anemia from your lack of nutrition you've been taking in. Which can also present itself in fatigue and general exhaustion. It can be common within pregnancy as well." The doctor told her. "Pair that with HG, it would prove to be a trying combination. Why don't you lie back and I'll take a few measurements?"
Rilla nodded, pulling up her blouse once as she wiggled her skirt down under.
"The womb seems to be measuring normal," the doctor told her with a smile. "What was your waist, before?"
"About twenty-three inches," Rilla told her as she went around her bump this time. "When I measure for some new dressed It was twenty-eight inches."
"Twenty-eight and half," the doctor smiled and jotted her notes down. "How are your breasts?"
"Besides sore?" Rilla asked unsure of what the doctor wanted to know.
"Any leakage? Do you have inverted nipples?"
"No to both," Rilla shook her head. "I mean they have gotten darker and changed, but mother said it was a fairly normal thing."
"Indeed it is," The doctor agreed with her.
"Is your husband here with you today?"
"He's at the office." Rilla shook her head.
"All right then, if you were my patient I would suggest picking up some pink pills. They are a source of iron and should help you with the fatigue. As for the HG, there is little to do other things manage it the best of that we can. Stick to the foods that we know you can handle, but let's try to add something new every other day. Vegetables, green vegetables are being studied for their nutrients. The vitamins are what you are most likely deprived of the most. I will want to see you in here at least once a week to ensure that you are gaining weight. I would like you to track your intake with a food diary for the next few weeks for me. We can monitor how your body is adjusting by taking a urine test and if you have ketones."
Rilla nodded, absorbing all the information that was being thrown at her. "Is there a hospital that you work from?
"We are affiliated with Grace Maternity. Which opened last year after being rebuilt after the explosion. Though we do also allow home births if that is something that you are interested in. We have five doctors."
"Five women doctors?" Rilla mouth dropped.
"Three women, two males," The doctor explained. "We have a handful of nurses at our helm as well to help out. Dr. Rousseau and Dr. Thompson do rounds at the general hospital as well."
Rilla nodded. "Is it possible to tour the hospital? I've never actually been in one," she admitted. "Most of the women in my village gave birth at home, my mother as well. I had grown up assuming I would most likely do the same, but," Rilla faded off.
"You are curious about it, there is nothing wrong with curiosity. It's a lot easier to face the unexpected in a hospital setting. If you and your husband would like to come to tour the building we can arrange that." Dr. Halliwell stated as she watched Rilla cradle her stomach instinctively. "Is there anything else that is on your mind today."
Mrs. Ford! Good afternoon! It has been a while since we have seen you," The front desk receptionist stood up at the sight of her boss's wife.
"It has been a while, is my husband in his office?" Rilla asked with a smile.
"He should be, I will ring up," she said as she picks up the telephone and asked to be connected to Mr. Ford's office. "Your wife is here, I will let her know." She said hanging up the phone. "He's waiting for you. Shall I take your jacket?"
"Thank you, Mary," Rilla said shyly and shed her dark brown wool coat. Self-consciously, tugging on her blouse to straighten it out. The receptionist smiled at her but was too polite to say anything about her condition.
Rilla made her way through the building, most of the men glanced her way. Nodding their heads to her presence. Keith, Ken's senior editor gave her a grin and tipped his head to her.
"Well, makes sense why the boss is in his own little world," she heard someone whisper. As she smiled as one of the young boys who ran errands around the building jumped up and opened up the elevator for her. "Second floor?" He asked.
"Please," Rilla smiled at him.
She made her way through the desks. Congratulations and best wishes stopped her every few steps. How they wondered if she was all right from her lack of appearances in the office.
She found Ken smiling in his doorway at the sign. "You will be the talk of the office for the rest of the week." He led her into the office before shutting the door for privacy. "How was the appointment?"
"Interesting," Rilla told him sitting down with a small sigh. "Laura left out a rather interesting factor."
"What was the factor?" Ken tilted his head as he glanced over at the layout he was working in.
"The doctor was female," Rilla told him, which made him lookup. "The office itself houses three females and two male doctors and a couple of nurses. They are affiliated with Grace Maternity hospital."
"Is that the new hospital?" Ken asked looking up.
"It is," Rilla nodded. "She said that she can give us a tour," she explained. "Show us what to expect if we decide to go the hospital route. I know you would prefer it ?" Rilla said knowingly.
"I just want you to have a safe experience," Ken told her. "Other than a tour did she say anything about how you've been feeling?"
"She said there isn't a cure to Hg, but she believes my father is correct. It's just managing it so that we are both well at this point. She did suggest that I am potentially anemic and told me to get some pink pills to help bring up my iron levels." Rilla told him. "Other than that, she told me while I am measuring fairly normal. She wants me to try and gain some weight. I've only gained 4kgs above my previous weight since I had most likely lost a few pounds while I ill," Rilla told him.
"So pink pills, and just monitoring?" Ken said as he leaned on the edge of his desk. "I think I like this doctor more already." He smiled. "Do you?"
"She seems pleasant," Rilla said after a moment. "Not once did she pat my shoulders and say something dismissive."
"Then it is settled," Ken told her with a grinned and moved towards her and kissed her. "Have I told you how beautiful you are today?"
"Hmm a few times this morning," Rilla hummed. She had made him late for the office in her moments of a sudden rush of hormones. Not that he that complained, but it took a moment and a try or two to figure out what was comfortable for both of them.
"Right," Ken grinned again to himself this time. They had both almost forgotten how it felt to be close as such with each other. "Do you need a ride home?"
"I think actually that since I am feeling all right today and it's Thursday, I may see if the ladies are still having tea. It's near the pharmacy and I haven't seen them into a while. It will be nice to catch up."
"Just don't overdo it," Ken cautioned her.
"I won't it's just tea," Rilla stood up and kissed his cheek. "I'll sit, drink tea, and have some cake. I need to gain some weight, might as well try with something good to eat."
"Call if you're suddenly tired," Ken asked her with a stern but caring look. "Or if you feel sick."
"I will, you don't have to worry so much," Rilla told him.
"I'll worry for the rest of my life about you," Ken told her quietly and swiftly pulled her close to kiss her.
"My goodness, look who the cat dragged in!" Adele exclaimed as she saw Rilla come silently through the door of the tea shop. "Finally back in the land of the living?" She said standing up to hug the younger woman.
Rilla blushed and gave her a small hug back. Laura was giggling quietly at the Adele. She sat down at the offered chair and pushed back her coat and let it rest on the chair behind her. "For today I am at least."
"Yes, Laura would give up snippets of how you were feeling," Caroline spoke up. "We have missed you, and all your ideas and input."
"I have missed the energy that allowed me to do things," Rilla laughed lightly. She smiled at the girl who brought her over a teacup. "Thank you."
"So when is the happy occasion planned to arrive?"
"Second half of January," Rilla told them. "Which seems not so far off, but at the safe miles away. I must have thumbed through the Eaton's Catalogue a fair bit. Ken doesn't say much but gawks at the total and I haven't ordered all that much" Rilla laughed. "Few pieces of clothing, diapers galore. We have a cot from Ken's mother that came from Toronto. I'm not into the superstitions of not preparing but at the same time. I don't see the point in having a room full of things right away." She said quietly. Keeping to herself how she managed with so little she had when she first began taking care of Jimmy.
"Makes sense to be prepared," The ladies agreed. "I never understood that superstition," Elizabeth said off-handedly.
"Well, you never lost a child." Another spoke up without thinking someone Rilla had only met once or twice before she had taken Ill. Rilla looked down at her teacup.
"Don't say things like," Adele chastised the other lady, through who teeth.
"It's okay, I know those things happen," Rilla put on a brave face as she looked up and smiled. "It happened to my parents." She explained as she hid her trembling hands underneath the table.
"Still, it's not polite to talk with new mothers around, or in public," Adele said as she gave the other ladies a look around the table.
Rilla only nodded. "Excuse me, for a moment." She stood up and grabbed her handbag and made her way to the ladies room.
She took a deep breath. They knew her as a happy married woman. It wasn't their fault. They didn't know much she had worked through to get to where she was now. They knew about Jimmy, but only in a happy sort of way. Mentioning Joy was family history, it never bothered her much. But there was a distinct difference in knowing and hearing. If she didn't think or hear of such things, she was fine.
"Are you all right?" A lady asked as she washed her hands.
"Yes, just hormones," Rilla faked a shaky smile.
"Do you want me to bring you one of your friends?" The lady asked kindly. Rilla shook her head clicked open her handbag and pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed her eyes.
"I'll be fine, thank you just the same," Rilla told her.
"As long as you are sure," The lady asked once more, and Rilla nodded her head.
"I am sure," Rilla assured her with another shaky smile.
She managed through the tea, her friends gravitating to safer topics and the latest news. The picnics and events she had missed out on. Nibbling on the small cakes and cookies that looked appealing to her.
The ladies gave her a drive home and upon her arrival in the mailbox was a letter from Marianne. She smiled to herself and opened it as she left herself into the house.
Darling Rilla
I hope you are feeling better! Please never apologize for any lacklustre letters, each one has been delightful. I am so excited I still cannot believe how I never pick up on it while I was there or the summer letters. Even when you took that tumble it never even clued into my mind. Maybe that means I am dunce, I don't know but I am so happy for the wonderful news.
Ken must be over the moon, I mean I cannot wait to come out next spring and see the new arrival. So he must be ten times more excited!
I had a row with my Aunt recently. I know it's dramatic when I say she treats me as a child but I am twenty-four! Yet she still goes one about needing protection. Something I heard all summer was her mentioning the one silly mistake I made as a teen. I feel like she has decided that I shall need her protections for the rest of my life. It is frustrating. So this row was most likely the largest one that we had. I had mentioned selling the house and going to do some travelling out west and she went off on me. Even after offering her part of the sale to ensure that she can go see her brother out west if wishes. Or! if she wants to find another accommodation.
In short, we haven't spoken for the past week other than please pass the coffee or salt. I just wish she would see as the adult that I am. I'm not fifteen anymore.
I had a letter from Carl, or should I say, Thomas Carlyle. Months of knowing each other and finally he lets on that his name isn't actually Carl! That it's actually a nickname! Men I say!
His letters are always interesting, smudged with dirt as if he writes them outdoors. I swear I can smell the outdoors from them. I think I think one day if he asks, I may just say yes. Hideaway in from the big cities and just travel with him. Not that he knows that of course.
I will be sending along a parcel sometime next week after I mail this letter so please keep a lookout for it.
Love Marianne.
Rilla smiled and folded the letter. Marianne never fully explained what went down when she was younger. Still, even without the details, Rilla knew it always caused strife between her and her aunt.
"Welcome, you muse be Mr. Ford," A matron greeted her Rilla and Ken. "Dr. Halliwell was called out and asked me to show you around this afternoon. I am the Matron Howard, head of the nurses here at Grace Maternity Hospital."
"It's nice to meet you," Ken said for both of them. "It's quite a place you have here."
"Thank you, we are quite proud of it. On the first floor, we have a waiting room for the prenatal clinics that we offer." She led them through a bright waiting area with magazines and a box of toys. Women in various stages of their pregnancy. Some with small children playing at their feet, older ones were at the toy box.
"Now we have several rooms on this floor. Sunrooms with fireplaces for the wintertime. Allows expectant mothers who may be on an extended stay to enjoy their time. Bedrest doesn't always mean to be in bed and sunlight is beneficial to expectant mothers of course. The left-wing with four of the sunrooms are reserved for wedded mothers. Two of the sunrooms are for the private room patients, while the other two are for public ward to use. he right-wing is for unwed mothers who we take into care." She said explained rather stoically.
"The nursery lies within the middle of the two wings. It has a total of 48 bassinet thats was frequently cleaned. Where our young nurses take care of your little ones when you need to rest. Shall we start the tour there?" She asked. "Everyone enjoys looking at the nursery?"
"Actually why don't we save that for last," Ken looked at Rilla was quietly absorbing the information.
"Of course," The Matron nodded her head. "Then shall we start with the sunrooms?"
Rilla merely nodded. Sunrooms were a safe thing to look at and the sunrooms were bright and airy. Like a sunroom should be, except they also held a piano, canteen of water and healthy snacks were on display. Some mothers were lounging about, some still pregnant the others had swaddled babies.
"We often suggest a full week stay after birth, give time for the mother to adjust and rest." The doctor explained as they moved on to a door with a sign that stated Men's Waiting Area
"Men's waiting area," She explained to Ken as she opened the door. A few men looked up anxiously cigarette hanging from their mouths. "Sorry gentleman not yet, just a tour," she explained.
Rilla looked around the room, it was darkly coloured with plain furniture. A window was open for the smoke to escape. A stack of books, and pens laid out on a table, one man scribbling into them. It was a confusing scene for Rilla.
"Are the men not allowed to be with their wives at all?" She asked with her brow crinkled. All the men looked at her like she spoke some sort of demonic spell.
"The labour and delivery ward is no place for a husband." The matron stated as she closed the door rather with austere voice.
"My Father who is a doctor on the island—" Rilla stated
"Well, this is not the island Ma'am. This is a hospital," Matron told her rather sternly as if she needed to wipe out such a thought from her head. She led them to the elevator and ushered them in and closed the door. " The second floor is public wards." She explained as she opened the door and left them out. "This area for recovery and when bed rest is needed, men are allowed during supervised visits a few times a day." She started passing by the rows of beds which had long curtains for privacy. Rilla glanced around, not trying to not stare through the cracks of the curtains
The matron nodded to some mothers here and there. Some had their children. Some were curled up on their sides with sobs wracking through their bodies. Fathers lingered by beds, with young nurses who were supervising the visitation.
It sent shivers down her entire body as Rilla grasped Ken's hand and he squeezed it. It didn't help that you could hear the piercing screams of women through shut doors,
"Through those doors are the labour ward and beyond that, we had the delivery room. For our mother's privacy, we do not tour those public areas." She explained as she turned down another hallway. "These are the private rooms that we have available. This one is currently unoccupied so we can take a look inside. The highest level of comfort for the labouring and recovering mother for her time spent here."
She showed off a simple room with a bed and table. A small dresser and two doors, one opened into a bathroom that had a shallow tub in it.
"We utilize the strict measures in cleanliness here of course. We have all the pain relief that a mother would want during her time here." She spoke highly of the hospital as they turned another corner. "And here is the nursery," she said in a bright yet still stern voice.
Rilla stood outside the large glass window. Dozen of babies and a handful of nurses were behind the window. Babies crying, kicking their arms, other ones were swaddled tightly. Tiny bonnets and knitted hats near the back barely moving. One was getting a bath on the back and squawking at the unfairness of it.
"We have birthed over 400 babies, since opening. We have a total of 65 beds, and 45 bassinets in the nursery." She spoke highly of her employer.
"Shouldn't there be more bassinets?" Rilla asked looking up. "To have 65 months but only 45 cots?"
"Of course, our beds are never at full capacity." The matron explained quickly shocked by Rilla's question. "If we need more bassinets we some have more in storage. But even on our busiest of nights, we have never run out.
"Of course that does make total sense," Ken stepped in. "Thank you for the tour,"
"Of course, if you would like to go over the cost of a general stay we can do so in my office." The Matron smiled.
"I think we will consult our doctor first," Ken told her. "I think my wife would like to rest and think about her choices."
"Of course," The matron paused as she looked over Rilla who was still gripping Ken's hand. They parted away at the elevator to go down to the first floor.
"I don't know if I can do this," Rilla whispered to Ken. She felt overheated and dizzy. "I need to get out of here." She tried to find an exit.
"Deep breaths Rill's, just take a few deep breaths," Ken told her as he held both of her shoulders gently. "You will be all right."
"Is she doing all right, shall I call a doctor?" A nurse who was near them scurried over.
"I'm right here," Dr. Halliwell came as she tying a fresh apron around herself. "Come let's sit in the courtyard for a moment Mrs. Ford. Get some fresh air?"
"Why did I think I can do this? I can't do this?" Rilla rattled off. "How could I ever think I could do this?"
"Come sit, breathe for me," Dr. Halliwell said softly. Watching as with a smile as Ken rubbed her patients back, whispering to breathe. "I am terribly sorry that I wasn't here when you arrived, I am Dr. Halliwell," she introduced herself to Ken.
"Ken Ford," Ken replied. Not bothering with a handshake, still too focused on his wife. It took a moment for Rilla to calm down enough. She fumbled for her handkerchief and dabbed her eyes and nose.
"So what happened inside?" Dr. Halliwell asked curiously. Rilla was not the first nervous mother she had seen or the first one to have a fit of panic. There was always some root of the source.
Rilla looked up with wide eyes and then towards Ken. "I?" She said stopping herself.
"Some of the tour upset her," Ken explained. "She once gave up a boy who very dear to her, she still struggles with how it was dealt with time to time."
"You said this was to be your first child?" Dr. Halliwell said looking at Rilla with a hint of confusion. You could never judge a woman, but Rilla was the last sort of woman she expected to have a past.
"Jimmy wasn't mine," Rilla clarified. Staying quiet for a moment as she gathered herself. "His mother died a fortnight after he was born. I was fifteen going on an errand for my father when I ran across him and his mother's relative. I took him to my parent's house to save him. His father was at war, he shouldn't have ended up in an orphanage." Rilla explained. "I raised him during the war, I grew to love him. He was mine, I didn't want to give him back, but I had to Mr. Anderson came home, with a pretty little wife from England. They just took him, he howled for me when they left and I cried and cried."
"Giving up a child is a selfless thing to do, even when they are not yours," Dr. Halliwell said kindly. "But being selfless doesn't make it hurt any less."
"How does any woman do this? How did my mother move past it? Within months? She lost Joy in early June, and next July Jem was born. I still can't fully get over Jimmy? The beds to bassinets, the uncertainty of it all? I don't want to do this alone, I can't do this alone. I don't want him to be pushed into a room full of panicked men waiting."
"Then I will suggest that we plan a home birth, plenty of women still give birth at home. If it will make the process more comfortable it's something that I am still willing to try for my patients. The only difference is at a hospital. We can give you make the experience painless and even make you not remember it."
"I'm not worried about the pain," Rilla said stiffly.
"We can discuss this more at your next appointment," The doctor smiled. "Nothing is saying that you have to give birth in a hospital. It's just an option that is available, no one will force you into anything you don't want to do." The doctor stressed, even if she was an advocate for hospital births. Seeing an expectant mother in such a fragile state she wouldn't press into the decision. "Go home, eat some dinner and get some rest. I'll see you next week and we can talk more."
Rilla nodded feeling better that she wouldn't be forced into anything she didn't want. Dr. Halliwell walked them to the front entrance and waved them off. Rilla did as her doctor asked as Ken plated up the simple dinner that Mrs. Clarke had left for them the day previous. She picked at it like a bird until she had her fill.
"I think I will go take a bath," Rilla told him. "Set my hair for the next few days." She told him as she stood up and placed her plate in the sink.
"I have some paperwork to look over," Ken replied. "If you need anything just holler," he told her. He waited until he heard the water turn on and off. Then he heard the crackle of the small battery-operated radio he had bought her. Still early enough for a radio show it seemed. He plucked a cigarette from his case as he pulled the telephone and its cord to the back porch. He was trying to not smoke in the house, or even around Rilla and going outside was just something he had gotten used to. He pulled on his sweater and told the operator the number.
"Gilbert, it's Kenneth, do you have a moment?" Ken asked when Gilbert picked up the phone.
"Of course, is Rilla all right?" Gilbert said into the receiver.
"She is fine, she is washing her hair," Ken told him. "We were at the maternity hospital today, and it was interesting."
"Ahh yes the new maternity hospital," Gilbert hummed. "Did you want an opinion on them?" He asked.
"Actually, Rilla mentioned to the Matron that you were a doctor on the island when she saw the men's waiting room. Matron cut her off fairly fast saying that fathers don't belong in labour and delivery."
"So you wish to know my stance on it?" Gilbert chuckled.
"I suppose so, I never thought much about it, until Rilla mentioned it," Ken explained.
"In medical school, we were told the same thing. With Joy, I had my uncle and a nurse, but I was there and even after that day. When we found out about Jem I couldn't imagine not being there. After that, my views changed, after an expectant father asked me what I was like when Anne was in labour. I decided that if a family would ask about, I wouldn't object to the father helping his wife through labour. If his mother in law would allow it, of course," he chuckled slightly.
Ken hummed into the line. "It frightened her, the visit. The hospital, the matron was going on about the amenities. She stated that there were 45 bassinets for the 65 beds. She's been quiet ever since the Matron looked shocked a moment. She went on saying they hardly ever at full capacity and it needed they had more in storage."
"They most likely do," Gilbert confirmed. "But to say such numbers to expectant mothers is foolish. No parent likes to face the reality of the percentages that accompany childbirth. A hospital can be frightening places, especially when you have never spent time in them. How has she been doing otherwise?"
"She's been doing extremely well since the new doctor. She has iron supplements which have seemed to help immensely even after only a week." Ken told his father in law. "She's been eating more, and slowly introducing different foods. Somethings are still hard for her, she still has moments of sickness but it's not like before."
"That is good to know," Gilbert said with a sigh of relief. "I do know that hospitals are becoming the norm for expectant mothers. With the added addition of the ability to act in an emergency is a blessing. Of course more choices of pain relief, but nothing is wrong with a well-attended home birth. I am sure once a day they will be obsolete. As more and more city doctors refuse them, but for now, I see nothing wrong with them." Gilbert told his son in law. "If it comes down to it, she can always come here. Faith is a wonderful nurse and pretty much leave me obsolete when I do call her in for help," Gilbert offered. Knowing full well his daughter would rather die of embarrassment first. Than to ever allow him near her as a doctor during that time.
I got this up tonight since tomorrow will be a day out in the wilderness and provincial park that includes a historic dam, a new suspension bridge and historic village and trail.
I hope everyone is happy and healthy and surviving. I'm officially laid off until July. So keep looking out for weekly updates! I should have two interludes comeing up sometime this week as well!
I fell down the rabbit hole of research of 1920's maternity hospitals, the percentage of home births vs hospital births. Actual doctors who worked in Grace Maternity hospital ( H.B Atlee). Twilight birth was a popular way to give birth, utterly terrifying to read about, yet woman fought for the option until it was given to them. The maternity hospital itself is an interesting thing to read about as well, how fathers became part of the birth process and not regulated to stork clubs and being kept out of the loop. Writing in books, that other fathers read as they waited.
Hope everyone enjoyed this one and have a good weekend!
Tina