Pox and More

I was talking to my mom last night about how both my boys are sick right now, so Joel would have to wear a mask in the delivery room, and we were reminded of my mom's worst delivery experience because of all of us being sick.  I'm the oldest of 5 and when my mom had Daniel (the youngest) all four of us had the chicken pox.

My youngest sister Christina had it the worst.  She was 2 1/2 years old and had them all in her diaper.  She cried when my mom left to deliver Daniel.  Of course my mom felt terrible, like she was abandoning her.  It was a Sunday, and my mom's friend Leona Cook came over to watch us while she was in the hospital.  My dad had a brand new job, so he couldn't take any personal leave, so he had to just drop my mom off with the new baby with 4 kids sick with the chicken pox at home.  He would come back on his lunch breaks to try to help, but it was pretty bad.  Technically, none of us were supposed to go near my mom or the baby, but we lived in this tiny apartment in Student Housing at Penn State-Harrisburg (the apartments have since been condemned and abolished for asbestos).  It was absolutely miserable.  My Grandma couldn't fly out until a week later- my poor mom.  I think it made the decision of no more children a lot easier after that experience. 

PS- To this day Daniel has never had Chicken Pox.