For those who are reading this for the first time, I’ve been posting my Aunt Eleanor’s memoir to my blog. She’s 86 and has had polio since she was 4 months old.  Italicized comments are mine.  Read previous blog postings for more information and to view video. 

Chapter 14

Visiting

Fred and I would often visit one of his sisters and their families. Whenever we stopped in at Carmy and Dewey’s (my parents), the minute I would sit down on the couch their son Duke (me) would get up on the coffee table and jump onto my lap. I guess that was his way of telling me he was glad we came to visit. It wasn’t long before LeeRoy (my brother) came along and that gave us one more reason to visit them often. Dewey was employed as a long shore man. During the war he joined the C.Bs (Sea Bees – Construction Brigade) and we all missed him very much. He came back safe and sound, but to our great sadness a few years later he was killed in an accident at work (he he was 52).

Another of Fred’s sisters was Angie. She and George had a son, Bill and a daughter, Janet. His other sister Jennie and her husband Francis also lived in Stockton and we always enjoyed stopping by for a chat with them too. When Francis retired, they moved to Markleeville where they had bought a motel and small store (The West Carson River was across the street from the resort – Great fishing). They would return to Stockton in the winter and it was good having them all in town. Also on holidays or other occasions we would all get together at one of their homes.

Chapter 15

Procedure

I went from my job at Pollock’s to working for the government at the Port of Stockton, where all I did was sit and type all day. While working there I heard of an innovative procedure they were doing in Los Angeles that claimed it helped polio victims. I got in touch with the hospital, made arrangements, quit my job and went to have it done. Fortunately, I had a family member who lived in the area, as the whole process would take a few weeks. This procedure was done with miniature chipping hammers on all the limbs affected by polio. Their idea was along the same lines of pruning a tree or plant to get more branches. Only one problem, in my situation as it turned out, it had been too long since the polio had hit. This was a very painful experience, but I wouldn’t have known whether it would work or not if I hadn’t tried. Fred and I missed each other, but we were both good about writing every other day. I still have his letters. I have reviewed them off and on through the years. This brings back to me that Fred really was quite romantic.

 

Chapter 16

Proposal/Marriage

World War II was still raging on. It was the spring of 1944 when Fred proposed and I accepted, but we were in for a long engagement as housing was very scarce. It wasn’t until 1946, while I was working for the Housing Authority, that we were able to get an apartment and get married. My sister Madeline and her husband George went with us to Reno where we were married in front of a Judge. My Mother was on vacation, so we sent her a telegram. When she got home she hosted a nice reception for us. One year later we were married in the Catholic Church. This time my mother was in attendance and also Fred’s sister Carmy (my mother) who then became my God Mother.