ONCE (pronounced on-key) UPON A TIME

a long, long, long, long, long (oops) time ago, in the land of Beer and Bratz, Feb 3, 19-- dawned
bright and sunny and cold. Wayne got up and went to work as usual, Dodi stayed in bed, knowing a busy day was ahead, soon-to-be big sister Dawn was starting to wake up and Grandma Steffen was visiting, so she could take care of Dawn when mom went to the hospital to
have the new baby. The baby was due 2/4 and the first one was a day late in coming and all seemed quiet on the home front.

All of a sudden, I got the urge to go to the bathroom. What, I can't control it--my water broke. I
had not experienced this with the first baby, so I really wasn't sure. In the meantime my mom
got up and we decided maybe we should call Wayne. Man he had just barely gotten to work, but
was really glad to come home. My first thought, stop at the bakery on your way home for "schnecks" sweet rolls to the non-Wisconsinite. What go to the hospital on an empty stomach--
NOT ME. But the practical me called the doctor and told his service what was happening and
they suggested I go to the hospital. Wayne came home and we had coffee and schnecks and
just sat and chatted. A few pains here and there, but nothing to write home about.

It was at this point I decided that if it were a girl (this was before the days when you could tell
a baby's sex a head of time) we would NOT be calling this baby Heidi Jo, I just couldn't picture
calling a 40 year old woman Heidi (didn't know about the famous Madam at the time), but if
it was a girl we would call her Beth Anne, it had to be a girl, we had no boys name. I wanted
to name a boy Michael, but our friends had just lost their baby to spinal Bifida and his name
was Michael, so I couldn't do that.

Well, several schnecks later (about 11 am) I said, well, I guess we'd better go to the hospital
as I was in serious labor by now, but not hungry. Just as we opened the door, the phone rang
My mother answered it and said hello to Dr. Bernhardt, who said Mrs. Steffen, where the heck
is your daughter. I have been waiting for her. OOPS I whispered, tell him I am on my way.

First thing he said to me was "didn't you know one the water breaks, the baby can come
anytime" Nope, didn't know that. St. Mary's hospital is down by the lake front, and being
in the middle of winter, there was lots of snow and ice, but the su n was shining, and tho it was
cold and icy, it was a beautiful winter day.

You girls probably don't know about this stuff, but in the dark ages when you had a baby you
had to go thru some demoralizing stuff, like having your bottom shaved (oh, those growing pains) and also were given an enema. Think about it, enema cramps combined with labor
pains,

About 3 hours later they decided I was ready for the delivery room, where they gave me gas
and when I woke up I had a new baby, a girl Beth Anne Webb 7 lbs 8 oz (or was it 15) and all was well. Now when they administered the gas it was at the last minute, just before the ap
oh, heck, I cant spell it, but it was just before the incision and the baby comes. They keep you
under until the stitching is done and then that's it. You are not out very long and when you
come to you are tired, but relaxed. Not so my husband he came to see me and fainted dead
away between the beds. I rang for the nurse and she suggested he go get something to eat,
I guess he needed more than schnecks.

Anyhow in t hose days they kept the mom and baby for 5 days. We weren't even allowed out
of bed the first couple of days, but they gave me an exercise board at the foot of the bed, two
planks, about an inch thick and 8 inches wide and the length of the width of the bed, the two
boards were connected by springs and you "walked" this way. Also several times a day they
would come and put a lamp under the sheets, high density , and this was supposted to promote
healing. I don't know if it worked or not, but once I got out of the hospital I was strong and
healthy and rarin' to go.

A day or so after Betsy came into this world, a very very old nun came in and said, I remember
you you were here about a year and a half ago, and you had a baby girl then, too. I don't remember her name, but she was retired and her main job was visiting the patients. I know
she could have read that in my charts, but it made me feel good anyhow. That catholic hospital
was such a caring facility, and they didn't even care if I was a Lutheran.

H APPY BIRHTDAY BETH