Letter of March 8, 1962 written by Colleen E. Stout

March 8, 1962

Dear Norma,

It's now 1:20 p.m.  Owen went into surgery at 11:00 and no word yet.  LaVere Terry checked for me a few minutes ago and said he wasn't in the recovery room yet so the operation is still on.  We never did find out how long these usually take but I know Daddy's took several hours and I guess this could. It's been a real worry thus far and I suppose it will be so for a few days yet.  The pain will be quite severe by tonight.  I've heard of many, many such operations tho (gastric resection) and they have all been very successful so we do hope for the best.  He;s having 70% of his stomach removed.  He was admitted yesterday at 3:00 and felt in good spirits then but when I came to see him at 9:00 this morning he was quite miserable with a stomach pump tube going up through his nose and down to his stomach.  His nose and throat were so sore he could hardly stand it.  It was awfully hard on me to see him suffer and know the worse was yet to come.

An hour or so ago Molly came - stopped by on her way home from the dentist and visited with me here in the lobby.  I was so glad to see her - just the comfort I needed.  I felt as though I'd been crying for days. I have a cold to top it off so don't feel too marvelous myself.

Dr. J. Russell Smith is the surgeon (Dr. Nimer is his Internist) and tho he's a gruff old top sergeant, he's supposed to be top notch and I guess that's what counts now.  Owen had wanted Dr. Eddie Barr but he moved to some small town in California leaving Poppin, Reese and Dixon as the other possibilities.  I'm glad that we can get all of this taken care of now before time for me to go to the hospital.  I have 2 1/2 months more to go and sometimes that seems forever but again it seems all too soon.  Naturally there are hundreds of things I'd like to do before then - foremost being finishing the basement, but there's not much I can do about that;  Guess you heard I re-did my bedroom recently and that really gave me a lift.  I painted the walls (2 coats too) pale aqua, the chests chocolate brown - my old bed too, and then we bought a beautiful new maple bed and nightstand, plus box springs.  It really looks lovely.  I re-hung the brown plaid drapes and the off-white spread looks just fine.  I plan to put off-white cafe curtains in there too.  We also bought a louvered double door for the living room/kitchen which I'm painting - (varnishing).  It looks very nice and works smoothly.  I also painted another chest of drawers and the bunk beds so next on my list is the girls's room.  We put our old bed and a crib in there for Shauna, Kari and Andrea so there are 5 now in the boys room.  I put new fiberglass curtains in there, (white, brown and orange) and a mirror.  We're having a combination flour bin/sewing table made for the utility room which should be finished soon (by a student at the Y).  It has a white Formica top and two bins for white and brown flour.  Material possessions don't really count for much in a health crisis tho.  In fact it seems all rather hollow at the moment.

It's now noon Friday and the worst is over (I guess) - for me at least.  The operation lasted 4 hours and was successful tho long.  The  Dr. said there were some complications due to adhesion of the scar tissue - there was plenty of that from past hemorrhaging.  I finally got in to see him at 4:00 and stayed until 6:00 so I was up there 9 hours altogether.  It was awful seeing him suffer so though and I wished a thousand times I could take over for him.  He kept asking for sedation the pain was so unbearable but they wouldn't and he was wide awake for an eternity it seemed.  His should hurt a great deal with sympathetic pains that radiated there.

I went up this morning but it hurts him to talk - or breath - so I didn't stay long.  Hope the pain will subside soon.  We hear lots of encouraging stories about the eventual outcome of this type of operation so we are hopeful.  These next few days will be the hardest.

I should go again soon but I wanted to get this off now.  If you see Nola before I write tell her that we received her package yesterday and thanks so very much.  I'm going to wear the smock now.

Love to all,  Colleen

P.S.  I kept forgetting to find your address so this is getting off late.  Meanwhile Owen is still a very sick man and most miserable.  I thot he'd be feeling better by now but if it isn't one thing it's another. He has 102 degree temperature and feels rotten - tubes still in all over and still feeding him intravenously.  He doesn't want visitors yet (can hardly talk or swallow), and just feels sick everywhere.  It's a worry.  Wonder if all gastric resections are this bad?  Hope tings are better soon.  Love to all.