Read Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1:
The Beginning
Chapter 2:
My House
Chapter 3:
Holidays
Chapter 4:
School
Chapter 5:
Recreation
Chapter 6:
Lois and Ray
The Story of Lois Ann Meyer Bergeson
Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Aunt, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother …
By Lois Bergeson (Reprinted with Permission)
CHAPTER 7: Motherhood
Where were your babies born?
Steven Ray was born at the Redwood Falls hospital on March 13, 1954. We had a very bad snowstorm the night before. My cousin was also pregnant and was staying with her parents in Sanborn. In the middle of the storm, she started having pains. She had a nervous mother who insisted they get the firetruck out and get her to the Redwood Falls hospital. My cousin’s husband came to our door early in the morning to tell us. He also needed breakfast and a shave. We were happy to supply those.
I knew he would be back so I was very busy planning lunch when I realized I was having pains of my own. I started timing them and soon called Ray at the store that it was time. He exclaimed, “NOW?” The freight truck was in. There was so much to unload. Sorry, it was time. Ray came and took me to the hospital and then returned to do the freight. The store owner asked what he was doing there. He was told in no uncertain terms to get back to the hospital.
My cousin’s contractions were subsiding. My contractions were increasing. I by-passed her and went right to the delivery room. Husbands were not allowed during the delivery then so Ray was with my cousin and her husband in the next room. They could hear all my moaning and groaning. Ray was sure I was dying.
The worst part was the ether cup the nurse kept putting over my nose. When I gasped, the ether went into my throat. I was coughing and coughing. I tried to bat the ether away. I had a healthy boy of 7 pounds, 10 ounces. My cousin went home again, to come back a week later. I was in the hospital almost a week. Ray had me stay another day as he had a meeting in the cities. He did not want me home alone with a new baby.
It was such a blessing to have Steven. He might not have gone full term. I was 5 months pregnant the Thanksgiving before. Ray and I were to travel to his parents in Dawson for dinner. We did not know how icy it was. We were a few miles out of Redwood Falls when a large horse came out of a deep ditch right in front of the car. Ray swerved to miss the horse, I grabbed for something to keep me from going through the windshield. I grabbed the door handle on that front opening door and fell out of the car. With Ray reaching for me and with the icy conditions, he lost control of the car. He went down the steep embankment. I can still hear him calling for me. The ice was very slippery, instead of plunking down on the tar and getting run over, I slid on my back many yards, losing my shoes and hat in the process. I remember hitting my head on the tar, but otherwise I was okay. My guardian angel and my brand new winter coat saved me from breaking anything. Steven was nervous for a few days, but settled down. I had an examination at the doctor. Other than aching all over, I was pronounced okay. So, having a healthy baby was such a blessing.
Mark Robert was born in the Dawson Hospital on March 2, 1956. He was due the 4th. Ray was selling insurance for Lutheran Brotherhood. He had a meeting on the 4th so he told me he would be obliged if I could pick another day. Being a dutiful wife, my water broke on the 2nd. Steven’s birth had been fairly easy so I expected the same this time. I really think it was the nurses’ fault as she had me pushing way too early. When the doctor came, I was all worn out and didn’t want to push any more even though I was in fierce pain. The doctor began to think it should have been caesarian and it was too late.
The only thing he could think of was to make me so mad that I would push that baby out. He told me to, “Quit your crying and get to work!” It did make me mad and I did get to work and Mark was there in no time. He had very broad shoulders and was short with lots of black hair on his head. Mark was 8 pounds, 2 ounces, and 19 inches long. He was a beautiful child.
Later, the doctor apologized for talking so to me. He said he was so scared that he would lose both mother and baby. Many years later, when Mark was 17 and playing guard on our basketball team, we were at a game at Dawson. Mark was having a very good night making 3 point baskets. The doctor was at the game. He came up to me and said, “You can’t know the pride I feel in such an exceptional young man that I had the privilege of delivering.”
When naming Mark, Ray wanted him named after his two grandfathers, Martin and Robert. Robert was a good name, but I wasn’t fond of Martin so decided on Mark. He was to be Robert Mark. Before baptism, Ray’s mom informed me that there was already a Robert Bergeson in the family. That was fine with me. We switched and he became Mark Robert. That fit him so much better.
Michael Jon was born in the Paynesville, MN Hospital on January 20, 1964. Ray was with Farm Bureau Insurance. I was substitute teaching in the school. Life was good. Unexpectedly, I became pregnant. It was a surprise, but I was happy about it and so was Ray. All went along fine except he was overdue a week, and then 2 weeks, and then 3 weeks. A few nights before the birth, Ray turned over in bed and asked, “Are you crying?” ‘‘Yesl” “Why?” Blubbering I said, ‘‘I’m sick of it all!” I guess there was no going back. I had to see it through.
My doctor had said that I would deliver fast and instructed the nurse to be aware. We went to the hospital around 7:30 P.M. I went in to be prepped. A nurse was looking for Ray to sign some papers. He was nowhere to be found. Later he showed up. The dietitian had seen us walk in. She said, ‘‘Lois looked just fine, but Ray looked so sick, I took him to the kitchen for a cup of coffee!” Things were progressing quickly for me, but the nurse wasn’t in any hurry to call the doctor. The birth was eminent. I had to pant like a dog what seemed hours until the doctor barely made it. The doctor had said it was to be a girl. I had told him it was not. Any baby that waited that long had to be a stubborn boy. The first thing the doctor said was, ‘‘You are right. It’s another Ole Bergeson.” He was a fine baby. The boys had wanted another boy. They were the ones who chose Michael for his name. The Jon part was my choice.
There always had to be a story to go with each birth. Ray was in the process of looking for another job. We still owned our Dawson house and were having renter trouble. About a week or so after I got home with the baby Ray decided he should go to Dawson to see about the house. I didn’t feel good about it and asked him not to go, but he thought everything was going smoothly so he would just stay overnight and come right back. This may have been fine except some Farm Bureau people came to visit, not knowing Ray was away. They stayed and stayed and visited and visited. Every once in a while I excused myself as I felt I was hemorrhaging. I was nervous because I still had to sterilize bottles and get formula ready.
They finally left and then the dam broke and there was blood all over the floor. I called the doctor and he said come in. I couldn’t with the boys there and the baby and no car. He said go to bed and he would see me at 8:00 in the morning. I called a teacher friend to come over and sleep and be responsible for getting the boys to school in the morning. Michael must have sensed the problem as he slept all night so I didn’t have to get up to feed him.
At 6 o’clock the next morning I called Ray. I think he flew back to Paynesville and was there to take me to the clinic. I was so weak I could hardly walk. The doctor took one check. My blood was down to 6. He ordered me to the hospital immediately where I got 2 pints of blood. Ray got bonding time with the baby then. Our pastor’s wife came over and bathed the baby and straightened things up until Ray’s mother got there to help out. In a few days I came home and by that time my mother and dad had come. Mom took over and I could relax and just take care of Michael.
Things went smoothly after that. Ray began work as insurance man for the Farmers and Merchant’s Bank. With Steve being ten years old, he was a great help to me watching the baby. Both boys loved him dearly.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
