Back Home Again ( Part
5 )
7415 Ottawa Ave
Polio Strikes
June 21st
1994
I’m at 7415
Ottawa Ave. This is the third home we’ve ever lived in. As matter of fact, this
is the first single-family house we had. The other house on Devon Ave was a
duplex. So this is our first single family home. I live here from the age of 4
until I was 7 years old.
All this was all prairie around here,
especially in the back of the house. Now it’s nothing but homes here but back
then it was nothing but prairie. You could just go for what seemed like forever
in the back there and play. One time Jimmy my cousin came over. We were out in
the fields in the back and there was this sewer cover back there and we wanted
to see what was in it. So I lifted it up and he was going to get his fingers
underneath it so he could help lift it up. And all of a sudden I couldn’t hold
it anymore and the sewer cover came down on his fingers and he got caught and
he was screaming and I couldn’t lift it up anymore. So I came running back and
got Mom and Aunt Marie and they came running back into the field and got his
fingers out. I almost cut off his fingers. Well it wasn’t all my fault, it was
his too.
Michael lived next door to us. He was a pretty
nice guy. He was my friend. The only thing I can remember about him, he had the
biggest comic book collection I ever saw in my life. I saw him later on when I
was in my 20's but I don’t know where he is now though. His mom died since I’ve
seen him. Then next door there used to
be couple and they had a kid, a brand new baby.
It was a day just like today, nice and sunny and bright and warm. And
they put the crib out in front and the baby was taking a nap in the crib. They
put it on its back when he was taking a nap and the baby spit up a little bit
and it came down and he started choking on its own spit or vomit or whatever
you want to call it and the poor baby died. My Mom came running over because
the woman next door was hysteric. My Mom tried to save the baby by giving
mouth-to-mouth but couldn’t. That was a tragedy.
My Dad had fallen down the stairs here. I
guess they were having a party one night and he fell down the stairs and he
broke his leg. He couldn’t stand the cast after a while so he got drunk and
ripped it off. He was sorry he did.
One time it was Christmas and my Mom had set
up my train around the Christmas tree. I
was standing over the train tracks pretending I was a bridge and let the train
go between my legs. And all of a sudden as soon as the train got right
underneath my legs, I guess it shorted out or something and sparks went flying
everywhere. I thought I was gonna die, I couldn’t believe it. That was the last
time we ever did that. My Mom and dad buy me my first dog that they found. It
was a Cocker spaniel, a black one, all black and we called it “Inky.” She was
the greatest dog. She was my best friend. We had her for a long time. I really
liked that dog.
As it turns out when we did sell this house,
we sold it to a couple named the Millers They had two sons and we went on our
merry way to our other home. Then when we get to be teenagers and in our
twenties, Jeanne meets this guy named Rick Miller and they start dating. He
takes her home to meet his Mom and Dad and as Jeanne describes it. They pull
into this neighborhood and Jeanne says, “This neighborhood is familiar, I used
to live around here.” And they pull up in front of the house and they start
walking to Rick’s house and she says, “Is this where you live?” And Rick says,
“Yeah.” and she says, “This is the same house I used to live in.” That was
really strange. The same people that bought the house from us still lived there
all this time. And what are the odds that my sister would end of meeting one of
their sons. Of course they ended up getting married and having 4 children of
their own.
I remember one time my cousin Jimmy came over.
We used to get in a lot of trouble. I think Aunt Marie decided not to get us
together anymore but anyway he came over one time and I had this pet turtle.
You know the kind you buy in the Dime store? And Jimmy says, “Let me bring him
home.” I said. “No.” He finally talked me into it and Jimmy put him in his
pocket. The next time I saw him, I asked him for my turtle back, he said, “oh,
I forgot, I left him in my pants pocket and he died.” Oh, the bum! So don’t
ever give any of your things to anybody, guys.
I ran away from home, I don’t know what I did
but I ran away. And I had this great big shopping bag and inside it, I put one
piece of boloney and one slice of bread and I was going to run away forever. I
got 2 blocks away and I eat the boloney and the bread. I got hungry so I came
back home.
This is
where I first went to school over at St Juliana’s in first grade. I didn’t want
to go to school. I remember my Mom taking me. And I was crying. I didn’t want
to go. That was to foreign to me, to strange. I didn’t like it. Well, I met a
girl there. I wish I could remember her name though. She was the prettiest girl
and I used to walk her home. I lived further then she did so I used to walk her
to her house and she really liked me a lot. I can’t remember her name though.
And then one day I was walking home from school and I was so tied I could just
barely make it home. As soon as I got home I went to bed. I guess I was really
sick. And my Mom took me to the doctor’s. They found out I had Polio. So they
put me in the hospital. I had Bulbar Polio, worst kind you can get. I almost
died from that. They almost put me in one of those Iron Lungs machines that
help you breathe. I used to call them “tin cans.” I guess I really got sick and
my Dad told me later on, he says, he had collapsed on the hood of the car after
he came out from seeing me and started crying to my Mom, “He’s gonna die, he’s
gonna die.” My Mom had some Holy Water that one of the nuns from St Juliana’s
gave her. Some Holy Water from Lourdes, you know France? And she brought it up and she poured this
Holy Water from Lourdes on me. And son-of-a-gun if I didn’t start getting
better. It was like a miracle. I don’t know if that’s what it was or caused it
or what but that’s what happened. So I got over that.
Cook County Hospital
Where I Had Polio. I was in one of the rooms in the front of the building.
This is
the report from the Edison Parker, Edison Park Newspaper Sept 26, 1951. Report
first Edison Park polio cases. Boy 6, girl 14 both in hospital. Edison Parks
first cases of Infantile Paralysis cases of the year were report last week, as
two youngsters, a 6-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl. Both were stricken
with dangerous Bulbar Polio. The Children are Billy Kaufman 6 of 7415 N. Ottawa
and Jacquelyn Dee 14 of 7025 N Overhill. After becoming ill Monday September
17th. Jacquelyn Dee, daughter of Mr & Mrs Eugene Dee, was taken Wednesday
to Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital were her condition still is report as
critical. Doctors said the girl is still running a temperature and is very weak
and is receiving oxygen thru the nose. Jacquelyn a student at St Patrick
Academy has an older sister 18 and a younger brother 6. 6-year-old Billy Kaufman son of Mr & Mrs
Robert J Kaufman became ill last Wednesday and was hospitalized the following
day at the Cook County Contagious Disease Hospital. His condition still is
critical doctors reported but has shown improvement. Billy is no longer in
oxygen although he is still running a temperature and is paralyzed in the
throat and internally. Mr and Mrs Kaufman have a younger daughter Jeanne 4.
This is a follow up article in the Edison
paper.) 3 Polio cases reported in Edison. Jacquelyn Dee 14 of 7025 N Overhill,
Edison Park’s first Polio victim was still in critical condition following an
emergency tracheotomy at Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital Wednesday. Also
in critical condition following polio attacks are Billy Kaufman 6, 7415 N.
Ottawa and Jeanne Knorst 13 6950 N Overhill. All 3 victims were suffering from
the Bulbar type of Polio. After becoming ill on Sept 17th, Jacquelyn was taken
to the Municipal Hospital Wednesday were doctors described her condition as
very critical. It is hoped Thursday’s operation will help her for her fight for
her life. 6-year-old Billy Kaufman became ill last Wednesday and was
hospitalized the following day at Cook County Contagious Disease Hospital.
Doctors this week reported Billy’s condition improved. His fever dropped Sunday
and is now able to eat some soft food. Jeanne Knorst was stricken Tuesday and
was removed to Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital. Her condition is report
as serious.
This is a follow up article number 3.) Edison
polio victims reportedly improved. All three make gains during week. The
condition of Edison Park’s three young polio victims showed marked improvement
this week. According to word received from the parents of the patients, fevers
in each case have subsided and all appears to be on the road to recovery.
Edison’s first victim Jacquelyn Dee 14, 7025 N Overhill was rushed to Municipal
Contagious Disease Hospital September 19th is now permitted to be out of her
iron lung for two 50 minutes periods daily. A victim of both Bulbar and spinal
polio, the extent of Jacquelyn’s paralysis is not yet known. Billy Kaufman 6, 7415 N. Ottawa, having been
released from Cook County Contagious Hospital Saturday, was taken to St Francis
Hospital this week when his parents noticed muscular spasms in parts of his
body. He will remain one month for therapeutic treatments. 13 year old Jeanne
Knorst, 6950 N Overhill ave was reported as improving with still no evidence of
paralysis. Jeanne is also at the Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital. No
release date has been given.
Some of my
memories of that time in the hospital with Polio; When my parents brought me to
the hospital, they put me in this big ward with a lot of beds on one side and a
whole lot of Iron lungs on the other side of the room. This was the first time I had ever been to a
hospital. I was scared and when my Mom and Dad went to leave that first day, I
cried. I didn’t want them to go. This would be the first time I would be alone
in my whole life. Kind of like it is with me now.
The nurses were very friendly, in fact I saw
the prettiest nurse I ever saw in my life. I only saw her twice but I will
never forget her. Maybe that’s why I have a thing for pretty nurses these days.
The next thing I knew, I was put in a small room with three other kids.
They
Put Me Back In a Crib
The nurse
put me in diapers and then put me in this metal crib with clear plastic all
around the top and sides of the crib. It was in an oxygen tent.
And I had To Wear
Diapers All Over Again
I remember
saying to my mom that I didn’t want to wear diapers. She asked the nurse about
it and the nurse said that I had to wear diapers. Mom tried to explain to me
that since I was sick that I had to wear them. It felt funny going in a diaper
but I was locked in crib, there was nothing I could do about it. The nurses
kept changing me and after a while I got used to it.
My parents
visited me every day and when I started to feel better, I asked my Mom if she
could bring me a strawberry Sunday. I wasn’t supposed to have it but the next
night my parents snuck a strawberry Sunday up to me. Did that ever taste great.
It’s funny how certain things stick out in your mind. I do remember this other
kid across the room from me. He kept turning his light on and off all night one
night. I couldn’t stand that.
The Whirlpool
I finally got back home and I started having
problems right away. So they put me back in a different hospital for a month.
The only thing I remember about that hospital was the whirlpool that I would
have to be put in every day. It was called the Hubbard Whirlpool Tank. The
nurse would take me behind some curtains and take my clothes off. Then she
started putting a diaper on me. I said to the nurse, I don’t want to wear a
diaper. The nurse told me that everybody had to wear one before they put you in
the whirlpool. After I got better and came home, I never wet the bed or had any
other wetting problems while I was growing up as a kid.
I finally got back home. Well, I was out of
school quite a while but I got back to school and I graduated from 1st grade.
But later on I’ll pay for it.
This house
didn’t give me as good of a memory as the last house, maybe because I had Polio
for one thing. That didn’t help things. But I still had Mom and I had my dog
and Jeanne too. She was still pretty young yet. Let’s see, I was like 5, she’d
be only be 3. So I really couldn’t play with her. So I played with the other
little kids on the block. Michael next door, I was involved with him. I guess
Jeanne was inside just laying in her crib and sucking on her bottle or whatever
Well, I was
asking my sister if see had any memories of Ottawa, so I put them down on tape
and let’s hear what she has to say.
MY
SISTER TALKING;
“We’re
talking about Ottawa. Um, it’s real vague but I remember we shared that one
little room together .And I remember where our beds were and I remember were
the dresser was. The dresser was next to the window on the opposite side of the
room and you and I had a pack of matches. And we were having a ball lightin’
em. And I kept saying, “Let me try it, Let me try it. You were big brother so
you really didn’t want me to do it, but we hear Ma coming in and we had the
door shut. I just remember...I don’t know who had the matches at the time but
we just threw everything in the drawer and we shut the drawer. And I don’t
remember anything after that except that years later I remember Mom saying that
we started a fire and the fire department came and everything. We burned
clothes and it was really messy.”
“I remember you and I driving our tricycles like
crazy around the posts down in the basement. It was all concrete, it wasn’t
tiled and paneled and stuff like that like is today. I do remember our
tricycles. That was some of my favorites things to do was to go down in the
basement and chase you around the posts on the tricycle.”
“And I remember Dad got a sickle. I’m not
sure why he got it. Except there was a lot of prairie and you and I would go
out and walk real deep into the prairie and nobody would know where we were and
we would sickle down a whole area of weeds so we could have a fort and we’d
bring a blanket because the weeds went very comfortable when they were sickled
down. There was one kind of weed like cotton. It was almost like, the inside
was almost like a filter on a cigarette but it would burn and we’d try and
smoke them. We would light weeds and pretend they were cigarettes.”
“You
know what else happened at that house to me? Um, I just vaguely remember doing
this but I was about...I was about only 3, 2 or 3 years old and I decided, I
don’t think I decided to leave home but I started walking. As I started
walking, I started talking my clothes off. I don’t actually remember doing it
but to this day, you know when we go to visit my mother in-law over there. I
remember the exact house. It’s so eerie. It really wasn’t that far away from
our house. It was only about 4 blocks away. But I remember that house because
those were the bad people because they turned me in. And um, I just remember
something happened at that house. And they called my Mom and I ended up having
to go back there with her, I don’t know. I don’t really remember except Mom
said that I started taking off all my clothes. She realized I was gone and they
started to look for me and they called the police. They found a sock; you know
a shoe and a sock and then the shorts and then the shirt. I left a whole trail
of clothes as I went along. And I guess the milkman finally stopped me and I
think those people in that house had something to do with calling the police.”
“The only other thing I really vividly
remember at that house, like when I said I had chicken pocks. Mom would only
let me go out on the front steps. I couldn’t go down the steps. I could only be
on that front stoop. I must have colored a hundred coloring books during the
week I had chicken pocks. But it was real warm out. And Cathy would come over
and she would have to stay away when we talked. Cathy was my best friend. She
lived next door. They moved after... she had a little baby sister and her mom
had her out in a buggy one day and she died of SIDS. I remember the commotion.
I didn’t understand the commotion but I remember all the commotion that day.
Everybody was crying and screaming and going to the cradle trying to get the
baby breathing. It was awful. Cathy and her family got scared after that and they
just moved. And on the other side of us were the Turmott’s I remember them
because we got Inky in that house and remember the day we got Inky. She was a
just a little puppy running around the front lawn just yipping and we were
chasing her and Mrs Trumott was out there. Later on when I married Rick, Mrs
Turmott use to say all the time, I’ll never forget when you were a little girl
chasing that little puppy dog around the front yard.”
“We had cinder allies at that house. Do you
remember the cinder allies?” “Yeah, because it hurt your feet.” “Not only hurt
our feet but I used to always have a picture that if I was bad at Christmas
that was the cinder that would go in my stocking.”
Well that’s
all for this house I guess. So we’ll go on to the next one next Saturday.
