testing levels, are we OK now? Um, so can I ask you how old you were when
you got married?
18. 18. Mhm. And that was in 47.
And um And I was married 5 years before we had any. Children And um.
It seems like I, I'll swear I carried my son 10 months because I kept
going back to the doctor and saying, why, why? Well, that, uh, October day
we walked, everybody walked, nobody had a car, you know, and uh I was
downtown to the doctor and he told me to go buy a 2 ounce bottle of castor
oil. And gobble it down. And it worked. It worked to induce labor. And uh
I didn't have any problems with my. Um, So Um But 2 years later, my
daughter, I had more problems with her. It seemed like my. Belly didn't go
back, you know, it was drooping over and it was so forth, and my back was
killing me. And I have some Polish ants and they gave me this corset.
It was a big, you know, about this big strings like the, like you see in
the movies, you know, string you pull the strings and, and you tighten the
belt and so forth and it was a uh a blessing to wear this corset during
pregnancy. And if, if it, if you got too much here, you know, you could
loosen it there and just by adjusting the strings or the straps. And um
Then the night that um the day that uh he, she, he was born, she was born
, my second child was a girl. Um my uh husband got a call from uh Oklahoma
that his father had just passed away. And uh I, he didn't want to go
because I was late already for delivery, but I said no go because of the
fact that You will see your child. We, we didn't know if it was a boy or
girl. Nobody knew nothing about that. Uh. But you won't see your father
again. So he went there and sure enough that night. My mother came. We
lived away from town. My mother came and my two cousins, which were twins.
And one of them happened to have a car. Cause we're miles from the
hospital. One hospital in this town. And um 11 could stay with my boy. And
one could drive my mother and I to the hospital and and my cousins, that's
what happened to it because my husband was already out of town. So, but I
had known. I didn't realize it at the time until later. I told my mother I
said something wrong with my corset. Um, I could, the drop, the child had
dropped. And it was loose. Where, wherever it was, I don't know. It was
loose and I said tighten these straps up, you know, and then I realized,
oh, it's because of the droppage of the child. But um He um She was a she
the second time. Uh, I don't remember much about because I told you that
they knock us out, you know, at those days they knock you out. Remember
being in the bed and hurting like heck. But uh I don't remember.
I don't remember any shots or anything, but I. Had um Let's see, the first
time after I came out of labor from the child number one. I had Charlie
horses you wouldn't believe. I had all the nurses and the doctors rubbing
every, everywhere. I assumed it was because of the syrups. You know, I
don't know how long I've been up there on Sturs when the child was born.
The second time I had been fighting a uh beer specialist for Cankeraurus.
They ran me through all these tests, uh, of being allergic to this or
that, you know, and I'd take uh they do the tests and I did notice when I
was pregnant. I did not have any canker sores. But the minute that she was
born and I was put back in the room. I was peppered with canker sores. I
don't know, you guys know what canker sores are in your mouth. Peppered,
just peppered and after that I had them. And I swear it has something to
do with the periods, you know. And I haven't had them since uh. I no
longer have periods. I no longer have the canker so, so I don't know if it
has anything to do with it or not, you know. But uh that was our deal on
that. Um, so do you remember, um, to the drive to the hospital, was it
long? Uh, yeah, it was, it was long, uh, we were maybe 15 miles or
something like that to the hospital. And of course, uh, the labor was not
too pleasant, you know, but. Um, it just seemed like a long ways. Mhm. Can
you describe the hospital at all or how the, the intake situation or what
? Well, it was a like I said, this town only had one hospital. And I don't
remember going in or anything, but I do know that it's. Uh, maybe 4 or 5
stories. Um, but, um. And that you were put in with other women, not, not
by yourself. Um, and laying in bed and the nurses come in, of course
they'd shave you first. Um, and um.
But uh and check your vitals, but I don't remember. Anything else and then
they shave you with like a straight rate like cuz the shaving implements
are different back then. It had to be a straight one. It had to be a
straight one, yeah, mhm. And uh But it seemed like one of them. I did,
they didn't have time to save me, but I don't, I don't know if that's my
my mind telling me. That's true or not true. I don't, I don't know which,
but it seemed like one of them. They didn't shave me cause came too soon.
So I don't know if it was the 1st 1 or the 2nd 1. But you were um given
the um ether or scope and being both times?
That's how they did it. It's, I mean. I don't remember if I can't remember
if it's a shot or it's or it's a a couple of your. No, I don't remember
that. So that's all blank and, and you really didn't come out of it until
you were in your own bed at the hospital. And uh the baby was somewhere
else. You didn't see the baby right away, you know, I don't know how long
it was, but. Uh in the movies, they put it on your chest right away, you
know, none of that, so it, uh. But I, I really am thankful for the corset
and I don't remember exactly how I got the corset. Um, I did have some
strong Polish aunts and one of them more of cars at all the time, so
whether it was from her or what. But it was a blessing because it kills
your back. And especially if you are, are weak in your back anyways, you
know, and, and your muscles are weak from childbirth.
And uh So did the corset, this part that cinchches go above the belly or
below the belly? No, it went under your boobs and below. Below your crotch
you hung out, you know, more or less so you, you didn't have to take it
off to go to the bathroom. You could just, it was open there. So it just
compressed everything inward.
Put the looseness where that needed to be or the tightness where. The
other need to be. And um my, my daughter was born in July, so it was hot.
And I do remember many days putting a tub of water on the floor and
putting your feet in the water because of the fact that you swell, your
feet swelled, so mhm and we didn't those days nobody had air conditioning
in your houses, you know, so you tried to get cool by putting your feet in
the in the tub. And this was in Indiana. It's humid there too, yeah, at
times, yeah. Well, it would happen here too, because a lot of people
didn't have air conditioning here either, you know. And then then the
first thing we had was evaporative coolers. And then the air conditioning
got so we could afford the the air conditioning, so. So were you working
during the time that you were pregnant? Yes, I was working at a factory.
Um, uh, I started working there maybe when I was about 19. And uh
And we had to take off. I think it was, we had 3 months late uh uh uh for
delivery, I think it was and it was forced taken off work, you know. And
then I think you could be off 3 months after something like that. So I
went back after 2 and there's no air conditioning in the factory. No way,
uh uh. No way.
So, so you were, um, several months pregnant and working in a factory and
working and if you work with a lot of women. It's you know, she's bigger,
she's far longer than what she says she is, you know, oh my, she's bigger
, she's gonna have a boy, she's gonna have a girl, you know, it was those
kind, you know, gay women. Cause it was all women, most all women that I
worked with, so. And uh running machines, running machines, uh, not
dangerous machines. The only one that could have been dangerous was you
kicked your feet forward to make it go, the machine come down, and the
rest of them were you used a pedal or something on the pedal on your foot
to make the thing, this little machine come down. So it uh. Can you think
back to when you were in the hospital after you woke up and you were in a
room? How many women are in a room with you?
I would say 4. I, I, I don't. Truthfully remember, but I would say 4. And
but maybe they weren't all there. I don't know. You know, the beds, the
beds were there. So And we lived in, which would be rural, um. And we had
um electricity.
Um, and I could not nurse my children. I didn't have any milk. Uh, nearly
starved my boy before the doctor said, Well, you haven't got any milk.
That's why kids starving to death. Um So beings living in the country, we
had electric stove. And when the power went out in the summer or winter.
And no way of eating this baby's milk. So we go across the, across the
next door and they had a gas stove and heat the baby's milk over there and
come home and feed the baby. Mhm. Until the power came back on again. So
what was the milk? Uh, I had an awful time with my son. He couldn't keep
anything down. It, it wasn't a formula, but I think it was uh. Um We
finally settled on, I don't know how many different milks we tried, but we
finally set it, set it on um like um cream of wheat. And I boiled it. And
it had enlarged the um straw. So he could not, it wasn't a straw, it was a
nipple, uh, so he could suck the cream of wheat in the milk in his system.
But that was a struggle right there to try to find something that he
could keep down and upchuck a lot. Yeah, so. So was he, so was he, he was
healthy young man. Yeah, he grew out of it. It just was the idea that he
just couldn't drink. Um, Milk
And I, and I don't, after that, I, we must have weaned him on regular
cow's milk or something because we didn't have, I don't remember formula.
I remember canned milk, you know, uh, pet milk, uh, carnation or whatever.
But I don't remember any.
I don't remember anybody using formula maybe they could have, I don't know.
You don't realize how what an impact formula has, you know, on, on women
and, and I'm sure they have to try different kinds because. People's
stomachs aren't all alike. I heard goat's milk was a good milk. Yeah,
that's, yeah, mhm. So What about your daughter? Uh, didn't have any
problem with her with milk. No, just the first one is to. But um So she,
she didn't breastfeed though, but she had cow's milk and she was could not
breastfeed. The the doctor's words were a big old cow like you haven't got
any milk. That's exactly what he said because my son keeps bringing that
up all the time. And so that's true, no milk.
How did you experience pregnancy? Did you gain a lot of weight or? Yeah, I
think so. Yeah, you know, you're just way out here, uh, and, uh. I never
got rid of the stretch marks, never. No, and in fact, today, I'm sure I, I
would have them there, but I'm fighting this hernia. Yes, yes. I won't
embarrass you too much. Look at that hernia, and it's harder, harder rocks
right there. It's only on that one side and. It's um Feels like I'm
pregnant on half side. You know, it uh. It's had 4 operations already on
it. Um, so it's intestine pushing forward, yeah, and then I had, I took,
uh, Pradaxa. Have you heard of Pradaxa? Did they're advertising it on TV.
Pradaxa is a blood thinner. And bled internally. And
the first time they operated on my. Uh, hernia. Uh, they left a sponge in
me for 3 months. 3 I kept going back to the emergency. Something's wrong,
something's wrong, you know, up chucking and sicker and a dog and. And
finally somebody decided to take an X-ray. You could see the sponge.
And then that that was operation #2, and then when I bled internally, they
had to. Um, operate again. I've had 4 operations on this side, 9 pints of
blood because, yeah, put a lawsuit against Pradaxa. And got some money.
Good for you. Like, did you put a lawsuit against the sponge person? No,
no, but the hospital asked me. Um
Saint Luke's, it was, asked me to put a claim against them. They didn't
want a lawsuit and I didn't want to, I didn't want to mess with that
either. So they kept calling the lawyers kept calling and well, you want
to put this lawsuit, you know, against them. Name your price. So I didn't
know. Nothing. And so um that was in, I think in 12, uh. 2012, I believe,
and so, um. The senior center provides did provide a lawyer that
volunteered to come and talk to you. So I made an appointment with him and
I asked him what I should tell him I would, would take. Well, he gave me
this ridiculous little price. And so I thought now, and so when they
called, I upped the price. No problem, no problem. So the price he gave
you was too low. Oh yeah, really.
As if he was working for them,
so, and I thought, no, no, no, no, that don't sound right.
So here I go again from. Getting all the information on the Pradaxa the
being internally
so. And it uh That was no fun.
Did you have any residual um health stuff from having the babies?
You kept soda crackers at your bedside. I don't know if you guys had soda
crackers to try to keep your up chuck down. And before you put your feet
on the floor, you would eat the soda cracker. Well, it didn't always work.
And uh Because um I Didn't accept it too good and I I chucked a lot. So.
How, how was it when you had um your baby home? How was home life with the
baby? Uh
It's all right, you know, it's, uh, did you go back to work? Yeah, I did
after I think. I don't know if it's 3 months, 6 months, whatever. I don't
, I don't remember. Yeah, I did go back to work. And uh so. Just like
mothers today, times are tough. Babysitters were a little cheaper than.
And today, my god, what these people have to pay. So, did, was there any
state funded help? No. No, because my husband and I both worked, you know
, and it put you over a limit of some sort, but I, no, I don't remember
any, uh. Now I understand Wick or somebody can provide help for you here,
but no, there was nothing like that there. Were your pregnancies planned?
Did you try to get pregnant? Yeah, you know, yeah, we were married 5 years
and tried to, yeah. And the second one I suppose was a surprise. But uh I
could never get pregnant after that. So when you were trying all that time
for those 5 years, you must have thought um that you couldn't get pregnant.
Yeah, right. Yeah, all your cousins and aunts and uncles say, well, when
you gonna have a baby? When are you gonna have a baby? Well.
You know, It's one of those things, so. And um I ended up with 2, my
sister ended up with 3, so. Didn't run much in our family. My mother had
me and then didn't think she could have any more children. So for 7 years
, she didn't have any children, and then she had 3 kids. Oh wow. It's
funny how the body works. Yeah, right, mhm, true. My my husband was an
only child and definitely did not want to. Raise an only child, so we were
very fortunate that we got the second one, so. And we were married 31
years before I lost him. So The kids were Uh, more or less adults by then.
So that's my story. I don't remember much of anything else. I think you
did great. It was wonderful. I'm gonna. Oh yeah, yeah. Do you, do you
remember, um, because you're saying there's a lot of time after the baby
was born that you didn't get to see the baby. Do you remember the first
time you actually got to see? No, I don't, I don't really uh uh it's out,
it's out of my mind, you know. No, can you describe the babies? Did they
have hair or
I don't think so. No, I don't think so. And uh one was, I know one was 713
, 7 pounds and 13 ounces, and the other was 8 something. Uh, but, uh, So I
mean those are were normal size then. I don't know what they are now. Uh,
small now, I think. No, I think that's normal. So But um No. Did you have
, um, was it just you and your husband at home or did you have family
living with you? No, just me and my husband. How was he with the babies?
Oh, he was thrilled, thrilled because being an only child, you know, uh,
he was thrilled and, and took responsibility, you know, and changed
diapers and Fed him and So forth, so Yeah, um, No problem there at all.
And he lived in this home with you too. We can't, we moved back here in
'57.
So, and this is the only house that we've lived in since. Mhm. Yeah,
that's great. Mhm. Well, I think we're good. So at the beginning, I was
supposed to introduce myself and you, and so I'm going to do it now, so it
might seem a little funny, but I'm going to go ahead. Did I do it in the
beginning or did I forget? Yeah. So um this is Boris Solis and Ashley
Zakkowski interviewing Elaine Pot Potter on. June 20, 2015.
OK, thank you, really appreciate it. I refer to myself of, uh, if somebody
can't remember my name, I say I'm um. Harry Potter's grandma. And they
remember that. You know, they don't remember Potter, but they remember
Harry Potter.