In the Year of 1956

 In the year 1956 the Hector family was living in St. Louis Park.  Lizbeth was born that year, bringing the number of children to four.  We also had cousin Jan living with us so the 2 bedroom expansion house was filled to overflowing.  


Dave was employed by F and F Laboratories out of Chicago.  The company sold cough drops...every conceivable flavor including coffee.  It was hard work ( 22 calls a day without fail) and Dave was on the road for two or three weeks at a time.  We hated Sunday afternoon because it meant packing and knowing that he had to leave again on Monday.


And the, I found a small ad that was looking for a sales representative in the Hopkins area.  Dave checked on it and was accepted as an agent for Mutual Service Insurance Companies.  It meant studying and passing the state exams for all the lines of insurance but we were confident that he could do it.  It also meant being home.  It was great!  Dave gave notice and changed jobs in November.


We were without insurance now, and it would be a little while before we had coverage with Mutual Service.  That didn't seem to be a problem until we also discovered that in the joy of reunion we had also started work on our fifth child.  Never mind, we were overjoyed about the new job and we still wanted another boy.  The new baby was scheduled in for the end of August 1957.


By the time August had rolled around d we also had Rosemary living with us.  Rosie was a little older than Jan and had a job in Minneapolis.  She was the daughter of my oldest sister, Marion.  The job with Mutual Service was working out and Dave was a licensed agent.  Mark had been admitted to Shriner's Hospital in July and had surgery.  We had no idea how long he would be hospitalized but his biggest worry was that he would not be home when the new baby was born.


In the early morning hours of August 23rd I awakened to a feeling of dampness.  I guessed that my water had broken but I had no contractions so I tucked a bath towel around me and crawled back into bed.  When morning came I said goodbye to Rosie as she was going to Iowa that weekend to celebrate the the twins birthday.  then I gave Dr. James a call.


We trundled the other children off to my sisters in Hopkins and settled in to wait for action.  Noon came, Dave and I had a leisurely lunch and decided on a nap.  I no more than relaxed when the contractions began.  We called Dr. James and set out for Doctors Memorial Hospital ( the Drs office had notified us earlier that there would be no more room at St. Mary's---remember this was baby boom days).


We arrived at the hospital about 3:30 pm and were up in my room within minutes.  A quick exam sent nurses flying and I was rushed to the delivery room where delivery was accomplished in the record time of one hour and twenty eight minutes.  We had a second son and he registered as Christopher John with an arrival time of 3:49 pm.


As soon as we were sure he was sound and healthy Dave was off to send a telegram to Mark at Shriners.  This 8lb 6oz baby looked as if he was ready for anything so our hospital stay was short.  We were out of there within 22 hours...cash on the line.

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