Thursday, August 4, 2011

One Stroky’s Journey: At the Ladies-Only Table

Fay’s Story
Faye shares her story of medical advances
Faye joined us at the ladies-only table during the last week of my stay at the Singing River Hospital Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, and she was scheduled to go home a few days after my departure.

When she arrived she was weak and feeling awful. Even then it was clear she was probably an entertaining storyteller, drawing out her comments in a droll voice seasoned with a dry wit. As she gained strength she perked up.

Here is one of my favorite Faye stories, mostly in her own words and totally with her permission:

“My husband Roy and I got married very young. I was 14 when we married. He was in the Air Force. I had our first child when I was 15, our second child when I was 16, and our third child when I was 17.

“I had a tubal pregnancy when I was 18 and they had to abort. That was when the doctor came in and said ‘Faye, Faye, I’ve got something for you.’

“I wondered, What in the world? He said, ‘I’ve got you The Pill. You aren’t going to have to worry about this anymore.’

“I thought What? How is that going to help?

“I hadn’t heard about The Pill. The doctor said, ‘We’re going to have a talk.’

“I had had pregnancies at 15, 16, 17, and 18 and had three children. I said, ‘I’m ready to listen.’ I got on The Pill.  I stayed on The Pill until Roy and I decided to have Baby Doll (their fourth child, born when Faye was 25). And then, just as soon as I had Baby Doll, I went right back on that Pill and stayed on it until I had to have a hysterectomy when she was five years old.”

9 comments:

  1. What an amazing story!!! And a very smart and caring doctor. I have no doubt that Faye has so many interesting stories to tell.

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  2. Now that was a caring doctor. Other wise she could have had a dozen kids by 26. Yikes.

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  3. Your post brings to mind the old Loretta Lynn song called "The Pill". I featured it on my blog a while back.

    Loretta Lynn was like Faye, she was very fertile! Thank goodness for The Pill!

    I love it everytime you write a post :)

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  4. an amazing story. my friend got married on her 15th BD to an airman, they went to England, she came home at 18 with 3 children and had 3 more before age 25, she did not have a doctor with a pill. that was more common many years ago and now Doctors have no need to talk to the women, since most know about it from about age 5

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  5. Sounds a little like me, except I had children at ages 19, 21, and 23plus 4 miscarriages. My doc was RC and opposed to the pill. Dianne

    PS love your stories from rehab. David met some interesting folks too, including one old guy who met Ghandi. Dianne

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  6. Isn't it fascinating to meet people from such varied life situations?
    Faye sounds like an interesting person and I'm sure the stories were numerous.

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  7. This was a great story. I'm glad Pearl's doc enlightened her.

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  8. I thought the birth control pill came out in the 70s, which would have been long after this lady would have been having babies. I'm sure the pill has saved many a woman from just such an existence. Before that, the diaphragm worked wonders.

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  9. dkzody, I know from personal experience , the Pill was in use in the 60s, at least by 196, well within her babymaking years

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