05/15/06

Sarah Leanne Scantlin

Announcement in Ponca City Oklahoma Paper

The card at the end of her crib

On the morning of May 2, 1966 after James had left for work about 8 in the morning, I went into the bathroom and low and behold, my water broke. Well, must be time for this kid to be born. Okay, I need to do something with Jim. I know, I’ll call Joyce and see if she will keep him. So I called her. Joyce, my water just broke is it okay to bring Jim over and wait with you until it is time for me to go to the hospital and have this kid. Sure, she said.

So I pack him a bag, throw a few things in a bag for myself (just in case) and over to Joyce’s house we go. Back then, I smoked and drank lots of cokes, so I stopped and got me a coke, just in case she didn’t have any and arrive at her house. She was doing dishes and laundry as she had 3 or 4 kids then (don’t remember actually) but she was always busy and she just kept working. Everyone once in a while she would ask about my pains did I have any? Well, I had had 2 babies and they were real easy births (not much pain and in less than an hour).  So what did I know about contractions. You had a few and then you had a baby. Well, about 11 o’clock, my contractions were getting to where I recognized them as contractions. So I called James at work. James, better come to Joyce’s and pick me up, I think it is time to go to the hospital.

Now, Ponca City wasn’t a very big town and we weren’t but about 10 blocks from the hospital and so he comes immediately. When he gets to Joyce’s, I tell him to call the Doctor to tell him we are on our way and he needs to come immediately. By this time it is almost noon and Dr. Houk tells James he will be there after lunch. James tries to tell him but Doc you don’t understand. When she says we need to go now. She means now. I know but we have plenty of time. How far apart are the contractions again? James tells him and the Doctor repeats plenty of time. We kiss and hug Jim and off to the hospital we go. It’s now about 12:15.

As we started over to the hospital we could go by our house, so since I had forgotten to pick up the bag I had packed for me, I said let’s go by the house and get my bag. So we stopped by the house and we are now about 4 or 5 blocks from the hospital.

12:30 Into the hospital we go, put me in a wheel chair and up the elevator and into the room you went to when you were having a baby. The nurse checks me over and says, oh my, you need to keep your legs together, and your baby is coming. I thought Lady, not in a million years am I going to keep my legs together. Then there was this lady who came in and wanted to know if I wanted something to eat? I said, yes, I’ll take everything you have on the menu; whatever you will eat bring it to me with coffee, tea, milk and juice. So off she goes. And then all of a sudden this crazy nurse who had said “you know what” gets really excited and across the hall they take me and here comes this kid. 1:02 pm. It says Dr. Houk as delivery Doctor. Well, not exactly but I will let James tell you that version

Oh, forgot to tell you, we didn’t have a name picked out for a girl. But Joyce and I had decided on Sarah (with an H) and we hadn’t gotten as far as a middle name. So when they came in to ask about information for the birth certificate, I said Sarah (with an H). Middle name:  oops no middle name….let me think…Lee (no sounds too much like a new food product that had just come out on the market) I know…Leanne (with an E that’s good, had a cousin named Leanna and I always liked that name. So here she is:

Sarah Leanne Scantlin

Better known by me as Sarah Sue

DAD’S SIDE OF THE BIRTHING OF SARAH……..

Mama Betsy had very dull and uneventful pregnancies.  No morning sickness.  No changes in her usual even, mellow disposition.  When mother was carrying James Vinton she drank gallons of dill pickle juice.  With Sarah no such cravings that I recall.  I remember this very skinny wife with a humongous belly.  

The morning of Sarah’s arrival mother told me to stay at the office as she was certain this was the day.  At the time I am an insurance adjuster and usually away working claims.  I told my manager what was up and stayed in the office dictating reports.  Somewhere just before noon Betsy calls and tells me to call ahead to the doctor as the baby was on the way and would arrive PDQ.  I track down the doctor and inform him of the situation. 

The doctor chuckled at my insistence that the baby would be here before one o’clock and told me not to be so excited.  He told me to take my wife on to the hospital.   He was going home for lunch and would return to the hospital after one.  He said he had been through this hundreds of times and nature would take its course.  I told him that was what I was trying to get across.  I told him this was only my third experience and when my wife says she is going to have a baby, she means right now.  The doctor closed by saying he would be there in plenty of time.  Little did he know.

I remember picking up mother and heading toward the hospital.  Betsy tells me when we were about four blocks away I was to get there quickly as the baby was just about there.  All a blur as I drive into the receiving door of the hospital.  Mother says its happening.  Fortunately several sisters were going in the door.  “Sister”, I say, “my wife is about to have her baby. HELP….” The sisters spring into action, quickly have Betsy in a wheel chair and off to the maternity ward.  I probably had to sign papers before going up.  The next memory is standing the hall across from where the action was happening.  Back in the good old days you didn’t have a clue as to sex until the actual event although mother had said with certainty the baby was a girl.  This was affirmed when I heard Betsy say, “It’s a girl.”   This was taking place just before one o’clock.  At the same time I spy the doctor walking down the hall.  He sheepishly tells me he had heard the baby had been born.  “Yep”; I say; “about ten minutes ago.”   I couldn’t resist chiding him and said at least I would have to pay for his services.  Got a bill anyway.  Outrageous, $85.00…..