Our 1,000 meter segment cut for the banner - This day was in memory of baby brother Paul - Burn victim
Saturday February 23, 2013
I was getting ready to finally finish cutting the material that I ordered for the making of the banner. Today I was determined to finally get this job done.
I had just spent the night at moms. One of the reasons that I had stayed with mom was because she had been sick all day and I was concerned about her health and wellbeing. I also thought that, since my hubby Allen was working night shift and my work is set up downstairs in her sewing room, that it would help me to get an early start, so I could complete this part of the project.
In the morning while we were sitting down in the kitchen, having a cup of coffee, mom suddenly started to talk about baby brother Paul.
She said…” 53 years ago Paul was born today he was black and blue and, it had been a difficult delivery and the doctors struggled to find out what was wrong and struggled to save his life. They found out that the cord was wrapped around his neck, but managed to save his life!”
Talking about baby Paul.
Lately Mom has been speaking a lot about Paul’s death and today we discussed this tragic event one more time.
Paul’s last day on earth -
On December 28th in 1962 baby Paul died from burns that he had sustained after falling in a tub of boiling water.
Circumstances leading to Paul’s death
Farm life…in 1962 with 10 children
To help support our family, we worked the farm and much of our product was sent to market. Towards this goal, during the past year turkeys had been purchased and raised. Christmas season would soon be over so dad informed us that it was time to get these turkeys ready so that they could be sold.
Time to do the turkeys-
It was an extremely cold day…I remember being told that the temperature was around minus 40, but despite the weather conditions the work had to be done.
For the task of killing the turkeys, there was our dad, 12 year old Ronald and 8 year old Arthur, (and visiting with us at this time was) 14 year old cousin Gilbert.
After they had just completed the task of butchering some of the turkeys for that day, they came into the house so that we could continue the process.
Once everyone was in the house, dad delegated, Ron and Arthur to watch the littlest ones in the living room. In their care were, baby Gillies, 1 year old Eddie, 2 year old Paul, 4 year old Bernice, 5 year old Rene and 7 year old Cecile. This was a change of events, due to the next phase (scalding, plucking and gutting) being considered “”Women’s Work””
Mom was set up at the stove to do the scalding of the turkeys and my sister, 11 year old Jeannette and Maria, (I was 9 years old), where set up at the table to do the plucking and gutting.
The water had just come to a full boil for the scalding of the turkeys, dad had now informed Mom that, she had to dunk the turkeys in the water so we could begin the process of plucking.
Since mom was only 5 feet tall, the only way she could accomplish this task would be if she stood on a chair in front of the stove and the tub of boiling water. Because mom was fearful that an accident might happen, she asked dad to place the tub of water on the floor so that she could have easier access of the water.
Just as this process had been completed, there was a commotion in the living room and 2 year old Paul came running into the kitchen and ended up falling into the tub of water. (To date there is debate as to what all really transpired at this time but) The end result is that, it devastated our family and the guilt, blame and sorrow surrounding this tragedy lasts to this day.)
As for me - the result of this childhood trauma came to mind after Tasha had died and we started the donation process. When I was asked if we would consider donating skin for burn victims and I said yes. I replied yes to this question, even though I was horrified at the thought of what this process might entail After I had given them my reply I asked them to please explain to me how we could make this possible and still be able to go forward with normal funeral arrangements.
The doctors explained the process and let me know that they could fulfill Tasha’s entire donor wish and that she would be treated with the utmost respect and we would still be able to follow her final day wish.
I am thankful to this day to say that to the end, we were able to fulfill all of Tasha’s wishes.
Because, we were able to donate everything like Tasha had requested, I always let people know that ...When we donated Tasha's organs & tissues, we also donated skin and bone, despite all of this, we were still able to follow our French family tradition of having an open casket and viewing on the day of her funeral!
I would like to finish by saying that, having been given the opportunity of being able to donate skin for burn victims, helped to heal the child within me ....that 9 year old child that could still see all that had transpired on the day when her baby brother fell into a tub of boiling water.
Paul was born on February 23 in 1960 and he died on December 28th.
Mom gets comfort in knowing that Paul is with Jesus. Mom always says Paul was an innocent and Paul died on December 28th, this is the day of Holy Innocence (the day that King Herod wanted Jesus Killed so he ordered that all little boys under the age of 2 be massacred)
Today was a special day for me .... and it was made more special because after mom and I were done talking I told her that today I would work in memory of Paul.
Today, I did finally cross the finish line for the 1 kilometer mark of the banner ...today I finally did segment 1,000 for the banner and today my work was done for my mom and in memory of my baby brother Paul.
Take care my friends ...God bless and have a great day
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