Medical Misfortune

This is a letter dated "East St. Louis January 13 1941":

Dear Rose:

Was so glad to hear from you. Since I had written you twice after I got home from Aunt Annie's funeral. Once after I got home, + then at Easter, but I never received a reply.

It will soon be a year since Frank died Jan 17, 1940, in St. Mary's Hospital here in E St L after having suffered as no human ever did before. He went to the hospital on June 12th 1939 + never got up, since the Streptococci infection went through his system, in the blood stream,, + then destroying the tissues. It seems there has been nothing perfected to take care of that kind of infection.

His hand was saved, but he never had the use of it, the infection lodged in his left knee, then they extracted all his teeth, so he was practically helpless + toothless. His poor back was covered with bed sores, from his shoulders to his hips, + he laid on a rubber ring + all his flesh hurt him like an aching tooth, and he screamed night + day from August until January when he died. His heart was perfect, + that was why he lingered so long. Why any one as good and kind as he was had to lay + suffer so, is beyond me. Ive had six doctors from here and then a specialist from St. L who charged one hundred dollars to tell us it was a deep seated pus case. The Drs. here never had seen a case. They gave poor Frank 22 blood transfusions, but they never helped since the reaction was so weakening. He had so much high fevers, sometimes lasting three weeks, + the blood tests never showed positive, everything negative, they never did find out what kind of fever he had. I had to have special nurses then, as he was so delirious, and then he would get chilled + he was so weak. The weather was very cold when he died, and the morning of his funeral it was eleven below, too cold for most any one to come out. After his death I stayed in bed for a month to rest, as I did nothing but run to the hospital three times a Day, + for the last two months I stayed almost every night + rubbed his knee, so he could get some rest, and stop screaming. He wasted away to 66 pounds, was terrible to have to watch him, + he kept his good mind through all of it. I never broke up, as Arthur has been living with me, so we just continued on. Of course its different, and I do miss Frank very much, poor fellow, what he went through. Today I was feeling very bad, as I have a nasty pain from my right side way down, + I don't know what it will lead to but I ope I never have to go through what poor Frank did. I have so little faith in doctors, as I had 7 months of them, and they are not even good guessers.

I was very much surprised to hear Thelma is home, is she better? Am glad you were able to quit your job, but you owe it to yourself to rest now after your long time in the business world, and I do hope you wont wear yourself out, because of Thelma because aunt Annie often told me how Thelma could impose on one. You should have quiet and rest, and not that worry. Are you all living together. Its very well for people to make suggestions, but the care and work is very shattering to ones nerves, leas of all yours. I know Aunt Annie would not expect our to do it, so please take care of your self, as self preservation is the first law of nature. Know you had a nice Xmas with all the family around you.

It was awful lonesome here. Ann + Rob came Xmas ever + stayed all night. Virginia came down Sunday between Xmas and New Year but its a big trip, with 3 youngsters. Herb got a grand promotion last summer, he's General Manager of the Gulf+M+O and doing well. They have bought a lovely home + like K.C. very much. Let me hear from you some times and remember me to all.

With love to yourself,
Lula.