Pasadena, CA, USA

September 20, 1953

My mother didn't tell me the following story until I was age 19. At age 14 my mother hit her head on the sidewalk trying to catch her younger sister falling off a swing. For 7 years she suffered horrific headaches. Her parents, very poor, believed Jesus Christ would heal her. At age 21 she suffered a nervous breakdown and was put in a welfare hospital 1930 of 80 patients. Unheard of at the time surgery on what she called a brain tumor. It was a hematoma. She was embarrassed and ashamed as she told me of the doctors swarming her bedside to marvel. She'd kept secret she'd missed much of high school. She's been missing a baseball sized part of her skull ever since, and only now was she showing me. At age 29 she married my father who was 6 years younger than her. They always said he was 3 years younger. He was a spoiled only child of well off parents. His pancreas was injured at 10 years old, and he'd suffered diabetes ever since. His mother, a nurse, watched his diet and exercise religiously. His father died when he was 19. He and his mom lived on the small family trust fund. My mother got pregnant with my oldest sister on her wedding night. She didn't get pregnant for the next 14 years. Neither of my parents ever worked. My father played golf 3xs a week, and visited the family lawyer and stockbroker. My mother did all housework, meals 3xs a day, and childcare. My paternal grandmother lived with us and doled out the money frugally from the famly trust fund. It was a KMart lifestyle. Back then when you gained 18 lbs they put you on bread and water. My 45 year old mother was quickly put on bread and water. She broke her knee 2 weeks before we were born. She had a full leg cast on. When in labor, they discovered we were twins. In delivery, they had to figure out where to put the fully casted leg. We were each over 7 lbs. At age 1 my grandmother's family trust fund bought a home in La Canada, CA. My grandmother died when I was in 4th grade. For the first time my father was in charge of his own finances. He bought a new car. Our family began to travel. Our home was fixed up a bit. My father died when I was age 24. I read about the diabetic man who'd lived 50 years with diabetes - doctors were amazed. My father had lived 54 years with diabetes. Extremely disciplined regarding playing golf, 3 meals a day, and little stress. My mother is now 98. The family trust fund sold the family home when my mother was ready to move. The family trust fund continues to support her.