Completely unedited at this point:
Sometime in my second year of school, my Brother, Raymond took ill. He first had surgery on his flat feet, and he never fully recovered. He was in a wheel chair for months and finally bedridden.
My family and Aunt Bessie’s family only lived the distance of a city block from one another, so we were together almost every day of our young lives. So, we built forts in the woods, played in the creek, and managed to creatively build cabins and made ourselves hangouts all over the place.
While Raymond was still well enough to stay home during the day without much care, actually before our parents knew anything seriously was wrong with him, we managed to get his wheelchair any place we decided to go. We made a stretcher and carried him down the railroad tracks to the creek, so we could play in the water all day.
Raymond turned his wheelchair upside down and made a yarder out of the wheels. He yarded poles up in the air, so my sister and brothers and cousins could tie them together in order to build our “monkey tower."
During his illness, Mamma barely left his side. He became weaker by the day, till finally he was completely bedridden, with what his doctors had diagnosed a congenital heart condition.
She tried everything to get him healed. I don’t think his light was ever turned off at night. I wonder sometimes, if she thought he would die if the light was not on.
No one really knew what our Mother went through during those times she sat alone with Raymond. She must have prayed constantly, without ceasing. All of her praying did not change Raymond’s passing. He died February 17th, 1955. Part of Mom died the same day that Raymond did. She was never the same.
My book is in the beginning stages, so any feedback is very welcomed, and you can email me at cherokeylady@hotmail.com. I will continue to paste different parts of the book as I write...till then, enjoy the music.
