Show r Paul couldn't smile for several days after the operation but when he began tossing papeiirplanes at the nurses I knew that the worst was over v i Mew FOR 4 4 f 2£frf-- ' rj A-- vY f " i v"' i 7V mmmkmm) V'' ILLUSTRATION BY : "- --': GEORGE PORTER The mother of a "blue baby" tells of her hopes doubts ' AJiA and fears as surgeons prepare for an operation that may save her boy from death it1' ' By MRS LEE CAFONE as fold to Arlene and Howard Eisenberg son paul is a twin I remember when he Myand his brother Peter were born "Biggest set of twins we've ever had here" the nurse said "and we've had plenty" "Nine pounds and a half for Peter Six pounds 10 ounces for Paul" my husband Pete told me '" later "Wow! And just Perfect on the outside but not the inside Paul we were to learn was one of the six in every 1000 American children born with defective hearts He was a "blue baby" Early in childhood he had preliminary surgery and we were told the day would come when a radical operation would perfect-looking- be necessary But as Paul grew older we thought less about this grim warning How could we worry about a comer-lballplayer who could hit almost as far as his bigger heavier brother who pitched so well he was soon welcome in games with the bigger neighborhood children who along with Peter had been promised a place on the local Knights of Columbus Pee wee League team when he reached his eighth birthday? But by age seven Paul seemed headed for the biggest disappointment of his young life and we for another crisis He was too short of breath to pitch for more than an inning or so He needed someone to run the bases for him He picked at his food like a sparrow To his embarrassment Paul had to sit out gym periods in the principal's office Lack of oxygen in the blood had increased so noticeably that his classmates seeing the blue tinge to his lips teased: "Hey Paul— you been ot Family Weekly Augutt 27 1561 eatin' blueberry pie again?" Our doctor's earlier warning came back to us then Finally our hospital's physiologists cardiologists internists pediatricians and the director of open-hea- rt surgery set the date for major surgery —Aug 23 I960 Pete got his assignment: bring in '30 compatible blood-donvolunteers— enough for the heart-lun- g machine for transfusions if needed and for stand-by- s That sounded like a big assignment But thanks to Pax our neighborhood club and to our local newspapers a well -- publicized blood-dondrive got under way It seemed that everybody for miles around Hack-ensaNJ was thinking of Paul Money came from strangers and so many people ofTered to donate blood that Pete joked he'd need a bus to carry them all to the hospital He even got his bus —contributed too And then came the night of Aug 22— and the doubts and fears we'd repressed so long We could postpone the operation I thought — at least until after Paul's eighth birthday next week But no surgery soon and barring a miracle he would hot outlive his childhood With surgery there was about a chance of survival — good odds to a doctor but terrifying to a mother I was tempted to trust in a miracle certainly ! had prayed hard enough for one But my husband and I knew what must be done and the next morning he was up early getting together the blood donors A little after nine he was back for me and for my neighbor Tessic Vasile who'd offered to stay or social-philanthro- pic or ck 90-pcrc- cnt with me while Pete was busy with the donors In the hospital waiting room Tessie and my sister Marie tried to get me talking on everything from the political conventions to the troubles of Eddie and Liz It was no use When they ordered lunch for me in the cafeteria I couldn't eat All I could think about was what was going on upstairs and the doctor's description of it the day before- The incision Draining the little heart of blood machine to take over the Connecting the heart-lun- g of blood through my baby's veins Cutpumping ting out excess muscle tissue that narrowed the passage leading to his lungsl Closing the hole in the wall between the heart chambers Sewing in a teardrop-shape- d plastic patch to widen the passageway to the lungs— to give Paul the oxygen which was being choked off 1:30 pm a doctor approached us I was afraid to hear what he might say but then he smiled now and on his own" he "He's off the heart-lun- g said "But it'll be an hour until they're finished" At the end of that hour our own surgeon strode in "The operation's finished He's pink That's a good sign Meet me back here at 5:30 and I'll take you up to sec him" Pete squashed one of four packs of cigarettes he'd smoked so far He thanked the doctor and took my hand "Let's go" he said "Your mother's waiting for the news" I couldn't say a word I just clung to Pete's hand forced a smile and followed him out of the hospital It wouldn't be over for me until I could see my son ' (Continued on page 16) At r 7f r ? 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