Hillmanns 60 1942 Baby John

THE HILLMANNS OF BROOKLYN

CHAPTER 60

1942

BABY JOHN IS BORN

In 1942 Marian happily awaited the birth of her baby. She went into labor on May 9th, the Saturday before Mother's Day. I wonder if she wanted a boy or a girl. Can you even imagine how excited Marian, Rose and Herman were anticipating the birth of this baby?

On May 9th, 1942 Baby John was born.

Here's Grandpa Herman with his first grandson. There are no pictures of Marian with her son, because she died. Don't get mad at me for writing the sad ending. I didn't write the ending, I am the story teller.

If the death of the healthy, beautiful, athletic, young Marian in childbirth hits you like a punch in the gut, imagine what it did to Herman, Rose and Will?  Remember the young Rose holding her beloved only daughter, Marian, in 1909?

I know you want to know what happened. I will do my best to explain it to you.

Marian told Will she was in labor.  He took her to Flushing Hospital. 

Marian was admitted and Will was told to go home, it would be a long time before Marian had her baby.

After being admitted, Marian was given a room, and a meal. It was reported she ate a sandwich.

Marian's labor persisted. She was taken to an operating room.

Marian was attended by the Hillmanns long-time family doctor. Once in the labor room, she was given general anesthesia (gas that puts you to sleep),   General anesthesia during labor and delivery was the standard of care in 1942, so mothers would not feel pain.

The gas put Marian to sleep, just like it was supposed to, it also made her nauseous and caused her to throw up her recently-eaten sandwich. Unfortunately, since she was in a drug-induced state of unconsciousness, the vomit did not escape, nor did she swallow it. She strangulated on her own vomit.

Chaos erupted in the operating room. The hospital had a machine, like a vacuum, that could be used in instances, just like this one. Someone ran out of the operating room to get that machine

But they couldn't find the machine because whomever used it last hadn't put it back where it belonged. It wasn't malice that killed our heroine, it was medical treatment mixed with stupidity, malpractice.

The family physician tried frantically to revive Marian, to no avail. The anesthesiologist reported after ten he minutes he told the family physician, "Doctor, I believe your patient is dead."

The family doctor reported that, using forceps, he reached inside his patient and pulled the baby out of the dead woman in one fast motion.

There is no record as to when, how or who notified Will, Herman or Rose.

The next day was Mother's Day. Think about that. Think about Mother's Day for Herman and Rose every remaining year of their lives.

Mother's Day and John's birthday still fall close together, and sometimes on the same day, to this day.

Hillmanns albums come out on Tuesday. Next week I'll tell you how Herman, Rose, Will and Baby John fared without Marian.