August 6, 1968 The Quick Note, The Operating Room, The Cardiogram, The Worries and The Usual Letter

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Just a quick note. Roger called me real early this morning after he'd been to see Buddy and everything was going fine. He is still pretty sick and will be for several days. Then he'll begin to come out of it. Buddy doesn't know that you even know he's in the hospital. At least, that's the way I understood Roger. I had thought maybe there would be a chance for us to see him before we went on our trip but Roger says he won't be able or want company so we won't try to go at all now. You mustn't go either. Roger has his hands full and told me it would be better if no one came and I know you can understand that. I told him I would tell you not to go. Even if you could go to St. Louis and back home the same day you shouldn't try it for a couple of weeks and a trip like that would probably make you both sick for a day or two.

Bessie can stay in the hospital as long as she wants to and that is better for everyone. Marjorie will go home again this weekend. Bessie walks to the end of the hall now and she can go downstairs to Buddy's room in a wheelchair. She has a phone in her room so visits on it and reads a lot.

I supposed Francis Jr. has told you all Roger told me but Dr. Vollmer called another Dr. in. He got there at 6:00 last night (Monday) and Buddy was in the operating room by 7:00 last night. The gall bladder was not functioning at all. That was causing all the other trouble. Another cardiogram showed his heart is just fine. Buddy will be terribly sore and tired because he hadn't had any relief since he went into the hospital although they had pumped his stomach 3 times. Anyway, now the trouble is take care of and he'll start getting well. It will take a while though, and we'll just have to be patient and wait.

I wrote to both of them last week and will try to write again this week. That's the best way all of us can help them right now. I know how much you want to go but it will be better if you don't. Buddy would start worrying about you two then and he shouldn't have any worries now. He doesn't need any company.

I'll write my usual letter at the end of the week."

                       Lots of love,

                             Bonnie

NOTE:  Who's who?  Buddy & Bessie were Bonnie's brother & sister-in-law. Roger, Marjorie & Francis Jr. are the kids of Buddy & Bessie.