Today midwives are indeed a rare thing at least in this part of the world. Back in the thirties it was quite common to have a baby at home. Living on Read Island in the early forties might have been primitive by today’s standards but having a baby delivered without a Doctor present was to be avoided.
It wasn’t long after my father had started to work for Mr. Tanaka that Forest Lambert’s wife was due to have her first child. Expecting a baby when you are an hour and a half away from Campbell River and the nearest hospital, adds considerably to the drama. Forest however was the type of person that always appeared so cool and calm that it was anybody’s guess as to what he was thinking.
Well the day finally arrived and Forest calmly helped Raeco down to their small speedboat and took off for Campbell River. Forest is doing his best to steer the boat while keeping an ear on Raeco who is lying on one of the seats in the back, trying to relax or do anything to give them more time. However her water breaks and she yells out to Forest, “Can’t you go any faster.” Forest throw the throttle wide open but it doesn’t seem to make any difference. The moments tick by and Forest still appears calm but Raeco in desperation is doing deep breathing and anything she can, to keep calm and to hopefully gain a few extra minutes, but to no avail. With Campbell River still ten miles away and contractions coming every second, she screams, “It’s to late, stop the boat and give me a hand.” Forest immediately slams the throttle to the off position and hurries back in time to catch their first child, Edward, just before he lands in the bottom of the boat.
To late for hot water and warm blankets now. Forest does finds a blanket however to wrap Edward in and says, ”Forget the hot water, or the doctor.” And with that he wheels the boat around and heads for home.
I can’t vouch for all of the details of the story but the names, places and events did happen but not necessarily in that way or in that order. What I do no is that Ed was born, but the question still remains, did the manor of his birth have anything to so with him becoming a doctor?
It wasn’t long after my father had started to work for Mr. Tanaka that Forest Lambert’s wife was due to have her first child. Expecting a baby when you are an hour and a half away from Campbell River and the nearest hospital, adds considerably to the drama. Forest however was the type of person that always appeared so cool and calm that it was anybody’s guess as to what he was thinking.
Well the day finally arrived and Forest calmly helped Raeco down to their small speedboat and took off for Campbell River. Forest is doing his best to steer the boat while keeping an ear on Raeco who is lying on one of the seats in the back, trying to relax or do anything to give them more time. However her water breaks and she yells out to Forest, “Can’t you go any faster.” Forest throw the throttle wide open but it doesn’t seem to make any difference. The moments tick by and Forest still appears calm but Raeco in desperation is doing deep breathing and anything she can, to keep calm and to hopefully gain a few extra minutes, but to no avail. With Campbell River still ten miles away and contractions coming every second, she screams, “It’s to late, stop the boat and give me a hand.” Forest immediately slams the throttle to the off position and hurries back in time to catch their first child, Edward, just before he lands in the bottom of the boat.
To late for hot water and warm blankets now. Forest does finds a blanket however to wrap Edward in and says, ”Forget the hot water, or the doctor.” And with that he wheels the boat around and heads for home.
I can’t vouch for all of the details of the story but the names, places and events did happen but not necessarily in that way or in that order. What I do no is that Ed was born, but the question still remains, did the manor of his birth have anything to so with him becoming a doctor?
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