Читать книгу Welcome Home From Vietnam, Finally - Gus Kappler MD - Страница 12

My son, Christopher Jon Kappler, was born on February 4, 1970, in an MCV delivery room. He weighed nine and one-half pounds when he was delivered around 8:00 a.m. after a prolonged labor due to an abnormal presentation. I was a chief resident at the Veterans Administration Hospital (VA) and had a Whipple operation for cancer of the pancreas scheduled for that hour. The VA was a twenty-minute drive from MCV. Dr. Ware, who also would not be compensated by medical insurance, saved me from having to decide to forego a rare surgical opportunity or desert my wife when he used Keelan forceps to bring Chris into the world and give me time to make it to the VA for the surgery.

We knew I was going to Vietnam that year. The planning had begun years before.

Robin was instrumental in organizing at MCV the Sally Tompkins Chapter of WASAMA, the Women’s Auxiliary to the Student American Medical Association. Sally, a nurse, was a commissioned officer in the confederate army. We visited her home and gravesite in Manasses, Virginia.

The auxiliary, as a group, aided the wives of medical students, interns, and residents in the trials and tribulations of their everyday lives being married to medical students and house staff physicians: residents in training. Robin campaigned for and was elected the national president of WASAMA to occupy her for the year I was away in Vietnam. She would travel to any and all chapters in the United States at their invitation and expense. Both children usually traveled with her. Controlling the entourage could be a daunting challenge at airports. Robin’s solution was to place Kim, five, in a wheelchair and Chris, one, on her lap qualifying for early boarding.

One highlight of her travels was the embarrassment of calling in the hogs as she stood on the steps of the state capitol in Little Rock, Arkansas. There she was being honored and encouraged to emit animal noises by her hosts. How could she refuse; Sooey, Sooey, Sooey …

We would sell the cottage in Richmond, also the sporty Sprite, rent a home near her father, Frank, and his wife, Alice, in Lake Panamoka, New York, and secure her a teaching position in Middle Island, New York. While Robin was teaching, Kim was in school, and Robin’s sister Muffin watched Chris. Both towns were on eastern Long Island, New York.

One day, she substituted in senior class music at Middle Island School. Kids always gave the substitutes a difficult time. This was 1970. She had taught elementary kids in 1962 in this same district. Then the kids sat on your lap, rubbed your arm, and stroked your stockings. She especially loved Bo.

As the seniors filed in, the kids began to act up, and Robin was waiting for Bo. A big, handsome, swarthy young man made his appearance. He was their leader. Robin had written her married name on the black board, i.e., Mrs. Kappler, not Ms. Viverito. Then she said, “Bo, come here.” He froze at hearing her voice. His face brightened, and he asked, “Is that really you?” Needless to say, the class remained totally under control by his direction.