Even before Birth
My brain, therefore
my body betrayed me

My Mother seizured
as a result
of having a "mild case"
of toxemia
She had injested too much salt
during her pregnancy
and even though she voiced
her concerns about her swollen body
The neglegent OB/GYN
She was swollen
But the "top notch" Dr
told her; "You're pregnant-
of course you're swollen"
But my Mom knew- she told me
that her lack of a clear diagnosus
was based on the fact that my Mom
had not gained a lot of weight
Toxemia is only indicated
when the woman is retaining fluid
and therfore has a large weight gain
My Mom had a minimal wweight gain

The neglegence comes in here
The "Top NOtch" Dr
failed to listen to her
he discounted her complaints
saying that she was simply
...NERVOUS....NO
My Mother was quite bright
she wanted the Dr to test her "protein level"
He would not

This was a long time ago
Woman trusted Drs

My Mom was in a BAD place
She did not drive
She could not change Drs

But she knew
He was wrong

I was due in September,
after a very long, very hot Summer
No Air Conditioning
in that old house
My Mom was very Swollen
BUT...She had only gained
12 pounds
What were the odds
that she was toxic?

She KNEW she was
It was September
She and my Grandmother
were in the kitchen cooking
dinner for Rosh Hashunna
She did not feel well
It was Still hot
She was "due" in a few days
She bent down to get an onion.
and seizured
My grandmother shut the lights,
waited unil the seizure was past-
picked my Mom up and carried her
across the street
Thank G-d the hospital
was right there
My Dad could not have driven as quick
as my grandmother walked

My Mom was alive
and so was I
that was the imporyant part
My Dad was called
almost as a "Afterthought"
My Mom stayed in the hospital
and was not allowed out of bed
I was still kicking
My Mom was an avid reader
She was brought a copy
of "Woman's Home Journal"

There was an article
in the magazine by Dr Lamaze
My Mom read it
and when she went into labor
she failed to call a nurse
until she felt it was too late to be
"knocked out"

She finally rang for a nurse
Because it was a Jewish holiday
the nurse prefered not to call my Mom's Dr

She did NOT want him there
My mother had a history
of very short labors
She had rung for the nurse at 6 am
I was born at 6:29
A toung intern delivered me

His shift was over at 7
He went straight over
to the neighborhood Synogouge
which was across the street
My Dad was there
No-one bothered to call him
He was called over to the "Beema" (alter)
and the young intern reconized
the strange last name
After my Dad got off the Beema
The intern asked him if his wife
was in the hospital
Yes, it was a girl
EVERYTHING was "fine"
My Dad named me righ there
and then

and left shul
to join my Mom

I "looked" fine




My pediatrician
said I was ok physically
but because of the seizures;
he could no and would not
"label me".

My Mom was told to
write everything down

I did things "on time"
but not truely normal
Co-ordination was off
I walked at 13 moths,
but my gait was...
My speech was...
You get the picture

But my mind was fine
My brain was damaged
but my thought process
if anything; was quick

The pediatrician was adament
"raise her normal"
and they did

02/19/2013

Posted on 02/19/2013
Copyright © 2026 Joan Serratelli