by Annalou Mack

Created on: April 18, 2008   Last Updated: September 26, 2008

TWO BROKEN LEGS

After looking at the x-rays, Dr. Cullers turned to my parents and said, "Both of the legs are broken about half way between the knees and the hips. She will have to be in a cast from the waist down, but nothing else seems to be damaged. How in the world did this accident happen?"

Missouri was in the midst of Indian Summer on this beautiful, warm, sunshiny day of October 1, 1936. It was a perfect day to work outside in the clear, fresh air. My mother's neighborhood club had agreed to take as a project the cleaning of the local cemetery that had been allowed to grow up in weeds and brush. Some of the tombstones in this old cemetery had fallen over while others were loose on their base. In retrospect it was not a safe place for children to be playing but baby sitters were unheard of in those days which meant everyone took their youngsters with them wherever they went.

A large group of men and women had gathered and were diligently working at cleaning up this community eyesore. The youngsters gleefully played in the grass and leaves, joining together in games of hide and seek and other childish games. They raced around the tombstones with no thoughts of the danger surrounding those unstable blocks of granite and marble.

During one game of hide and seek, I climbed up on the base of this large tombstone to hide. As I saw the "seeker" coming toward me I jumped backwards to the ground - the tombstone came with me. There was pandemonium among the adults when they saw what had happened.

Someone yelled, "Naomi, come quick! Your little girl has been hurt."

My poor mother was in shock when she saw me lying there partially covered by this monstrous stone. Six of the men carefully lifted the huge monument from me and without delay I was rushed to our family doctor's office to assess the extent of injuries.

On the way to the doctor, Mother kept asking me, "How did this happen? What were you doing?"

There was no mistaking the accusation in spite of her concern and worry about my condition. It had happened so suddenly that I could not give an adequate answer and only moaned, "I don't know. I was just playing."

After careful examination by the doctor and several x-rays no other injuries were found. The doctor and his assistant applied a plaster of paris cast from my waist to the tips of my toes. With that in place I could not sit up, but had to lie flat on my back as long as the cast was on.

This was the beginning of a very long winter. For the next five and a half months

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