John B. Goering’s memoirs – Chapter 5

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And so time went on — joys and sorrow — as life is. On account of my healt, I couldent do much farm work, so I got a job in town. Strated by diging for a foundation, then getting it ready to puer the cement. It was for a contracter to put a adision to the Harwer Store. I liked that work and where on another job converting a room for cold storige.

Then one evening, the boys, Leonard, Raph, and Jim, went on 2 bicks to Boyscout. There it happened–that awful incident! Took all 3 to McPerson Hospital and the next morning, the Dr decided to take Raph to Halsted Hospital for brain surgerey. So they did, but he was unconsion for 38 days and I had to be with him all that time. We took him to K.C. to a spcelist, but he said he couldnt do aneything. He said to me no Dr can help him but if he ever become concus, you are the one that can help him and give me lot of advise. He said the brain will make connection if you work with him.

From K.C. we took him to McPherson Hospital. It was closer home. Just how long he was in McPherson, I dont know, but it was 38 day that he was unconcious. One Sunday, while I was with him it looked like he wonted to say somthing and I said, “Ralph, wake up and tell me somthing and I will get you some Ice cream.”–and he did! I was so excited that I dont know what said. I called the nurce and told her to bring some Ice cream and tht was the first time the ate with a spoon. Of course, I had to feed him.

From then on he could talk again, but had to learn it all over again. How long after that we took him Home, I dont know, but not to long. We got a hospitel bed, and then I started to work with him as the Dr in K.C. told me. The first I started with his hand. I laide both on his brest the left on top, then told him to bring them down so he started with the right one. Then I said, “Bring the left along.” And finley it started more and more and so I did with his fingers and so things went on. Then one day, I was cooking laundry sope and I think it was Frieda came down and said Ralph is so restless they dont know what to do. So I went up and asked Ralph, “What do you wont?” He said, “Walk.” I said, “Fine.”, took him of the bed , held him, and he started to walk. I had to balance him so he wouldent fall and he walked all over the house, till he got tired — and so did I. Then in the evening, I said, “Now you walk to the table.”, and he just couldent. Then the next day, I tried and tried to get him to walk, but he just couldent. Then in the evening, I said, “Now you will walk to the supper table.”, and he just couldent. Then I finley slaped with the other hand first his right leg and said, “Now lift this foot.”, then the left and he did start walking and walked ever since. And so it was he had to learn all a new.

And so time went on, and more trubels. Bills had to be paied and I had borrowed quite a lot from the Bank, and so the qustend me what I intend to do. I had a lone on the place, so they oferd to give me enough to pay of my lone because they wouldent take a second lone. Then I sean what they where after. They figered to get the farm. So I and some of the Boys drove out in the Burns community their where a lot of mennonites seteled and they planed to establish a church. Just looked around. Then I was told of a farm at Peabody was for sale, so I went to look at it. (and) The Ladey told me she give it over to a realistad man, Leon Kaufman. (and) Some time later, I went there again and Kaufman and a man named Voth was there with him. He was looking at the place, and Kaufman asked if was going to sell. I said, “Yes.” So he said, I think, to Voth, “That is what you are looking for.” So he came over and looked at it, and he sure liked it, so I sold to him and bought the place at Peabody. Maid arrangement with him that i could dig of the flowers int he fault, and he agreed. So in fault I went there and what I found–he had calves in there to mow the lawn, and they ate all the plants to the ground. But I new where they where so I found most of them.

I just dont know how it was when we moved. I think we moved a long time. That is, some things till all was dome. In between, I bilde a milk house or dairy barn. C.P. Regier, I hired him to do most of the work, so when we got their it was all ready and so kept on as befor selling and the same hauler hauled it to Wichita. This was about in 1948. So we started all over again.

I havent written for a long time because I had a stroke in April, about the 15th, and so you can see my writing is all difrint; alldo it wasent to good befor. I was in the Hospitel 2 times 2 weeks at the time. I seen all dubel and so had one eye allways covert. One Sunday in, I think, in June Freida and Walter took me to Elvan. I was a hole month with them wating for an opning in Bethel Home and had to chang my glasses everey week. So on Tusday, I was to do it, and all at once somthing told me to take of my glasses, and I did and all was O.K. So now I can see O.K. again, so the Lord preformed a mirical. That was the way I look at it. Now I can read again like before, so I staid at Elvas till there was a opning in the Home.

(Entered the Home, June 27-1979) Then Leonard and Arthur came and got me so now here at the Home and have a nice room. But the time came that I have Leonard handel all for me. I cant drive a car so I am all depndel on you Children and I all ways thank the Lord for you all. I have to skip a lot of things because it is hard for me to write.

This is the 17 of July, and will try to write everey day. Today we had singalong in the morning and afternoon played domono. In all ways some to do, and to Pray for Dan J. in the Hospital. (and) I thank the Lord that I still do that — that is my datley thask Praying for all of my Children the hole Family, and especley for some that has some kind of trubel or sick, that the Lord should especley be with them, even thought it would be hard.

He lead me through maney blessed and Happy days and also maney hard days, but I learnd to say with Job 1-21 — the Lord has givin and taken, blessed is the name of the Lord and the Lord has allways helped. You older children know all about it — if it hadent for you, Elva and Freida expeceley, I dont know what I would have done. (and) dont wont to forget all Sisters and Brothers, I mean all, the hole Family. They had Harry and Larry till we could take care of them, and helped in every way, and so time went on.

I think it was the month of May that I was at Freida’s and I was so glad to be with them. I seen how they maid the big round bails and how they could handel them was interesting. They dident even had to get of the tractor to lod them on the tralor to do it and stack them along the fance row. One day the heard of cathel got out and where all over the farm. We hardley knew what to do. On the road then there came a car from the west and one from the east and so the helped us to get them in. Yes, I enjoyed it their. I like to wash the dishes, and I sill sometimes tiell them to let me get my hands in the dishwater. That is a treat for me.

I think I menshed that they took one Sunday to Pretty Prairie to stay with Elva’s so they did and I think the Lord led it that way. Elva was working, Dan went to Hutchinson to do a littel on his car. At noon he got up to make something for dinner, and he stoped in the door and said, “I am so dissie.” I told him to go and lay down. He did and started vomiting. I cauld Elva. She came and right away called the ambulance and took him to Kingman Hospital. Elva went with the car. I told Elva, “Dont bother about me, I’ll help mysilf.”, but Dans brother Jackob came and got me for super and wonted me to stay for the night. In the morning, Ben Wedel came to take me for dinner, but Elva cam home then when Ben was still there. And so time went on.

We picked some aprecots just befor Dan left for the Hospital. O yes, I forgot, all the trubel we had with a a toilet. Then finley Dan got discusted it allways overflowed on the stule– we tried everything. Then he got a new one that was the end of that trbel. He hauled it on the junkpile and said someday when he will be real mad he will brake it up to see what was rong with that thing. Dan was at Kingman Hospital for sometime. He was their when I left for the Home. I was told that they sacrd them–told them he was full of cancer. O yes, when I was their, he had fed 2 calved. He took them to Kingman to bucher and they cald and told him 1 is condmed–it is full of cancer. Dans Brothers where their–he came and told them. Then he said, “There goes 500.00 in the drain.” That was the first time that I heard of an animel have cancer and I said we awlways bucherd never had them excamend what all did we eat and dident know it.

This is now the 19 of July and many things has happened in April. I had a light stroke, was in the Hospital for 2 weeks, then went home for 1 week and back again. Then the Dr told me I cant saty by myself, so I was a Frieda for 1 Month–was waiting for an opning at Bethel home, then at Elva for 3 weeks. I seen dubel so I had to allways chang my glasses–one was dark to save my eyes. Then one time I was on the eastside in the Sun. I thought I better go and do it and something urged me to take of your glasses and so I did — and all was clear and still is. Praise the Lord. Then there was an opning and so Leonard and Arthur came and got me and so I am here in the Home. (I) was one 3 floor for a while, and then they put me down on 2 floor, and I think it is the nicesed room of all. There are a lot of things to get aquanted with, but wasent hard for me. They have all schaduled for a Month, on Tuesday it is singalong, on Thursday at 10 A.M. Bible studey — we studey the Psalms now–, in the Morning Exar and it all helps along, at 2:30 p.m. worship service as a rool on Friday.

Next:  My 90th birthday!