In memory of my sister Jan....

[JamesR]

I lost my little sister Jan a few months ago. My other sister posted this picture on her memorial site recently and I thought some of you might enjoy seeing it. This photo was taken during our trip to California during the summer of '64. Can you imagine seven people crammed into that Dodge for a 3000 mile round trip...five of them screaming kids?😄 Jan was medically fragile and spent the whole trip on my mom's lap in the front seat, no seat belt, of course. She's the small one farthest to the left in the photo. I'm sitting next to her.

[rocketraider]

Good memories of your family and especially sister. Cherish them.

[wayne sheldon]

"Medically fragile" can mean so many things. Ranging from potentially serious all the way to immediately life threatening, whatever it is becomes a centerpiece of the whole family's life.

My younger brother was a severe asthmatic his entire life. Allergic to basically the entire world, he suffered from skin rashes constantly, and eventually developed some mental issues due to harsh medications he had to take. He died about ten years ago now, from complications of breaking his leg in a bicycle accident. I miss him every day.

 

In addition to that, I had two cousins born with Cystic Fibrosis. Sixty years ago, medical science was just beginning to develop treatments for the disease. Life expectancy then was seven years. When I was ten, as the oldest local available cousin, I was trained to administer percussion treatments necessary to maintain breathing passageways in case of some emergency or disaster made their mother, my mother, or specially trained medical personnel temporarily unavailable. (California was Earthquake country!)

 

Sometimes we develop special bonds with those with fragile health issues. In spite of a lifetime of KNOWING how fragile it is, KNOWING that our time together will be a bit short, the loss felt is harder than we might expect it should be?

 

Cherish your memories. Think often of the special moments shared together. 

Edited April 7, 2023 by wayne sheldon
I hate leaving typos! (see edit history)

[JamesR]

37 minutes ago, wayne sheldon said:

Sometimes we develop special bonds with those with fragile health issues. In spite of a lifetime of KNOWING how fragile it is, KNOWING that our time together will be a bit short, the loss felt is harder than we might expect it should be?

 

Cherish your memories. Think often of the special moments shared together. 

 

Thanks for the responses. Yes, Wayne, my sister was involved medially. She had spina bifida, which meant (in her case) that she was never able to walk. I never realized how serious that condition was until well after this photo was taken. She was expected to live to age 12 - common for that era - but lived until age 62. We were blessed with an extra half century of her gentle presence in our lives. I'm very sorry for the loss of your brother, and you are absolutely right about how having a loved one in your life with serious medical issues makes you feel connected to them in a special way.

 

If anyone else has old car related photos that remind them of a lost loved one or a "previous life" feel free to share them.

[STEVE POLLARD]

1 hour ago, JamesR said:

I lost my little sister Jan a few months ago

James, I'm very sorry for your loss....

[wayne sheldon]

James R, Spina bifida is something I have run into through work relationships, and a few friends of friends throughout my life. The funny thing is, that a very good friend in a couple of the old car clubs apparently had a less severe form of that birth defect. Charlie could walk, somewhat sideways, and always dragging one foot a bit. He was short, slight of build, and had a wonderful understated manner about himself. Everyone that knew Charlie knew he suffered a bit from numerous health issues, yet he walked miles of swap meets, and was as active in the local antique car clubs as anybody. Nobody seemed to know just what his health issues were. It was rarely ever mentioned. And everybody in the clubs liked Charlie, and he seemed to like everybody. He never married, if he had any family nobody else seemed to know about it.

Charlie lived a rich full life. He raced real long rail dragsters in his youth. We were chatting about that one day, as he told me about losing the tie rod at 160 mph! We got into the subject because a model T racing car had broken the tie rod at an antique racing event! He found people's reaction to breaking a tie rod at 50 mph rather amusing!

He had a good number of antique automobiles. There were a couple model T Fords, a couple late 1920s Packards, A Star, an early Crestmobile, and the nicest 1931/2 American Austin roadster I have ever seen! That Austin was the perfect size for him and he really liked that car!

 

It was only after Charlie died that word got around that it was spina bifida that he had suffered from his entire life.

 

Charlie was very fortunate, and I know he knew it. One way or another, I have personally met numerous people through the years with spina bifida. Most of them were bound to wheelchairs their entire lives.

My heart goes out to you and your family for your loss.

[Dandy Dave]

So sorry about your loss JamesR. I have two sons. Both suffer from Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Basically their bones are like glass. They are now both grown and out in the world. It was a long winding road, and a roller coaster of a ride raising them.  

Edited April 7, 2023 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[Billy Kingsley]

Sorry for your losses, both of you. I am medically fragile myself (a term new to me but I like it) and I'm trying to make as many memories as I can now while I can. Last year was a "bucket list" item of seeing Mt. Rushmore. 

[TAKerry]

James, sorry for your loss. I love the picture I am sure it brings back a lot of memories, and that your sister was especially special to you.

My sons best friend growing up (he is now 30 and the friend has moved away) had spina bifida. We live in a rural area and he would wheel chair up and down the side of the road on a regular basis, usually with my son beside him. One time a car hit him, threw him into the grass and destroyed his chair. He was beat up pretty bad but otherwise ok, fortunately my son did not get hit, And they kept going. The person that did that has no idea how lucky they were that his father never found them!

[TerryB]

Thank you James for sharing the picture and story.  My sister was born with Down Syndrome in a time when placing people in an institution for the rest of their lives was the common treatment.  My sister was not placed in an institution and instead lived at home.  It required great sacrifices on the part of my parents to do this as Down syndrome comes with medical issues too.  It was a life learning experience for me too and certainly influences how I see the world today.

[Marty Roth]

12 hours ago, JamesR said:

I lost my little sister Jan a few months ago.  

 

James,

 

Our condolences for your loss.

Learning of your loss reminds me that I'm so thankful both for our relatively decent ability to deal with health concerns,

and for the skill and compassion of so many medical and emergency professionals.

 

Time heals .....

[avgwarhawk]

Sorry for your loss.  What a wonderful picture of a fond memory!  

[Walt G]

11 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

 

Cherish your memories. Think often of the special moments shared together. 

To which I will add to repeat what everyone else has stated.

the photo is great. An age and time when "station wagons" prevailed , not mini vans, SUV's etc. those cars reflect the era . I grew up in station wagons ( 1949 Pontiac then a 1960 Plymouth Fury III) they set the tone for great memories . Thank you for sharing your memories. Makes this Good Friday a Great Friday.

Walt

[zipdang]

Sorry for the loss. But I must say that I can imagine a long trip with 7 people in the car. I'm number 3 of 5 kids and we were crammed in a variety of cars over the years. I'm glad you have such wonderful memories. I'm certainly blessed with mine.

[31Buick96S]

Thanks for sharing your picture and your memories. My condolences for your loss. 

[8E45E]

10 hours ago, TerryB said:

Thank you James for sharing the picture and story.  My sister was born with Down Syndrome in a time when placing people in an institution for the rest of their lives was the common treatment.  My sister was not placed in an institution and instead lived at home.  It required great sacrifices on the part of my parents to do this as Down syndrome comes with medical issues too. 

This is why I almost feel more sorry for the parents, especially when there are other siblings to raise with no similar afflictions.  Besides the extra effort it takes to raise a child with Downs syndrome, Autism, et al, the other siblings at a young age often do not understand why the afflicted sibling receives at least twice the attention out of necessity, and very difficult to explain that to them.   Not to mention, a parent with an afflicted child cannot often simply hire a neighborhood teenage babysitter for the evening.  In some instances, the child will need a professional caregiver in the parents' absence to ensure medical attention is provided.  My heart also goes out for the parents who choose to raise the child at home.

 

Craig

[JamesR]

13 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

This is why I almost feel more sorry for the parents, especially when there are other siblings to raise with no similar afflictions. 

This is true, Craig. My sister's handicap (that's what everyone called it back then) never seemed to diminish her positive gentle spirit, but it really took a psychological toll on my mom, who went from being an upbeat positive person when I was little to someone who always presumed the worse with regards to my sister's condition. Faith and hope have to be a part of your outlook when you have a disabled family member. In my opinion, anyway.

 

15 hours ago, Dandy Dave said:

So sorry about your loss JamesR. I have two sons. Both suffer from Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Basically their bones are like glass. They are now both grown and out in the world. It was a long winding road, and a roller coaster of a ride raising them.  

God bless your sons, and you as well, for helping them make their own path in life. That's what disabled kids need most in a parent.

 

9 hours ago, Marty Roth said:

James,

 

Our condolences for your loss.

Learning of your loss reminds me that I'm so thankful both for our relatively decent ability to deal with health concerns,

and for the skill and compassion of so many medical and emergency professionals.

 

Time heals .....

Thanks, Marty. I'm also profoundly grateful to the world of medicine.

 

15 hours ago, Billy Kingsley said:

Sorry for your losses, both of you. I am medically fragile myself (a term new to me but I like it) and I'm trying to make as many memories as I can now while I can. Last year was a "bucket list" item of seeing Mt. Rushmore. 

 

10 hours ago, TerryB said:

Thank you James for sharing the picture and story.  My sister was born with Down Syndrome in a time when placing people in an institution for the rest of their lives was the common treatment.  My sister was not placed in an institution and instead lived at home.  It required great sacrifices on the part of my parents to do this as Down syndrome comes with medical issues too.  It was a life learning experience for me too and certainly influences how I see the world today.

 

13 hours ago, TAKerry said:

James, sorry for your loss. I love the picture I am sure it brings back a lot of memories, and that your sister was especially special to you.

My sons best friend growing up (he is now 30 and the friend has moved away) had spina bifida. We live in a rural area and he would wheel chair up and down the side of the road on a regular basis, usually with my son beside him. One time a car hit him, threw him into the grass and destroyed his chair. He was beat up pretty bad but otherwise ok, fortunately my son did not get hit, And they kept going. The person that did that has no idea how lucky they were that his father never found them!

Thanks, guys, for your understanding. Most people have a special place in their hearts for people who face physical life obstacles.

 

Bucket lists are great things! For me it's the Ford museum up in Michigan.

I'd also like a tour of the Jaguar factory in England and the Moto Guzzi factory in Italy. Oh, and the Martin guitar factory in Nazareth, PA. 😉

9 hours ago, Walt G said:

Makes this Good Friday a Great Friday.

Walt

Amen to that, Walt. Thanks for that, and thanks to everyone who left thoughtful comments and thumbs ups.

[30DodgePanel]

Our condolences from the Young family.

 

You were truly blessed to have her as long as you did, hold tight to those times brother. 

 

What a great photo... brings back so many memories of my own family when the 6 of us traveled in our station wagon. I miss getting those buzz haircuts, quick and easy... what a great time and era.

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)

[Paul Dobbin]

James R..

Your memories from 50 years ago will last you a lifetime.   

That car has good memories for me too.   A friends parent's bought a new one in late 1959 with every accessory possible, including the 4 bar spinner wheel covers.   

The 4 bars were at the outer edge of the wheel cover and really showed the beauty of spinners better than any I'd seen before or since.   I've always wished I could

find a set, but no such luck, yet.

Thanks for the memories.