Melinda Jackson
by mother Marilyn Johnson
September 7, 2009

Melinda Jackson was born October 31, 1962. I was alone in the delivery room and she was born as doctor Stewart came rushing onto the room. He had to wash his hands and put on a gown before he could help me. He told me I did a good job but now he needed my help. He yelled “S.O.S. for another doctor and a nurse. He placed the baby on my chest and told me to hold her. I was still a little afraid. I asked if it was a girl or boy. He jokingly said “open your eyes and look.” A beautiful girl !” One nurse arrived and took the baby I asked why the baby was not crying.

“She is still on the umbilical cord.”
“ Why? Because you are bleeding too much.”

The other doctor arrived and strapped me to the table and put my legs in the stirrups The baby started to cry and that was music to my ears. I was weak but happy and kept passing out. The nurse and doctor worked with the baby and took her to a nursery. Dr. Stewart kept poking me.
“Why are you hurting me.”
“I’m sewing you up.”
“How many stitches?”
“I lost count.”
“But you did a good job and the baby is strong.”

The doctor wouldn't let me nurse her because I was too anemic. Melinda was a happy baby and it was fun to give her a bottle of milk.

Melinda was a easy baby to care for. She kept her eyes on me all the time. She walked early and played in the house and yard with our puppy. She would try to feed the pup milk from her bottle. We all laughed at her because she would poke the bottle into the pups tummy.

As Melinda got older and a little more adventurous she got lost. We looked everywhere. I heard her singing and followed the sound. It was Saturday and the workmen that were building the house next door were gone. The house only had the wood framework up and the floors. I followed the singing and found Melinda in the bathtub. Her clothes were neatly piled on the floor. I tried hard not to laugh and scolded her. I gave her a little spanking and made rules about not leaving the yard. She was about two years old.

The painting she requested me to paint many years later was of her in her favorite red dress with the cherries on the collar. It was a fun portrait to paint. It always reminds me of the bathtub story.