Precious Uncle Philo… Mother, Florence Wren, always credited Uncle Philo for mine & Campbell’s births. I do not know any of the details but Uncle Philo never refuted the compliment. Campbell was born Jan. 26, 1943 in Sandwich, Mass. My father, Clark, was on a last WWII maneuvers before he left for Africa & Italy in March, as was the doctor. Mother left me with their landlord and she took a taxi to Hyannis Port, Mass. to the hospital as she was in labor. When she got to the hospital, she was told that the dr was on maneuvers and would get back to help her as soon as possible. The nurses put her on a steel table with a sheet covering her feet & left. Campbell came quickly and Mother, all alone, helped to deliver her own son. She was badly hurt & not sewn up correctly. After my Father left for Algiers in March, Mother with a 17 month old and a 6 wk old baby took the train to see her sisters, tell them goodbye and went to Texas in May of 1943. Uncle Philo immediately put her in the hospital, found the best surgeon and according to my parents, saved Mother’s life and made the rest of her life bearable.
I have my own special memory as he diagnosed my ruptured appendix as he and Dr Worhall conversed over me, deciding that the 6 year old was dehydrated and could possibly die. They rushed me to St Joseph’s Hosp. Uncle Philo came every day for 2 weeks to check on me and bring me, I think, a lollipop. It is little wonder that I loved him dearly and respected him greatly. We are all better for having had this dear and precious man in our lives.
Heather