Going into Labor on Labor Day

The First Labor Day for the United States was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. The second Labor Day was held a year later on September 5, 1883, after that Labor Day was moved to the first Monday of September as the "working man's" holiday. A hundred and ten years later on Monday, September 5, 1993, Labor Day gained a whole new meaning for me.

Most people woke up that morning with the sounds of Jerry Lewis and his famous telethon, I woke up with an unmistakable alarm clock telling me to get to the hospital. As the day progressed and many people packed away their white shoes, I watched as many white shoes came my way with needles, masks, restraints and many things that you only envision in your worst nightmares.

Parades began with the tooting of the horns and the beating of the drums. The music in my little room consisted of the many instruments keeping track of vitals and the tiny heartbeat coming from the ultrasound. Most people began their picnics while I remained in my room listening to my own tiny drummer. Of course, by now, my voice could be compared to an opera singers' on opening night.

While many people enjoyed a dip in a lake or pool to cool off from the hot Texas heat, I layed in a cool bed in a cool, darkened room. Since my blood pressure was up that day, the coolness was as heavenly as the coolness of the pool or lake to other people.

From 1950 to 2002 the Southern 500 race had taken place during this weekend, then NASCAR took over for the next couple of years. Many towns sponsor a marathon for public entertainment for the competitors as well as the spectators. At around six that evening, part of me felt like I was participating in my own Southern 500 while the rest of me felt that the doctors and nurses weren't moving fast enough.

We moved to a room with a light that was as bright as the sun. Everyone in the room wore face masks in place of sunglasses. After a few more minutes of instruction from the doctor and encouragement from the nurse, a beautiful little girl arrived in the room.

As you can see, it was definitely not a day of rest, for this woman, but it was a very memorable day the day my eldest daughter, as well as all of my daughters, was born.