An OA Mother, Fee
 It was 1960, when I had just gone off to college in Florida, my mother was diagnosed with tuberculosis. My family had been living a very ordinary life with my father owning several shoe stores and mom “working” at home. There were five of us kids, ages 3, 4, 6, 16, and 17 years old. She was sent to a TB sanitarium in Knoxville, TN where she stayed about 5 months. She and my dad would not let me come home to help out so the burden fell on my younger brother and a live-in maid. The only way we kids could visit her was to stand outside the hospital and talk to her through her window. The doctors let her come home after 5 months only because she promised to do bed rest for several more months.
The amazing thing is she lasted maybe a few weeks and it wasn’t long before she was going full blast as if nothing had happened. This woman is now 86 years old, has 22 great grandchildren, and has led a wonderful life. She is well loved by everyone who knows her and is considered an icon at her home church and town.
Contributed by her daughter
ZHM, Kingsport, TN
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