, Diane's Surgery in New York City, 1965

Diane's picture was taken in our apartment on Kappock St. in Riverdale, just north of the confluence of the Hudson and Harlem Rivers.  Yes, my hair was long, but done up in a stylish hairdo on top of the head.  

My mother's 1965 diary mentions that I had surgery on July 14 to remove "2 pieces of pencil-like scar tissue and a cyst off of an ovary".  She mentions 10 days later that "Diane phoned during the evening & we all got a word into her - but mostly listened to her - with Ken carrying load of conversation on this end.   She had gone home Thurs. from the hospital."

 I went to Beth Israel Hospital in NYC for an exploratory surgery.  I remember the surgeon later saying he had taken a tiny piece out of the ovary because that would encourage fertility if I should want to
get pregnant.  About 10 months after the operation, Lynn Meredith was born at that same hospital just 5 days before my 30th birthday.

At that point, my parents, Ruth and John Kellogg, were selling the house in Oak Park and about to live in an apartment temporarily.  They were going to have a new place in Clearwater FL re-done, adding a 3rd bedroom and extra bath, taken from the unit next door to them.  The other one became a one-bedroom, one-bath condo.

Ruth's First Granddaughter is Born in 1966

Lynn is in her crib at 4 months old in Mt. Prospect IL at the right.  In the picture below, she is just 4 days old, with new mom Diane in the living room of our apartment in NYC (Riverdale).  It was May 16, 1966, a sunny, cold day for late Spring and we had just driven home from Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan.

Ruth's diary on May 12 says, "No word yet (3 PM) from N.Y.  Am taking pills to ward off a cold and not doing much - just pot roasting beef for supper and knitting & watching TV.
     Dan phoned about 10:20 PM.  Diane had a little girl, about 6 lbs - name Lynn Meredith.  All O.K.  She went in at 9 AM.  Up at 2 AM and birth about 9:45 PM (Central time).  I phoned Beth & Ken the news."

The following day Beth (brother Ken's wife) sent flowers from both families.  On the 16th Ruth flew in to help with the cooking, washing, baby care until May 25 when she flew home again.  During the time Ruth  was with us, Dan flew into Chicago Fri night through Sun night and bought a house in Mt. Prospect.  We had made a list of what we wanted and he followed it.  The house was 3 or 4 blocks east of the 4-year-old Randhurst mall.