A Time To Fly
L. Pate
It was a time of great hope towards the future. Families of diverse nationalities and economic backgrounds made their way towards the west to create a new life for themselves. Many came from countries far across the ocean and through the halls of Ellis Island to embark on a new path for life. In the early 1900's, many families ended up in small towns throughout the mid-west. In 1919, Betty would be the second child born to an immigrant family of Dutch and Scottish decent. Her parents were quite ecstatic as they had waited twelve long years for another child. Her small wooden house in Alliance, Nebraska, was part of a neighborhood lined with porches and dirt roads. The strict upbringing of a Victorian mother and immigrant father left no room for less than perfection.
During the years 1920-1921, a disease would strike Alliance making panic something that would become common-place. People would become afraid to be out in public and be affiliated with one another. This newly discovered disease would be later named polio, and would impact communities for years to come. Little Betty became ill not long after her first birthday. A diagnosis of the dreaded polio was made, and years of treatment and ridicule were endured. She was blessed to finally receive extensive treatment from the Shriners organization, which required weeks from home in an unfamiliar environment. Depression overwhelmed her mother, and consuming alcohol became second nature for her father. Betty found compassion and solstice from her beloved sister.
Betty was lucky to be alive, as many polio victims had not been so fortunate; however, a happy childhood was robbed from her, not only by the affects of a crippling disease but by the death of her beloved mother. Betty was only nine years old and had to deal with the fact that she was motherless and "crippled." The Shriners made sure that Betty was equipped with a brace for her left leg, but doctors could not guarantee that she would ever be "normal." The chances of growing up to become a "successful" adult was doubted and built around the parameters of her handicap.
Betty's father could not overcome the death of his wife and the fact that his youngest daughter was far less than perfect. A full-blown alcoholic, Betty's father married a tyrant who destroyed any of evidence of her mother, right down to toys that were given to her. At age twelve, Betty moved in with her sister and brother- in-law on a farm with golden wheat waving in the breeze. Now Betty could be normal, and would be encouraged to "fly on the wings of eagles."
Betty was loved and nurtured, finding that the limitations assigned to her at a young age would become obsolete. She actually blossomed, participating as a working member of the farm, taking long walks along dirt paths, and sometimes having to trudge through snow. Her left leg did not mature and remained the size of a child's, even after hospital treatments. A custom brace that locked at the knee, combined with a shoe with a built-in lift, would be a necessity through her lifetime. Betty eventually entered Chadron College, something the doctors never believed she could do; her major would be education. Betty even became a member of a sorority. Her teaching credentials took her to one-room school houses, into tepees on Native American reservations, and finally into a fifth grade classroom. She was loved by all students, even the ones that put wriggling frogs in her desk drawers.
Betty, who was now in her early thirties, married Ray and had three children. Her first, Timothy, could not recover from an RH-negative issue; treatment had not yet been perfected. He passed on at two weeks. This would be devastating to Ray and Betty as Timothy would be their only boy. Her two girls would follow; both had RH-negative issues, but numerous transfusions saved their lives. Although Betty and her family lived many places, as Ray was a chef, she was always supportive of each move. Betty may have found it difficult to see that the polio vaccine was years too late for her; but, in contrast was always thankful that her children along with others were protected from the dreaded disease.
Teaching, directing the children's church choir, sewing and mothering became her specialties. It must be said as well, she was an outstanding cook, perfecting most recipes prior to her husband's professional presentations. Betty even learned how to drive, something that was said to be "an impossible feat." She manipulated cars in ice, in rain and on cross-country trips; the only requirements would be that the car had an automatic transmission. On some afternoons, you would find Betty outside pitching for her daughters' backyard baseball games. The only thing she could not do is to run the bases. Betty detested swimming as she had an extreme fear of drowning. She had experienced a near drowning at an early age, and never wanted to embark on a swimming adventure again.
Betty went on to work on the Air Force Base to help young men, drafted in to the service for the Vietnam War, complete their GED's. Betty worked long hours and always felt that anyone could "soar" if they tried hard enough. This attitude helped her earn a Master's Degree from the U of A in her early 50's. In later years, Betty worked as a case worker for the Florida Council on Aging, being honored as of one of the first recipients of Florida's "Keep on Ticking" award. She continued working until her retirement at the age of 71. Betty did have a relapse of polio at this time; some deemed it as Post Polio Syndrome. A form of dementia, which may have been related to the daily consumption of numerous prescribed medications, began to eat away at Betty's quality of life. She passed away at the age of 88, after complications from a fall.
Betty left this earth "on the wings of eagles." She was a prime example of how successful someone with a handicap could be. She was an inspiration to all who knew her as she never made excuses and refused to exhibit bitterness towards those who tried to predetermine her life story. I was and will forever be honored to call her my mother.
During the years 1920-1921, a disease would strike Alliance making panic something that would become common-place. People would become afraid to be out in public and be affiliated with one another. This newly discovered disease would be later named polio, and would impact communities for years to come. Little Betty became ill not long after her first birthday. A diagnosis of the dreaded polio was made, and years of treatment and ridicule were endured. She was blessed to finally receive extensive treatment from the Shriners organization, which required weeks from home in an unfamiliar environment. Depression overwhelmed her mother, and consuming alcohol became second nature for her father. Betty found compassion and solstice from her beloved sister.
Betty was lucky to be alive, as many polio victims had not been so fortunate; however, a happy childhood was robbed from her, not only by the affects of a crippling disease but by the death of her beloved mother. Betty was only nine years old and had to deal with the fact that she was motherless and "crippled." The Shriners made sure that Betty was equipped with a brace for her left leg, but doctors could not guarantee that she would ever be "normal." The chances of growing up to become a "successful" adult was doubted and built around the parameters of her handicap.
Betty's father could not overcome the death of his wife and the fact that his youngest daughter was far less than perfect. A full-blown alcoholic, Betty's father married a tyrant who destroyed any of evidence of her mother, right down to toys that were given to her. At age twelve, Betty moved in with her sister and brother- in-law on a farm with golden wheat waving in the breeze. Now Betty could be normal, and would be encouraged to "fly on the wings of eagles."
Betty was loved and nurtured, finding that the limitations assigned to her at a young age would become obsolete. She actually blossomed, participating as a working member of the farm, taking long walks along dirt paths, and sometimes having to trudge through snow. Her left leg did not mature and remained the size of a child's, even after hospital treatments. A custom brace that locked at the knee, combined with a shoe with a built-in lift, would be a necessity through her lifetime. Betty eventually entered Chadron College, something the doctors never believed she could do; her major would be education. Betty even became a member of a sorority. Her teaching credentials took her to one-room school houses, into tepees on Native American reservations, and finally into a fifth grade classroom. She was loved by all students, even the ones that put wriggling frogs in her desk drawers.
Betty, who was now in her early thirties, married Ray and had three children. Her first, Timothy, could not recover from an RH-negative issue; treatment had not yet been perfected. He passed on at two weeks. This would be devastating to Ray and Betty as Timothy would be their only boy. Her two girls would follow; both had RH-negative issues, but numerous transfusions saved their lives. Although Betty and her family lived many places, as Ray was a chef, she was always supportive of each move. Betty may have found it difficult to see that the polio vaccine was years too late for her; but, in contrast was always thankful that her children along with others were protected from the dreaded disease.
Teaching, directing the children's church choir, sewing and mothering became her specialties. It must be said as well, she was an outstanding cook, perfecting most recipes prior to her husband's professional presentations. Betty even learned how to drive, something that was said to be "an impossible feat." She manipulated cars in ice, in rain and on cross-country trips; the only requirements would be that the car had an automatic transmission. On some afternoons, you would find Betty outside pitching for her daughters' backyard baseball games. The only thing she could not do is to run the bases. Betty detested swimming as she had an extreme fear of drowning. She had experienced a near drowning at an early age, and never wanted to embark on a swimming adventure again.
Betty went on to work on the Air Force Base to help young men, drafted in to the service for the Vietnam War, complete their GED's. Betty worked long hours and always felt that anyone could "soar" if they tried hard enough. This attitude helped her earn a Master's Degree from the U of A in her early 50's. In later years, Betty worked as a case worker for the Florida Council on Aging, being honored as of one of the first recipients of Florida's "Keep on Ticking" award. She continued working until her retirement at the age of 71. Betty did have a relapse of polio at this time; some deemed it as Post Polio Syndrome. A form of dementia, which may have been related to the daily consumption of numerous prescribed medications, began to eat away at Betty's quality of life. She passed away at the age of 88, after complications from a fall.
Betty left this earth "on the wings of eagles." She was a prime example of how successful someone with a handicap could be. She was an inspiration to all who knew her as she never made excuses and refused to exhibit bitterness towards those who tried to predetermine her life story. I was and will forever be honored to call her my mother.