Visitation

I have written a few times about my Uncle Chester (Uncle Chet).  He was a very favorite Uncle of mine, along with my Uncle Kasper.  They both had passed away decades ago. 

Late in the day on Monday, I found out that my cousin.... Uncle Chet's son-in-law had passed away.  I do not know technically how most folks would name this person.... my actual cousin by blood in this relationship is my Uncle Chet's daughter.  However, in my family the spouses of blood relatives also acquire the same designation.... so I do consider this fellow, the husband of my blood cousin, is also my cousin (although it is by marriage).  I have known him my whole life.  He was my cousin's high school sweetheart at the Catholic school both attended.

My wife and I went to his visitation at the funeral home last evening.  Although the situation was very sad, there was also considerable pleasantness in seeing more distant relatives I have not seen in quite a while.  

My Uncle Chet and his wife (my aunt by marriage, Aunt Clementine) tried very hard to have a large family.  They ultimately went through seven pregnancies, but unfortunately my aunt had a very difficult time in childbirth, and six of the seven children were not able to successfully be born.  I believe my Aunt experienced what is now called "labor dystocia"..... a form of difficulty in cervical dilation. that caused these unfortunate results.  It was only their last pregnancy that was able to have the child birthed successfully.... my cousin.... the person who just lost her husband.  The pregnancies all occurred from the late 1930s through her birth in the late 1940s.  Today, there are medications a woman can receive to help with dilation, and there is of course the very common usage of cesarian section surgery.  Neither of these were options for my Uncle and Aunt at their time of pregnancies

PipeTobacco.