Mom's 1973 "Tumor"

Somewhere in February or March 1973 my mother, Joy West, went to her doctor with some complaints.

She was 43 years old, and concerned about nausea and some pain in her stomach.

The nausea and pain was so bad she and my dad (in their 40s) worried that it could be the “Big C”. She convinced herself it was something really bad.

But instead of cancer… her doctor informed her that the “tumor” was none other than yours truly.

After being married for 20 years and giving up on kids, declared infertile by 1950s doctors who understood next-to-nothing about fertility, she was expecting. It’s fair to say that she and my father were pretty shocked.

I showed up a few months later on September 4th. A Tuesday, but Mom likes to joke how labor started on Monday night, or, Labor Day. Mom and dad got an extended weekend holiday that year.

Today, mom is 83 years old. She may be in declining health, but she is hanging in there and enjoying life.

Yep, my mom thought I was cancer. And her 1973 tumor is about to mark 40 years old later this year.

Life, man…what a trip.

Originally published at julianwest.me on May 25, 2013.