In December 1941, Grandpa [Florent] was delivering milk with his horse and wagon. It was 7:30AM and still dark. Although he had a lantern on the back of his wagon, a young man drove into the back of the wagon which caused many cases of milk to fall on Grandpa. At that time milk and cream were in glass bottles + in wooden case.
Grandpa went to a doctor who took care of people who worked for the creamery. He (the doctor) didn’t have any x-rays taken, although Grandpa kept complaining about shortness of breath. Grandpa went back to work a few days later.
About six weeks later, Grandpa had terrible pain in his back above the waist on the right side. Our family doctor sent Grandpa to the hospital, thinking he had a kidney problem.
After x-rays, the doctor asked Grandpa if he had been in an accident recently. Then he told about the ramming of his wagon.
They found 2 broken ribs which had festered. This poison settled in Grandpa’s right hip socket or the hip bone (I forget which). (This was caused because he been lifting the heavy cases of milk while his ribs were broken).
Grandpa had 2 or 3 operations, the first one unsuccessful. After his last operation, he had to wear a leg brace.
Grandpa became very bitter after the surgery. He enjoyed working outdoors with his horse and wagon and now he was able to get around only with the aid of crutches. He was no longer able to work at a job outside our home.
He was going to sue the Creamery (because the doctor did not have x-rays taken) but becuase he had accepted insurance benefits on his company policy, the lawyer said he would not have a case.
I [Dorothy] was in the tenth grade at the time; it was during WWII. I got a job at F. W. Woolworth as a salesgirl. At that time, each counter had a salesgirl and cash register. I started at 35 cents an hour. I worked there through my senior year. Gave Grandma [Helen] some money each pay (rest paid for my schooling) which she saved to buy me a Bulova watch for my graduation.
When Grandpa was in the hospital, Grandma went to the hospital twice a day, everyday, always stopping at St. Anthonys church for a visit and prayer.
I firmly believe the power of prayer kept Grandma going. This was very trying times – Grandpa hurt, little money coming in and two children in school.
Grandma told us it wasn’t until she was a grown woman that she started praying in English – she was taught to pray in Polish.
Grandpa finally got rid of the brace on his leg.
Our home on Sheridan was not too far from Gratiot and Van Dyke. Many items were hard to get during the war. Many times during [World] War II Grandpa would walk (on crutches) and wait in line so he could get a pair of nylon stockings at the Cunningham Drugstore. (Nylon hose came out just before the war). My first pair of nylons lasted me one year. They were much stronger hose at that time. Grandpa also waited in line for a pack of cigarettes. Sometimes the clerks at Cunningham’s would let Grandpa know when they were going to get hard-to-get items and he would be one of the first in line.
Right after WWII, our landlord sold the home we were renting and we had to move. Housing was very difficult to find and with Grandpa not working, it was more difficult.
During Grandpa’s illness many priests used to bring the Holy Eucharist to Grandpa and also stop and visit Grandma + Grandpa. One these was Father Joe Lapinski, through his efforts we got into a temporary housing project on Iowa Street (near Davison and Van Dyke). We lived there until 1954 when had to move because they were going to tear down the buildings.