Today, being my 35th birthday, calls for a special blog entry. I have asked my Mom and Dad to write a GUEST blog entry. I hope you enjoy it, and if any of my brothers or sisters have anything to add, please feel free to leave a comment.
REMBERANCES OF AUGUST 21, 1973
By: Jerry and Shirley Guiltner

Above: Photos of me about 35 years ago.
Mom’s view:
My physician, Dr. Shedd, was going to Europe and would be gone on my due date. I wanted him to deliver my fifth child so he said, “No problem. We’ll induce labor on the 21st.” Dr. Shedd had some other ladies whom he also induced on the same day.
Above: A current photo of Dr. Shedd
Since we had five other children at home, my Mom (Granny) and oldest sister (Dorothy) came to stay with them.
We were told to be at the hospital at 3:30 a.m. Try as we may, we couldn’t sleep, but we arrived right on time at the hospital in
Paragould, Arkansas. I was given an injection to begin the labor process. And I started having contractions almost immediately, but no baby. All the other ladies who, by the way, were having their first child, had their babies early in the morning … I think by 9:00 a..m. all had given birth. But not me.
Finally, Dr. Shedd in a very aggravated voice told the nurses to move me to a room, make me comfortable and keep my contractions light. He had to go to his office across the street.
Jerry and I settled in a regular room. Somehow Granny and Dorothy showed up. I don’t know what they did with the other children.
I hurt all day long. The nurses kept checking on me and reporting to Dr. Shedd. Then late in the afternoon, I went into hard labor and they called for the Doctor as they hurriedly rolled me to the delivery room. (This is before birth in the rooms and Dads being on hand for the delivery).
Thankfully at 6:30 p.m. Clayton Wayne Guiltner burst on the scene screaming at the top of his lungs … all 7 pounds, 10 ounces of him!
Thirty-five years later, I’m still proud of him and I love you very much, Clay.
Dad’s Perspective:
Shirley has pretty much taken care of the particulars about what happened and when it happened. And it’s the way I remember it too. But, I do have a little to add.
Dr. Shedd had thought Shirley would be the first to deliver since this was her fifth child. So, we expected the baby to arrive probably before sunrise. You can imagine the frustration we both felt waiting for the little guy to make his appearance.
It was very difficult for me to see my wife suffer through labor pains for 15 hours. Not only was she worn out, but I was too. And yet, when I saw Clay for the first time, it was all worth it. I immediately forgot the strain and stress and reveled in the miracle of birth and having a son.
Oh, in those days, parents had to wait until their child was born to know if it was a boy or girl. So we had two sets of names picked … one for a girl and one for a boy.
I too am very proud of you Clay and I love you.
P.S. - We still aren’t sure what happened to Steve, Julie, Ken, Keith and Scott when Granny and Dorothy came to the hospital. I’m sure they weren’t left at home alone because we still had a house when Shirley and Clay left the hopital.