Lucile, Richard and Lester.
In 1943 Lester was diagnosed as having lymphatic leukemia. Dr. Bennion and Dr. Wintrobe [1] tried all kinds of treatments. Dr. Wintrobe experimented with mustard gas for controlling the white cell count. It did diminish the white count for a time but it was not a cure. The best thing was to have blood transfusions. Bob gave the first one. Lester had a total of 107 transfusions. The last year before he died he had 87 transfusions, which all had to be replaced. There were so many kind people that donated blood especially from the Wasatch Ward.
Lester and Lucile, 1951.
The days lengthened into years that Lucile took Lester to the doctors or hospital. She always encouraged him and tried to talk very positively. During part of the time Lester was so ill, Lucile made a beautiful oval rug out of maroon and beige yarn with rose and yellow flowers. Dad enjoyed watching this process go on day by day. Lucile always kept her hands busy. It was her therapy during the last year of Lester’s life.
The following pictures are from Lucile and Lester's trip to Hawaii in 1951.
Robert went to the Central States Mission in 1950. It pleased Lester so much that he lived to see his son Bob go on a mission. Then he was living to see him finish his mission. In February 1952 Lester was in the LDS Hospital in critical condition. Robert came home from the mission field to see his father for the last time. When Bob walked into the room Lester opened his eyes and said, “Bob, what are you doing home from the mission field?” Bob replied, “I came home to see you, Dad.” Lester said, “But I want you to stay in the mission field!”
Lester and Bob.
Bob and Uncle Harvey, Lester’s brother gave Lester a blessing. Lester rallied so Bob went back to the mission field. Bob finished his mission in June and returned home ten days before Lester passed away on June 18, 1952.
To be continued...
[1] Maxwell Wintrobe (1901-1986) was an authority in the field of hematology. He came from Johns Hopkins to work at the College of Medicine at the University of Utah. I have not been able to identify Dr. Bennion.
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