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Thursday June 9, 1932.

Mail Address:
Park Way, Brantwood, 
Summit N.J.

Mother Dear:
It was nice of you to send Peter the card and birthday gift and we all thank you. However, we will have to wait for enjoyment of both beacuase last night, and on his birthday too poor kid, Pete went through his third operation within a month. He is asleep now(at noon today0 and we all hope it is a case of get well from now on instead of the dragging morale-breakingsession we've been going through. 

Since he got home hex has had good days and bad. When Cott wanted to operate for mastoiditis at once we thouggh t he ws crazy to use the knife and Ruth and I quietly saw the family doctor who gave us hope the ear running might be cured by treatment. Another ear specialist was called in to check the running ear which had by now been lanced and he siad it might get better or worse inside of 5 days and we'd have to wait. Then I wanted to have done with it and Ruth held out for treating so off to another great specialist to see if the mastoid had to be opened or not. He said not necessarily and wanted Ruth to come back for further observation(All doctors seem to be alike--get you started, give you a few minutes each time and soak you like hell) I wasn't impressed as Pete's ear meanwhile had assumed a position sticking straight out from the head, and sure enough day before yesterday he complained of tenderness and redishness apeared and he had a miserable night)we've not had sleep in ages it seems to us ) and Cott said "got to today", which was yesterday. So we all went over to St. Vincents' on Staten Island again and at 8 o'clock he went under and I was talking with the docotr at 8:40 and he said all the corruption had been draining through a hole from the mastoid to the middle ear and it was only a question of time before it would puncture into the br brain and be curtains. That is all very well to talk about curing without operating and no doubt they do it now and then but I had that once, or twice I should say, and I wouldn't like to take chances . The pity of it all is that we are Out money, time, sleep, nerves and everything and have a child that is worse off than he was in the beginning. So if you think I can be joyful and happy,all things considered,,,,,

I owe Bill a letter which I'll write as soon as possible tell him. 

If anything new comes up I'll write or phone. There really was no use in writing before now as one day he was fine and the next rotten. So now there is something different to tell and here it is. 

All love---off to fly so must say so long

Your son,