Son is best gift for mother
CHERRY TWP — No one marks Mother's Day with as much enthusiasm and gratitude as Jeannette Fleeger and her husband, Walter. That's because it took 11 years of treatments, 28 hours of labor and a Caesarean section before Jeannette became a mother.
And when the Fleegers spend this Mother's Day with her relatives and especially her son, Justin, 25, all the past efforts and occasional bouts of despair make the moment shine brighter.
Jeannette said she always wanted to be a mother.
“That was the biggest thing in my life. I loved my nieces and nephews,” she said.
So it was only natural when she married Walter at age 22 that she wanted to start a family. Walter Fleeger, at 36, was 14 years her senior.
“Of course, my husband was older so I didn't want to wait too long,” she said.
But after two years of trying, she began fertility treatments under supervision of her gynecologist, Dr. Ron Cypher of Butler.
“They tried everything on me, pills, shots in the hips right in the muscles. I could hardly make my legs go,” she said.
But she didn't become pregnant despite years of treatments and medications.
“They couldn't figure it out. They thought I couldn't have children,” Jeannette said, and in her worst fears she thought the doctors were right.
“I always prayed to God at night that I could just have one healthy baby,” she said.
“I thought it wasn't going to happen. I would get invited to a baby shower, and I couldn't even go because I'd get so jealous,” she said.
She and Walter never considered adopting because they believed they couldn't afford the long, complicated adoption process.But then her doctors referred her to McGee Women's Hospital in PittsburghWithin three months, she was pregnant. but it still wasn't an easy journey.“With all those damn hormones in your body, I was really hormonally imbalanced. It was hard, it was stressful,” she said.“I didn't know I was pregnant. I didn't know if I'd had a period or not,” she said. “When the hospital called, I thought, 'Oh, no, here's another letdown.'”But it was the news that both had waited to hear.And six months into the pregnancy, she started to hemorrhage.“I thought it was over,” she said. “But I was put on bed rest, and I didn't lose it. I did whatever the doctor said.”The blessed event sneaked up on her almost unnoticed.“We went up to Grove City and had dinner. When we came home, I didn't know what your water breaking meant, but I learned. You just can't stop it from happening,” she said.Walter had to be pulled from the phone telling all their relatives what was happening before taking Jeannette to Butler Memorial Hospital.But 28 hours of hard labor later there was no sign of a baby. Jeannette said when the doctor offered to do a C-section, she simply said “Cut me.”And so on June 9, 1989, Justin Fleeger arrived in this world, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 18½ inches long.“He was so worth it. I would have done it again,” she said.And she made no secret of that.Justin said he often heard of the lengths his mother went through to get pregnant.“I heard it all the time. Mom told everybody that story. I've always felt wanted,” said Justin.Even though Justin has a fiancee of his own now, Jeannette said she still dotes on him.“You know how moms are. I pack him lunches and everything. I cook him suppers,” she said.Justin lives just across Harrisville Road from his mother and father, which has proved to be fortunate as both Jeannette and Walter have health problems.Walter has faced diabetes, bladder cancer and a seizure disorder, while Jeannette has contended with colon cancer, a stroke and multiple sclerosis.“He had to pitch in at an early age because of our health issues, “ she said.“They've been through a lot of illnesses. I can't remember them all. I've done what I can do for them. They still do more than enough for me,” said Justin.This Mother's Day, the Fleegers said they would go up the road and spend the day with Jeannette's father, Robert Simmons Sr., and a large number of relatives on Robert Simmons' farm.“It's a very good family. Everybody helps each other,” said Walter. “I like working on the farm.”“But the day he was born was my best Mother's Day,” said Jeannette.“Life has been good to me. Even though we are not healthy, we have Justin,” she said.
