Dr Red Duke

Both Kaylee and Lauren had many ear infections early in life, and the ENT finally suggested tubes to help with the drainage. Kaylee is two years and 12 days older than Lauren. I don’t remember the date of the surgeries, but I think Lauren was not yet one year old. Their surgeries were scheduled to be back-to-back, but were following other surgeries. The rules are that you cannot have anything to eat or drink after midnight (could be a little different for babies). Long before they came to take the girls back, both were hungry and crying, and we discovered how loud Lauren could scream.

Their surgeries went well, and the nurse told Jennifer she would be allowed to go into the recovery room in a few minutes, but Eva and I could not go in. A few minutes after Jennifer went in, she called and told her mom that we could come in as well. Lauren was crying, and the nurse was trying to give her a bottle, but she kept refusing it. Lauren had already quit taking a bottle and was used to a straw. Kaylee was crying, and her nurse was standing there with blood all over her because Kaylee had yanked out her IV. Jennifer was able to calm Kaylee, and Eva gave Lauren some juice with a straw, and she calmed down.

By that time, everyone in the room was aware of our two girls. I don’t remember what words he said, but everyone in the room was laughing. When the doctor removed his mask, it was Dr Red Duke. He had not done the girls’ surgeries, but he came over to talk to the girls. He was known all over the world at that time, but he took a few minutes to show his humor.

James H. “Red” Duke Jr., M.D., was a Texas original. A gifted trauma surgeon at The UT Health Science Center in Houston, Dr Duke launched Memorial Hermann’s Life Flight program in 1976. Life Flight has flown more than 120,000 patient missions, saving many lives!’