Swayne Byrd

I love my Charleston roots.  Here I am with Swayne Byrd and Jim Goodin at some dinner on campus recently.    Last week I had a call from Blair Moran at Sikeston Hospital telling me that Swayne was not doing well and had been moved up to Chateau in Cape.   He asked me if I would go see him because he knew that Swayne and Hugh Hunter would appreciate it.

Yesterday I made that trek with Pat Robert, who is a friend of Barb Hopkins West, and a good friend of Swayne's.   I ran into Hugh Hunter in the hall and we talked.  We were classmates.  Swayne was a classmate of my brother, Jim.     Hugh Hunter, who goes by Hugh Byrd now, what can I say -- I am never Margaret Jane, said that Swayne was in therapy but we went in.  I wanted to know if he recognized me (which he did) and I started talking about the past  -- Mattie Henry.   When I mentioned her, Swayne said "Oval, oval push pull" and I knew his mind was working because anyone who sat in her class would know that phrase.   Then I asked him about his favorite teacher and without hesitation, he answered "Miss Mable Roberts".  This was a cinch for me.  Our beloved history teacher forever.  Yes Swayne, you reminded me of the ties that continue to bind us together and then you said that you had seen Jim shortly before he died.

I was elated (as was Pat) with the visit.   They are not easy to make up your mind to do because you wonder if he will know you or want you to see him like this, etc.   I am glad I went and I hope that I can go back soon.  I don't know what the visit meant to Swayne but he asked me twice to come back to see him. And I will try to do just that!