Phil and I moved to Zurich, Switzerland shortly after we got married for his work. I was able to commute once a month to my work as a stylist for a company in NJ. In the Fall of 1996, I caught a lingering cold, and suffered for a few weeks in Zurich, waiting until I was able to get back to the states to see a doctor and get some American medicine!
Friday afternoon, just before leaving NJ to head back to Zurich, my assistant drove me to a doctor to set me up with antibiotics.
The doctor said he would need to do the usual preliminary tests before he could prescribe any meds – so height/weight/pulse/urine. Five minutes later he came back and clapped his hands together! “Mrs Cavallo, you’re pregnant!”
Stunned, I said, “Um, no. I’m actually not, you mixed up my pee. Can I have a Z-pack.”
The doctor assured me he was right, and wanted to do an ultrasound to be sure. Even better! “You’re pregnant and you’re having twins.”
I remember walking out to the waiting room in my paper gown to tell my assistant. Her sentiments “I thought you had a cold?….Don’t believe him.”
I got back to my office, my cubicle in the art studio (with 25 artists within earshot) dialed Phil and cupped my hand over the phone and whispered, ”I’m pregnant and I’m having twins.”
Phil: “WHAT did you say???”
Me: “I’m pregnant and I’m having twins.”
Complete silence.
A few seconds later…
Phil: “I’ll call you back.”
Phil calls back.
“What did you say??”
“I’m pregnant and I’m having twins.”
Silence again- then, he says:
“I’ll call you back.”
At that point I left for the airport. When I arrived at the Zurich airport, Phil picked me up with the biggest bouquet of flowers I had ever seen one person hold. We didn’t talk much about it that first day. We kinda just looked at each other side-eyed. But we finally settled into “I’m pregnant and I’m having twins.”
They were born at the Klinik Hirslandin in Zurich on April 15, 1997 2:58pm (G) and 3:00 (N).
Father’s Day is right around the corner. I’ve pulled together a list of frequently asked for items in my Amazon Storefront.
Some of Phil’s favorite things; think you will like them too! Check them out here.
To all the Father’s!
Cheers!
