Mom's First Attack

“Linda, mom passed out! Can you call Alan and ask him what I should do? I don't think mom would want me to call 911, but I don't know what to do.”

“Of course,” my younger sister assured me. “Then I'll come right over.”

“Thanks.”

I pushed my cell phone back in my pocket and bent back over mom. Her eyes twitched, and it looked like maybe she was starting to come around.

“Mom, are you alright?” I begged as I tried to bunch the edge of her bedspread under her head in a sort of pillow.

Mom blinked her eyes, slowly focusing on me.

“What happened?” she whispered weakly.

“I don't know, mom. You passed out. I've called Linda, and she's getting Alan to come over.”

“Oh, call him and tell him not to come,” mom begged weakly. “I'll be alright.”

I wasn't so sure, but I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and called Linda back.

“Mom's coming to, and she says she doesn't need Alan,” I explained.

“He's already on his way,” Linda answered.

“I don't want to bother him,” Mom worried when I told her, pulling the edge of her bedspread towards her feebly, obviously embarrassed at the thought of her son-in-law finding her laying on the floor in the middle of her bedroom.

Jumping up, I pulleded one of the blankets off the bed and covered her up just as Alan and Linda hurried into the house. One of the best things about living in Snowflake was being so close to Alan's medical clinic.

“Mom, are you doing OK?” he asked her tenderly as he knelt beside her. I could see from the look on his face that he was as worried as I was. Mom's face was not nearly as purple as it had been, but she still looked awful.

“I'm so sorry, Alan,” mom began apologizing.

“Don't be,” he assured her gently. “It was a slow day at work, anyway, and I needed something to wake me up.” Turning to me, he asked, “What happened, Gale?”

“I'm not sure,” I admitted. “Mom and I went to the Temple this morning and mom was OK, but on the way home she told me she didn't think she could go anymore. Changing into her Temple dress, then back into her street clothes wears her out. After we got home I helped her into her room, and she said she was going to sit in her chair and rest for awhile, so I went upstairs to work on the computer. After awhile I thought I heard her call, so I hurried downstairs. As I came around the door I saw mom standing at the foot of her bed, leaning over it. She started to straighten up and just toppled over. I ran to catch her but she had already hit the ground before I caught hold of her shoulders. I did keep her from hitting her head on the floor, though. Her face was totally dark purple and her eyes were open, but she was out cold. I didn't know what to do, so I tried to help straighten her out on her back and tilt her head so she wouldn't swallow her tongue, then I called Linda.”

“Well, mom,” Alan said after checking her pulse, “I think you're going to be OK, so I'm going to leave you with Gale and Linda, but I want you to call me if you need me.”

“Thank you, Alan,” mother whispered, obviously embarrassed that she had caused Alan so much trouble, and mortified that he'd seen her lying on the floor in such a condition. “I'm sorry you had to leave work.”

“Don't be,” he assured her gently, brushing the hair back from her forehead. “You know I'd do anything for you, but I think you're in good hands now.”

After Alan left Linda and I put our hands behind mom's shoulders and helped ease her up into a sitting position. Then I got a wash cloth and cleaned her up a little, she had been lying in a puddle of sick. After awhile she got enough strength back for us to get her into the bathroom. Then I got a bucket and cleaned up the carpet and the bathroom floor. When she was strong enough, Linda and I helped mom into the shower and washed her off, then put her to bed.

“I'm so sorry I didn't know you were sick,” I told mom as I sat on the bed beside her. “I should have stayed with you after we got home.”

Mom smiled weakly. “I didn't know I was so sick, either,” she assured me. “I thought I would just sit in my chair and rest, but then I came to lying on the floor, and realized I'd passed out. I got up to go into the bathroom and was sick before I could make it, so I tried to clean it up and I guess I passed out again.”

“You sure did,” I told her. “You scared me silly when you fainted. I'm afraid you're going to be black and blue from falling down. But at least you're OK now.”