In the Blink of an Eye
The phone rang. I picked up to hear Mom's voice on the line "Gloria, come over here, I can't wake up your father." As I ran out my back door, through the gate, and into my parent's back door. I yelled "where is he?" Mom, standing in front of the recliner, pointed to him. I ran to him and he was motionless. Eyes closed, headed drooped forward, no visible signs of life. I touched his arm, it was cold. I tried to find a pulse, I put my hands on either side of his face and he was ice cold. Pale. I stepped back and said "Mom, he's gone." She cried out "No! No! We just talked about this last night!" Her hands flew to her face. My physical step back and hearing my Mom cry out was a mental reset out of daughter mode and into nurse mode, a voice in my head said call 9-1-1. I ran for the phone and dialed. As the phone rang, I tried for a pulse again and Mom yelled "look!" We saw Dad's chest rise and fall. I ...