Never The Same.

I remember that night perfectly. That night would change everything, forever.

Lying in bed, I stared at the cigarette smoke tinged ceiling, unable to fall asleep. Hearing muffled sounds and the dog barking through the floor to the room below.

I heard Donna, my step mom, scream.

“Kate!”She yelled frantically “Kate, get down here now!”

I got up unaware of what I was about to walk into. Walking into the living room,the sight I walked in on I wasn't prepared for. My mom unconscious on the floor, with Donna standing over her.

“Kate, snap out of it, help me get her up.” I rushed to her side, and helped her life my mother’s body.

“Let’s put her in the rocking chair.” She said trying to remain calm.

Scared and terrified about what was going on. Thoughts clouded my mind. My eyes started to sting, with the tears threatening to spill. I forced myself to relax and just act.

I had to stay strong. I repeated this over and over until I felt like I wasn’t going to fall apart.

We finally sat her in the chair. In her unconscious state she kept trying to grab at her feet.

“Kate, run out to the truck and grab my EMT bag.” Donna said hastily.

I got up and ran out the back door, rushing toward the vehicle. Hoping it was unlocked. Thankfully it was.

Returning back to the horrific scene, I found Donna on the phone. Paying her no mind, I turned to my mother. Being 14 and having no idea what to do, I was so helpless and lost.

Donna opened her bag and grabbed out her blood pressure cuff and stethoscope. “Kate, I’m going to need you to do me a favor.” I nodded “you need to hold her still, so I may take her vitals.”

And she put on the cuff and proceeded to go through the steps she has been trained, so it was second nature

“The ambulance is on its way when I’m done run out side and bring them in.”

When she finished I stood outside in the cold fall night. Unsure what to think or feel. Lights and sirens roared in the quiet night. Help was coming.

I lead the paramedics in through the front door of our old style farm house. The first one to my mom’s side was a little woman. She had long black hair pulled back in a pony tail. She was so slender in her frame. She looked to be about mid twenties. When she looked up to me to ask questions about what happened and the simple questions date of birth , name and all the other minute details the stuff I wasn’t concerned with but I knew she was just trying to distract me from the situation.

The gentleman was really tall like maybe 6 foot. He was also a bit older maybe early 40’s.He had a mean look on his face like he was trying not to think about something my heart went out to him. He talked to Donna about her side of the story since she was an EMT she could give them better information.

The crew put my mom on a stretcher and carried her out the door into the ambulance, and drove away to the nearest hospital. As I watch the flashing lights drive off into the darkness of night everything felt so surreal.

I just stood there and tried to cope with my confusion and thoughts.