Waiting

I was on the phone with my mother tonight.  We weren't talking about anything important.  She asked me if Eliza had school tomorrow and I said "why wouldn't she?"  She then told me the tri-state area was expecting a foot of snow overnight.  

I don't remember exactly what we were talking about but suddenly she started to make these weird noises like Cindy Pittinger made on the short bus home from camp one day.  My brother and I went to summer camp for special needs students when I was in third grade or so.  On the aformentioned day, Cindy had some kind of seizure where she almost swallowed her tongue.  One the camp counselors came to her aid and all was well but it was a good 33 years ago and I still remember the sound.  

And here I was holding a phone in my hand, screaming "Mommy" like a child while my mother babbled on the other end.  I was on the floor screaming when C came in the room to ask what was wrong.  I handed him my cell phone and told him to get Karrina, my mother's next door name, from my cell phone contact list.  As he fumbled unknowingly through my alien cell phone, I screamed help me.  Finally, I was able to pull up Karinna's number on my own and she promptly went to my mother's and called an ambulance.  

She called a bit later with some guy who wasn't a paramedic, but apparently had the ability to take her blood pressure.  The man asked me if my mother is diabetic (she's type II) and if I might know the location of her test kit.  I guessed by her favorite chair and he got off the phone.  He then told me her blood pressure was fine which I guess is good news.  She was awake and breathing on her own, but not coherent.  

Later, Karinna called to say they were taking my mother to the hospital and that she'd go with her for a little while.  Karinna promised to call when she found out something but said she couldn't stay at the hospital too long. 

Karinna runs a day care center out of her home and she starts pretty early most days.  I hope she's not stuck at the hospital too long.  

About 70 miles and a big snowstorm separate me from my mother right now.  It's been about an hour since she went to the hospital.  I feel utterly alone and helpless.

And waiting.