Thursday, October 21, 2010

Cady handles family medical emergency with aplomb!

Cady exhibited confident composure, self-assurance, and poise (you know, "aplomb") last night during a medical emergency which sent Amelia to the emergency room. Peter and I were at a Scouting event when all this transpired. Here's Cady's remarkable story:

Last night, while Cady and Amelia were preparing an elaborate dinner and dessert alone in the house, Amelia collapsed, unconscious. Cady tried catching Mom, but alas, the size and weight of an adult is a bit too much for a 9-year-old to catch! Cady sprinted from the room, looked back from the dining room, screamed, then cried. Rapidly composing herself, she hurried through the living room to get to the phone because Mom's body blocked the shorter route through the kitchen.

Cady picked up the phone and dialed 911. She answered all their questions, and hung up after they hung up. She then looked up Talia and Haim's phone number (parents of her friend, Abigail) in the school directory and called them, speaking to Talia, who sent Haim immediately to our house in their car. Then Cady heard the oven beeping, so she turned it off. Next, she went to Mom and felt for her heart beat, but couldn't find it. So, she listened and heard her breathing, which seemed OK.

After all this, Cady unlocked the front door, opened and left it wide open, and put on the outside porch light. Haim then arrived, followed by his son, Edan. Cady watched Mom leave in the ambulance, then Cady walked with Edan to his house for the night.

[We're all pleased to report that Mom checked out fine at the hospital, returning home around 1am with Dad, but Mom will now work even harder to keep from being dehydrated!]