Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018 - 9:28 p.m.

We have an elderly couple directly across the street. They've lived there as long as I remember, which means they were on the street longer than the 22 years my mom has been. We have a great relationship: the husband takes our garbage out every week when he feels well.

This morning at 7am, the wife called to say the husband had a stroke. Yesterday, we saw him cleaning out his van. I said to myself that he was doing too much. The wife doesn't speak good English, so it was difficult to understand if he'd had a stroke, was having a stroke... I jumped up and got dressed and marched across the street, ready to offer assistance. Slipped right into that "soldier mode".

Got across the street and her husband was on the floor on the side of the bed. He was basically growling, which seemed to be more from trying to move than anything. I could hear the ambulance arriving, even though there was no siren. I gently rubbed the husband's arm to calm him down and get him to stop moving so he wouldn't hurt himself. He began to yawn which made me nervous that he wasn't getting enough oxygen, so I thought to ask him cognitive questions.

Bending over him, I asked, in Spanish, what his name is. He responded correctly and clearly. It warmed my heart and put a smile on my face, because it assured me he wasn't in too bad of shape, that maybe he didn't have a major stroke. I asked him a couple more questions and he volunteered that he knows I am "the daughter" from across the street. (Funny thing: his wife refers to the husband's son from a previous relationship as, "The Son".) The paramedics came and took over then and my mom came over. While helping the wife answer some questions and give some info, we saw that the husband was being walked to the stretcher, which was AWESOME! I've dealt with a couple of stroke patients - he was in great condition compared to the others.

The wife is 86 years old but completely all the way there. The only problem is her lack of English but we all work around that. The paramedics told us what hospital her husband would be taken to. My mom went back home and I gathered up the wife to head to the hospital. The husband is stable for now, thank God.

I'd planned some good rest for today. I was going to rest, visit my great-aunt, get some clothes ready for the week.

In the midst of all that going on this morning, I started to have certain thoughts but completely redirected my thinking. I was and am grateful that I was in position to be of help. I was and am grateful that I can be in the midst of these situations and circumstances and not lose my cool or my mind.

Today actually ended up being a great day. I wanted a small stool for a plant in my office at work; had gone to two Goodwills to find one but was unsuccessful. I found a whole 3-piece set at a garage sale that my mom spotted on a side street on our way back home from brunch. I got around to starting a deep cleaning of the house whole waiting on the wife to call for me to pick her up from the hospital.

Think my mind wanted to get away from thinking too much, especially about the neighbors' situation. I had been wanting to start this deep cleaning project for MONTHS but hadn't been able to. All of a sudden, with only an hour of free time, decided to start cleaning instead of sitting down to relax and take a minute. And it felt great.

Ironically, "The Son", who works and lives in Cancun, is coming in tomorrow for the holiday. He will be around to assist his parents, thank goodness.

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