Wife On the Spot

 

A. I. Generated

As she read the first reading, she started listing over to her left side as if she was having trouble standing straight and even seemed to struggle with the words, having to force them out in short clipped two or three word long strands. I leaned over to my wife, a doctor, and whispered that something was wrong with her. When she finished the reading, it took her nearly a minute to lower herself backward off the single step to raise her up to the height of the microphone. But once down, she was able to walk back to the pew behind the ambo reserved for the lectors. 

During the second reading, she seemed to have recovered and I started thinking that perhaps I had rushed to judgment over the first reading. Although not speaking in a fluid manner, it had been some time, perhaps years, since she had done a reading and so I wasn't familiar with her cadence and just chalked it up as just being hers. 

The last duty as lector is to read the petitions or short prayers offered up by our church to the world around us. She made it up the single step but I'm not sure she finished the first petition before she listed to her left again, her left elbow propping the rest of her up on the ambo. She tried to speak but couldn't. Immediately my wife and I, along with a half dozen others jumped out of our pew and raced to her aid. As my we were perhaps the furthest away and with several able looking fellows already nearing her, I checked myself and then went back to the pew while my wife, a physician, continued to hurry over there.

She was helped to the pew behind the ambo and my wife stayed with her, assessing and lowering her back down to a laying position. The other fellows left but were replaced by another man who said he was trained in CPR should it be needed. Another parishioner finished reading the petitions and the mass continued on as there wasn't much the rest of us could do at that point.

The ambulance came and took her to the hospital and everyone returned to our seats and finished mass.

None of this is particular shocking or disturbing to me I guess. But what haunts me is the future. This particular lady adopted her two grandsons for reasons I have only heard rumors. The oldest one is a senior but has issues. The younger one seems better adjusted, at least as adjusted as one can be with no active parents and living with their grandmother. I immediately gave my phone number to the eldest child and told him to call me if he needs anything at all. I even offered to drive him to the hospital with his brother in their grandmother's car since due to his issues, he can't drive. But someone had beaten me to it.

Their grandma ended up getting admitted to the hospital and I'm not sure what will happen to the boys. I don't know if their mom is willing or able to take them in or whether they will go back to their grandma's house alone. It really is just a sad situation to witness.