It was early on a Wednesday morning in late October. The shakiness I felt upon awakening told me that my blood sugar had dropped precipitously. I realized that I needed some protein right away.
I almost made it to the refrigerator before fainting. In fact, my hand was on the refrigerator door before I fell and hit a wrought-iron chair.
I’m not sure how long I was out, but when I came to awareness, there was a pool of blood beside me, a deep cut on my forehead that would require stitches and a bruise on my right cheek.
Since I was alone, I pushed the button on my LifeLine Medical Alert, given me by my son and daughter-in-law. Immediately, a voice from the telephone table asked, “What is your situation, Mrs. Mohney?” I described it, and the reply was, “We’re calling your son right away.” I could hear my son’s quick reply, “Tell Mother that I’m on my way.”
When Ralph arrived, he took a look at me, said some comforting words and called the ambulance. It was at the hospital that the repairs began.
There were four lessons I learned from the experience. First, I realized that, in order to take care of a drop in blood sugar, I needed to have a small emergency kit in my bedside table. Among other things, the kit would contain some pre-packaged protein. We never know upon awakening what the day holds for us. Life is not static, but always fluid. So we have to be able to go quickly with the flow.
Second, I will keep telephone numbers of family members and next-door neighbors by each telephone. In an emergency, there likely will be no time to look these up.
Third, I will give thanks; first, that I have a loving family. Then I’ll also give thanks that we have such excellent medical care in our community.
Fourth, I will seek to live by faith, not by fear. I will remember: “God does not give us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Contact Nell Mohney at nellwmohney@comcast.net.