Narrowly escaped death

 I stand in the hall and dial my sister's phone number when I hear someone gasping for breath in the kitchen. I turn around and see my sister supporting my mother.

I watch what is happening from the outside because I am too shocked to react. But my legs take control of their own accord and I rush to help my mother and sister. In the shortest possible time, I grasp the situation and act as if remotely controlled.

Mom gasps for breath, but her panic does not allow any of this. I take her arms and lift her up in the air so the lungs can expand.

I look my mom in the eye and see that in her widened eyes one can see deathly fear. She is fighting for her life and gasping for air. But all efforts do not help. My sister pats Mama on the back, who is leaning slightly forward over her arm so that the piece of carrot finds its way out of the windpipe.

All the while I encourage her and breathe in and out with her. I notice how mom becomes more and more calm over time and breathes with me more regularly in my rhythm. In the meantime, like a mantra, she keeps saying: "It will get better!"

Little by little I am becoming aware of the situation and come back to the here and now. Suddenly I realize what just happened. I feel the tears gathering in my eyes and a lump forming in my throat. The only thought at that moment was true: "It wouldn't have been much and I would have lost my mom ...".

When my sister and I notice that mom is now breathing regularly again, we carefully put her on the chair, she was sitting on before so that she can regain her strength. I caress her back, as I am very happy to see her breathing.