The Rescue Attempt

Today was somewhat scary.

This afternoon, our neighbor came across my mother's lawn, screaming my mother's name.

Her dog was limp in her arms.

It turns out, she had let the dog out and the pool gate had been open, and the dog fell in.

She jumped in when she realized what had happened, attempted CPR, and then picked up the dog and ran across the street.

I had just put Anna down for a nap, and we had two dogs of our own in the house. I heard our neighbor first, and when I saw what she had, I ran back up the stairs, grabbed the dogs, and yanked them back up the stairs with me so my mother could get by.

My mother didn't hesitate. She ran out the door an immediately started CPR on the dog along with the neighbor. After several minutes, more neighbors arrived (I had to stay in the house with the dogs and baby) and eventually they all left for the vet hospital.

With my mom.

Who had no purse, cell phone, or shoes to speak of.

Unfortunately, the dog didn't make it.

My mom came back over an hour later, emotionally spent. Our conversation was this:

"I can't believe you did CPR on that dog Mom...that was amazing."

"I had to. I knew she was gone but she was begging me and I couldn't let her down."

I realized today how much I want to be like my mom. She didn't hesitate for a second. She didn't stop to make sure we were OK in the house - she trusted us to be OK and did what she had to do. She did CPR on that dog for at least half an hour. And she's slightly allergic to them. She was in a car accident a few weeks ago and is still sore. She has trouble standing and kneeling for long periods of time. And yet, when someone was most in need of her, she forgot everything, ran outside, laid on a lawn that had a huge potential to be covered in dog poop, and tried to help.

I want to be that kind of person. The kind that doesn't hesitate. I can keep a cool head when things get pretty sticky. But that - that was heroic. We were both emotionally and physically spent the rest of the day, and it's an awful thing that's happened.

But wow....just....wow.