It was another typical day at my aunt’s house, but I woke up late. Which was unusual, my aunt normally would wake me up by stumbling around the house in her walker, heading to the bathroom or getting dressed for the day. I get out of bed and walk into the living room, seeing her cat laying on her lap. She hasn’t moved since last night. The cookies I gave her before I went to bed still lie on the table with the glass of milk beside it. I shake her leg and call her name but she stays asleep. Her body is shaking like it’s wintertime inside the house. It’s not cold in here. I am even more confused when I see her whole body is trembling like a leaf in the wind.

“Aunt Lora, it’s time to get up” I say clearly and loudly.

She mumbles something and lifts her head slightly to look at me

“I...I havet pee” She mumbles

“I’m gonna call my mom and Aunt Susie, Aunt Lora. You aren’t well.” I say

I reach for the phone and paper with the numbers of family members written on it and dial my aunt Susie’s number and it goes to message, so I call my mom and she doesn’t answer either. I sit on the couch and wait for them to call me back. I don’t know what to do. I feel so trapped and afraid that she’s dying. I hear the phone ring and I bolt to the phone, answering in frantic speed. It’s aunt Susie. Thank God, I say to myself.

“Lizzy? What’s wrong?” She asks in panic

“Aunt Lora won’t wake up. I’ve tried to wake her but she just falls back asleep. What do I do?” I ask

“Put that blue finger machine on her finger. See if her oxygen level is normal, and then call 911. Do not let her get back up.” She tells me

I nod and do what she says, and see that her oxygen level is 76. Aunt Susie tells me that it is critically low and I need to call 911. I start crying and tell her I will and hang up. Her oxygen level is supposed to be in the 90s. I wipe my tears and breathe slowly. My mom calls a second later. I answer and tell her what’s happening and she tells me to call 911. We say goodbye after she says that she is on her way. I dial 911 and I tell the stranger on the phone the story, and he says that they are on their way and that everything will be okay.

Aunt Lora tries to sit up and get her walker. I set her walker next to her and firmly tell her to stay put. She looks at me with a look of confusion on her sleepy face. Tears flood my eyes and I tell her the ambulance is on her way. She shakes her head and mumbles “I’m not going to the hospital”. I hear mom pull into her driveway and she runs to the door. She tells aunt Lora that she is going to the hospital whether she likes it or not. Aunt Lora glares at me and I cry even harder

“She wouldn’t wake up mom…. Is this my fault?” I cry

“No sweetie. This is not your fault. She took too many pain pills. This is not your fault.” She reassures me.

I nod and the ambulance sirens blare just a block away. I walk out to the front yard and wave at them so they know which house they were called to. I wipe my eyes and walk back inside. My aunt is still trying to get up but my mom tells her to sit down and stay put as the paramedics walk through the front door. They ask me how she is and what she needs help with. I tell them her oxygen level was lower than it’s supposed to be and that she can’t stay awake for more than 30 seconds.

“She just wouldn’t wake up..” I mumble.

“But if you were not here she wouldn’t have made it ma’am.” one of the paramedics say

I nod sadly and they put her on the gurney. I get my backpack and clothes packed up and ride with mom to the hospital. We walk into the room she was placed in and wait for the doctor to tell us how she is. After about two hours, more like 4, they move her into a more private room that I sleep in along with her for about two days. After I go home, my aunt agreed to go to rehab but then 12 hours later, she returns home. I am not allowed to be back at that house.

My aunt still blames me for her ending up in the hospital. It is a heavy burden that is always behind me. I am always wondering if she is okay and if I should stop in and see her. We don’t talk. I haven’t heard from her or any news about her for more than two months. About a few days after I left and she went home, my mom told me my great uncle had to go to her house because she had a fall. She claims she is capable of taking care of herself, but I highly doubt she can. She needs help, but I can only help her for so long. The rest is up to her.