Mom's knowledge of emergency infant first aid procedures, and coolness under crisis, would avert a near tragedy in the family.
On
May 2, 1962, we were blessed with a late addition to the
family. Mom, who was then already 40, gave birth to the youngest of her
brood, our sister Yvette.
She was only a few months old when
she contracted bronchitis, a common ailment among infants. I remember
we were having lunch then, and as I had
finished ahead, I stood up and
went to Mom's room to check on our baby sister. I panicked when I saw
her already black and blue, and ran out immediately to tell Mom. We
started crying, except for Mom who immediately and calmly attended to
her. Our neighbor, Mrs. Nebres (Auntie Choleng), heard all the crying
and commotion, and it was her who immediately contacted the base
hospital to send an ambulance, as soon as she learned what had
happened. I remember I was sitting on our front stairs, sobbing, as we
waited anxiously for the ambulance to arrive. Later on, I learned that
Mom applied infant first aid
procedures, continuously sucking the phlegm out of my sister's nose so
she could breath, until the ambulance came and brought them to the
base hospital.
I really thought then that we would lose our baby
sister, but thanks to Mom's coolness, prompt action, and knowledge of
emergency infant first aid
procedures culled from years of experience, our baby sister made it through. She
was the apple of Dad's eyes and we don't begrudge her for that. She
grew up into a lovely, intelligent and talkative lady, and she's now
working as state research scientist in California.
Mom, well
known for her beauty, stands only about 5 feet tall. But beneath that
small frame and beauteous face is a strong woman, whose admirable
coolness and courage under crisis, I witnessed in this incident and the sinking of the RPS Rajah Soliman.
[Garita Elementary School Education]
