I really wasn't planning to write today, but I woke up just before 5 to hear something going on in the ladies room. There were lots of people, I guess giving advice to someone giving CPR.
Joy was a pretty nurse or maybe a CNA who I used to tease about her thick false eyelashes, and who was trying to get a permanent home. for herself, her teenaged daughter and her awesome, sweet son Jaden (who loves chicken, pasta and said the synagogue members "outdid themselves" with the tilapia. An adorable 8 or 9 year old, always the instigator in any group of children, I hope he keeps that innocence and joy.
The paramedics arrived and took over. Joy's daughter came out of one of the family rooms with a stack of stuff to get dressed for the day - headed toward the bathroom. The bully managed to catch her (none of us know her name, she's Jaden's sister), so she didn't walk in on them working on her mom.
One of the advice givers came out from the lady's room and expressed a poor opinion about survival. We could not get her to shut up... I thought the bully was going to hit her with a chair. Heck, I might have, if it could shield the daughter from learning like that. A volunteer walked over and led the daughter away, talking to her. I didn't see Jaden at all - I hope they let him sleep as long as he can.
Then Kim, who had tried to give CPR came out. Kim thinks she had a heart attack because her sports bra was too tight. She said that often enough to convince some others of that, as well.
Everytime the door to the lady's room opened now, I heard a wauk-ah, wauk-ah, wauk-ah sound. The pushed in the gurney and wheeled out Joy, with a machine they called "the thumper" pressing up and down on her chest. Somebody said that's what is used when they can't restart the heart.
As they wheeled her out, Kim ran along side of the gurney, thumper thumping up and down on Joy's chest. "Don't leave! Don't leave us, Joy! Don't die!" she called out. But between the thumper on Joy's chest and the police who stood by to guard the lady's room, those pleas seemed to be a little late.
Rest in peace Joy with the fluttery lashes and the easy smile, with good thoughts for your children.