by Dr. Margaret Aranda
This is Day 4 of the October Memoir and Backstory Blog Challenge, which is something about a 4 year old. To catch more on this, please visit Jane Ann McLachlan.
___________________________________________
This is Day 4 of the October Memoir and Backstory Blog Challenge, which is something about a 4 year old. To catch more on this, please visit Jane Ann McLachlan.
___________________________________________
Age 4: Don't Panic
by Dr. Margaret Aranda
It was after just a few minutes that I heard it.
"Wa-a-a-a-ahhh!" "Mo-m-m-y!"
I ran to the bathroom door, white and tall. And locked. I checked it again. It was really locked.
She was just four years old, wailing like she was dying, one fingernail at a time. "Don't panic!" I said, with my mouth by the doorknob, squishing my lips in the tiny airspace therein. "Use your head!"
"Wa-a-a-a-ahhh Mommy!" Louder now, as if I never said one word. How was she ever going to hear me if she was screaming so loud? This was my conundrum. It was double sided: I wanted her quiet for myself and for her, and I was also desperate to quiet her down, lest the neighbors thought that I was torturing the poor girl. Despite all, the screams continued. Actually, they were 'wails'. Worse than screams. "Wa-a-a-a-ahhh!" "Wa-a-a-a-ahhh!" ...and then louder, "WA-A-A-A-AHHH!" I called this Level Two crying. A deeper, more morose effort was clearly heard. Then the "Mo-m-m-y" turned into "MAMA!! MAMA" I need you!" Mmmm-aaaa-Mmmmm-aaaa!" Oh my.
For a full five minutes, they continued. I had sweat under my arms, and I just wanted her to take a breath so I could get two words in. "Don't panic! Use your head!"
Finally, finally, finally, when we were both so spent that it hurt, she talked to me. "Huh?" I calmed her down. I told her to put her fingers over the lock thingie that stuck out. "Huh?" I explained that it had to turn 'sideways' instead of 'up and down'. I felt so stupid explaining this to a 4-year old. How was she going to understand? I calmly talked her through it and suddenly, 'Pop!' The door opened.
She flew into my arms, sweaty, red face, panicked face, covered in a cloud of effort like PigPen from Peanuts.
It was as if nothing in the world could be any better at this very moment.
Because nothing in this world could have been any better at this very moment.
________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Margaret Aranda's Books:
Face Book Page: No More Tears: A Physician Turned Patient Inspires Recovery
No More Tears en Espanol
Face Book Page: Stepping from the Edge
Little Missy Two-Shoes Likes to go to School
Face Book Page: Little Missy Two-Shoes Likes a Ladybug
From Menarche to Menopause: A Journey through Time
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Additional Memoirs by Dr. Margaret Aranda, Please Click Here:
Age 31: The Color Blue
__________________________
Additional Articles by Dr. Margaret Aranda
Medical Disclaimer: Nothing on this website is meant to diagnose, treat, or practice medicine. You must be seen in person by a physician for appropriate and individual medical treatment. If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1 in the USA.
Link Disclaimer: We are not responsible for any links that go outside of this website.
Full Disclosure: Margaret A. Ferrante, M.D. is an Institute Physician with Cenegenics Medical Institute. She receives no monetary compensation for hosting this website you are on, which is independent and not affiliated with Cenegenics. The information presented is for education and awareness. Dr. Ferrante currently sees patients out of the Cenegenics office in Beverly Hills, CA.
To book an appointment for a free Consultation, please email her at: mferrante@cenegenics.com
LOL, been there and done that! That's when we started keeping that little L shaped key thing up on the ledge outside the door, hehehe.
ReplyDeleteEven worse is when it happens inside the car... with the car running - Yikes!
http://timefloats.wordpress.com/
Oh my goodness! I felt every moment of that. Level Two crying. Whew! I been there.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the time my granddaughter locked herself in my powder room. I was almost as panicked as her! Your piece evoked those emotions beautifully.
ReplyDeleteTo Susan, yes, the running car would be eons worse, but she did lock me out of the house once, too. Such memories. Definitely the kind of thing we do not laugh about at the time, but they are funny afterwards. A little ;-).
ReplyDeleteTo Charli Armstrong, that makes me smile. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteTo Jane, Oh yes, panic and dread, dread and panic. No wonder my hair is really gray!
ReplyDeleteWow, did I feel the tension in this one! Mama on one side of the door and little one on the other (and what a metaphor that is, too). Great post, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteYes, quite the metaphor, and many of us remember being on one side of the door or the other. Although I'm sure I never locked myself in ;-).
DeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who's locked myself in a bathroom as a child! Great post!
ReplyDeleteOh hahaha! Yes, indeed! Meant to spur on those memories!
DeleteAppreciate your honesty, sweet Alexandra!
Ha! That was great. I've been there too and almost wanted to kick the door in. But since you can tell they're just on the other side, the cure might be worse. Great job capturing that emotion!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about that one, and us girlies can't just think of knocking the door down like you guys do....haha if only life was so easy! So yes, the cure could be worse if we aren't careful! Thanks for your kind comments!
Delete"covered in a cloud of panic like PigPen". I love that :)
ReplyDeletewhy thanks! ...like Pigpen is from the old Peanuts cartoon, or like Charlie Brown, but I like to use the letter "P" here! Thanks so much!
Delete