I am so confused right now I don't know what to do, say, or think.

My mom lies in a coma at the hospital; I am sitting here by her bedside at Bayview Memorial Medical Center, watching doctors and nurses tend to my mom.  She's been like this for a week now; there's no change in her condition.

She was crossing the street to go get the mail for an elderly, homebound neighbor, when this car came roaring out of nowhere, and  hit her.  She flew into the air, hit her head on the pavement, thus, knocking her unconscious.  It was a horrible thing to have to witness.

She remains in a comatose state, monitors, machines, tubes, and other medical equipment hooked up to her; these monitor her lifesigns; if anything changes, the machines blare or buzz, sending doctors and nurses scurrying into the room, where they can help her through yet another crisis.

The person who hit her fled the scene.  It was rumored that the person may have been drinking when the accident occurred; he was driving erratically and was trying to elude police, who were chasing him at the time.

I have been staying here at the hospital while my dad babysits my younger brothers, including my brother, Tray, who has left heart syndrome and is medically frail.  Not only do I have to think about what's happened to my mom:  I also have to worry about my baby brother and his health.

Thank God school has let out for the summer; it would have been far worse had this accident happened if shool was still in session.   That way, I can stay at the hospital, where I can talk to mom, tell her about our day, how things are going, what is going on around her as she lies there, fighting for her life.

The nurses and doctors told me to talk to mom as though she were awake; they say even though she cannot move or communicate, she can still hear.  They have no idea how long mom will remain like this; all they told me to do was pray and hope for the best.

I am trying to be positive; however, it's hard to see anything good out of this.  Because of some idiot who had no regards of what he was doing, a woman now lies fighting for her very life in a hospital bed, while I, her distraught daughter, keeps a vigil by her bedside.  We aren't sure whether mom will come through this unscathed or permanently damaged; it is a terrible time in our lives.

Well, the doctors are going to do more tests on my mom, so I have to leave the room, and shut this down.  I will write in here again in a few days with another updte; hopefully there will be better news!  Just keep us in your prayers; we really could use a miracle about now!  Thanks in advance!

~Julie Jessika Torrez, aged 13.  :(

*To be continued.*