One of the Scariest Moments of my Life

I have heard many times about how when one comes face to face with a life or death situation time slows down and images of your life flash before your eyes.

This past Sunday, I had such a situation happen to me. I did not have the images of my life flashing before my eyes, as I was to busy focusing on getting someone to help me, but time did appear to slow down to the point that I now question the things I knew to be true at that time. Let me explain . . .

Brent and Dakota were working moving things to the new office on Sunday, so I was home alone with girls. Sierra had recital photos and we needed to run to Wal-Mart to get our weekly essentials. I decided while we were out to take the girls out to lunch, as that is our Sunday tradition as a family.

We went to LaParilla, Sierra and my favorite Mexican restaurant. Shortly after our food was delivered and we began eating, I began to choke. I took a drink, which only exacerbated the problem. I was unable to breathe. I made the choking sign to Sierra, who was sitting across the table from me with Chloe; I could tell by the look on her face that she understood, but she was in a state of panic.

Before I go on, let me tell you some things about me, which I am sure you already know. I am easily embarrassed and find it extremely difficult, if not painful, to approach people I do not know, let alone for help. Heck, it is hard for me to approach people I am close to for help. I should be able to handle all things myself. Right? Not to mention, putting my child into such a scary situation and then asking for help, that I know she is unable to give. Knowing that you are unable to breathe, throws all of these rationalities and fears aside; the awesome need to breathe is all you care about at that moment. So, on with the story . . .

Knowing Sierra would be unable to help me, I got up from our booth, which was located at the very front of the restaurant, and walked over to the Hostess station. There were a couple of groups waiting to be seated and the hostess. I made the choking sign to a middle-aged woman, whom was the first to make eye contact with me. She just looked at me blankly. I then turned to the hostess, who is just a young girl, maybe in her early twenties, and make the choking sign again. She asked me if I was okay; I shook my head no. At this time, a gentleman approached me from my other side and I could tell he was debating on whether to give me the Heimlich maneuver. He began to put his arms around my middle and then stopped. All am I thinking at this point is. ‘Is no one going to help me?’

How long as this took, I do not know. How it all looked to poor Sierra and Chloe in the booth, I do not know. All I know is that by some act of God, I began to cough. I coughed up liquid (tea) all over my hand. The gentleman who was about to apply the Heimlich asked if I could breathe now, I nodded yes, as I began to couch more and more. Eventually I coughed up a bunch of food and more tea right onto the floor in front of the hostess station. I was so relieved and shaking at this point. I just stood there not knowing what to do.

I looked around and apologized to the people standing there and returned to my table. Sierra was hugging Chloe and began to cry. After a couple of minutes of talking to her and letting her know I was okay, and of course, trying to make light of the situation that I was now feeling embarrassment about, I went to the ladies room to wash my hands.

When I returned to the table, I did not eat anymore, but I tried to allow Sierra and Chloe time to finish up. We ended up getting to-go boxes, paid our ticket and left. We had to have been at the restaurant for another 15 or 20 minutes. I was never approached by anyone, including the staff, to see if I was okay. Did they even know that I was choking? This I believe terrifies me almost as much as the choking itself; the lack of response of anyone.

Later that evening as I kept reliving the horrifying event in my mind, I could not help but realize the amount of time it seemed to take from the moment I began to choke until I actually coughed. It seems like an eternity to me. It is hard for me to fathom that I was not breathing that entire time. Perhaps I was still able to breathe and just had food lodged in my throat. Perhaps I just panicked.

My body knows this not true. It took over and did what it had to do in order to get air to breathe, to live. My mind slowed down in order to think as clearly as it could in the panicked state so as to take the best action possible. Our bodies are amazing vessels as are our minds.

Moral of the story: Teach everyone you know the Heimlich maneuver and learn how to perform it on yourself.