Been an eventful few days, but I am doing OK
Choking on food is never a pleasant experience; choking on food in a public place is even less. There is nothing like ruining an evening though by dying with your head on the plate.
On Saturday night hubby had a little incident. Along with two friends, we went to a local restaurant to get a bite to eat, (emphasis on bite). The evening was going along nicely when I heard what I thought was a growl coming from the right of me. I looked over and my other half's eyes were bulging out of his head and he was gasping for air. I jumped up quickly and tried to help him but I was not sure what to do. I looked around and quietly, in a non-panicked voice, said "help, help" to nearby diners. People came over to assist. The man at the next table knew the Heimlich maneuver and he pressed his arms under hubby's ribcage. After a minute or so, hubby was relieved of the offending piece of beef. We thanked the kind stranger for his help, hubby sat down again and went back to eating, chewing more carefully this time.
That is how I saw the situation.
What might have also happened is this:
Hubby started choking. I jumped up with this look of fear in my eyes that one might witness in a horror film. I yelled out, "HELP, HELP" in a voice that could be heard by anyone within a mile radius. The veins in my head were popping out and I was forgetting to breathe. The man at the next table knew the Heimlich maneuver, and he pressed his arms under hubby's ribcage. Hubby, who could still talk, kept saying, "lower, lower" as he gasped and then out popped the chunk of cow. Other people who surrounded us said "help her, get her to sit down. Arms went around me as they asked me how I was and I might have heard people talking about calling 911. When the commotion was over, we thanked the kind stranger, hubby went back to eating, chewing more carefully this time.
Two different scenarios. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
We both may have made spectacles of ourselves that evening, so we might not go back to that restaurant for awhile.
Choking on food is never a pleasant experience; choking on food in a public place is even less. There is nothing like ruining an evening though by dying with your head on the plate.
On Saturday night hubby had a little incident. Along with two friends, we went to a local restaurant to get a bite to eat, (emphasis on bite). The evening was going along nicely when I heard what I thought was a growl coming from the right of me. I looked over and my other half's eyes were bulging out of his head and he was gasping for air. I jumped up quickly and tried to help him but I was not sure what to do. I looked around and quietly, in a non-panicked voice, said "help, help" to nearby diners. People came over to assist. The man at the next table knew the Heimlich maneuver and he pressed his arms under hubby's ribcage. After a minute or so, hubby was relieved of the offending piece of beef. We thanked the kind stranger for his help, hubby sat down again and went back to eating, chewing more carefully this time.
That is how I saw the situation.
What might have also happened is this:
Hubby started choking. I jumped up with this look of fear in my eyes that one might witness in a horror film. I yelled out, "HELP, HELP" in a voice that could be heard by anyone within a mile radius. The veins in my head were popping out and I was forgetting to breathe. The man at the next table knew the Heimlich maneuver, and he pressed his arms under hubby's ribcage. Hubby, who could still talk, kept saying, "lower, lower" as he gasped and then out popped the chunk of cow. Other people who surrounded us said "help her, get her to sit down. Arms went around me as they asked me how I was and I might have heard people talking about calling 911. When the commotion was over, we thanked the kind stranger, hubby went back to eating, chewing more carefully this time.
Two different scenarios. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
We both may have made spectacles of ourselves that evening, so we might not go back to that restaurant for awhile.
Well - now that it is over - it is funny - glad he is okay. sandie
ReplyDeleteIt was a heart stopper then, but now we can laugh about it.
DeleteWow...that could have gone badly. So glad it all turned out well for you.
ReplyDeleteHe ate my meal afterwards.
DeleteMan! I would've needed a shot after that! Thankfully it all came out well. No pun intended. Jeez.
ReplyDeleteA glass of fine wine did the trick.
DeleteOh my how scary....but I have to say reading the two versions I did start giggling. I know, I know it isn't funny..... I actually have choked a couple of times. My own husband had to do the heimlich on me, luckily we were at home. It is scary and I am glad all ended well. Bonnie
ReplyDeleteI could laugh the next day.
DeleteI hate to admit that the second version made me laugh too, but it's what I would have done as well. Sometimes we just freak out a little. Hey, it kept him alive, so good job!
ReplyDeleteYes, some people might say that I can freak out at times.
DeleteFrightening, and no doubt embarrassing. My wife once had to perform the same manoeuvre on our oldest son.... but at least that was at home. Well done that man!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt.
ReplyDeleteomg! as someone who almost chocked to death as a child....I know just how frightening that all was... I cannot believe your hubby caried on eating afterwards.... I would have sneaked out of the place!!!!
ReplyDeleteI was ready to leave as soon as he popped it out.
DeleteOh Arleen! That would have been awful. I am so glad he is okay. Love that you wrote two scenes and the details. You should really write a book. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracy Jo, but I am always surprised when I can just put a 3 or 4 paragraph blog together.
DeleteOh you poor thing. (Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, your poor husband, too ...) I hope one thing you got from this is that it might be a good idea for you to learn how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. (Most places that teach CPR also give instructions on Heimlich.) It's one of those things you never think you need to know ... until you do. Soooo glad there was someone in the restaurant who could pop that nasty piece of beef out of there. No fun at all.
ReplyDeleteWhen we left that evening, we all agreed that we must take some lessons on how to save each other.
DeleteGlad it all turned out well in the end.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is glad also.
ReplyDeleteArleen, what a scary thing to happen and what a good job that man knew a bit of first aid. I attended a first aid class a few months ago and it was one of the best things I've done in my life.
ReplyDeleteHello Arleen:
ReplyDeleteGosh, what a shock for you and everyone else in the restaurant! A quiet evening out turned out to be anything but in the end, but we are so pleased that your husband was all right.First aid is often overloked as a life skill but it surely is when practised at the right time in the right way.
I don't mean to laugh (though, luckily, you're both alive and well!) but the way you told this had me giggling throughout. Oh my. *giggle*
ReplyDeleteI always thought it was called the "Heineken" manoeuvre when I was younger.
The Heineken maneuver would not have worked in this situation.
DeleteDear Arleen,
ReplyDeleteThis incident was scary--for both your husband and you. I am so relieved that help was nearby and that someone knew the way to hold your husband so as to get that offending bite up and out. As to your panic, who wouldn't want to scream and yell and even think, "Maybe this isn't happening. Maybe is I just close my eyes for a moment, it will all go away and everything will be honkey-dory!" I'm so glad everything is okay now.
Peace.
Honkey - dory it is!
ReplyDeleteFay & I are getting a good morning chuckle....glad it all worked out...but your second version is so funny....Fay said he can just picture you and no offense the first version didn't seem quite right...your were to calm...so my husband broke my rib once doing the great heimlich on me because of a piece of chicken...lucky for me it was in our own kitchen...not a pretty site and I was very sore for about 6 weeks..but as he points out I am still here...I think he means it...maybe!!!
ReplyDeleteYou know me well!
Delete