Just Breathe

breathe in, breathe out...
We had a bit of a scare tonight. Jaedon started choking. He and Camryn were watching TV and snacking on goldfish crackers while I was cooking dinner. I heard a quick cough from Jaedon... like a fourth of a cough, if that makes sense... I asked him if he was okay and he didn't answer, but he was still looking at the TV so I couldn't tell if he was tuning me out, or not able to speak. I approached him and asked him again "JAEDON! Are you okay?" His eyes stayed focused on the TV and he still didn't answer me. There was no fear in his eyes so I still wasn't quite sure if he was really choking, but I grabbed his arms anyway and pulled them up in the air. I think it was then that I was convinced that he was definitely choking, because I finally pulled his attention away from the TV and he still wasn't speaking. I pulled him out of the chair, bent him over my knee (one hand pressing against his diaphragm) and hit his back about 3 times before he started vomiting. Mat called out from his office, "Is everything okay out there?" I responded "COME OUT HERE!" I continued to hit his back and bend him over my knee because he still had not taken a breath and he was struggling to PUSH the vomit out. Finally after about 3 or so heaves, he finally squeaked out "I can talk now". But continued to vomit and cough. :( When he finished, we sat him on the couch and Mat went to the store to get him some 7-UP and crackers, thinking he might be sick. But he was fine shortly afterward. I went online and searched for "vomit after choking" and found a medical article that said vomiting can occur after someone receives the Heimlich Manouver. A person should be checked out afterwards if this happens, incase small particles of food were inhaled in the lungs. I called the nurse line and she recommended that we take him to the ER and have him X-Rayed, just as a precaution. So we did. 2 1/2 hours later, x-rays showed he looks good... but he should have a follow up with the pediatrician in a couple of days.
Yikes!!
I had always worried about this day, I worried I would be in a panic and do the wrong things. Surprisingly enough, I felt nervous, but not panicked. Maybe because there was no fear in his face (I always thought that THAT would be my cue!). So I still wasn't sure if he was really choking. And by the time I did realize it, he had started to vomit.
A couple months back, my first instinct would have been to look into his mouth and see if I could get it out. I knew that this was wrong, but it was my instinct to do it... so I was a little afraid if I had to experience the real thing, I might do just that! Well, about 2 months ago, one of Jaedon's classmates choked during class and I asked the teacher, "What did you do??" She said she bent him over and hit him on the back. That stuck! I told myself that that would be my first instinct from now on, I erased the other option from my head. Thank goodness!!
I think I'm almost more freaked out by the whole ordeal now, than I was DURING it!
....BIG sigh....
Scary stuff.
Breathe in, breathe out...