You know how sometimes we experience foreboding in a movie? We sense something’s about to happen. Our pulse races. We grab the arm of the person next to us whether we know him or not.

But it’s a misdirect. Foreshadowing. The bad thing doesn’t happen. PHEW!

Relieved, we sit back and enjoy the movie until later when we’re totally caught off guard, WHAM! Something really-really-really awful happens.

Writing on the Wall

That foreshadowing actually happened to me. And I wasn’t in a movie (if only…)

Two months ago I was at one of Niles’ catered parties when the Chef choked on a piece of steak.  Other Guests and I gasped as a Server Heimliched him.  It wasn’t working. Time was Ticking. Stunned, we were afraid to interfere with the Server who seemed to know what to do. We were paralyzed over what felt like an eternity.

I yelled, “SOMEONE CALL 911!”

The Chef bent over the kitchen sink and tried Heimlich himself. No luck. He dropped to the floor, doubled over, and gagged as he tried to dislodge the obstruction in his airway. At last he coughed up the meat while the Caller reported to 911 on the phone.

We all realized the magnitude of what had almost happened on our watch. The Chef was shaken, but able to leave. It was a good ending… on that night.

Deja Vu

Fast forward to last Saturday night when I was on my Volunteer shift. Paramedics rushed in a 60-year old fit, otherwise healthy Man who’d choked on piece of steak. He’d been at the steak restaurant with his wife… the steak restaurant they’d go to every Saturday night. The Man had tried to get the piece of steak up himself and even left the table to go to the restroom so he wouldn’t make a scene. He returned and collapsed on the table. No one even knew to call 911, until too much time had passed..

When someone did, Paramedics arrived at the scene 8 minutes later, but the Man had been without oxygen to his brain for 15 minutes. Now at the hospital as they tried to revive the Man, the Wife still held out hope… until Dr. Adams broke the devastating news to her.

I watched through the curtain as Dr. Adams with tears in his eyes, tried to console her.  Together they waited until the two 20-something kids arrived to say “good-bye” to their Dad before pulling the plug. This family had planned to celebrate Father’s Day the next day. The Son had planned a hike with his Dad. The Daughter had been looking forward to her Dad walking her down the aisle at her wedding in October…

Ever since, I’ve been telling everyone about this story (leaving out names and personal details of course for Patient Confidentiality). Who knew that the odds of one dying from choking on food is around 1 in 2,659. That’s scary!

It’s probably a good time for each of us to learn or re-learn the Heimlich Maneuver.

What else can we do? Well, we can remember to cut up and chew our food carefully. And when we see someone choking, we must act without waiting. Heimlich and  call 911, STAT!  The time we save may be the difference between life and death.

Be careful out there… xo/Evie