After Ella went through all that heart stuff I swore to myself I would take a CPR class – just in case. I never did. Today I was faced with a situation that scared me more than anything – even more than Ella’s first heart episode. With Ella’s first heart episode I was scared, but she was with her doctor when I found out what was wrong. I knew in my heart that everything was going to be okay. Tonight, I didn’t. Tonight I honestly thought that Ella was going to die. I gave her a teething cookie. She gnaws on them all the time. We’ve given these cookies to her all the time and they’ve NEVER been a problem Tonight was a different story. I was doing dishes and she was sitting in her travel swing eating a cookie. I looked down at her and she was starting to turn blue. I went to grab her and she was buckled in (of course) and nothing I ended up doing was helping. I was screaming “HELP ME!” I panicked. I did not know what else to do. My husband at this point has ran downstairs and has her upside down hitting her back and I’m the phone with 911. Our conversation goes like this:
911 what is the location of your emergency?
MY BABY IS CHOKING!
Ma’am I need to know the location of your emergency.
I DON’T KNOW! MY HOUSE!
Ma’am can you look at some mail and find out your address?
GINO! WHAT’S OUR ADDRESS? OMG OMG OMG OMG I DON’T KNOW MY ADDRESS!!!! (In which case he didn’t know either)
OMG! HE DID IT! HE GOT IT OUT!
So do I need to send paramedics?
NO THANK YOU!! SHE’S GONNA BE OKAY!
End of conversation
Thankfully my husband shoved his finger down her throat and made her throw up and out came the cookie piece that was stuck. I was shaking so badly. When he handed her to me I sat on the couch and cried harder than I think I’ve ever cried in my life.
About 1 minute after hanging up the phone a cop knocked at the door and Ella and I went to greet him. He smiled and rubbed Ella’s tummy (she was just in a diaper) and she was a mess from the cookie. Well, he said “Are you okay little one?” and she took one look at him and flipped her lid. She didn’t like him at all. So he smiled and said, glad all turned out okay. I was pleased with how quickly he responded – that’s a plus on living in such a small little town.
I do know my address, but it’s amazing how when you’re in that situation you lose all knowledge in your head. So I’m going to actually put on the fridge w/her medical information(already on there) our address for myself in times of chaos.
Go here to watch a video on what to do if your infant is choking.
OH MY GOD HOW AWFUL! it’s all of our WORST nightmares and YOU lived it! I have our contact info taped to the side of the fridge, hopefully never need it but you never know! wow! i bet that is th elastteethign biscuit you’ll give her! rylen choked on a chicken nugget and i swiped my finger in there too… i read afterwards you’re not supposed to do that as it can lodge the item further back! well i’m glad it worked fo rme and you!
OMG Amanda! That is SO frightening! I’m SO glad she’s OK!
How scary! I’m glad Ella is okay. I think I would have paniced. I know when my Z almost drowned in our swimming pool I felt awful and cried for hours.