mama drama

My mom could have choked to death last night in the hotel room.

It was about 11pm, we had brought some snacks up to the hotel room and were eating and talking and getting ready to go down the stairs and get some ice from the ice machine for our drinks and then we would settle in, watch the late news and go to bed.

My mom was eating Triscuts as we were just about to open our room door and walk out into the hall. All of a sudden she stopped and turned around, her face was white and her eyes were HUGE. She just looked at me, and was waving her hands around. She wasn't making a sound. It took me a second or two to figure out what was going on.

"Mom, are you all right?"
No answer.
"MOM, whats wrong?"
Still no answer.
"OH MY GOD! ARE YOU CHOKING???"
She finally nodded, still silent.
"OH MY GOD YOU'RE CHOKING!!!"

Somehow, I turned her around, got behind her and started trying to do the Hemlich maneuver on her. I've never done that in my life, ever. I had NO idea what I was doing or how I was doing it. I squeezed and squeezed and squeezed.
Nothing. Not a squeak from my mom, not a cough or a wheeze, nothing. She was in my arms and I started to feel her legs give out from under her.
I looked at the door. We were up on the 3rd floor, the halls were silent, nobody would hear me if I went out and started to yell for help.
I looked at the phone. Did I even try to 911? I didn't have time. I knew she would never last until help arrived. I thought "Oh my God, my mom is going to die in front of me in this hotel room."

I squeezed her HARD one more time and prayed out loud, "Oh Jesus, please Jesus HELP ME!!"
She started to make a horrible,horrible,horrible sound. But at least it was a noise, if she could make some sort of sound, hopefully there was some sort of airflow.
One last big HARD squeeze, OMG, I thought I was going to break her ribs and she finally, finally, finally, started to gag and retch and FINALLY cough. THANK GOD!! I knew if she was coughing she would be ok.

At that point, I collapsed in a heap in the doorway between the bathroom and hall. Somehow, we got ourselves put back together, although it took about half an hour for me to finally stop shaking.

That was the most terrifying moment of my entire life so far.

The evening had started out alittle tense between her and I, but not after that.
I swore later during my bedtime prayers that I would never, EVER, EVER, complain about my mom again.
Even when she woke me up at 3am with her snoring, I just thanked God that she was breathing.

Even when she was back to her ol' self again, bright and early this morning!! :)

Life is precious, Life is short. In an instant, things can change, you could lose a beloved one. In an instant. One breath, we're laughing and teasing and worrying about tomorrow and the next breath, we're fighting for our lives, or worse.