Choking to death, or so I thought!

I have been trying to get my daily exercise in and it has been so beautiful outside lately. I thought what the heck, why not try going for a run to the post office. (I detest running, but I do it to hopefully kick in my metabolism!) It was a little colder outside than I imagined. The run did happen, but the cold air managed to kick in an episode of "sports induced asthma". (I had pneumonia as a child and my bronchials easily get irritated).For hours after my run, I am coughing and hacking away with bronchial irritation problems.

Eighteen months ago I had the Endoscopy procedure done to check my esophagus because of concern about acid reflux complications. I was once a soloist singer, and can no longer hardly sing from damage to my throat and vocal cords due to the affects of acid reflux while sleeping. I had no idea I was even having acid reflux problems at night while I slept peacefully. But I was having problems with my voice becoming hoarse easily. The doctor also finds a tightening in my throat a condition called a "Schiatzi Ring" where the esophagus narrows and does not allow food to pass easily if the food is not chewed well. This is an important part of the story I am going to share!

I was not doing well at getting my meals worked into my schedule that day. I had breakfast in the morning, but before I knew it, it was already 3:30 pm and I had not stopped for lunch. Trying to always eat healthy, I decide to grab a few carrots to munch on, so that I do not spoil my appetite for dinner.

I was busy working on stuff on the computer, when I swallowed my first bite of carrot. It was then my fate was sealed. The first swallow of carrot did not pass merrily along down my esophagus. It lodged itself about midway down my neck in my esophagus. I am not talking a little blockage.... I am saying total blockage. If you have never had this happen to you, it is not quite "choking to death", but a feeling like you are going to die anyway.

So in my panic I think, chew another snippet of carrot to push the blockage down. So I chewed and chewed to make sure the carrot was at puree stage and swallowed. All it did was now create a stage of impaction. Now I am really in trouble, and I am alone at home. Major panic is now really setting in. The blockage is painful.

My breathing now is getting a little labored and I am trying to remain calm, but very nervous. I try to cough up the blockage and nothing happens. I get a drink of water and try to drink and the water cannot even pass into my esophagus, it just backs up and comes out with tiny remnants of my carrot puree. (Raw Carrot does not soften like a piece of bread or cracker will with water.)

OK, now I am at major panic time. The area where the carrot is stuck feels like it is swelling and causing more tightness around the blockage. I think at this time I will do the "Heimlich" maneuver on myself so I go to the kitchen table and throw myself over a chair in hopes that I can move the blockage, but no luck. Plus, the chair is about a foot too tall for me to lean over effectively. My pureed carrot part does come back up, but the blockage is firm. I am also worried about breaking a rib for nothing. I am now starting to get light headed, either from panic or from the blockage. My body is reacting like I am in distress, and I am in distress. The carrot blockage is now causing more pain.

Now, what would you do in my shoes?

I try water again, with no luck. I can see myself on the floor passed out or dead when my husband walks through the door. It would ruin his day totally!
The fact that I live two blocks from the Indian Health Services emergency room did not even cross my mind. I am not sure I could have made it, but I don't even think of it by now. I am trying to keep calm, but I am very panicked and that does not help my bodys' responses. I just know I do not want to die this way.

I call 911 for the first time in my life! The operator comes on and I can hardly talk by now. She calls the local paramedics. The paramedic that answers the phone has a five minute discussion with the 911 operator regarding whether they really need to come because I can talk a little, be it not well. But the fact that I can talk, means to the paramedics that I am not choking to death. Then the operator tells them to come to my house, that my speech has changed in the time she and I have been talking, and that she recommends they check this out because I am alone. She practically has to command them to come to my aid.

Then I have to attempt to explain to them where I live in Ft Yates, like they do not have a GPS on their vehicle in this day and age. What are the chances? So annoying. They could have been to my house in the time they delayed acting like they could not follow my directions. I must have interrupted their viewing of their favorite show or something. There are not that many streets in Ft Yates to get lost in, trust me. I explain to them no less then four times, and each time the paramedic on the phone interrupts my discription of where I live and how to get here. How hard can turn left at Taco Johns, and go down to North Street and turn right be?

If they were my sons, or employees I would have disowned them or fired them on the spot. Seriously, can someone become so callused to think that every person who calls 911 is doing so because they are lonely and want some attention? To say the least they arrive and I am still having distress. They still go on with their line about me being able to communicate, so it can not be that big of a deal and that they can't do anything to help me. I try to drink more water at their request and immediately the water comes back up my throat, it has no where else to go.

Now the most interesting phenomena happens, my saliva begins to overproduce. Why the body does this I have no idea. But not only does the saliva produce, but it produces mass amounts and it becomes really thick and I still can not swallow. Now I am leaning over the kitchen sink drooling saliva in mass amounts. (Found on line later this is common with blocks in the esophagus.)

It has been 40 minutes from the time I swallowed this sweet little carrot piece, and finally my throat loosens up and the carrot mass begins to move. All I can figure is that having someone there with me, allowed me to subconciously feel safe. I am not as panicked of loosing consciousness while alone. Thus, my body relaxed, especially in my esophagus, and the carrot was able to dislodge itself. The Paramedics leave before I kick them out, and I gladly sign the papers of refusal of transport. (I would not get in their vehicle if you paid me a $1000 dollars at this point.)

So I spend the next day researching my condition. Yes, it can sometimes be life threatening. Most people have to go to emergency to get the lodged particle removed. It can also be a sign of other problems and blockages in the throat such as cancer, etc. I am still shaking in my boots, as they say. I now chew my food well, and have not dared eat a raw carrot since. Running, is definitely off my list, and I am sure the irritation to my bronchials by the "sports induced asthma" contributed to my episode of blockage. The "schiatzi ring" was probably the biggest culprit. But the combination of all factors did not help.

I have also tried to call to get into a specialist to have this checked out, and of course more red tape of seeing a primary care physician for a referral, blah, blah blah, etc. etc. I am new to the area. I have been into the Indian Health Services clinic four times since being here trying to get established and current medications correctly prescribed. I have not seen the same doctor twice. This does not go over well with me because I like a personable experience with my doctors. Every time I see a new doctor, I have to go through this long drawn out explanation of my background, health, etc. I have yet to have a prescription filled out correctly the first time around.

In talking with one of my daughters, she shared with me an experience she recently had at a wedding reception. A young man took a bite of cake and it lodged in his esophagus.(All be it too big of a bite if he takes a bite like my husband does!) Her father-in-law recognized what was happening as the young man is coughing and suffering with this blockage, and that he is in distress. He loads him in his car and they take him to the emergency room, where they do procedures to take care of the blockage. Her father-in-law, knew what to do, because he has been going through treatment for conditions related to his esophagus, and knew what was happening to the young man. Drinking water did not help him either, the cake became like a cement dam of dough in his esophagus. Instead of the water diluting the cake dough it just made it thicker.

Moral of story, be aware that if someone can still talk, it does not mean they do not need immediate attention for a food blockage. Have them try to force themselves to throw up. If this does not work and they can not swallow at all, get them to the emergency room.

One more thing, can anyone tell me why physicians order blood tests, and never call you or send you the results? You would think that would be part of what you pay for with your visit.... Feed Back! We need more doctors who are holistic in their treatment, and a lot less doctors who prescribe medication to treat only symptoms and love to operate! Discussion for another day!