How to Save a Life

Saturday, September 5, 2009

On Wednesday, September 2nd, I put to use a skill I learned through lecture, book work and a few (pretend) practice moves.

The Heimlich Maneuver.

As a rule, when lunchtime rolls around at the office, I prefer to leave the building and eat lunch elsewhere. I am a firm believer in the change of scenery doing a body good and I even take it to a higher degree by walking around one of the two large chain department stores nearby.

On Wednesday, however, I changed my routine. Although I left the building with the intention of having lunch outside of it, I wound up buying my lunch and returning to the office to eat it in our break room.

Initially I was eating lunch with three co-workers; two front desk staff and another Medical Assistant but we were soon joined by one of seven physicians in our practice. She, too, had purchased her lunch and brought it back to the break room to eat it.

As we talked about this and that ~ complete with laughing and giggling ~ the physician, who was sitting next to me, made what the rest of us thought was a laughing-with-soda-coming-out-of-her-nose kind of sound.

Grasping at her neck, we very quickly learned she was in serious trouble with something lodged in her throat.

As Dr. H scrambled toward the wastebasket and started wildly grabbing for the door to open it, I jumped up from my seat, wrapped my arms around her middle and gave her two quick thrusts dislodging the object (a piece of chicken) from her throat and onto the floor. (Later the Office Manager would describe it as a "text book" Heimlich.)

After the crisis was over the five of us returned to the table in an effort to resume eating our respective lunches. Sitting next to each other again, Dr. H quietly picked at her food as we glanced at each other several times. Neither one of us could believe what just occurred but we tried to make small talk anyway. Rubbing my arm, and in between quiet coughs, she thanked me for my help.

I was still overwhelmingly stunned, and the massive adrenaline rush was still flying through my body at warp speed, and I sat there with my body visibly shaking. I shook the rest of the day.

Soon, lunch ended and we were back to the craziness of another busy day. Every time Dr. H and I were near each other that afternoon, a look passed between us that spoke volumes without a word being said.

Once, she hugged me tightly and thanked me again saying she would like to take me out to lunch. I told her that that wasn't necessary and that although I preferred she didn't do that (choke) again, I had her back if she did.

Another life saved.