Reflections of a Mom's Life

Monday, March 30, 2009

scariest moment of my life

one week ago today, Monday March 23rd, was the most frightening night of my life. Addison choked and it was serious...

she was playing on the floor at my feet while i was getting dinner together. i was on the phone with Anthony at the time. he has Bible study and basketball on Monday nights so he doesn't get home until after 11pm. we often chat while he's on his way to church.

i picked Addison up and put her in the high chair and started feeding her some banana. she ate a couple of bites and then started choking. i patted her back to try and help her get it going down the right way but it wasn't helping. she was still coughing though. i picked her up, turned her over, and started pushing up on her back. when i turned her back it wasn't any better. i put my finger in her mouth and could feel something but could not get it. i turned her back over and started pushing up on her back again but NOTHING. at this point it was clear she was REALLY choking. not breathing. looking at me like HELP ME.

i panicked. i threw the phone down and ran to the front door. i was still trying to get her to cough it up while i sprinted down my hill over to my neighbor Kristine's house SCREAMING at the top of my lungs. i was frantic. by the time i got to her door she was turning blue and starting to go limp. there was a moment when i actually thought "this is it. i don't know what else to do."

all of a sudden, before i even knocked on Kristine's door (i was still screaming), another neighbor was beside me. her name is Rhonda and she lives across the street from me. i told her Addison was choking and she grabbed her from me. she started doing tummy compressions and was able to get her to start coughing again and before i knew it she had spit it up and was screaming. the sound of her screaming was the most wonderful sound i could have ever heard at that moment. i fell apart at that point. crying hysterically and holding Addison as tight as i could. i truly almost lost my baby girl. i have never been so scared.

God had Rhonda in the right place at the RIGHT time. Rhonda is NEVER home. she is RARELY outside. yet, there she was, standing in her driveway at the moment i came running out of my home with my choking baby. She is a surgical assistant at a local hospital and certified in CPR. i'm getting emotional about this even as i type. a miracle. i "sort of" knew what to do when someone is choking. an older child or adult i probably could have handled. but for a baby, everything at that moment went blank. God was watching out for our baby girl and i am SO very grateful.

Anthony came straight home. he was so worried as i had hung up on him when it all happened. the boys were emotional too. there was no time to explain why i was so frantic until after it was all over. i know it scared them and i hated that for them. my throat was sore for the rest of the night. i know most of the neighborhood must have heard my screams. :(

what was she choking on you might wonder? a piece of plastic. looked like part of a seal from a container or packaging of some kind. she must have gotten it into her mouth and when i started feeding her the banana it pushed it down. it's so hard to keep everything off the floor with little babies and with the boys dropping little things here and there it is not uncommon to see her "chewing" on something. i've had to start shutting the bathroom doors because i'll notice she's missing and she'll be in the restroom chewing on toilet paper. she's quiet and sneaky. :)

i'm just SO happy she is OK. that night i went into her room twice just to look at her. when i closed my eyes to go to sleep for the next two nights i would get weak as the whole thing would play over again in my mind. i've brushed up on my CPR and would really love to sign up for a class soon. i need to know more and know it so well that i'll kick into gear under pressure. the less you know, the less confident you are under pressure and that was so true for me.

however, i KNOW my God was looking out for us. i know He saved my baby girl that night. i am overwhelmed with emotion when i think about it. Thank you Lord for protecting our sweet girl.

19 comments:

anjarrett said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
anjarrett said...

I teared up reading that! I'm glad you shared though. I'll definitely break out my books. After lifeguarding 8 years, I think reading will refresh it all. Thank you for sharing. I'm sorry you had to experience that!

The Petersons said...

Beth, I had chills just reading your blog. I can't even begin to imagine how you must have felt.

Stephens Family News said...

Oh Beth, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Definitely made me cry reading it! So grateful for the way the Lord took care of you both!

Courtney said...

oh, beth. that is terrifying!!!! and could so easily happen to all our babies - there's always SOMETHING around for them to choke on. wow. i totally understand what you mean about it replaying through your mind at night...

The Comers said...

Beth,
I'm so sorry you had to go through something so scary. What an amazing story of God's protection of your sweet Addison. This memory will be etched in your sons' memories. They'll remember forever how good God was to their little sister that day, and I'm sure they'll tell her all about it many times as she grows up.

Tucker Family said...

Wow Beth- what an absolute miracle!

I am so sorry that you had to go through that, but what an amazing story of God's protection!!

Jen said...

Poor baby and poor mommy - I know that feeling of helplessness. Praise the Lord your neighbors were there and knew what to do. It is impossible to keep everything from them at this age. So glad everyone is okay now.

Katy said...

i hated reading through all that again after hearing you tell me about it last week. it's one memory you probably didn't even need to write down to remember every detail of it forever. our children definitely have their angels working overtime some days don't they?

Heather J said...

Oh Beth -I've heard a similar story from other friends and they shared the same sentiments - sooooo glad that God had your neighbor in the perfect place to help you. I'm sooooo glad Addison is OK!!!

Amanda said...

Oh my word Beth, I started crying jsut readying that post! God always takes care, and ALWAYS knows what is going on no matter how big or small. That just puts everything in perspective! I am so glad that she is okay!!

Christy said...

Bless your heart! I got teared up too reading this...I just can't imagine how frightening that must have been. But you're right...our God was watching over your sweet girl and took care of her! I'm so happy she is okay.

Vonda said...

I cried when you shared this with me over the phone and I know it must have scared you to death...bless your heart. God is good and I am so thankful He protected our sweet Addison. After you shared the story with me, I realized I need to brush up on my CPR too...how terrifying!

Anonymous said...

Beth - I am SOOOO not a crier, but you have made me cry me eyes out! I can only imagine your situation, but as a mommy myself it just took me right over the edge.

I am so thankful for God's provision and His care for our children. I'm grateful that He was holding Addison and YOU (and your whole family) in His hands during that whole frightening experience.

Thanks so much for sharing your heart and your experiences!

- Heather Marie

Its So Very Cheri said...

OK so add another tearing up Mom to your list of readers. We had an experience, of almost loosing our oldest when he was just a year old. Ken had been through EMT training and still said "he did not assess our child the same". It wasn't until the nurse said "he's crashing" that his medical training kicked in. Praise God for special angels to watch over us.

Janet said...

Wow - what a visible reminder that God is watching over us and our little ones and He loves us so much! Love the neighbor who is NEVER around. Only God knew what was needed and when. So glad He got you out that door screaming your head off! Thank the Lord!

Stacy Moore said...

oh, beth, that must have been horrible for you. i'm crying over here just reading your post...thinking of mckenna. she has choked once, but it was a minor experience compared to yours. i'm so glad that God protected little addison and sent that neighbor to be in your path. it's times like these, we realize how precious life really is.

Linda Williams said...

As I heard you tell me about this incident the other day and now with reading about it.....it made me remember as vividly as if it were yesterday when Vonda almost choked to death when she was 2 years old. Oh what a nightmare it is when something happens to your baby and you cannot seem to make anything work fast enough! God used my sister-in-law to save Vonda as he used your "hardly ever home" neighbor to save our precious little Addison. As I think of how close we came to losing her it makes me cry. I cannot imagine losing one of our grandchildren......Oh God please have them in the palm of Your hand at all times. I really do thank God for having that lady right there with the knowledge of knowing exactly what to do!

Love,
Mimi and Papa

Natalie said...

Your mom told me this story and I wanted to just reach out and hug you tight. I cannot imagine the panic and the fear. Praise the Lord for the hedge of protection he placed around you and that sweet baby girl.