This is serius.
Please read on and learn to do the Heimlich Maneuver, coz you never know when you might gonna perform it.
Like what I just did, today.
I was preparing the kids bag, putting the spare diaper in.
Then hubby came running to me.
Both hands holding his own neck.
Eyes bulging.
Face redenning.
He looked like he was about to cough.
But not coughing.
Oh my god!
He was gasping for air!
Shit!
He was heading to the toilet.
I ran to him.
Hug him from behind.
Made a fist, placed above his belly, and yanked him backwards!
He straighten his back, and I yanked again.
Nothing happened!
Yanked again.
And again.
Nothing happened!
Shit!
He's not letting out even a cough!
He's still gasping.
Bending down towards the sink.
This is it.
No mercy.
I made a fist, again, but this time I hit him hard at the upper back.
I was trembling and screaming, "What did you swallow?"
But of course, he can't answer me back.
So, I kept on hitting his back with my fist.
Slap it hard.
Very hard.
Again.
Again.
And again.
Wanting whatever that was stuck at his throat to get the hell out of there!
Then finally, he started coughing!
Cough again.
And breathe!
Ya Allah! Thank God!
So, what made him choked?
Nope, not food.
Difficult to explain this but he actually chocked after an abrupt sneezed and coughed.
Choking : is the mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the lungs, prevents breathing, and prolonged or complete choking is potentially fatal.
And the obstruction of the airway can be caused by either a foreign body (food or small objects), a respiratory diseases, or compression to the trachea a.k.a strangulation.
I have learned this Heimlich Maneuver as soon as Amin was born, 6 years ago.
Just a precaution as we all know that babies tend to put anything and everything into their mouths.
But I never would have imagine that I'd be performing this very first time (and hopefully the last time too!) on hubby.
This is the universal sign of choking.
If you see people doing this, get help.If you are choking, use this sign to get help.
Because chocking victim cannot talk, so, please be aware of this sign language!
Three most important thing to remember when dealing with chocking people or even your own self;
- Encourage to cough. If the victim is coughing, this means that he's still getting air in. This is partial chocking. Hence encourage him to cough more to clear up his wind pipe. Offer him water.
- Back slaps on the upper back. This is to create pressure behind the blockage, assisting the victim in dislodging the thing. But do not back slaps when he is coughing, as it could get worst.
- Abdominal thrusts- also known as Heimlich Maneuver. Please be reminded that there's a difference in doing Heimlich Maneuver for normal adult, pregnant woman, older age group, kids and babies. Also there's the Heimlich Maneuver for yourself and what to do for victim that's already unconscious due to choking. Yes, they're must be treated differently, but hell yeah I'm telling you that each of them are worth learning!
1. Ask the choking person to stand if he or she is sitting.
2. Place yourself slightly behind the standing victim.
4. Place your arms around the victim's waist.
9. Understand that your thrusts make the diaphragm move air out of the victim's lungs, creating a kind of artificial cough.
10. Keep a firm grip on the victim, since he or she can lose consciousness and fall to the ground if the Heimlich Maneuver is not effective
11. Repeat the Heimlich Maneuver until the foreign body is expelled.. but in my recent incident, I then proceeded in doing the back slaps.
Done, that's it for now.
I'll post more about it later.
In the mean time, here's a very very VERY useful youtube for guidance.
Sayang, if you're reading this, do note that I am too young to be a widow.
So, please go do the CT scan immediately, ok!
We need to know if you might have the respiratory diseases.
(pics and guide from eHow, clips from youtube)
