Hug your kids extra tight for me
So I could post all kinds of fun chatter about how the kids started karate last week, and how Matthew's doing great and has his first stripe already, and how Kaylee… well, she looks really cute in her gi. ;) Or about their new inflatable sprinkler that they loved, but that burst the third time we used it. Or about the kit I'm working on designing that has a mind of its own and will not go the way I want it to. Or about Kaylee's dental checkup this morning, which went totally fine. But my head is just not there right now. It's in a much darker place. Because last night Kaylee choked.
I was getting everything ready for supper, and had put the kids' vitamins out on the table like we always do. Well, Kaylee loves her vitamins and had gone over to eat hers. The next thing I knew she was up running around with Matthew, and I could see her chewing, so I very firmly and sternly sent her back to the table and went back to filling the milk glasses. She was right back up again, and I could hear her laughing with her mouth closed, so I knew she still had something in her mouth. I turned around to send her back to the table, and the next thing I knew she was coughing and gagging and crying, but still getting air. And then she stopped.
I grabbed her and did something resembling a Heimlich maneuver. It didn't work. Her face turned blue, and she collapsed.
I did it again, and screamed for Mark and he came in and whacked her on the back. Well, apparently one of those two things did the trick, because she could breathe again.
We had a very long talk with both kids about what had happened, and I think it got through to them. I hope it did. Kaylee is back to her usual perky self today. I am not.
The whole thing only lasted a few moments. And it went so fast, and yet in slow motion at the same time. And I cannot get the image of her face, at that moment, out of my mind. I try to keep busy and distracted, but the instant there is a second of idleness, the image is back. And it's all I can do not to cry and grab my kids and just hold onto them forever.
I was getting everything ready for supper, and had put the kids' vitamins out on the table like we always do. Well, Kaylee loves her vitamins and had gone over to eat hers. The next thing I knew she was up running around with Matthew, and I could see her chewing, so I very firmly and sternly sent her back to the table and went back to filling the milk glasses. She was right back up again, and I could hear her laughing with her mouth closed, so I knew she still had something in her mouth. I turned around to send her back to the table, and the next thing I knew she was coughing and gagging and crying, but still getting air. And then she stopped.
I grabbed her and did something resembling a Heimlich maneuver. It didn't work. Her face turned blue, and she collapsed.
I did it again, and screamed for Mark and he came in and whacked her on the back. Well, apparently one of those two things did the trick, because she could breathe again.
We had a very long talk with both kids about what had happened, and I think it got through to them. I hope it did. Kaylee is back to her usual perky self today. I am not.
The whole thing only lasted a few moments. And it went so fast, and yet in slow motion at the same time. And I cannot get the image of her face, at that moment, out of my mind. I try to keep busy and distracted, but the instant there is a second of idleness, the image is back. And it's all I can do not to cry and grab my kids and just hold onto them forever.
Comments
{{{{HUGS}}}}
Big {{{HUGS}}}
Just awful to have gone through that.
((((hugs))))
HUGS to you, my friend.
So very glad she's okay...