While in OKC, Callum managed to swallow a quarter.
I didn't really know what to do because I know if it gets down the esophagus they can just pass it but if it's in the airway then they can suffocate. There is a big difference between those scenarios so I tried to be calm and collected to figure out what we needed to do. I could tell he was breathing, but I could also see that he was so uncomfortable that there was no way it landed in his stomach yet. My mom happened to be in town which was a lucky coincidence because otherwise I wouldn't have had a car.
So we get in the car, on the phone with 911 to locate the nearest hospital. Our answer? "Well, there isn't one" (no, I'm not joking). We were literally driving around hoping we were going in the right direction as we waited for directions. We tried to get a police escort so we could floor it and not worry about traffic but OKC police were just not on the ball.
While on the phone with the operator, I learned that if I was not careful the quarter could move into the airway and block breathing. I managed to stay cool, but at this point I was panicking on the inside. Meanwhile, Callum was throwing up everywhere, his little body trying to force the quarter out of his throat. Once we made it to the emergency room, I broke down. I knew we were in a safe place and Callum would be taken care of but the adrenaline had worn off and I lost my composure.
We immediately got an X-ray that showed us that the quarter was lodged in his throat and it was up pretty high. So they had to send a scope with a little basket down to retrieve it. Callum was in misery but he did amazingly well. We gave him a blessing and he folded his little arms and jumped up and said "AMEN!" when it was over. That night taught me so much and was a catalyst for a lot of personal and spiritual growth. I will always be grateful to Callum for swallowing that quarter and enduring a painful experience that I might learn from it. He is a great kid.
I didn't really know what to do because I know if it gets down the esophagus they can just pass it but if it's in the airway then they can suffocate. There is a big difference between those scenarios so I tried to be calm and collected to figure out what we needed to do. I could tell he was breathing, but I could also see that he was so uncomfortable that there was no way it landed in his stomach yet. My mom happened to be in town which was a lucky coincidence because otherwise I wouldn't have had a car.
So we get in the car, on the phone with 911 to locate the nearest hospital. Our answer? "Well, there isn't one" (no, I'm not joking). We were literally driving around hoping we were going in the right direction as we waited for directions. We tried to get a police escort so we could floor it and not worry about traffic but OKC police were just not on the ball.
While on the phone with the operator, I learned that if I was not careful the quarter could move into the airway and block breathing. I managed to stay cool, but at this point I was panicking on the inside. Meanwhile, Callum was throwing up everywhere, his little body trying to force the quarter out of his throat. Once we made it to the emergency room, I broke down. I knew we were in a safe place and Callum would be taken care of but the adrenaline had worn off and I lost my composure.
We immediately got an X-ray that showed us that the quarter was lodged in his throat and it was up pretty high. So they had to send a scope with a little basket down to retrieve it. Callum was in misery but he did amazingly well. We gave him a blessing and he folded his little arms and jumped up and said "AMEN!" when it was over. That night taught me so much and was a catalyst for a lot of personal and spiritual growth. I will always be grateful to Callum for swallowing that quarter and enduring a painful experience that I might learn from it. He is a great kid.
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| At the hospital with his Koko. It's the only photo I got of this little sweetheart (besides the pictures inside Cal's throat!) |
1 comments:
I remember trying to throw up too when my three quarters were stuck. And I remember thinking, my body is trying to get it out. Which is a funny thought because it wasn't making me gag or anything. I wonder how the body knows...
Did they put him out to get retrieve the quarter? Sounds like a good story!
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