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Choking! 



Has anyone ever swallowed something sharp, like a fish bone or a piece of shell? I have swallowed many fish bones growing up with a father who loved fishing, and who I joined on many many occasions. It was kind of our father-daughter activity. It's one of my favorite memories with Dad. Anyhow, getting one of those sharp bones stuck in your throat can be scary, but nothing like what I experienced yesterday at a local restaurant. I was eating some pretty dang yummy scallops and I am guessing there was a shell that I didn't see in the dark lighting. When I swallowed I knew I was in trouble, as it felt like a knife going across my throat and I knew I couldn't swallow without lodging it in further and creating a very bad situation for myself. So, I remembered my aunt choking on a fish bone, during a holiday gathering. She came frantically into the kitchen where I was, and she was looking around with incredible urgency. She saw a loaf of bread and tore it open with fervor! Pieces flew onto the counter and floor. She grabbed some and swallowed a mouthful. I could see the relief in her face and, eventually she told me she was choking. I didn't realize it because she was so intentional and focused. I think this memory may have saved me from a most unfortunate experience. Barely able to speak, I calmly asked Eleanor for the bread and ate a large piece. It forced the sharp edge out of my throat and I felt it scraping it's way down through my esophagus. It was painful and quite scary. I'm o.k. today, but my throat was raw for many hrs. I'm grateful that I did not panic and that I ordered that second round of bread!!! I'm sure a medical professional would not suggest our putting anything else in our mouths when we are choking, and honestly I probably would not have if i had not had that experience with my aunt. In this case, it helped. Be careful out there. And no matter what, stay calm! Mother Turtle