thankful thursday

 

This week I am the most thankful I think I will ever be. I’m thankful for two things:

1. Dan, the guy at the next table
2. The Heimlich Maneuver

Hands down the scariest thing I’ve ever gone thru happened Tuesday night at a nice dinner out with boyfriend. We’re just enjoying dinner, steak (so freaking good), when I try a piece of his steak…and all of a sudden, I can’t breathe.

It took me about 2 seconds to process the fact that I had steak lodged in my throat. Boyfriend noticed right away, got up and started smacking me on the back, then tried to get me out of my seat in the awkward corner I was in. Of course, at this point the whole restaurant is looking at me, choking and my boyfriend trying to get me out of the seat.

Nothing was working and boyfriend wasn’t getting anywhere with smacking me on the back and then there is Dan, standing in front of me. I see him and lunge for him, he obviously knew what to do otherwise he wouldn’t have come up to help. At this point, it had felt like forever and that at any moment it was all going to be over. And it was, because in two thrusts Dan had been able to dislodge the chunk of steak.

Dan saved my life. I will forever be grateful.

Immediately after it dislodged I fell into boyfriend’s arms and cried. We went to the bathroom and I cried more. We went back to the table and I cried a bit more, also drank more wine and downed two glasses of ice water. Boyfriend went out in search of a bottle of wine for Dan and family, and returned with a fancy bottle of champagne for them.

Both of us still shaken up and many thank yous to Dan later, we were getting ice cream at Dairy Queen. It’s funny what you think when you are still in a shock from something like that. All I wanted was ice cream. I still wish I had eaten more ice cream. I cried twice while boyfriend barely kept things together for my sake. When we finally got back to his place he made me call my mom, which I was going to do anyways, but I wasn’t in a rush. She barely kept it together, though I’m sure she lost it once we hung up.

This experience puts things into perspective, for the both of us. (Well, I’m assume on his part, how can you NOT be influenced by something like that.)

It still scares me to think about how close to the light I was.
The fact that somebody actually saved my life.
I think it will always be scary to me.

I don’t think Dan will ever read this, but if he does…

Dan, thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. There are not enough thank yous in the world for saving me.