Thursday Thoughts- Why EVERY Parent Needs to Be Certified

This past weekend, being Labor Day and all, we decided to scoot on up to Chicago. Not too far of a drive, and since hubby doesn't get much in the way of vacation this year (new job), it was the best we could do for sand and water. But there are so many cool things about Chicago, one being the pizza. Just thinking about it makes me want to hop on a train for dinner!

On our last day in Chicago, we made a stop at Giordano's Pizza. HEAVEN. We picked up our pizza and went to a nearby park to eat it. We were all standing around when suddenly Z1 starts hacking. Not just a little sputter, but the helpless-I-can't-breath-somebody-help-me-now hacking. He puts his little hands up and managaes to sputter,"I can't breathe!" I pushed my stuff aside and rushed to help him. He could not get anything moving. Here is my little, eight-year-old guy, eyes watering, hands up, trying to hack up SOMEthing, ANYthing to get some air.


Instinct took over and I got behind him and began doing the Heimlich Maneuver, something I never dreamed I would have to do for my child. There are so many things that come with parenting- snotty noses, depletion of your wallet, poopy diapers, midnight wake-ups to find the monster under the bed- I never dreamed that doing the Heimlich would be one of them.

Three pumps in and still no movement. Four, Five. I stood him on his feet and did a mouth sweep. Nothing. I did a second mouth sweep and this time I pressed on the back of his tongue to make sure I was getting all the way down there. That kicked in the most wonderful of reflexes, the GAG reflex. Finally, the cheese moved and he began tossing it up. Never have I been absolutely relieved and overjoyed to see my boy spewing pizza chunks onto the ground.

He paused and caught his breath. He reached over and put his (to me, still very) tiny hand on my shoulder and said,"Oh, Mommy. Thank you so much," and put his forehead on mine.

When it was all said and done, I was so grateful to have gone through those choking/CPR/First Aid courses so long ago. I didn't have to think. I just had to react. Just like they taught me. Funny how this has happened to both of my kids (cue theme to Twilight Zone!). If you have never taken the Red Cross Courses, at the very, very least, get online and read about it here. Do it for you, and for your kids. You just never know who is going to need you next.

Yours, breathing much easier,

Melissa