CUT YOUR MEAT!

Things have been really strange this week. So much horribleness... On Tuesday, after my son had already saved a life earlier in the day, (he works for a heart DR, a well known cardiologist in Pasadena.) But that night, he was BBQ-ing some steaks... BEEF... and my best friend Rita had been here all day, visiting and she took a shower and washed a couple of loads of clothes. And she was still here when Daniel started up the grill. He had recently bought a little grill he uses charcoal with, uses it outside. He is getting really good at it too! Well, they were wondering if there would be enough if Rita stayed. At first he told her "no" but soon laughed and said, yes she could stay for dinner. So... when it was done we all got a plate, I handed Rita a steak knife and a fork. We both sat down to eat. I always meticulously cut my meat in small thin strips, but Rita was so proud she didn't have to use her knife, she has this silly notion that it saves me work on having to wash things, since I wash everything by hand. Anyway, after I was finished, I got up to go wash my plate and knife and fork, I was looking down but still saw her out of the corner of my eye, get up and crossing the room, towards where the other people were all sitting. I heard Shawndra say, "SHES CHOKING!!" And looked up and sure enough Rita was clutching her chest and couldn't breath at all! My son jumped up and started the Heimlich on her but it wasn't working, I got in her face, wanting to try to reach in and pull it out, she grabbed my arms, but Daniel told me to call 911... and so I did... she couldn't breath at all! All I could think about was remembering talking to a woman at a DR's office several months ago and she was telling me that she was a widow at 39, that her husband died in a restaurant, choking on a piece of steak. So, that was what was going through my mind as we were waiting on the ambulance. I was so scared my best friend was going to die in my house... my son has known her most of his life and he had an emotional attachment to her and was very upset when she fell out. She wasn't breathing at all and she passed out on the floor. My son said, "SCREW THIS!" And picked up her limp body and did some really strong compressions, let her down again and beat her chest and slapped her face, picked her up again, saying; "NO, don't do this to me Rita!" My son is a BIG man... over 6 feet tall and 280 lbs, built like a brick house! So we were worried he had broke a rib or two. She was having a very hard time breathing still. Another friend was telling him as he was trying to revive her, not to be afraid to break a rib, just get the meat out! By some miracle of GOD, he dislodged the meat just enough so she could get some air, she came to and was barely breathing when the medics showed up. And they put her on the gurney and took her out to the ambulance! It was several minutes later, I was upset that they had not taken her to the hospital, I had already called her mother and was standing at the front door looking out. Then one of the medics came to the door and said one of the techs had stuck hemostats down her throat and had pulled the meat out and said it was a HUGE chunk! They did take her to the hospital. She was in much pain. I got ready to go to the hospital, my son dropped me off. A few minutes later her mother came in. She was very upset and as I hugged her I told her she can't cry cause it would make me cry and we just couldn't do that to Rita! It was a terrible time. But it must not be her time to go because she survived like a trooper!

So I waited with her mom, the x-rays showed no broken ribs. But they kept her anyway. More for blood. She has a problem with her blood, it doesn't make itself. So she had to have, I think 3 pints. A couple years ago I thought she was going to die on my couch and she went to the DR and he immediately put her in the hospital... she was almost out of blood... I think they had to give her 9 pints. Well, so they took care of that, and on a second x-ray, there was a small crack in her breast bone. But she will be fine. They are more worried for her lungs too as she has emphysema. But she is being well taken care of.

She is still in the hospital tonight. I don't know when she will get out. But... the people in my whole house will next time be standing in line to cut Ritas meat! She is like a sister to me and very much a part of our lives. When I think of what the other outcome could of been....

This is a serious message to not only my family but to everyone... always cut your meat into thin strips. Chew that beef steak 50 times! These precautions can help you avoid a serious mishap.