Today was such a horrible day...
My husband had to work, so Christopher and I were having fun spending the day together. I had to go to the grocery store, and on the way we went to Mcdonalds. I took my soft drink in with me to drink while I shopped. I had it next to me pursed wedged up against the side of the cart. Well out of my sons reach, I thought. Anyways, I was bending over to pick something up on the bottom shelf, when I heard Christopher gasp. He had gotten the lid off my drink and swallowed a piece of ice in the two seconds I wasn't looking. He couldn't breathe and his face was turning red. His eyes were also becoming bloodshot... I jerked him out of the seat and flipped him over and hit his back, but it didn't work. I really didn't think my baby was ever going to breathe again. Finally, he started breathing again, I guess the ice melted. He was crying, and I was crying. In fact I still cry everytime I think about it. And every time I close my eyes I see his face red and panicked. I will never forget today as long as I live. I was so frightened. Needless to say, I left my cart where it was and went out to the car where I could hug him and try to calm down.
I just wanted to remind everyone that accidents can happen so so fast. I never thought my son could remove the lid and get ice out of my drink in the time that I reached for a can off the shelf. When I think what could have happened if it had been something else, something that wouldn't have melted. Thank God my baby is ok.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, September 6, 2004 - 09:52 pm:

{{{{{{{{{Jennifer}}}}}}}}} I can only imagine how scared you were! At least he's OK. Hopefully this will be a reminder to everyone, that things can happen quicker than you'd think.

By Tink on Monday, September 6, 2004 - 10:32 pm:

{{{Jennifer}}} I haven't ever had to see one of my dks choke but I can't imagine how panicked you must have been. I'm so sorry that you had to go through this and so glad that it was only ice. Go give Christopher a big hug from us and a hug for yourself because,more than likely,you are much more upset than he is.

By Insaneusmcwife on Monday, September 6, 2004 - 11:17 pm:

{{{hugs}}} That is really scary...I'm glad he is ok.

By Mrsheidi on Monday, September 6, 2004 - 11:22 pm:

{Jennifer} X's infinity!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even imagine. I bet YOU felt that you couldn't breathe either!!! My son just choked on his milk today and his lips started to turn color...I think my eyes popped out of my head and I held my breath just trying to hold him up so he could cough! AAAHH!
I feel for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Juli4 on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 02:03 am:

Man I feel for you. I understand. Our daughter did that on a nikel sitting on our lap while watching a movie. We didn't know she had it and it was like a whole minute in a half that seemed like forever beofre it came back up. We did the heimlech. It haunted us for the longest time.

By Kaye on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 08:34 am:

My youngest did that same thing, we ended up at the hospital and had to do days of xrays. Turns out it was a sticker that my four year old got as a reward at dance class. On the up side, this was my third kid, 5 years ago and that is still my worst moment. Things like this happen, but not often.

By Emily7 on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 12:03 pm:

((((Jennifer)))) I have had something similar happen to me. It is always a surprise when your baby finds a new potential danger you thought was okay.

By Sue3 on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 01:29 pm:

What a terrible experience ! Glad he is O.K.
I would have cried also.
It reminded me of when my DS was 18 months old and I was finishing cleaning up the dishes after dinner.
He went to the recycle bin a few feet a way from me and picked up a bottle of deck cleaner (it still had a little cleaner in it) and drank it!
He started vomiting and crying
then I started crying.
The fireman came,we went to the hospital.....
What an ordeal.
So I am so glad your DS is O.K.
and your right,they can get into something in a matter of seconds.

By Tonya on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 02:32 pm:

I went through that with Jade when she was 6 weeks old Timmy was trying to help me when we were leaving one morning. Jade was strapped into her infant seat and instead of grabbing the seat by the handle he gabbed it by the tighten strap and cut off her air she was blue and he was crying thank god she gasped and I heard her from the other room or god only knows what would have happened. I loosened it and she was fine but boy did that scare me and Timmy both he wouldn't go near that seat from then on he is better now with her in the bigger seat but he was terrified. He cried worse thanshe did cause he thought he had hurt her.

By Audreyj on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 03:25 pm:

Bless your heart.

We all have those moments.

Thankfully, Angels never sleep!

AJ

By Amecmom on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 04:04 pm:

Jennifer,
Thank God he's ok! You'll be okay too once a little time has passed. It is so scary how something that happens in an instant can change your life forever. Thankfully this story has a happy ending!
Ame

By Jelygu on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 07:50 pm:

You all made me feel better with your kind words
I had horrible dreams all night long, as you can probably imagine. I am a little better now, still upset, but the crying has stopped!

By Imamommyx4 on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 - 09:46 pm:

I feel the panic with you.
And I'd like to add a comment about how quickly our little ones can do something and add a caution to all parents. We have a pool in our backyard--always locked unless in use. My 3 year daughter and I were playing in the big pool. She had on water wings at that point. Then she got out, took off her water wings and got into her wading pool to play. I was right there with her. I tossed a few things in to the big pool to clean up a little and something caught her attention in the big pool and she went after it but without the water wings! I was right there with her but I was trying to figure out what she was so interested in . It was so, so, so quiet. I looked at her trying to swim back to the steps and the world went into slo-mo. The water was up to her eyes and she was struggling to get to the steps. It took me a second to understand and then I just couldn't move fast enough. I grabbed her up out of the pool and she was hysterical. She just kept crying that she couldn't breathe and could not swim. She was okay after a few minutes but I, like Jelygu, was never so scared in my life. Every time I think about it, it makes me sick. Parents, you can't be too careful with your kids around the pool. And it struck me that it was so quiet. No splashing, no screams for help. Just quiet.

By Tink on Wednesday, September 8, 2004 - 10:30 am:

Another note of caution for the moms and pools: A friend and I were at her MIL's house letting our dks swim while we sat on the side of the pool. All of our dks were under the age of 6. My dd and her ds both had life vests on becasue they thought they were fun to jump into the pool with since they bobbed to the surface so quickly. My dd's vest slipped up just enough to cover her neck and she couldn't lift her head out of the water. My friend and I were amazed that she was really trying to swim with her feet and arms flailing and her face in the water. I finally figured out that she was having some kind of trouble and jumped in and pulled her out. How much safer could I have assumed she would be with 2 adults and a life vest on? Just always keep an eye on your kids. It isn't ever safe enough.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, September 8, 2004 - 10:59 am:

Gosh, what scary stuff. My older daughter was probably too young for the piece of hard candy she was eating and it started to go the wrong way. She was able to cough it up, though and was coughing loudly soon after that! We put the easter candy away after that! That's my scariest moment.

By Eve on Wednesday, September 8, 2004 - 12:42 pm:

((HUGS)) How scary! I'm glad he's ok!

By Coopaveryben on Wednesday, September 8, 2004 - 10:33 pm:

Don't feel bad we've all had those moments, they are really horrible.

By Feonad on Thursday, September 9, 2004 - 07:00 am:

Very scary. There was a lady up here that 3 year old died from pop corn in a dark theather. She was so upset she laid down in from of her street in New York City to end it all...

By Mommyathome on Thursday, September 9, 2004 - 10:52 am:

(((hugs)))
I'm glad he is OK! And, I'm glad you are feeling better as well.

By Rayanne on Thursday, September 9, 2004 - 11:24 am:

(((((HUGS)))))
I'm glad that everything is ok.
That is scary.

By Mommy8 on Wednesday, September 15, 2004 - 09:41 pm:

Our children are so precious to us, aren't they? I guess that's why mommies have such strong opinions about things that affect their babies. My son also went into water way too deep for him (it only takes a moment for something to happen!)and my baby stopped breathing because of reflux. It is soooo important (I think) to also have some type of cpr training.