TMT: Panic mode doesn't work

Last Sunday was the REAL Mother's Day Matt didn't have his copious amounts of morning meetings so he got up a made me breakfast in bed. I started eating then Ty, who was lying next to me woke up and wanted his breakfast too. Matt tried to get him to come eat it at the table with he and May but Ty wanted it in bed too. We both laughed and gave him a plate in bed next to me. I should have taken a picture he was SO excited. Matt even said "Well, Happy Mother's Day Ty..." haha his little voice said back "Happy Mother Day Dad!"

For breakfast Matt made me eggs just the way I like them, with toast. And a banana (which was half eaten by the 2 year old) and some yogurt with fresh strawberries. Ty had strawberries on his plate too with his eggs.

Matt left for church and I was quickly getting the kids ready for our 9 am meeting time. I was ironing Ty's shirt and I told him to quickly finish his breakfast before I put his church shirt on. I turned my back to him while he sat on the floor eating. Then I heard a weird noise. I can't really describe it, I turned to see what was going on and Ty was standing there OBVIOUSLY CHOKING. He tried to eat his strawberries TOO fast. No air was going in or out. He was gagging kind of, but really just looking at me with bugged eyes.

I've had how many classes on CPR and what to do when someone is choking, and for some reason the last few months something the Spirit has been whispering to me "look up what to do if someone, especially kids like yours are choking or need CPR". Of course I've been too busy to heed that direction... so after about 15 seconds and my mind was still blank on what to do I just panicked, I did nothing, I thought a million things and nothing at the same time.

This is unheard of with me, normally in intense situations I keep my cool then when all the dust settle's I lose it with my burst of emotion. Never have I just panicked. This time, I just said "Ty Ty! TY! Can you breathe? Ty?" I had my hand on his back but I did remember not to smack his back or else the food could get lodged further. I thought he was too small for the Heimlich so what to do? Finally, Ty stuck his own fingers down his own throat, to instinctively clear his passage way and gagged himself enough to get a good reflex of puking thus clearing his airway.... It was about a ONE MAYBE TWO minute ordeal, but it seemed like hours in my head.

After it was all over, Ty with watery eyes looked up at me smiling and said "Woah! Ty okay! Strawberries stuck, look mom yuck." pointing to his puke on the plate. How classic for him he just laughs about it all. Happy Mother's Day to me... it could have been a DISASTROUS one, but instead I got to hug that little guy extra tight for a few minutes and literally thank GOD nothing worse happened.

I was pretty tough on myself for a while after that ordeal. "Why didn't I do anything? Why didn't I look up that stuff when I was told to before? What if, why that, and that was terrible" was flying through my mind. I eventually came to the conclusion that nothing really bad did happen, next time just heed the promptings of the Spirit, that is why I have it and I need to listen.

We were late to church because you can bet I was looking up what I SHOULD have done... and yes it would have been the Heimlich. On kids small enough, like May I would have put her on my lap securing her head lower than her body and smacked her back four times then flipped her over and do some pushes just above the sternum four times. But since Ty is too big for that then the Heimlich would have been right. I should have done that, I should have known and now I do.

Bottom line is, if the voice in your head at random moments keeps telling you to look something up or refresh yourself on something, drop everything and just do it... sometimes it just might save a life (not to be dramatic or anything) sometimes it may be an answer to someones prayer, sometimes nothing will ever come out of it, but that's the thing you n.e.v.e.r. know. Heavenly Father does though and testing whether you want to listen to his direction or not is never a good idea. Just Do It!