Bob and I at seventeen

We were meeting a couple for the first time at a wonderful German Restaurant and we were having Prime Rib.  My very first bite went down wrong and so did the second piece.  I am an over achiever and no sense choking on one thing when I can do two pieces.   
 
The first piece of meat stopped and then the second piece hit the first piece and I knew I had a problem.  The problem was immediately apparent when I tried to cough up the meat and nothing happened and when I tried to breathe nothing happened. 
 
I turned to Bob who was watching me and I shook my head and stood up at the same time he did.  You would have thought we had practiced this maneuver many many times.  Bob stepped in behind as I stood and wrapped his arms around me, he knew exactly how to perform the Heimlich maneuver.  Through all of this both of us were calm as if this was a normal thing in our lives.  After a couple tries one piece of meat moved and two more times and second piece of meat moved. 
 
I gave Bob a quick kiss on the cheek as tears were rolling down his face, reached over to the table, grabbed a napkin and picked up the offending pieces of meat off of the floor.   Then we both sat down, I swallowed a little water and we proceeded as if nothing had happened.  There was never any panic or doubt in my mind that Bob would know what to do and solve my problem as he has for 37 years.
 
The other couple had a dazed look on their faces as I started eating my steak again in much smaller pieces!   We spent a few more hours talking trucking and sharing mutual experiences and had a wonderful afternoon.  
 
That evening I started noticing my ribs hurting and by morning I realized how much force Bob used to perform the Heimlich.  Without the force he used I do not think the meat would have dislodged.  Realizing now if I would have had to perform this on Bob he would have had to remain seated

Bob and I much older....

so that I could get the right angle.
 
Bob has never attended a first aid class to learn this maneuver.  He learned by reading the posters that are on walls in various public buildings. 
 
Here is a link to look ever how to perform this procedure; you never know when you might become a hero. 
 
http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-the-Heimlich-Maneuver

 
How to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on yourself
http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-the-Heimlich-Maneuver-on-Yourself
 

Comments (4)

Linda Caffee

Bob and Linda started their driver careers after their children left home for college in 2000. Bob started as a driver for a large motor carrier with Linda as a rider. They decided to enter the Expedite industry as team drivers in 2005 and purchased their first Freightliner. Both, Bob and Linda have had their Class A licenses since the early 80's starting out driving in the oil field and hauling grain as fill in drivers where Bob worked as a diesel mechanic. Linda worked at the local country courthouse in data processing.

 
 

Linda,
I'm very happy this turned out well and I'm glad you are still with us. It could have easily went the other way. I believe everyone should take a basic first aid class which would cover CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. One way a shorter person can perform this on a tall person or a small build person can perform this on a heavier build person is to have the tall/heavy person lie down on their back on the floor. They need to be on a hard surface. The small/short person straddle their legs, facing them, and using the heel of your hands push in and up below the rib cage. The maneuver is very similar to what you experienced but the rescuer doesn't have to be behind the patient. In this configuration, should the heavier person lose consciousness, the smaller person doesn't have to worry about hold up the heavier person or trying to break their fall.
If you are by yourself and this happens, you can do this maneuver on yourself using the back of a chair by quickly lowering yourself on the chair back. No, I haven't tried it and yes it sounds difficult but it's better than nothing.

March 08, 2016 8:36:40 AM

It was an experience for sure and one we do not want to repeat! Least I know that when Bob is waiting for me to come out of the restroom he is getting educated! I am not so sure if the roles had been reversed I would have been as calm as Bob and I am not really sure how a shorter person performs this maneuver on a tall person.

March 08, 2016 6:00:37 AM

How terrifying! Thank God for Bob!

March 07, 2016 12:40:38 PM

You two are young at heart and mind!

March 07, 2016 7:54:09 AM