Choking

The first question Dean's nurse had for him today was "Have you been chewing your food?" Then I remembered last week that Dean almost choked on a piece of meat from his "Meals on Wheels" while she was here. We both heard him say that his meat was too tough to cut, but we kept on with our conversation till he stood up suddenly with a scared expression on his face and we knew instantly that he was choking.

Even though Carla, the nurse, is a good foot shorter than my tall husband, I'm sure she'd have stood on a chair to give him the Heimlich any second if she had to. But he instinctively pounded his own chest and up came a gigantic piece of meat. It was a miracle it came up. And we were all shaken and thankful that the emergency was averted.

One of the first things that Dean said after it was over was that now he knows how I feel when I have breathing episodes and we've had to call paramedics. I said yes, that's exactly how it feels. It's pretty traumatic when you can't get air.

God breathed into us the breath of life. Our breath can't be underrated. Each one is a gift of God. I feel sorry for those individuals who feel they have to supplement their air with tobacco smoke. They are poisoning the air that God gave them to breathe. I know it's a hard addiction to break, but it's also worth every effort. Recognizing the true source of help in quitting should be easy though. If God gave us our breath in the first place, He must have an interest in restoring it to us. As a woman on oxygen myself and seeing my dad die of lung cancer and emphysema, I encourage everyone to keep trying as many times as it takes to quit the habit.

Becoming More Chewsy

Twice today I almost choked on some food. They weren't bad episodes, but definitely a call for me to slow down my eating, think while I'm eating, and chew, chew, chew. With my lung power so weak, that is one of my greatest fears. I can't cough up things from my "windpipe" like most people can. So, I can really have a dangerous choking episode on almost anything, including things just floating in the air.

I've lost track how many times people have had to call 911 for me. I've never actually passed out, but the last time my daughter said my lips were blue. It usually happens when I'm in the throes of a chest cold. Hence my dread of getting a cold.

My caution with eating is similar to how I must view life. Just take it one bite at a time. Don't bite off more than I can chew, so they say. And the best part is that's how God delivers our future. One day at a time, and sometimes moment by moment. I can also testify that He's faster than any paramedic. He's even faster than the person calling 911.

I've just talked myself out of my greatest fear. And here's a verse for it: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

P.S. I still think I'll chew better tomorrow.