Thatchermom
08-01-2008, 05:01 PM
Last night was a parent's worst nightmare for me!
We were out late at a work event for DH, driving home in separate cars. DS and DD were strapped into the backseat of the van, DD had been crying on and off since it was late and she was tired and hungry. DS asked if he could try giving her some snacks, and he could reach her little puffs so I said okay.
It was dark, raining hard, and we were on a very busy freeway in Seattle when I heard the unmistakable sound of DD choking in the back, and I couldn't reach her or pull over! DS immediately knew what was going on, but not anything to do about it and was screaming and crying and really hysterical. I finally found a wide spot in a median (felt like an hour but was probably less than a minute) and pulled in and jumped out, half in traffic, to yank DD from her seat and try to remember my first aid/choking stuff. A few good whacks to her back and she threw up all over both of us - but was breathing again.
I think the hardest thing I've ever had to do was immediately put her back in her seat so I could get us out of that spot to somewhere safer but we were getting soaked and cars were honking all around us. It felt like it just went against all things mama to let go of her immediately. We found an exit while trying to call DH and pulled into a parking lot, where I had both hysterical kids in my lap when DH climbed into the van with us.
I don't think I will ever forget the sound of DS sobbing telling his dad how scared he was that his little sister was going to die and how much he loved her - and the worst part - that he felt like it was all his fault. We stayed there until the kids were calm, then left DH's car and went home all together with DH in the back seat where he could be with DD.
Everyone is tired but okay, and DH and are rethinking our whole snacks-in-the-car approach to life. And hugging DD just a little longer today. We spend a LOT of time in the car, and have a six-hour road trip coming up next week where I'll be on my own with the kids again. Snacks have always been a major part of our "make it work" arsenal, but now I just don't know. What do you all do? Was this an isolated freakish event or have we been too lax with food safety in the car? It's hard to think rationally with the echoes of last night ringing in my ears...
We were out late at a work event for DH, driving home in separate cars. DS and DD were strapped into the backseat of the van, DD had been crying on and off since it was late and she was tired and hungry. DS asked if he could try giving her some snacks, and he could reach her little puffs so I said okay.
It was dark, raining hard, and we were on a very busy freeway in Seattle when I heard the unmistakable sound of DD choking in the back, and I couldn't reach her or pull over! DS immediately knew what was going on, but not anything to do about it and was screaming and crying and really hysterical. I finally found a wide spot in a median (felt like an hour but was probably less than a minute) and pulled in and jumped out, half in traffic, to yank DD from her seat and try to remember my first aid/choking stuff. A few good whacks to her back and she threw up all over both of us - but was breathing again.
I think the hardest thing I've ever had to do was immediately put her back in her seat so I could get us out of that spot to somewhere safer but we were getting soaked and cars were honking all around us. It felt like it just went against all things mama to let go of her immediately. We found an exit while trying to call DH and pulled into a parking lot, where I had both hysterical kids in my lap when DH climbed into the van with us.
I don't think I will ever forget the sound of DS sobbing telling his dad how scared he was that his little sister was going to die and how much he loved her - and the worst part - that he felt like it was all his fault. We stayed there until the kids were calm, then left DH's car and went home all together with DH in the back seat where he could be with DD.
Everyone is tired but okay, and DH and are rethinking our whole snacks-in-the-car approach to life. And hugging DD just a little longer today. We spend a LOT of time in the car, and have a six-hour road trip coming up next week where I'll be on my own with the kids again. Snacks have always been a major part of our "make it work" arsenal, but now I just don't know. What do you all do? Was this an isolated freakish event or have we been too lax with food safety in the car? It's hard to think rationally with the echoes of last night ringing in my ears...