Just did the Heimlich manuever on a co-worker

[prolesunited]

He stands up at his desk in an open office space and starts choking and signalling frantically.

Everyone else is just staring at him. I ask him if he needs help and he nods yes, so I get up to attempt it, not like I did it before, but I understand the procedure.

Anyway, I'm short and wear petite sizes. I couldn't even get my arms around his large, protruding belly. He's still choking and everyone is just looking at me.

The guy has some SERIOUS issues when it comes to personal grooming, but are you going to let him die because you don't want to touch him.

Another man finally stepped in to help out and get it dislodged. I think it was a cough drop, so perhaps it just melted or finally slid down.

Thank goodness. Mouth-to-mouth probably would have made me ill.

Anyway, that was my bit of excitement for the evening.

So, could I have done more harm than good? I know with kids, you can break a rib if you don't get the placement right. I'm sure unless it was a frail old lady, I couldn't hurt an adult.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. You helped save a life tonight.

You did what had to be done. Congratulations!

[yardwork]

2. You did the right thing - at the very least, you alerted others

and finally somebody big enough to be effective stepped in and helped. If you hadn't thought fast and done what you did, everybody else might have stood around gaping until the guy choked to death.

I don't think a cough drop would have melted in time, and it's unlikely that it would slide down. You may very well have saved this man's life.

[prolesunited]

4. I guess I should mention

that he's an ultra-conservative who didn't vote for Bush because even he's too liberal. :eyes:

[buddysmellgood]

3. You know, that man did not have a right to your free healthcare.

Itemize and send him a bill.

[Goldeneye]

5. More likely to break the xiphoid process...which sticks off the sternum

Good job with the heimlich though. A lot of people don't know how to do that stuff.

[Columbia]

7. If you're attempting to give abdominal thrusts anywhere near the Xiphoid

I seriously, I mean, seriously urge you to take a Red Cross CPR class.

[prolesunited]

8. I have taken them twice before

but it was many moons ago.

Xiphoid?

I know you can throw someone's cardiac rhythm off if you attempt chest compressions when they really don't need it. He was still conscious and standing at this point.

[Columbia]

12. You should take it once a year if you can

It's indeed quite a perishable skill.

When you give abdominal thrusts to a conscious choking victim you should have your cupped fist just above the belly button and give quick upward thrusts.

However, if the person is too large for you to do this, you can do it over the center of the breastbone. A better alternative is to ask the person to stand with their back against a way and then administer the abdominal thrusts from the front.

The Xiphoid process is the little sharp bony protrusion right below your sternum (the bottom of where your ribs meet). It feels like a little notch right below the sternum, but if you do chest compressions there it can damage internal organs and possibly puncture a lung. If you do CPR, chest compressions are done two fingers widths above the Xiphoid notch.

Short of electrical shock, it'd be very difficult to alter a person's cardiac rhythm with chest compressions. Chest compressions are done to help the heart pump oxgenated blood (oxgenated through rescue breathing) and NOT to restart it contrary to popular TV/movie belief.

[Feathered Fish]

6. Good on ya!

I was eating a hot dog (from a vendor) once when it got lodged in my throat. Some guy - totally calmly gave me the Heimlich, which sent the dog flying onto the sidewalk. Before I could even say thanks, he was walking away. So good for you - you did save a life. :)

[prolesunited]

9. Nah, I really didn't

I couldn't even get my arms wrapped around him. It was another male coworked who came up afterward that was able to do the trick.

BTW, that's a really cool story. Lucky for you.

[Withywindle]

10. Wow! Good for you!

The thinking and the follow-through.

I don't know how much strength it takes. I'm afraid I may be in that position someday and not be strong enough....:scared:


Wait a minute. Am I hallucinating it, or did I read once about John Kerry doing that for some Repub senator who was choking, a long time ago? I could swear I did.


...and then there's Bush and the pretzel....


What is it with right-wingers not knowing how to eat properly? And why do we liberal do-gooders keep enabling them? O8)

[agates]

11. To do abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)

on someone you can't reach around, have them lean against the wall and use your two hands just above the navel. (Be ready to duck when the food or whatever is expelled!) As far as doing more harm than good, just stay well below the chest in the area just above the navel and you'll be fine. Good for you for trying to help.

[nutsnberries]

13. feels good, don't it? ...

good going, prolesunited!

I don't know about the *more harm than good* stuff.
I suppose it's true, but I'd rather do something rather than have regrets about standing there thinking about form while the person choked!

I saved my son with ONE ARM once.
He was 6 and standing amidst a bunch of adults (relatives) that were talking.
He swallowed a hard candy and his motions caught my eye.
When I saw his panicked face and the tears, I got to him and grabbed him up off the ground
with one arm under his ribs, since I had my other arm loaded with things and didn't think to drop them.
It was just pure instinct on my part, no real thoughts.
The candy popped out onto the ground...
As the other adults were wondering what was going on,
we were hugging in such relief!

[Liberty Belle]

14. Good for you. I saved my son once with Heimlich.

I'd never had any training, but he was choking on pizza crust and no one else was home. I was surprised how easy it was!