Did the heimlich one handed today

[breakingtime91]

I've posted here before that I had finger surgery recently. I'm currently still recovering and have too wear a splint 247, effectively making my right hand useless.

With background out of the way, I was teaching Math today to my fourth graders and gave them a bathroom break before we started a group activity. About 10 seconds later a few of my students ran in and started screaming that someone needed my help. When I say screaming, I don't mean typical kid yelling, but fear in their voice and their eyes wide with fear. I sprinted out of my classroom thinking it was a fight or a teacher was hurt, I was greeted by a group of 5th graders staring at me, the fifth grade teachers who were trying to assist a student, and a student turning purple. The fifth grade teachers quickly explained that he was choking and their attempts at the heimlich had not worked (he is a big fifth grader, guessing 150ish and the teachers are about his height and weigh less.) I had taught him last year so I quickly told him it was gonna be okay and that I was there. He was at the point where I could tell he was about to panic and I needed him to stay as calm as possible so I told him to just listen to my voice. I have absolutely no idea what I said because at the same time that I started talking to him so he wouldn't go into shock (hopefully) I realized I only had one usable hand. So I adjusted my hips a little lower to get more force and locked him into me as much as I could while I told the other teachers I wasn't sure if I could get it one handed and to call the nurse. My first attempt didn't feel as solid as I hoped and wasn't successful, and that is where I started to feel my gut knot up. My second attempt was much more solid and actually lifted him onto his tippy toes and the mint he was choking on shot out of his mouth, followed by quite a bit of vomit and heavy breathing. He is gonna be okay, he has popped blood vessels on his face and a little bruising, but he will be fine.

I needed to write this out because while I was successful, I still have knots thinking about what if I wouldn't of been able to pull it off. Man, what a Friday.

[rd62]

On behalf of his parents, the other students, and teachers, Bless you!

[jws]

Good work man! Situations like that are scary, I’m glad it turned out well.

[WDR]

On behalf of his parents, the other students, and teachers, Bless you!

This! Good job... good save!

[GJM]

Excellent!

[lwt16]

Awesome job!

I have one Heimlich save and it was on the fifth attempt. I really put my back into it and the piece of steak unlodged and shot out. My victim had a severe nose bleed afterwards and was sore for a week but no other ill effects.

Hope your employer recognizes you on an appropriate fashion.

Again, great job.

Regards.

[1Rangemaster]

@breakingtime91 :

Well done, sir. You did a heroic thing under less than ideal circumstances. Good for you!

[Mark D]

Great work!

You demonstrated a cool head under pressure. You also demonstrated the importance of basic first aid training. Hope you can treat yourself to a tasty bite or beverage to celebrate a damn good job.

[breakingtime91]

Thank you everyone for the kind words. After I would get into and out of high stress situations in Afghanistan I would always write my own after action report in a notebook I carried in my pack. I found it helped me decompress and evaluate what happened. Decided to write it here today. I have combat life saver training and had a really good instructor during the course who taught us the heimlich. Glad to see I still have the ability to stay calm in those type situations a decade later.

[Risto]

Strong work!!

Gave me goosebumps reading that after a bad child choking incident I had a few years back.

You legit saved a life.