I suggest that everyone learn how to save a life just in case, one day, it becomes necessary. Yesterday morning I woke up and went through my morning routine. The first thing I do when I get to the kitchen is drink my 24 ounces of water and then go take my supplements. I was swallowing my vitamin C pills and my multivitamin and all of a sudden it felt like it was getting lodged in my throat and I couldn’t breathe.

I paused and thought they would change. They didn’t change. She was gasping for air. I kept calm and walked towards my son’s room where he was sleeping. He heard me gasp and flew out of bed. He had my hand in a fist and was pushing it against my midriff area. I knew I needed the Heimlich and he grabbed me and started applying it. It took me about four tries before he could breathe again. I stood there sucking in the air and taking in what had just happened. He just stood there looking at me with wide eyes. Can you imagine waking up like this?

I had to chuckle a bit thinking about how things come back. Many years ago, my son had taken his vitamin and suddenly he was grabbing his throat and his eyes got really big. I told him to stay calm and went up to him and did the Heimlich. Yesterday, he came to return the favor.

Later in the day, I wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t been here. I could have tried making Heimlich myself on my kitchen chairs. They are rounded. It may have worked. I was thankful that he was here to save a life that happened to be my own! I also thought about how many people don’t know how to apply rescue techniques like Heimlich or CPR.

Courses are offered everywhere to teach these simple life-saving techniques. It is very important that we learn to use these tools at our disposal. The best case scenario is that we never have to use them. Well, on second thought, perhaps the best case scenario is that we are the ones who know how to use them and manage to save a life as a result of the knowledge we have gained by learning.

I suggest that everyone who doesn’t have the skills yet find out how to learn them. Start with your local hospital. See what they offer or where they refer you. You may save a life one day! Who doesn’t want to be a hero?