nem⋅e⋅sis /ˈnɛməsɪs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [nem-uh-sis] Show IPA
Use nemesis in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ses /-ˌsiz/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [-seez] Show IPA . 1. something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc.: The performance test proved to be my nemesis.
2. an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
3. (initial capital letter) Classical Mythology. the goddess of divine retribution.
4. an agent or act of retribution or punishment.
I believe that each of those definitions describes my relationship with choking. Even though many of you are laughing or scratching your heads wondering how I can have a "relationship" with choking, it is real and it can happen to anyone.
For the past few years, I have had to make sure that I don't have anything edible (i.e. food or medication) in my mouth when I'm: walking, running, laughing, or talking. To be honest, I can't do anything other than sit there or there is a chance I will choke.
People always wonder why it takes me so long to eat, well I realized that I don't touch my food while I am talking because I will choke. I would rather be the last one eating so that I can have a conversation with someone without the anxiety of another "incident".
Which leads to me to the point of this entry, tonight, while telling my dad how the funeral went I had to take some vitamins. They are the size of horse pills and I have to cut them in half. I almost had a close call while trying to take them whole and I was by myself the other day, but I was able to cough it up and spit it out. While my dad is taking to me, I try to hurry up and take one of the halves, so I can respond to my dad. I should have taken my rushing as a sign, but before I knew it...disaster struck.
I started to gag, and I told my dad I was choking. He responded with "your fine, just breath and swallow." I was able to talk and swallow, but then it really did get stuck. I started to grab my neck and run towards my dad. He got behind me and tried give me the Heimlich. Mind you, he had to get in a big sigh of annoyance before doing so. He got behind my and gave a little squeeze. I was still gagging, started to cry and my face started to turn red. Before my dad could really do anything, the pill started to move down. Then I was fine. We both stood in the kitchen in silence just to make sure I was ok...
Alyssa always tells me I need to relax when I feel like I am choking, and if I wasn't sick I don't feel it would have been an issue. But I promise, this time it really did get stuck. Ask my brother, he really had to give me the Heimlich after I choked on a chicken finger after I got my braces on, so I do know what it feels like to really choke. That time I let it go so long my face started to turn colors.
I cut the remaining half of the pill in half, meaning I have to now cut them in fourths to make sure this "incident no. 200" doesn't happen again. :( Oh, to be a fly on the wall...but at least vegetables don't come out of my nose when I eat them...