E
arly in the evening on May 10, I received a text
message that brought on both chills and an
incredible sense of pride at the same time: “Just
performed the Heimlich on my mom (choked on
carrot in the kitchen). She was on the verge of passing out
… so scary!”
The text was from my friend David Ginsburg, an assistant
professor at the University of Southern California (USC).
We’ve worked together for the past four years teaching
a scientific diving course for the Environmental Studies
Program at USC.
Dave and his family were at his mother’s home in Malibu,
Calif., preparing to have dinner when his mother began
choking on a piece of carrot. As Dave described it, he was in
the living room and heard her start to cough in the kitchen.
He then heard her gasping for air and went to the kitchen
to find her holding onto the edge of the sink and beginning
to turn blue. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening
and wondered if he needed to intervene or if she would be
able to expel the object by herself. He worried that he might
break her ribs. Her house is in a fairly remote area, and he
thought that if she passed out, help might not arrive in time
to save her.
He put his doubts aside and performed three or four
abdominal thrusts. He didn’t see the carrot come out, but
after the last thrust she was breathing again.
I texted Dave back and asked how she was; he replied, “A
little bruised from me pumping my fist into her diaphragm,
Keep
Your
Skills
Sharp
54
|
FALL 2013
RESEARCH, EDUCATION & MEDICINE
//
S K I L L S I N A C T I O N
B y T o m C a r r
RICK MELVIN
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