The Dangers of Mindless Eating

Everyday at around 4 pm I have a piece of fruit and 2 low fat cheese sticks. Relatively healthy stuff! The fruit du jour was a juicy ripe peach. I was eating at my desk, reading an old trust document and clicking through computer screens while nibbling and trying not to dribble peach juice on myself or on the documents. Down to the last bite…. I popped it into my mouth and swallowed. Good grief! That was quite a lump! I couldn’t swallow it or spit it out and saw a tiny bit of peach in my hand—Yikes! I’d bitten off and swallowed the pit and was holding the piece of peach that I intended to eat. I also couldn’t breath, just a slight wheeze.

At first I just tried to cough it up. Nope, wasn’t budging. Then I tried the finger in the mouth. No go, but I did manage to attract the attention of the woman in the office next to mine at that point. I made the universal “I’m choking” signal, but her response was to go running down the hallway yelling for her boss. By this time I was trying to do the Heimlich on myself by flinging myself against the back of my chair, but my chair is on rollers. In retrospect, that must have looked pretty funny. Next, I ran over to the file cabinets and kept taking runs at them. Meanwhile, there were people running all over the building yelling that someone was choking, does anyone know how to do the Heimlich maneuver??? And at least two people called 911. On my last fling (yeah, like I’d do that again for fun) the peach pit flew out of my mouth and hit the wall. By the time anyone who knew or had the presence of mind to do anything showed up, I would have been out cold. The paramedics arrive in 10 minutes, long enough for major brain damage.

So please eat mindfully. Pay attention while you eat. I’m going to multi-task a bit less and try to notice when I’m putting something stupid in my mouth! That healthy stuff can kill you, too.

Several people pointed out that if I was like everyone else and had a Snickers bar at 4pm, I would have been perfectly safe

Be careful out there-

Mel

LOL, peaches can kill! Who knew?

I've bitten a finger (hard) when not paying attention, or tried to eat my pen instead of my food.

I literally did LOL when you got to the chair on rollers.

OMG Mel, How frightening! I'm glad you're okay, well, maybe bruised from flinging yourself on the file cabinet repeatedly. Who knew healthy food could be so dangerous!

I'm so glad you were able to dislodge the pit. I wouldn't be surprised if a Heimlich class gets scheduled soon and a lot of people sign up for it.

!!!!! Mel !!!!!

Be careful! So glad you're OK!

oh wow how scary for you. I bet the office makes learning the Hemlich maneuver mandatory now., if not they should!

Oh Mel, how positively frightening. You are one together lady (unlike your co-workers) to be able to dislodge the pit on your own. I'm so very glad you kept your wits about you. Thank G-d you are okay.

And about that Snickers bar. Imagine if you had one of those every single day. I'm definitely, DEFINITELY seeing some danger involved there.

Wow! How scary for you! But smart thinking to throw yourself against the file cabinets (although I have the funniest image of you thrashing about your office ). Nothing like trying to perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself!

It is just shocking to me that no one in your office knew how to perform it. It's not really rocket science. Heck, you could probably google how to do it on the internet in 30 seconds. In fact, you can--I just tried. Took about five seconds to find the instructions (complete with pictures) and 30 seconds to read them. Maybe you should hand out copies to everyone.

Don't switch to the Snickers. If you aren't paying attention you could swallow the wrapper and then you'd be choking and off plan!

Seriously, glad you are ok. Good thinking on the file cabinets. Be careful.

Anne

Eek! I'm so glad you're okay, Mel!

Oh, MY! I'm alternating between horror and relief that you are OK, and hysterical laughter at your ability to post so humorously and eloquently about such a horrific experience.

I am incredibly impressed with your calm under extreme duress. Well done, and lesson learned. One bad habit for me IS multitasking while eating at my desk.

SOOOOO very glad you are OK.

Good thing you keep a cool head in an emergency!

Tera

Hmmm. choking risk or heart attack risk? *getting out my handy-dandy balance*

I definitely see your point!

Tera

OMG, Mel! I don't even know what to say! It's funnily horrific the way you tell it! I'm so glad you're okay!!!

Mel, I'm so glad you're all right! That must have been very frightening. Thank you for the heads up on eating mindfully!