The Day my Husband Saved My Baby's Life

Sunday was a scary day. Jimmy was back to his regular work schedule after two days of getting off early.

Per our usual routine, I do not go to church on the Sundays that he works. Typically, Harper goes to church with my parents and I stay at home to catch up on things while she naps.

Things were normal on Sunday. Hollin napped well and woke up happy. Harper and my parents came back from their service. They packed and headed back to my hometown for a few days.

Jimmy stopped by on their way out.

.

Once they were gone, he came in to grab something to drink.

 We were talking in the kitchen and I watched Hollin crawl into the TV room to play with Harper. After a moment, Jimmy and I heard a strange noise. We ran in to find Hollin completely choked.

I immediately panicked. Jimmy grabbed her up as I looked down to find some of Harper's Nutter Butter cookies on the floor. I watched him turn her nearly upside down and beat on her back. She was coughing and trying to cry, but not getting very much air, so her cries were small and gurgly.

Beating her back just wasn't working. It sounded like every breath inward was just forcing the cookie further back. Jimmy tried to scoop the cookie from the back of her throat. The sight and sound of this was horrific. I felt numb and helpless. I remember asking if I should call 911 and he loudly protested.

Finally, he hooked enough of the mushed peanut butter cookie from the back of her throat to clear her windpipe and she cried out.

There was a bit of blood on his hands and we still aren't sure if it came from her throat or from the 3 teeth that she has coming in at the moment. We were all shaken up and Hollin held on to me, perfectly still, while I rocked her. This baby never sits still, so I know she was completely traumatized. We all were.

I feel so guilty that I didn't immediately follow her into the TV room. I try my best to keep things off the floor, but at some point, Harper found his cookies, ate some, and left some on the floor.

If Jimmy had not stopped by the house, I don't know that I could have done what he did. I would have most likely called 911 and tried to get it out until they got there. He has told me many times that it could take several minutes for them to get to our house and choking is something that is difficult to handle. She would have probably gone unconcious by the time they got here.

He stuck around for a few moments, but then had to get back to work. I held it together until he left, but then I just cried and cried. I realized how serious this was and how it could have turned out.

Luckily for all of us, Hollin was back to her normal, happy self shortly. I just wanted to get out of the house for a moment, so we ran to McDonald's for lunch.

 

I couldn't really stop thinking about it for the rest of the day, but we went on as usual.

 

 We took a walk.

 

And Harper helped Hollin with her walking.

 

Jimmy came home that night and admitted how much it shook him up as well. Obviously, he was in the right place at the right time this weekend.  I'm so thankful for him and that he could think clearly in that situation.

 

He absolutely saved her life.