Kevin's Turn

Marriage Conference with couples from our former church in Florida. Jekyll Island, Georgia.

The first event of the night was a banquet with traditional hotel food - Roast beef, vegetables, potatoes and rolls. The roast beef was dry and hard to chew. We were sitting at a table with three other couples. Two of the couples we knew pretty well and one of the couples we had really just met.

Pleasant conversation. A few jokes about the conference. Then our friend Chris sitting at the table starts coughing. We look up and he is choking on his food. Not just a little bit but really choking and turning red. His wife screams, "Somebody do something." There was a doctor seated at the next table who jumped up and started doing the Heimlech. They were able to dislodge the food. The doctor told Chris to walk outside and get some fresh air. Everyone sort of resumed eating although many people were suddenly not hungry. Kevin looked at me and said that he was going outside to check on Chris and get some fresh air too. I watched him walk out the door but I noticed he wasn't walking in a straight line. (This was a Baptist marriage conference so it wasn't like he'd been hitting the bottle. )

I decided I better go check on Kevin. I walk outside. Our choking friend Chris is outside with the doctor. Kevin mumbles something about not feeling well. He looks a little pale. The doc tells someone to go get him a chair. He starts to sit down (remember Kevin is 6' 4" and about 195 lbs). Instead of sitting, he starts falling backwards. Dead weight. I'm trying to catch him so he doesn't hit his head on the concrete below us. I guess I was hoping my adrenalin would kick in and make me into Wonder Woman or something. Doc yells at Chris to help and get his feet above his heart. Poor Chris steps in and we (well really he) catch Kevin and ease him to the ground. He is completely out and suddenly every horrible thought fills my mind.

The paramedics pull up. Wow! That was fast. Someone from the hotel staff had called 911 when Chris started choking. Kevin wakes up and looks up at me (remember he is flat on his back on the ground). I can tell he doesn't recognize me or know where he is. It was like he had a blank hard drive. He finally realizes what had happened and where he is.

This is how I knew he would be ok.
Paramedic: What year is it?
Kevin: 2006
P: Who is the President
K: George W. Bush
P: What are you guys doing here at this hotel?
K: We're at a marriage conference and the first topic was sex*. That guy choked and I passed out. We're off to a great start.
P: Sign me up! Sounds like fun.

*It really wasn't. We hadn't even started the "conference" portion yet when all this happened.

Note: Kevin did go to the doc when we got home to get checked out. The doc said he had something called a vasovagal episode when a person's body reacts in an exaggerated way to distress (Kevin was watching Chris choke thinking that he could die and he is young with four kids...). Heart rate drops, no blood to brain. Down you go.