I knew I was going to have trouble Sunday night. Belly was on the burn and I'd been eating nickel sized Tums like a fat kid eats M&Ms. Had two pillows under my head when I fell asleep. Apparently, I got comfortable and had rolled over and head butted the pillows away.
I usually wake up just as the stomach contents reaches my throat. I bolt awake, set up, and do some double clutching to get it back down. A few sips of water to wash out the throat and I'm good to go. This time, I woke up with the crap in my airway. Couldn't cough it out because I had no air in my lungs. Couldn't breathe in because I'd sucked it deeper in. Wife knows I'm in a world of hurt, but I couldn't tell her what was wrong. It's going through my head that this might just be curtains. If I breathe in, I'm screwed. If I do nothing, I'll pass out from lack of oxygen and the body will take over and breathe the crap in. Finally got my ship together, balled up my right hand into a fist, grabbed it with my left hand, tucked it under my ribcage, and gave myself the Heimlich maneuver. Took four times before I could get in enough air to cough. Once I started coughing, I though I'd never stop. Spooky. It would be hell to have the wife watch me die.
