I went to Albertaco (Mexican restaurant here in the Springs), to eat lunch with Bree.

I ordered a steak burrito, we set down to eat, we're talking, I get to like...the third bite.  It's a big bite, I'm chewing it, I decided to swallow some of it...like a normal person would.

Little do I know, a tough piece of the steak isn't broke, and when I swallow the entire bite goes down my throat.

I feel it stop about half way down my throat.  I can't breathe, not even a little bit.

I start gagging, but with no sound at all, kinda looked like I was trying to throw up.

Bree asks me if I'm ok, at this point I panic and stand up flailing one of my arms around.  I hear Bree scream something, some guy across the restaurant gets up and comes running.

At this point its been about 50 seconds since I took a breath.  My eyes are full of water, my nose is running, I'm drooling, and my head feels like its going to explode.  I'm in a complete panic, it was terrifying.

At this point I either passed out, or I just blacked it out of my memory, I'm not sure.

Next thing I know, I'm laying on the ground, gasping in air (Which feels amazing and horribly painfull at the same time).  There is a mexican guy wearing an Albertaco uniform and a tall white guy standing over me, and Bree is on the phone.

Bree had called 911, and paramedics had been dispatched, but I had her call them off, as I didn't want to pay the hospital bill.

Basicaly what happened was one of the cooks in the back of the restaurant heard the yelling and just happened to know the Heimlich (sp?) by some miracle.  He came running out and wrapped me up and had the guy who was eating hold my arms, and forced me to cough the food up.  I then threw up on myself, and started breathing.

The guys name was Juan, and he barely spoke a word of English.  I gave him some money (even though he didn't want me to), and thanked him about 200 times.

The 911 operator told Bree to take me home, make me lay down, and drink a lot of water to make sure my throat wasn't damaged.

I didn't take a single breath for nearly 2 minutes.  Needless to say that is bad for you and I could have stopped breathing completely.

I'm ok now, aside from a really bad sore throat and being a little sleep for some reason.

Thanks god for angels in the guise of mexican fast food employees.

Choking sucks.  Been there before.

Hey, atleast your not 90 years old and at your great grand daughters wedding reception...(yes, it happened)

Briney beat me to it, but I always knew food would be the death of you.

I'm glad you're alright!

-b0b
(...goes to make a burrito.)