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Sunday, September 25, 2011

the errant thumb tack


What are the odds of someone putting up a picture on the wall and having thumbtacks in thieir pocket along with their inhaler, and one of the thumb tacks getting into the mouthpiece of the inhaler, and when they use their inhaler, the thumb tack is hurtled into their airway and lodges in a branch of their bronchus? A zillion to one? And yet it happened.

Did I mention that they had to go to surgery to have it removed with a bronchoscope? Did I mention that they now have pneumonia and are intubated? Did I mention that they are also 5 months pregnant? Did I mention they have a 3 year old? Did I mention that their husband is currently over in the middle east because they are in the army? Fortunately things are a lot better and they will probably be extubated tomorrow.

If life is just and karma kicks in, I expect them to win the lottery next years just because they deserve it.

6 comments:

ERP said...

Wow. That's some serious Murphy's Law in action.

rnraquel said...

Holy crap!

EDNurseasauras said...

That is insane!

Allen said...

Hoping your HIPAA insurance is paid..

Pop said...

I had a candy wrapper do that and choked. Alone. Tried to heimleich myself over a chair. Didn't work.
By the grace of God, I somehow managed to swallow it.

I obsessively check my inhalers now.

If I could, I would change inhaler design. 1. Attached lids so they don't get lost and 2. Some kind of rubber ring to keep debris from falling in where the canister inserts.

Sorry to hear about your relative/friend. Glad they are recovering okay.

M

Jenny said...

My first child was three when I was pregnant with no.2. I have chronic asthma and many a time I've inadvertently sprayed random pocket/purse debris straight into my airway during a frenzied panic. That was the suspected cause of a childhood bout of pneumonia. This could have so easily been me... (Though substitute the absence of a selfless, heroic spouse with the much-welcomed absence of a violent abuser and all the fear/lookin over the shoulder that entails...)

But this.... Just... Damn. It's like;

Murphy's law PLUS Final Destination = this scenario