Well I know when I was held at gun point*

I almost died tonight. I would have to say that it was the closest that I have been to a "life threatening" experience. We had a roommate dinner, so the four of us were out to eat and we were talking about ugly babies (because we've all seen them) and my roommate said something really funny about how ugly babies grow out of it but children still have their stages. I had been taking a sip of water as she made a face to recreate her reaction when she saw her niece smile after getting teeth. It was hilarious, so funny that I could have spewed water out across the table at another roommate, but opted to try to wait until done laughing to swallow. That is until I ran out of air and need to take some in, but the water was there and I tried to swallow the water but my body wanted air at the same time. At first I thought it was the usual, embarrassing choking on the water thing, a little came out of my nose (yes, the very thing I was trying to avoid).

Well, I tried gasping for air but it wasn't getting the job done. I was getting little amounts and any moment now my body (or rather the lack of adequate oxygen) was going to make me pass out and take over, because being conscious I think I got in the way of "recovery". My roommate, Liz knows the Heimlich, but you don't do the Heimlich if they can breath at all...and my gasping for air constituted breathing. So I continued to gasp for air but barely got any in. I honestly thought I would die and guess what? Nothing flashed before my eyes, no thoughts ran through my head except that I wanted to breath like normal again. I wanted to tell Liz I couldn't breath, but I couldn't talk and I could breath, a little, about as much as you can when you have your palm pressed hard against your mouth (go ahead...try it).

I finally stood up, and that seemed to clear the way (though I am still coughing 2 hours later), amazing how easy it was right? Not to get biblical, but like the Children of Israel who just had to look to the serpent and be saved...I just had to stand up. Or you know, spew the water all over, or better yet, spit it back out into my cup and deal with it, at least I wouldn't have to gasp for air with everyone looking at me. It's the kind of attention I prefer to avoid, yes, I'm saying I'm more embarrassed then anything else. Probably because in the end I was okay...I should just be grateful right?

So, true to form I made jokes about it and my roommates were amazing about jumping right in. I told my roommates I will never drink in social situations again, it's just too dangerous (I also told Lisa she couldn't talk anymore, she's too funny). Liz joined in pretending to be me in a social situation where I was offered water and said, "I used to take more risks in my younger days, but it's too dangerous."

Then Lisa started to talk about how much she wanted chocolate or ice cream. I said we should get some, I mean, I almost died and Cold Stone was just next door. Anne was talking about how they have the birthday cups, maybe we could get a death cup. Just go tell the guy I almost died, see if I can get free ice cream out of it.

So we get our separate checks and Lisa asks us what 83 + 50 is and quicker than usual (cause I suck at what we like to call mental math) I said 133(whatever I'm getting cheese fries*). Then I mused on the fact that I answered so quickly. I decided that because I was so close to the "other side" my brain was opened and I became smarter. I mean something good has to come out of it right? And it's good to know I have a healthy sense of humor about death, particularly my own.

I'll probably dry drown in the middle of the night...another regular, irrational fear of mine.