How to stay grateful when unexpected traumas occur

I had quite a scare the other night. I was getting ready for bed and taking my two large calcium pills, which I always swallow at the same time. I noticed one was stuck in my throat, which is happens occasionally. I swallowed more water and tried coughing to help the pill go down. It was stuck pretty far down, and I was having no luck dislodging the pill. I decided to walk downstairs and eat something to hopefully push the pill down. I was taking a breath and realized my throat was completely obstructed. Absolutely no air  could be inhaled.

I knew I had to act quickly and the adrenalin rush helped me to think clearly. Calling 911 was useless since I couldn’t speak, and help would not arrive for 10-15 minutes, which would be too late. I considered running next door for help, but my neighbors were out of town. I decided to do the heimlich maneuver on myself a few times, and if that didn’t work, I would have to take more drastic measures of  doing a tracheotomy on myself. I knew I would be unconscious soon, so time was of the essence. I did a forward bend and hit my lower chest really hard. Great news..the two calcium pills literally flew out of my mouth, and I could breathe again. Apparently when I swallowed lots of water, the two pills stuck together, which caused the total obstruction.

I just laid down on my floor and felt so upset. This really scared me! Then I started taking slow, deep breaths to calm down. My mind wanted to go to all the what if’s and worst case scenarios. Instead, I focused on how grateful I was to be alive, healthy, and able to breathe. When I am living in gratitude, there is no space for worry about the future… The future that may or may not come to pass.

I think I was able to stay in gratitude because I have been practicing this for many years. In fact, going through infertility was my first teacher. When you are trying to get pregnant, it is so easy to slip into worrying about whether or not you will be pregnant this month, next month, or this year. That worry drains your energy and only creates fear and anxiety.

Rather than let your thoughts wander into the made up future, keep your attention on this day and this moment. Think of the many things you are grateful for, and appreciate all the ways your life is blessed. This is calming and really feels good. The more you practice living in gratitude, the easier it becomes. Infertility can be a powerful teacher, and it has the ability to transform how you live in the world.

I went to sleep that night deeply appreciating my life. It’s really a wonderful way to rest peacefully. I hope the same for you as you are trying to get pregnant.