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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhile I didn\u2019t quite believe it, I accepted it, as every doctor we saw agreed it wouldn\u2019t be the popcorn, because she improved with Ventolin throughout the night. They told us that if it was the popcorn, she wouldn\u2019t have improved with Ventolin and treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A few days went on and she had a terrible wheeze and was struggling to breathe once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I took her back to the emergency room and she was seen by another doctor. When I mentioned the popcorn, he said it could very well be that she aspirated popcorn but unlikely, because she was responding to Ventolin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I asked if we could get an x-ray done to rule out the popcorn, but I was told it wouldn\u2019t show on the x-ray so there would be no point to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doctor assured me if it was the popcorn, that it wouldn\u2019t be dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He got a second opinion from a more senior doctor, who agreed. It was another short stay with bursts of Ventolin. She was released again with an outpatient appointment to be reviewed by an ENT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two weeks later, she was still having these breathing issues and seemed to have a constant wheeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I took her to her ER again and they just put her back on steroids and said to maintain Ventolin when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Three weeks after she first choked, I was over it and sick of watching her struggle to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She couldn\u2019t run, swim, or play because she would struggle, so I took her back to the ER. The doctor was frustrated with me and assured me she was fine and to keep up the Ventolin when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember, my daughter was previously healthy with no asthma symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I knew this wasn\u2019t normal, so I booked an appointment with my GP who was really concerned after listening to her chest, so sent us for an immediate chest x-ray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The x-ray showed she had pneumonia and inflammation on her lung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My GP was straight on the phone to a private respiratory specialist requesting they see my daughter urgently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was put back on steroids, antibiotics, and told to keep up the Ventolin while we waited to see the specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We had to wait one long week to see the specialist (now on week 5) and as soon as he listened to her chest and looked at the X-ray, he sent us straight back to the emergency room with a stern letter for them to finally treat her and investigate further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That afternoon she was taken into emergency surgery to remove the piece of popcorn that she had in fact aspirated on 5 weeks earlier. It was too late! The damage was done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The popcorn had caused some damage to her lung because it sat there for 5 long weeks and slowly started breaking down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t want to think about what could have happened if I didn\u2019t take her to see the private specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I regret not pushing more for an X-ray at the start and implementing Ryan\u2019s rule. Ryan\u2019s rule is a process where families can raise concerns if they feel like their child isn\u2019t receiving the care they require, or symptoms are getting worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please remember to always trust your gut instinct and to advocate if needed for your child. Doctors can and do get it wrong all the time and us parents know our children and know when something is off with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lwm-a2.azureedge.net\/uploads\/2019\/07\/choking_chereelawrence4-1-900x900.jpg\")
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