What to do when presented with an emergency situation in flight mode?

I flew a few days ago from Cape Town to Saudi, via Emirates , with one stopover in #Dubai. At dinner time I choose the beef option and unfortunately for myself and the poor passengers around me a beef piece got stuck in my throat. The best option would have been to immediately perform the Heimlich?maneuver. No air hostess to be found because they had a job at that time and it was to dish out the food. Being a calm and collected person I STORMED to the bathroom, needless to say with much drama and chaos because everyone around me was eating. Towards and in the bathroom, I started vomiting. To my relief I realised I can still breathe, hence my trachea is open and my lungs are getting air. I experienced the most painful stab pain in the middle of my chest that radiated to my back and I immediately realized that the beef piece I choked on got stuck in my lower oesophagus. After my vomiting episode, one air hostess approach me and asked if I am ok and if she could help with anything. I explained the situation and she then asked for assistance. The onboard EMT said: “but you are still breathing and you can still talk, so everything is ok yes?” Well, actually not because the beef piece is still stuck in my oesophagus ? and I can still talk and breathe because my trachea has not been compromised but my oesophagus has been. EMT: “Sorry ma’am I have never heard of it and I am not sure what to do. Drink some water to swallow it down”?.

By then I realized, Suzette you are on your own. And the only thing that kept me going was – just get to #Saudi, just reach your National Guard Hospital. They will know what to do.

I stood for hours by the toilets, ensuring not to block the toilet but making sure I'm near enough when I need to vomit again and not to disturb my fellow cabin passengers. No seat was offered near the toilet, no comfort of ‘ma’am when we get to the airport, we will deliver you safely to the emergency clinic’, no asking if I am ok. I was just someone occupying the air hostess’ space while they had to continue with their work.

Take note #emiratesairlines: When someone experiences an acute blockage in their oesophagus, swallowing water will not bring it down, neither will fizzy drinks nor hot tea. This person NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION! This might seem like an option but not with an acute blockage. Anything that is taken orally needs to go down to one’s stomach. That is it. If there is a blockage then it needs to go up via vomiting, because once oesophagus is not created to host solid food and fluids like a stomach. It is only a passage to your stomach. Severe pain will be experienced if there is any extra fluid consumed orally. Due to the oesophagus being in a compromised situation, it will constrict/have spasms and excrete excessive amounts of mucus and eventually that build-up of saliva will also?need to be mobilized – hence vomiting out.

I vomited at least every 15 minutes. You might not have realized that I have an acute blockage but you sure as heck did not provide any comfort to me as a passenger on your #emiratesairlines. Nor assisting me with my onward travels.

When I arrived at the DXB Dubai Airports , I seek out medical attention myself. And guess what? To be equally disappointed as on the Emirates flight. The Paramedic and Dr. in the ER Clinic said: “but you are still breathing and you can still talk, so everything is ok yes?”? Guess what, they gave me water ?, of course, followed by severe spasm pain in my chest radiated to my back, followed by vomiting. Next up: Maalox to SWALLOW ORALLY and did I mention, that I am phased with an acutely blocked oesophagus? To entertain them I took small sips, and at the same time prayed for it to work ????. Unfortunately, it only caused severe pain felt in my chest and radiated to my back followed by excessive spells of projectile vomiting. After being there for more than 2 hours the Dr. agreed that I MIGHT have a foreign body in my oesophagus ?. And the only thing I wanted to do was just get to #Saudi and to my Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA) hospital because I knew they will treat me with the best care possible ??

I managed to walk all the way to terminal 1, looking for toilets to vomit along the way. Needless to say, the ER Clinic did not even provide easier access to Terminal 1. With much relief, I got on the #Saudia plane ??, thank God I had no one sitting next to me hence I could just silently vomit in my corner. On arrival in Saudi I asked my limo driver to take me straight to KAMC Riyadh ER Department. He was more caring than the whole Emirates and Dubai airport combined.

Thank you #Saudi for being my safe haven. Thank you #MNGHA for being MY National Guard hospital. Since I walked into the ER Department, you just got me. I didn’t have to explain anything twice. You realized that I needed medical attention. IV Drip was inserted immediately since I was dehydrated and of course this was totally not an option for the Dr. at the Dubai airport ?. MNGHA ER Department, your service was fantastic. The gastroenterologist consultant saw me within minutes and a decision for endoscopy was made very quickly. The endoscopy department was super kind and thank God all went smoothly and the beef piece was dislodged and pushed through to my stomach. Thank you to all the ER Staff, and the Gastroenterology and Endoscopy department. You all were amazing! And above all, you prescribed treatment post-endoscopy and you want to repeat a check-up in three months’ time. God Bless you all ?? ??????

Advise to Emirates and Dubai Airport: You got to do better! You did not have my back; you were not my safe haven. Do you have the back of all travellers passing through? Can you really understand, address and care for their emergencies? I completely understand, my case was somehow different because an endoscopy could not have been done on the plane but you could have made better choices in caring for and supporting me in this emergency situation I experienced. Passengers are your customers, and they pay good prices to be served well. Try to serve your customers better, if you possibly could.

May my message be an eye opener for #emiratesairlines and #dubaiairport, that your emergency responses and caring nature needs to be addressed. And travellers boarding on your planes and passing through your airport, be cautious and vigilant and try your best not to get yourself in an emergency situation. Get to know the phenomena of Oesophageal Food Bolus Obstruction and that if untreated it has complications such as perforation of the oesophagus and aspiration into the lungs. And maybe start with not opting for beef/steak whilst flying ? or count 30 times while chewing, before swallowing ??