i know how you felt! I was eating some Mexican food a couple of months after my spinal fusion and I took a tiny bite of soft tender chicken and it became hung and I went wild, completely forgetting to use the universal sign of choking and although I knew CPR I was alone with my 17 y/o son and he was watching me like it was a TV show, and I was running around in circles, gagging, turning blue I imagine and I knew I was going to die that day, and as I began to slowly slide down the wall I had tried to hit myself against but was too weak from surgery, and all of a sudden he got a terrified look in his eyes and he came up behind me and put his arms around my waist and began to squeeze, and it did not work the first 2 times and final time he jerked me off the floor and lifted me when he jerked and it flew out and I could not bring myself to eat meat for 2 years, only oatmeal! I am still afraid of meat and don't know if I can ever lose that fear? I guess you can say he saved my life!
I continue to have swallowing problems and I know its tied up with the spinal cord damage!