Four days with coin in throat
Three-year-old Vida Coutts spent four days with a $1 coin lodged inside her throat, not knowing that it could have blocked her airway at any time.
The coin, which she received as her first-ever pocket money payment, was in such a dangerous position that, after looking at X-rays, a New Plymouth doctor sent her straight to hospital.
But Vida’s mother, Casey, was not allowed to drive her the short distance to Taranaki Base in case the coin dislodged, and instead the youngster had to go by ambulance.
The Taranaki family had been oblivious to the danger, with mum and daughter having driven half an hour from Midhirst to New Plymouth for the consultation.
‘‘And earlier in the morning she’d been on a quad bike’’ as her parents were doing farm work, Casey said.
In less than an hour, mum and daughter were in an air ambulance on the way to Waikato Hospital, where surgeons removed the coin.
‘‘They said it was pretty well lodged there and her throat had started to swell around it,’’ Casey said. ‘‘She stayed in overnight. She hasn’t stopped eating since.’’
Casey and husband Kyle had been told the coin would work itself out, and had no idea how serious a threat it posed.
‘‘She had barely complained,’’ Casey said. ‘‘She was living on jelly and icecream. I feel like such a terrible mum, but she was fine.’’
Little Vida had earned the dollar for helping to tidy the lounge of the family’s home.
‘‘And not even five minutes later, we were starting to cook dinner and she came in choking and managed to get the word ‘money’ out,’’ Casey said.
By the time the ambulance arrived that Saturday, Vida could breathe, but was vomiting. The paramedics looked down her throat and decided the coin was on its way down.
Casey and Kyle were told to watch for the coin to come out, and if it still hadn’t in four days to call their GP.
‘‘The following day she had a bit of a sore throat, so she lived on jelly and custard and all the good stuff. If she had solid food she vomited,’’ Casey said.
‘‘Wednesday arrived and no coin, so we rang the GP. They couldn’t see us till Friday, so told us go to Phoenix in New Plymouth and get some X-rays, which ‘will give you peace of mind. You’ll know where in the digestive tract it is.’’’
On the X-ray the coin can clearly be seen lodged in Vida’s throat.
She was flown to Waikato as Starship was full.
‘‘We left with the clothes on our back,’’ Casey said.
‘‘She did have her pyjamas because her dad managed to meet us in the car park as we were leaving to fly out.’’
Casey said Vida was petrified the whole time, but in each ambulance ride, and in the helicopter, she was given gifts – hand-made toys and a small patchwork blanket.
‘‘So these little trinkets we got, that people have hand made, honestly made the difference to her.
‘‘A knitted teddy and a wee fairy thing and a patchwork blanket.
‘‘Someone has put in so much work crafting it. That was her comfort, she took it into surgery and had it on her bed the whole time.’’
Casey wanted to say thanks and let people know the gifts were very much appreciated by her daughter, who is still using them at home.
As for Vida, any future pocket money ‘‘will be paid by Eftpos’’, her mother joked.
‘‘She managed to get the word ‘money’ out.’’ Casey Coutts, on the moment Vida started choking on the coin