Utah Man Nearly Drowns On Eggnog

Last updated on Wednesday, December 24, 2014

(UTAH) - Some silly holiday party antics nearly turned tragic for one Utah resident.

NBC News reports that the antics didn't involve alcohol; they involved eggnog.

"I think it was one of those spur of the moment kind of things," said Ryan Roche.

As his holiday office party wound down, and Roche headed for the door with his wife and kids, his coworkers busted out some eggnog.

It was for a chugging contest in which one of Roche's colleagues called him out to compete.

"I've already decided, if I'm going to do it, I'm going to win," Roche said.

The record at that point: 22 seconds, with a Ruth's Chris Steak House gift card on the line.

"Chug, chug, chug, chug!" everyone chanted.

"I pretty much poured it down," Roche said.

It took just 12 seconds.

He even did it without a breath.

"Got done... and I was like.. gasp.. I couldn't breathe," Roche said.

He coughed a lot, but though he would be okay.

But, a couple of hours later...

"I was pretty much shaking controllably," Roche said. "I was shaking so badly. I was nauseous, and my breathing became a pant...panting."

A friend in med school checked on him and took him to the hospital.

He had aspirated the eggnog into his lungs, and was essentially "dry drowning."

"They pretty much had to wheelchair me in: double IV, oxygen, and hooked me up to what they call the nuclear weapon of antibiotics," Roche said.

The liquid in his lungs was starting an infection.

"It was rough," he said.

He spent 24 hours in intensive care with a fever, sweats and chills.

"Eggnog: not ideal for the lungs," he said.

Finally on day three, doctors took him off oxygen, and he went home.

Roche did win, but at quite a price.

"Not only do I get a Ruth's Chris gift card, but, I got a free night's stay in the hospital," he said.

It's a holiday mishap he'll never forget.

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