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Wellesley Girl Accidentally Swallows Boutonniere Pin Before Prom

WELLESLEY (CBS) - Kathleen Garvey says this story may be hard to swallow but it's true.

"He made some kind of joke, I laughed and it went down my throat and I immediately started coughing," said Garvey who inhaled her boyfriend's boutonniere pin. "It was a small black pin so we just assumed worst case scenario it went down."

It was prom night for Garvey and her boyfriend Colin Emerson, who are both seniors at Wellesley High School.

Pin swallowed
X-ray of Kathleen Garvey, a Wellesley High senior who swallowed a pin on prom night (WBZ-TV)

As they were dancing the night away on the party bus on their way to the prom Colin's boutonniere kept falling off. When Kathleen went to adjust it she accidentally swallowed it.

"When I made my joke and she turned back and holding her throat and the pin wasn't there and I said 'did you swallow it?'" Emerson said.

She didn't feel any pain only a slight cough when she took deep breaths so the two continued to enjoy their prom. The next day as a precaution she went to the hospital and couldn't believe the X-ray. The pin lodged itself in her bronchial tube.

Pin swallowed
Kathleen Garvey holds pin she swallowed before the Wellesley High School prom (WBZ-TV)

"It went down my throat, down my trachea and in my bronchial tube right before my lung," Garvey said.

After a short but delicate surgery doctors were able to remove the sharp object without any issues.

"I knew exactly where it was and exactly how bad it could've been and I am so blessed it didn't hit my lung just sort of sitting there," Garvey said.

Both Garvey and Emerson said they are very thankful she's alright.

"I just hope we learn not to take sharp things in our mouths after this," Emerson said.

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