Mass. girl accidentally swallows boutonniere pin before prom

WELLESLEY, Massachusetts -- Kathleen Garvey said this story may be hard to swallow, but her prom was indeed a night to remember.

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

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

As they were dancing the night away on the party bus on their way to the prom, Emerson's boutonniere kept falling off. When Garvey 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.

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

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

"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," said Garvey.

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," said Emerson.