I wrote this to send to the papers for letters to the editor. Yesterday was a zoo. Charm was the one who realized the problem. Erma was on the couch...Gary bless his heart, got her and Wilma to come in to the clinic. Poor Ellen, who was our hostess, just couldn't function. She gives Charm credit for saving her life. If everyone had just left, she would have gone to bed and died. I have no doubt but what she is right. Bob helped me jockey cars, and we stayed until Charm was cleared to go. We were hoping she would spend the night with us, but no one blamed her for just wanting to get the heck home. Almost immediately when the carbon monoxide started clearing out of her system, you could see her come back to herself. Ellen was sooo embarressed that it happened in her home...we had a lady there who had never played with us before..what an initation she had to our bridge club.
Everyone needs a carbon monoxide monitor in their home. If you don’t have one, buy one. Buy your parents one, buy your kids one. Jane Wardell from Big Piney has been lecturing this for years. Because of her, we have one. However this came home firmly to me yesterday. I was as always looking forward to bridge day. Names are unimportant, and everyone shall be nameless. When I arrived, the hostess wasn’t herself. Thinking nothing of it...maybe she was tired from getting ready for us all..who knows, we began to play. Our hostess was dizzy, and just not with it. Couldn’t hold her cards, couldn’t make decisions..etc. Suddenly another player is lying on the couch, overheated, and yes it was hot in there. Another hostess problem..she thought she turned the heat down, when in fact she turned it way up. Another member had a raging headache. Another player was having trouble thinking clearly. One of the gals and I decided it was time to quit. We added up scores, and five left immediately. I helped one out to her car, came back in to hear the hostess and another discussing that it happened the last time she had bridge. This gal realized it happened only when she had to use her furnace to heat a room the wood stove didn’t heat. She said "I wonder if there’s carbon monoxide in here". Immediately I knew that was right, and said "Where’s your phone?" She said in the back, and I got it. When I handed it to her, she said "What do you want me to do with this?" I grabbed it and dialed 911. I explained it really wasn’t an emergency, but we needed the house checked. Then I told the hostess I was taking her to the clinic. The other gal waited for the sheriff and the fire department. When we got there, our hostess’s carbon monoxide level was way up. I called our hostess’s house, and talked to the sheriff deputy who was there, and said to bring her up. He did. Her level was high. So I began calling everyone. Several were not going to come, they were fine thank you very much. So I called a family member, and soon everyone but one who lives way out of town was there. They were way into the night getting cleared. For whatever reason, it didn’t affect me. I was tested, but the level which wasn’t zero, wasn’t high enough to treat. Dr. Kappenman said I probably was in a pocket of clear air.
Again, the point...have carbon monoxide monitors in your home. They are inexpensive. Also, kudos need to go to our Pinedale Clinic and staff. They were soooo good and pleasant. And to the sheriff’s office, the fire department, and Gene Paul Pearson. Instead of a tragedy it was just sort of an experience. Thanx guys.
