Well, this is an event that definitely needs to be recorded for posterity's sake. I'm still wrapping my head around what happened and the severity of what could have happened. Suffice it to say, I feel very blessed that we are all here and doing very well. I am still learning lots. It's been one week now, and I'm trying to figure out my purpose here. We went to the temple and performed initiatories on Friday night. There was one part near the end that really struck me. It talked about how wearing my garments and staying true to my covenants would be a shield and a protection from the adversary until my time here on Earth is through. While I was waiting for my turn to perform those Initiatories, I picked up a book (actually thinking it was a BOM) and flipped open to Mark in the Bible and read the Sermon on the Mount. A couple hours later, we were waiting for a session to start and I picked up another book, this time the BOM, and opened right to 3rd Nephi where Christ visited the Nephites. It was almost word for word the Sermon on the Mount. I don't know that I ever really realized that it was recorded in two places from two different places. Very interesting. Anyway, here is a copy of what I sent to the Parkin and Brown Family email lists:
Sorry - Apparently I assumed you all knew more of the story than you
do! I won't be offended if you don't read the whole story, but this
will answer all the different questions you've sent... :) Let me start
by warning you that 2 of the last 3 letters of the alphabet do not
work on my keyboard, so bear with me!
So early Sunday morning, I started hearing a beep every 30 seconds or
so that sounded like a dying battery. It was enough for me to notice,
but not get me out of bed. The kids all woke up about 7:30 or so and
Jared was kind enough to close the door and let me stay in bed a
little longer. Before he even had a chance to get them breakfast or
anything, Seth started wailing. He was complaining of everything and
nothing at the same time. He said his legs hurt, he felt sick to his
stomach, and he wanted to lay flat with blankets on his and go to
sleep. Jared finally hollered up to me for help and when I came down,
Jacob was squealing ( I thought he was hungry), Logan was bawling (he
kept saying his legs hurt, but that didn't make sense at all) and
Ethan was telling me he felt weird. I remember thinking I couldn't
believe the noise hadn't woken me sooner. In hindsight, Jared was
moving in slow motion, and I was not thinking straight at all. I
remember thinking that if we were all this cranky, let's just snuggle
up and see who we can get to fall asleep. Somehow I had the sense to
call our Home Teacher to come help Jared give a blessing to Seth (not
at all thinking we were all connected). I told him we didn't know
what, but something was really wrong. He was here within minutes. In
that time, Jared thought to air out the house and started opening
windows. I think it was even snowing at the time. We finally started
getting everyone out. This all happened very quickly, but it was slow
motion at the time. We had to carry the the 3 younger ones because
they wouldn't walk and follow. Ethan had to pulled along. I wasn't
thinking Carbon Monoxide poisoning at this point, but something the HT
said made me think to call the non-emergency Fire Dept line. I briefly
told him what was happening and was embarrassed to ask, but finally
asked if they could maybe check the air and see if we were right about
bad air? They were there within a couple minutes. I started driving
the kids over the HTs house so that we wouldn't be in the way and
could feed the kids and such. Jared stayed to wait and called me
before getting too far so I could return with all the kids and be
tested. They had us all pile into the ambulance (which was very cool!)
and started checking us. One of the Firemen had started to go in the
house to check air and got a reading of 50 just at the front door.
They called the Gas Company and stayed out. The paramedics decided we
all needed to go to the ER. Ethan was very pale and started throwing
up at this point, so he got to ride in the ambulance (I went along for
the fun ride!) and the HT drove Jared and the rest of the kids. When
we got there, they wheeled Ethan into a "room" with 3 beds and
curtains that happened to be along a main corridor. They immediately
put oxygen masks on us and I started answering the questions of whose
who and how old. Logan and Seth finally came in and were looking way
better than before. Jared and Jacob were in a separate room with a
closed door. One nurse reported how cute they were sleeping together.
Thankfully, the HT hung out with me and the 3 bigger boys who were
feeling much better at this point! They took all our blood and found
that we were indeed all exposed and feeling side effects of carbon
monoxide poisoning. Logan was the worst. She initially told me we
needed oxygen for 90 minutes, but then had us keep it on for over 2
hours. The boys really did very well. They stayed and did exactly what
they were asked to do. Seth did not like the mask, but we compromised.
I told him he did not have to breathe in the oxygen, he just had to
blow it out. He fell for it and it worked almost the whole time! The
Doctor and nurses were all really great about checking on us and
keeping me informed. Dave, the HT, was great about helping me keep the
boys entertained with the games on our cell phones. During this time,
the gas company informed us that the reading upstairs alone was 136.
Just to give you an idea... 0 is what you want. 50-80 is what the
levels are when you hear about people falling asleep and not waking
up. A good friend rescued the animals and stayed with the Gas Company
and got the house all aired out. They told us not to stay there until
we could get NEW CO detectors and a technician to fix the boiler. There
were three physical safeguards in place to prevent this from
happening, and all three failed. I know that we were protected and I
felt my hands and body moving and doing things that I didn't
understand, but that ultimately saved our family. I'm grateful that
Jared was prompted to open the windows, and buy us more time to get
out.
We ended up going back to the HTs home after the hospital, for lack of
a better plan at this point. She fed and got us settled for naps
before they all left for church. I know I was exhausted and could
really use a rest, but found myself sitting and watching everyone else
rest. Yesterday could have easily and quickly been tragedy. I think
reality really hit right around the point a couple Priests showed up
with the Sacrament. I held it together ok, but I'm very glad that the
Mitchells were there to be happy and upbeat! Before I had a chance to
think about what to do net, they had dinner on the table and beds made
for everyone. It was fabulous.
So if you haven't already, go get a detector right now! They start at
about $30. They say you should not keep it in the boiler room where
the problem is most likely to occur. You should have 1 or more on each
floor, with multiples on the floor you sleep on. The gas seeps up
through the walls and doors. The technician has fixed everything and
continued to check the levels to make sure we were still ok.
I think I've answered all the questions. We really are doing great
now. The kids are enjoying more snuggle time and are getting right
back to normal. We have a great ward family who has really stepped up
and taken care of things I wasn't even thinking about! We've gotten
more phone calls of concern than I've had time to return! I was kind
of hoping our little adventure would not be a topic at church, but too
many people saw the fire trucks. That, and the Fire Chief is in our
ward and always gives a report on the members he's heard about. We
feel very blessed to have so many good friends right close.
Thank you all for your concern!! Remember, we really are good for
visitors again!!!
love you all,
JSELSJ
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