CLOSE CALL.....

On Thursday morning at about 2:30 I woke up with a horrific headache. I woke up Brad and told him that this is absolutely the worst headache I've ever had. He went upstairs and got me some medicine. I took it and a short time later threw it up. I woke up three more times to throw up. Every time I was sweating bullets. I checked my blood sugar which registered normal. I got out a thermometer and checked my temperature. I did not have a fever which I found strange despite my other symptoms.

I really did not want to miss work because it was the company Christmas party and I was to make balloons all day for employees (on the clock) instead of doing my real work. I was really looking forward to it and did not want to call in. At about 7:30 I called my boss and told him that I had been throwing up all night and could not come in.

I couldn't hear outside of my head. I was hearing my heart beating and swooshing sounds. It was something that I had never experienced before.

At about 9:00 am I called my doctor's office and made an appointment for 11:00. I laid back down next to Brad. I woke him up at about 10:00 and told him that we needed to get up so he could take me to my appointment. He stood up and told me that he was feeling dizzy. Around that time my mother-in-law called us from upstairs. She said that she had been throwing up and could not get out of bed and that she had called in to work.

Suddenly my mind became clear. Something told me that this was carbon monoxide poisoning. I told Brad that he needed to come outside with me right now. Earlier in the morning I could barely get from the couch to my bed but at that moment it was like I floated up the stairs. It came so easy to me. I went out onto the patio and sat in a snow filled chair. After a few deep breaths the nausea was completely gone. We had the patio door wide open and Brad was sitting on a kitchen chair just inside the door. It was zero degrees that morning and I can't say that I blame him for not wanting to come out. He kept trying to close the door but I wouldn't let him.

I called the fire department. I didn't want anyone to think I was over reacting so I thought, "I'm just going to call the non-emergency number and ask them to come check it out." Well, I called the non-emergency number and when I told the operator that I suspected carbon monoxide she transferred me to 911 dispatch. Within 3 minutes we had 2 fire trucks, 2 ambulances and a few other emergency vehicles at our house. The street was blocked off.

The carbon monoxide level in anyone's home should be ZERO. We were told that at a reading of 200, a person would be dead within 5 minutes. When they brought the reader into the house it went straight to 45 and climbed until it got to 145. They got us all out and transported us to the hospital in the ambulances. We spent the next couple of hours in the emergency room and the following 3 hours in the hyperbaric chamber to remove the poison from our blood. We had to return today for two more 90 minute sessions in the chamber.

All is once again well in the Wendt household. Santa brought us some early Christmas presents. We are grateful for some carbon monoxide detectors, a new furnace, and another chance at life.

We want to thank all of the first responders, the firemen and EMTs, all of the emergency room personnel, Dr. Worth and all of his staff in the hyperbaric section and the countless neighbors, freinds and family that reached out to help us. Thank you so much everyone. We owe you big time!!!

I'm so grateful to the Lord helping us to realize what was going on. I'm thankful that He gave Brad and I the strength to get up the stairs when previously we could barely get from the bedroom to the couch. I'm grateful that my mother-in-law alerted us to her symptoms. Without that the realization of the seriousness of the problem may not have come about. All of these things were absolute miracles that morning. Without any one of those events we may not be here today. I'm grateful that the Lord spared each of our lives. I hope that I can be a better person and not take this second chance for granted.

Brad gets oxygen in the ambulance while waiting to be transported.

Donald breaths some good air while waiting to be taught about the hyperbaric chamber.

Jaynann gets her neck measured to be fitted for the sexy helmets we got to wear in the chamber.

Waiting to go into the hyperbaric chamber for our second "dive."

Inside the chamber waiting to start. The headphones were for the movie that we watched. That session we saw National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

This tank stores water but we got a kick out of the sign which was meant to be facetious.

Another hillarious sign