Andy-
The Lord was sure looking out for you and your family. I will keep a copy
of your story, and always be aware of the potential problem of exaust leaks.
Thank you for sharing this.
Smokey
'50 3600 5-window
-----Original Message-----
From: W&D <haist@jps.net>
To: Old Truckers <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 1999 6:58 PM
Subject: [oletrucks] A horrifying ol' truck story....
>This is an account of a truly frightening experience of an old truck owner,
>member of the Northern Cal Chev / GMC Truck Club on his way home from the
>Truckin' Nationals in Paso Robles last weekend. I'm passing it on to the
>group in hopes it will prevent it happing to YOU!
>
>>
>>Our trip back from Paso Robles ended with a horrifying experience.
>>
>>Fortunately, everyone is fine this morning but our entire family spent the
>>
>>night in the emergency room. We were all exposed to Carbon Monoxide
>>
>>Poisoning (CO). I can't tell you how lucky we are to still be here.
>>
>>
>>
>>Yesterday morning, sometime during the poker run, I figure, the last foot
>or
>>
>>so of my tail pipe fell off. I noticed a new rattle so that was the only
>>
>>reason I checked it out. I didn't really think much about it being a
>problem
>>
>>other than I would need to repair it when I got home. Boy was I wrong!
>>
>>
>>
>>We left the show at about 11 and drove over to the coast to have lunch. We
>>
>>drove back, gassed-up and left Paso Robles at about 2:30. The truck club,
>>
>>about 4 trucks, caught up with us right away on 101 and we stayed with
them
>>
>>to about King City. They pulled off for a break but we kept going enjoying
>>
>>the ride in the sunny weather. We could see, however, that we were heading
>>
>>into the storm.
>>
>>
>>
>>At around Soledad, it began raining so we had to close some of the vents.
I
>>
>>suppose that is when the circumstances began causing the problem. At
>>
>>around Salinas, we stopped for gas and it was really raining now so we had
>>
>>to roll up the windows and turn on the defroster.
>>
>>
>>
>>Somewhere south of Gilroy, I'm not sure where, Jeremy, our youngest woke
up
>>
>>in utter terror as if waking from a nightmare but it was 100 times worse!
>He
>>
>>was screaming uncontrollably, his eyes were wide open but he was staring
up
>>
>>into his eyelids.
>>
>>
>>
>>My wife pulled out the cell phone to call the Dr. but the battery was
dead.
>>
>>
>>
>>He settled back down so I kept driving. I figured that it would be better
>to
>>
>>get home rather than stop in the middle of nowhere in the driving rain. I
>>
>>still had not put two and two together.
>>
>>
>>
>>We arrived home. I pulled Jeremy from the truck immediately. He was
totally
>>
>>passed out and slumped like a wet rag. I tried to wake him and fortunately
>>
>>he woke again screaming uncontrollably in terror.
>>
>>
>>
>>After tending to Jeremy, I looked up to see my other son Gregory
staggering
>>
>>across the lawn. Uncontrollably, he walked and fell directly into a rose
>>
>>bush. I was wondering what was going on. (He likes to spin around in our
>>
>>swing, making himself dizzy and amuse himself trying to walk.) In my mind
I
>>
>>figured that is what he had done. I then glanced over at the swing to
>>
>>provide verification but the swing was hanging dead still. I knew at this
>>
>>point that something was seriously wrong. I ran over to him pulling him
off
>>
>>the rose bush and HE was passed out! I managed to wake him and put him on
>>
>>the front porch next to a screaming Jeremy.
>>
>>
>>
>>I was yelling to my wife to call 911 and there was no response. When we
had
>>
>>arrived home, she told me she had to go to the bathroom so I figured
that's
>>
>>where she went. I went into the house and looked down the hallway--there
>she
>>
>>was passed out on the floor lying in a puddle.
>>
>>
>>
>>I was terrified. I called 911 and yelled for an ambulance to come to our
>>
>>address. While on the phone with the dispatcher she kept telling me to get
>>
>>everyone out of the house. I couldn't understand why. We had just gotten
>>
>>home and hadn't even been in the house. I put everything together and
>>
>>thought the carbon monoxide poisoning had to be it. I told her we had been
>>
>>driving for several hours in my old truck. The firemen arrived with oxygen
>>
>>tanks in hand and immediately put all four of us on oxygen. Then all 4 of
>us
>>
>>were taken to the emergency room in 2 ambulances and were put on pure
>oxygen
>>
>>for the rest of the night.
>>
>>
>>
>>I thank the good Lord for watching over us. A few more moments of exposure
>>
>>and we could have been goners.
>>
>>
>>
>>My CO level in the blood was highest at 19%. A threshold, which is
>>
>>considered server exposure, is 20%. Jeremy's was the lowest at 8%.
>>
>>Catherine's was 18%, and Gregory's was 14%.
>>
>>
>>
>>I am being very critical of myself right now in not realizing what was
>going
>>
>>on sooner and taking more appropriate action. I did what I did. In these
>>
>>situations, when your body is oxygen starved, one doesn't have the
capacity
>>
>>to think rationally. CO is an odorless gas and is more easily taken into
>>
>>your blood than oxygen. You don't know what's happening to you as it is
>>
>>happening to you. All the motivations to get home to safety, tend to an
>>
>>ailing child, and get out of a driving rainstorm overrode my instincts to
>>
>>get out of the truck.
>>
>>
>>
>>It is important that we old truck lovers know that this stuff can happen
>and
>>
>>that we pay attention to the signs and signals that something might be
>>
>>wrong. It can mean the difference between life and death. Amongst all the
>>
>>shiny chrome, slamming, tubbing, and restoring, etc. there's a dangerous
>>
>>side to this hobby of which we all need to be reminded. If we don't pay
>>
>>attention, there can be serious consequences.
>>
>>
>>
>>I don't know what you want to do with this message Jim, but, you have my
>>
>>permission to publish it in the newsletter or post it on the Web site
>>
>>whatever. We need to remind (or educate in the first place) everyone of
the
>>
>>dangers that lurk. Hopefully we can prevent fatal or near fatal accidents
>in
>>
>>the process.
>>
>>
>>
>>Check your exhaust and seal up those leaks. Carbon Monoxide is a killer
and
>>
>>it will sneak up on you without you even knowing!
>>
>>
>>
>>Happy to be alive!
>>
>>
>>
>>Andrew Edwards
>>
>>Footnote,
>>Catherine stated the blood tests were taken about one hour after they all
>had
>>been on pure oxygen. No telling what the % was when they got home! She
also
>
>>stated they have a home CO detector that was given as a gift. Now it will
>come
>>out of the box and get put to use.
>>If goes without saying we're all grateful for their safe return home.
Andy,
>>don't be too hard on yourself. The more CO you get, the less you can
>reason.
>>It's a wonder you were able to drive home.
>>Jim
>>
>>
>
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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