[Doodlebug]

Thank you Kristin and Ann. The cold November day I stopped by my mom's house and discovered them I had a terrible cold and when I looked through the window I saw them "sleeping" on the couch. They wouldn't wake up to my knocking so I let myself in with my key. The house was full of obnoxious smelling gas fumes but I couldn't smell them because of my cold. I was carrying my little dog I had at the time and I almost set her down so I could go wake them up. I am so glad I didn't because she may have hid from me and succumbed to the fumes. I immediately went into shock and was not thinking clearly enough to realize what was going on. Since they both seemed to be gone I thought they had been murdered.

This was so traumatic for me that I was in shock and had something like amnesia for a year and a half. I couldn't even remember my phone number or address. I could barely get up and get dressed and function. It was just a couple of years earlier on a hot summer night that mom and I were sitting on her front porch in shock that one of her neighbors across the street and a few doors down had died from carbon monoxide poisoning. I can still remember the horror we felt over it. Both of these incidents were from cars accidentally left running in the basement. They could both been prevented had they had carbon monoxide detectors.

I am only telling my story here so that people will realize the importance of having a good working carbon monoxide detector in your home. It could very well save your family's life. I just cry inside every time I see another family dies from carbon monoxide poisoning. It still hurts to think about it and talk about it.