I was contacted by a host of people regarding the recent death (Monday)
of Puffin as well as 4 other pets since October and my own health issues.
99% seemed to think it was Carbon Monoxide poisoning so I wanted to give
you all an update.
 
The gas company came out 2 days after Puffin died.  They found that the
hot water heater was not venting properly at all and was clogged.  They
said they cleaned that out.  They found a tiny little pinhole gas leak in
the dryer and disconnected that, but they felt it really had nothing to do
with anything.  They picked up no carbon monoxide with their device but
said it would be hard to detect anyway since the windows had been open
for 2 days.  (Thinking back, prior to the window opening, the animals and
I had been living in a closed environment for months...it was still very
cold up until day after Puffin died.  I also remembered that my cat, who
died in Dec. with this sudden kidney damage and seizures, when he had had
a clean bill of health not a year before, was also vomiting alot those
last couple months.  Not usually hairballs..just unexpected vomiting that
usually did not involve food or hairballs)  The gas co. did not check the
chimney, management says I must pay to do that (!!).  I am moving July 12
but intend to keep pursuing this as far as I can because I am angry this
happened and because I would hate to see or hear of someone else moving
in and finding they too end up with same problems!
 
I also had a COH level blood test done yesterday and had to fight with
my Dr to get that!  Now this is 4 days after Puffin died and 3 that the
windows had all been open so imagine the reading would have been higher if
done sooner.  Anyway, they said my level was 9%, high side of normal and
"sorry sweetie, but carbon monoxide is not what killed your little pets"!
Course this is the SAME nurse who said there was NO blood test for carbon
monoxide levels!  She said 4% is normal, 20% is you're in the hospital or
dead time.  I've checked some carbon monoxide sites and have not been able
to locate percentages for blood, just parts per million for
air/environment.  Does anyone have any further info on this?  The Doctor's
office is not going to be of any further help to me because (again) they
are chalking it up to my diabetes!  With them ,everything is diabetes
related (and I DO mean everything!) OR have I been around anyone who
smokes!  I would think the person would have to smoke like a chimney to
get my monoxide level better than double normal!  (and no I do not..I
quit in May 2000, my personal care aide does off and on but is only here
for 4 hours a day.  I doubt that her occasional cigarette would cause
those kinds of levels.)
 
Thank all of you who wrote and sent cards....alot of them made me cry.
ALL of them made me aware that I and my 3 remaining girls are not alone!
I am so glad there ARE some good people left in this world
 
Remembering BJ, Cody, Bingo, Mr Snickers and Puffin.
[Posted in FML issue 3814]