THE END

I have run out of room. My blog is finished.
You can now find me at
Too Many To Count Two

lanamarieblog.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 08, 2009

I almost died yesterday

Several weeks ago I was at the dollar tree, I don't remember why but anyway I got some random things as well as whatever I had gone there for (I hope) and got home. One of my random things was some glass cleaner.

So, some days later I went to clean some glass and noticed that the bottle said "with ammonia". Bummer. I thought to myself that I should throw it away ....but I did spend a dollar on it so I cleaned and then put it on the top most shelf on the broom closet so one of the kids wouldn't accidentally get it.
A few weeks after that we were having a family cleaning hour and I saw the bottle in one of the kids hands. Stop! I shouted (never being one to over react :) ) and took the dangerous bottle and gave them a different one and thought to myself I'd better throw this away...but there was that dollar I spent so I put it up and thought we'd be real careful.


Then yesterday I was walking around and picking up before leaving to pick up Lucy at Austin's and grabbed the bottle to give the bathroom mirrors a quick wipe. Then I picked up a few things off the floor and peeked into the potty and adjusted the roll and then thought I'll just wipe down the seat, you know just in case by some miracle someone wants to look at the house, so I gave it a spray and started to wipe and when I lifted the lid I saw it (cue ominous musik) a sprinkle of ajax under the lid, left from the last time the potty was cleaned. And I just wiped with my ammonia infused, stoopid cheap-o brand glass cleaner, rag. Having taken chemistry years ago I knew that the combination of ammonia and bleach was the secret to a deadly Nazi chemical agent (and before that the bad guys of ww1 used it too). I screamed and ran...straight to my computer: where I learned all kinds of scary things. Then I left and called poison control who helpfully told me that was not a good idea and we should evacuate. For how long? and what symptoms should I look for? She didn't know how long and did I see spots in my peripheral vision? Hmmm, maybe. (hypochondriac in action)

We stayed gone an hour. Then came home and opened all the window and turned on the fan and I worried all night...and I sent Millie in to take a test breath (I know, that was mean but she was the closest thing I had to a canary). The good news is we are all alive. The offending bottle is now in the trash (although I would like my dollar back) and my potty is clean.

so warning: do no mix ammonia and bleach (V) and go throw away the cheapy cleaners (windex is ammonia free)

in other less dramatic news my little sister is in labor, right now, last I heard she was at a 4 and had an epidural and things were going well. Crossing my fingers for more good news soon.

7 comments:

marcia@joyismygoal said...

Thats what Chris Stirk used to say was one of the good things about Kristas Chemistry degree as a mom she would never mix the two,-- so should we all go get our Dr degrees in Chemistry?

Yvonne said...

I know that there are so many cleaners we need to worry about--thanks for the info. LOL at your hypochondriac comment ; )

Hope all goes well with your sister.

nikko said...

Wow. I'm glad you didn't die. That would have really put a hamper on things.

Yay for babies! Can't wait to hear all the details!

lera said...

That is scary. I don't buy the generic stuff. I don't wash my windows enough to warrant it. I figure, if a bottle of Glass Plus or Windex can last me a few years (LOL), then I can afford the real deal.

Good luck to your sis.

Head Nurse or Patient- you be the judge said...

I really did that only 10 times worse when I was a teenager- I didn't know my mom had bleach in the toliet bowl- and I was trying to get my chores done early, I poured bowl cleaner in there with the bleach- Can you say toxic fumes? I couldn't hardly breathe, the bathroom was full of noxious fumes and I coughed like crazy for a day! I didn't know any better, but I should have gone to the Doctor- I survivied.

Rachel said...

oh my goodness... I did this same thing a few weeks ago, but it was MUCH worse. I think I almost really did die.

I really mixed it all up in the potty and when I couldn't breathe and eyes burned, and all that jazz I knew something was really wrong. Luckily Im still alive and so are YOU!

SevenVillageIdiarts said...

I have to say, ammonia does clean the window very well, I have a great big bottle, but since I'm the only one that cleans we should be OK, right? Except it's in the cupboard in the laundry room, right next to the bleach, maybe I'd better take care of that!? I'm glad you're all alive and well!