Last day of an SQF Project and this happens... BEWARE

I was in the home stretch of a 30 day SQF on-site project in Virginia USA - the last day all I had to do was proof everything, go to the printer, bind it all up and go over the details with the client... and then 2 days more and I should have been flying home!

Well, it is 10 days later and I am still in VA - in the early morning hours of Friday the 4th, I got up around 12:30am to get some water.

Walked into the hotel room kitchen and that was the last I remember, I passed out due to an apparent issue with the HVAC unit leaking a gas into the room and on  the way down to the floor I hit the side of my head creating a concussion and whacked the side of my mouth on one of the pull drawer knobs.

It would be 4 hours passed out on the floor until I awoke and I could not stand up and of course the hotel phone is up on desk out of reach.

Dazed to say the least I was able to pull the bedding down and off of it fell my cell phone that I used after several attempts to call the front desk and have them call the paramedics.

In the hospital they could not determine what was causing my ck level to be in the danger zone of 47,000.

It would be my wife that figured it out (she's bio-med) --- the HVAC unit was emiting amonina that causes people to pass out and also has an impact on CK in people, the CK release however was caused in part of that but also by trauma in falling and hitting a hard wood floor.

7 days in intensive step down and now needing Chiropractic help to fully be able to restore my walking - it is pretty much baby steps right now with a smattering of back pain tossed in.

Why write this - for those of you that stay in hotels, I always thought it wise to check the vents on HVAC s  for mold and dust - never did I think that modern day units would still be using the older R units that had amonina in them... beware they are out there - even in nice Marriott hotels.

So, here I sit - need wheelchair transport on Tuesday to a chiroprator who I beleive will help greatly, I am overdue heading home and miss my family.

Hi Glenn,

Very sorry to hear of your mishap.

I thought ammonia was only used in industrial refrigeration.

Hope you are soon fully mobile again.

Compensation ?

Wow that is frightening Glenn.  Thankfully you're ok with no long term damage.  I've never heard of amonia in air conditioning and why would I.  Thanks for the 'heads up' - I will be in a hotel soon and it will be the firs thing I check.

Wishing you all the best.

Regards,

Simon

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Glenn

That is scary Glen. I am glad you are ok and hope you get well soon! 

Thank you also for sharing  the story. Hopefully it may help others avoid similar situation!

Hi Glenn,

 

Very sorry to hear of your mishap.

 

I thought ammonia was only used in industrial refrigeration.

 

Hope you are soon fully mobile again.

 

Compensation ?

HI Charles, I thought about compensation, however this appears to be an elusive kind of thing - interestingly enough we are actually planning (as in today) of going after the hospital and rehab facility for medical neglience and fraud related to my treatment or in the case of rehab - no treatment whatsoever.  Not all that interested in gettng compensation as I am in exposing two entities and what they are doing to people, possibility of helping others is stronger than monetary gain - even though that would be fine too.

Yes, I also thought ammonia systems were for industry, but it appears in research that some older systems have had their systems changed out and older industrial systems put in - right up there with fake airplace parts, making something fit for a fast and cheap fix.

I am more apt now to never turn one of these things on again, or at least ask what kind of HvAC system they have before arriving as the thought of sitting on a chilly hotel room in the middle of central Wisconisn at -25 degrees might not be a good thing.

thank you.

I was in the home stretch of a 30 day SQF on-site project in Virginia USA - the last day all I had to do was proof everything, go to the printer, bind it all up and go over the details with the client... and then 2 days more and I should have been flying home!

 

Well, it is 10 days later and I am still in VA - in the early morning hours of Friday the 4th, I got up around 12:30am to get some water.

 

Walked into the hotel room kitchen and that was the last I remember, I passed out due to an apparent issue with the HVAC unit leaking a gas into the room and on  the way down to the floor I hit the side of my head creating a concussion and whacked the side of my mouth on one of the pull drawer knobs.

 

It would be 4 hours passed out on the floor until I awoke and I could not stand up and of course the hotel phone is up on desk out of reach.

 

Dazed to say the least I was able to pull the bedding down and off of it fell my cell phone that I used after several attempts to call the front desk and have them call the paramedics.

 

In the hospital they could not determine what was causing my ck level to be in the danger zone of 47,000.

 

It would be my wife that figured it out (she's bio-med) --- the HVAC unit was emiting amonina that causes people to pass out and also has an impact on CK in people, the CK release however was caused in part of that but also by trauma in falling and hitting a hard wood floor.

 

7 days in intensive step down and now needing Chiropractic help to fully be able to restore my walking - it is pretty much baby steps right now with a smattering of back pain tossed in.

 

Why write this - for those of you that stay in hotels, I always thought it wise to check the vents on HVAC s  for mold and dust - never did I think that modern day units would still be using the older R units that had amonina in them... beware they are out there - even in nice Marriott hotels.

 

So, here I sit - need wheelchair transport on Tuesday to a chiroprator who I beleive will help greatly, I am overdue heading home and miss my family.

Glen

Thinking about it, seems like it could have been so much more nasty.., thankfully you are fine.

Wishing you speedier recovery.

Lesson to take home: Before you check-in, make sure HVAC system doesn't use ammonia.  

We are very sorry to hear of your situation and hoping for a rapid recovery.

Lisa and Justin from NE Ohio area.

There's a fair bit of irony for a food safety auditor to be attacked by lax safety standards. Good luck on a speedy recovery.

Wow - I check lots of things when I stay at a hotel, but HVAC hasn't been one of them! Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Glenn! 

There's a fair bit of irony for a food safety auditor to be attacked by lax safety standards. Good luck on a speedy recovery.

Well, er, eh, yeah.

I've always had food posioning several times - not by the companies I've audited or consulted with though but by hotels and in the past fast food restaurants.  Learned never to eat anything from a FF outlet again, get a room for extended periods of time with a kitchen such as the Marriott I am staying at now, and grocery shop instead of restarants and others.

Wow - that is an extreme situation, and a scary one! I am glad you are doing better, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

This is scary, nobody even bloody knew what happened to you within the 4 hours?

you definitely deserve compensation for this, sorry for them you know how these things work.

Speedy recovery to you! and chiro works even is some says its quack quack! :)

This is scary, nobody even bloody knew what happened to you within the 4 hours?

 

you definitely deserve compensation for this, sorry for them you know how these things work.

 

Speedy recovery to you! and chiro works even is some says its quack quack! :)

Chiro?

Chiro?

 I think majoy means chiropractors.

 I think majoy means chiropractors.

ah, thanks.

YES!

I am seeing a Chiropractor - have another appointment this morning, 2 appointments already done this week - and it is making a big difference in moving towards walking properly again.

No, I do not think that Chiro's are quakes - I do beleive however that most Medical degreed doctors are.

12 years ago a doctor informed my wife that we should get out affairs in order  because I would be dead in under 3 months.

My wife did not inform me of this and after being discharged from a hospital for CHF, I wanted to sit down in a comfy chair at home.

She yelled at me and pushed me out the door in the middle of winter and said  - I want you to walk that way to the front of the appartment landing 100 feet and then the other way 100 feet and then come back and you can sit in your chair for a while.

It was a struggle, it was cold - I did it.

I got a hug, a kiss and got to sit down for an hour.

An hour later the exercise was was repeated.

And again each time I got the hug and the kiss!

She was bio-med for years.

She researched and got me off of over 9 drugs including blood thinner with a number of the replacements being considered - questionable by medical professionals.

I took what she told me to.

3 months later I was walking up and down the stairs, taking my questionable supplements and natto-serra for blood cleaning.

12 years later I am still alive.

Love trumps.

ah, thanks.

 

YES!

 

I am seeing a Chiropractor - have another appointment this morning, 2 appointments already done this week - and it is making a big difference in moving towards walking properly again.

 

No, I do not think that Chiro's are quakes - I do beleive however that most Medical degreed doctors are.

 

12 years ago a doctor informed my wife that we should get out affairs in order  because I would be dead in under 3 months.

 

My wife did not inform me of this and after being discharged from a hospital for CHF, I wanted to sit down in a comfy chair at home.

 

She yelled at me and pushed me out the door in the middle of winter and said  - I want you to walk that way to the front of the appartment landing 100 feet and then the other way 100 feet and then come back and you can sit in your chair for a while.

 

It was a struggle, it was cold - I did it.

 

I got a hug, a kiss and got to sit down for an hour.

 

An hour later the exercise was was repeated.

 

And again each time I got the hug and the kiss!

 

She was bio-med for years.

 

She researched and got me off of over 9 drugs including blood thinner with a number of the replacements being considered - questionable by medical professionals.

 

I took what she told me to.

 

3 months later I was walking up and down the stairs, taking my questionable supplements and natto-serra for blood cleaning.

 

12 years later I am still alive.

 

Love trumps.

Wow. That is awesome! It's great to have someone support you and to have that kind of close connection. 12 years later, we're glad you're still here!