Fun With Family, Part 2

The following was written by my cousin about our Carbon Monoxide scare.
On July 10, 2007 we were only two days into another joyous Grubbs family reunion when a series of blessings began to take place. This particular night we were attempting to put our children to bed as usual. Camron's family and mine were sharing the back bedroom of the Pueblo house boat. We had closed the back door of the boat and the pocket door leading to the front of the boat. Despite these efforts, people were still walking through off and on which meant the back door would open then close then the front door would open and then close again. Camron had gone into the bathroom which had been closed for a while and he came out with a headache and was nauseated. He laid down on the bottom bunk for a little bit until Angela suggested that he go to bed up on top of the boat. I sent some Gatorade up to him thinking maybe he was suffering from some heat exhaustion.
Angela and I then continued to try to put Lydia, Emmeline, Aubrielle, and Benson to bed. They seemed beyond tired and were fighting the whole process. Angela told Aubrielle to drink some water, but she wouldn't. Angela asked her why and she told her because she didn't feel well. Todd and Jason came through and asked if we smelled anything, but we didn't and about 15 minutes later I told Angela it was getting quite fumy in the room. (It smelled strongly of exhaust.) Benson went to sleep and Angela went to the front of the boat with Aubrielle. Emmeline immediately went to sleep and Lydia was almost asleep 5 minutes later when Emmeline screamed out in pain and then Benson screamed the same way just a few seconds later. I was trying to comfort them both when I realized that Emmeline was going to throw up, so I took her into the attached bathroom. She threw up and seemed to still have some in her mouth so I tried to finger sweep but her jaw locked and I couldn't get my finger out. Her eyes were rolling into the back of her head and she was very limp. She was not responding to me. (The park service rangers later said it sounded like the children were all having a carbon monoxide induced seizure.) I threw the pocket door open and yelled that I needed some help. (Somehow I knew that Todd would be the one to respond.) Todd came running and said to take her to the back of the boat. I told him I didn't think she was breathing but he assured me that she was. I asked what was wrong with her then, and before any response was uttered I suggested that we get her to the front where Grandpa had his oxygen. I believe the Lord prompted me to know that we were dealing with Carbon Monoxide poisoning and that she needed oxygen. I ran her to the front of the boat and two people grabbed Lydia and Benson as we passed through the back bedroom and brought them to the front of the boat as well. We must have all received the same inspiration that we were dealing with Carbon Monoxide poisoning because I do not remember that term being uttered at that time. We all seemed to be of one mind.
At the front of the boat I tried to get Emmeline on Grandpa's oxygen but someone informed me that it was not on. (I think Todd had already shut the generator off.) I looked around me and all four of these children had the same limp bodied look with their eyes rolled back. They were all non-responsive and it was hard to tell if they were still breathing. Todd dashed for his boat and we carried the four children to the boat. We got the boat going quickly but only had two small flashlights to see where we were going in the pitch black night. I yelled for everyone to pinch the kids and make them cry because if they were crying we would know they were breathing. (Again, some inspired tips. I don't believe these were my own thoughts. When they began crying I began to feel less panicked as a sense of peace came over me and I sensed that it would all be alright and that we were in the Lord's hands.)
I guess Aunt Kaye had radioed to Uncle Mack that we had an emergency and he headed back from the boat slip. He met up with us and turned around to guide us with his spotlight to the boat launch where medical help was waiting. Suddenly Todd's boat died and we couldn't go anywhere. The outboard had gone out. (This was a boat that Todd had not planned on bringing but he put the engine in it just for this trip.) Mack came back around and we transferred the kids and those holding them to Mack's boat. At this point we thought Benson had stopped breathing, so Mack ran to the back of the boat and dunked him three times until he started screaming again. (Later I learned that Mack had cracked some of his ribs doing this.) Lydia and Aubrielle began to respond to us a little bit. Lydia said she wanted her mom and I was sitting right next to her. Aubrielle wanted us to stop pinching her and she told Camron she was alright.
We arrived at the boat launch and were met by the park service rangers with an ambulance and a van. (I have since been told that they were there and ready for us because Peter radioed them. He asked Lindsey if she had told him to radio, and she told him it was not her. He says he heard a very distinct voice tell him to go and radio the ranger station.) When we got to the ambulance I began to feel dizzy and thought I was going to collapse. I sat down next to the front of the ambulance and smelled exhaust fumes so I had to move to the side steps of the ambulance. Benson and Emmeline were put in the ambulance and hooked to oxygen. Camron rode with Benson and I held Emmeline. Jason took Lydia and my dad took Aubrielle, they were taken to the Bullfrog Clinic in a van behind the ambulance. I believe Mack went back to the houseboat to check on everyone else. The rangers were also in route to the houseboat and had already given instructions that Angela was to be put on Grandpa's oxygen if he could go without it for a while.
When we got in the clinic they hooked the four children, Camron, and I up to oxygen. Lydia and Aubrielle were awake and responsive by now. After being on the oxygen a while they tested our CO levels with a breather thing. I was a 12.6%. They said they couldn't test the kids' levels because they didn't have the right equipment. Lydia and Aubrielle were very responsive at this time and seemed to be doing much better. Emmeline and Benson continued trying to go to sleep on us so we kept pinching them to keep them awake. At one point they thought they would be life flighting Emmeline, Benson, and Angela to Paige, Arizona but through further discussion with Dr. Weaver at LDS Hospital they decided our levels were coming down fast enough with their oxygen treatment.
Shortly after Lydia and Aubrielle were taken off their oxygen the rest of the family began to arrive. They had tested everyone on the beach and decided anyone a 10% or higher would be taken to the clinic. Those who still had high levels and had headaches or nausea at the clinic were brought in and put on oxygen. (Kim took pictures with her cell phone camera!) They told us they treated 22 with oxygen that night.
After our treatment was complete they helped transport us back to the houseboat where we had decided to remain. This boat ride was another scary event. You definitely have to have faith in your instruments to go that fast in the dark. We did not use the generator the rest of the week. It was a wonderful reunion! We enjoyed visiting, swimming, seadoo riding, wakeboarding, tubing, treasure hunting, and eating!