Highland, KS – A Highland family had a close call with a silent killer last weekend and give thanks to God for watching over them.
Chris and Amy Lackey and their sons, Caleb and Carson, were all hospitalized last Friday after exposure to carbon monoxide.
Chris Lackey, who is principal at Doniphan West Jr./Sr. High School in Highland, said they were woken up early the morning of Friday, Jan. 6 to a loud noise, which was their oldest son, Caleb, falling as he attempted to get to the bathroom.
Amy and I found him very disoriented and weak, he said. The rest is kind of a blur, but the rest of us started to exhibit similar symptoms and we figured out that we needed to get out of the house and called 911.
Lackey said that after EMTs and the local fire department arrived, they confirmed high levels of carbon monoxide in the house. The entire family was transported to area hospitals. Lackey said he and son Carson were released later that morning, but his wife and son Caleb were transported to KU Medical Center in Kansas City for time in the hyperbaric chamber.
We praise God that He was with us during this time, Lackey said. We were thankful to all who have prayed for us.
Amy Lackey said the incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. and she doesn’t recall having any symptoms related to carbon monoxide poisoning prior to this. She remembered having a headache earlier in the week, that she just couldn’t seem to get rid of. Carbon monoxide exposure can lead to headaches.
I’ve thought about that a couple of times and wondered if that could have possibly been a sign that something was wrong, she said. But I will say that the more severe symptoms of dizziness and nausea were very swift when I got up to see what the noise was when Caleb fell.
Chris Lackey said it was determined that their furnace was to blame and that prior to this incident they did not have a carbon monoxide detector in the home.
I would ask everyone to hug those that they love and not take the life we are given for granted, he said. Also, if you do not have a carbon monoxide detector, buy one today.
More than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 20,000 visit the emergency room and more than 4,000 others are hospitalized.Exposure to carbon monoxide can result in permanent neurological damage or death, and anyone can be at risk. The CDC says infants, the elderly and people with chronic heart disease, anemia or breathing problems are more prone to illness or death, but essentially everyone is at risk.