Watching the local news, I listened to the story of the young woman who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in an ice shack at Lake Wilmert, Minnesota.  Four others were taken to the hospital for treatment.  The story made me shudder.  Many years ago I had an experience with carbon monoxide.  We were camping and the weather turned rainy and cold in the evening.  We were not thinking and put a propane heater inside the tent to keep us warm.  In hindsight, a very stupid thing to do.  I was sleeping next to the heater. A few hours later I woke up not feeling well.  I woke up another person in the tent and had him help me into fresh air.  I remember feeling very weak and dizzy.  The next couple of days I felt nauseated, my eyes burned and my head felt like it didn't belong on my body. The point of my story is please don't burn wood, propane, gas or other fuel in an unventilated space.  CO poisoning symptoms include headache, weakness, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea and loss of consciousness. Carbon monoxide can cause tissue and organ damage, and yes, death. If you suspect CO poisoning, get the person outside to fresh air and seek emergency medical attention.  I was very fortunate; the outcome could have been much worse.  For more information on carbon monoxide poisoning, visit the Mayo Clinic website.

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