Oh what the fudgesticks in Bittersweet

  • Oct. 4, 2023, 1:12 a.m.
  • |
  • Public

We had an incident. The kind where my ADHD brain kicks into superpower mode and im all action.
I got at test from one of my gals at around 9 30 am that one of the therapists was weak, dizzy, coughing, couldent think straight light headed ect. and that her first two clients had also said they were getting light headed and dizzy in her room. I pretty much dropped everything. And walk ran to the building. I get there and check in with N. She said she felt fine. I went under the house to the creepy basement and check the heater for smells and the piolet light. Its electric so no piolet lite!
I Went back to see the therapist. She was starting to walk out of her room when she started to really sway and shake some. she kept saying im going to pass out. I kept telling her no she wasnt, Lets get outside. Why outside? Because i think there is a gas leak of some kind. I kept saying ok step, to the right, step step, ok door frame. All while this lady who is twice my size is swaying, shaking, crying. Trying not to pass out. We get outside and sit down at the bistro table and her head starts to clear. I was holding her arm the entire time and kept doing so after we sat down. She said her husband was on the way to take her to the ER. I told her the symptoms match CO poisoning and as we sit outside, she starts feeling a bit better.
Her husband gets there and he says he dosent think they need to go to the ER but she wants to ( they went) Once they left I went back inside. I can say at this point i am starting to feel dizzy too. I aws knocking on doors and telling every clinician we need to evacuate the building. I hustled clients outside, sent N to work at my desk. By 9 50. I relocated 6 therapists with their people ( sessions were over at 10 so we cut them short and changed billing codes to 45 minute sessions instead of 60, Even though the therapeutic hour is 50 minutes so technically we didnt have to. But also. If we have a gas leak this is OUR problem and I need them out and SAFE. The other clinicians said they didnt feel anything. But if H and two clients in the room report it. N kept coming back to help move people to new offices. We had them dispersed in 2 other buildings and shes directing clients while im opening every window and door. As im waiting on the last clinician CEO comes running up. She said S said something was going on and I made them all leave. I told her what was going on and she had HVAC on the line in less then a minute and he was there in less then 10. She said I did right by evacing everyone. My next step once I got D and her client out was to go interrupt her meeting and it just happened she finished early and stepped out to see the hulaballoo.
So She runs back to her next meeting once off the phone with HVAC and I wait for him. He gets there, does a gas leak check. We pass, No gas leak. Also tells me the heater isnt even attached to the gas line so its not the heater. He checks the water heater and its fine. Checks the septic because he is down there. No leaks there. He goes home for a portable CO detector and I wait outside and call the husband. I had been texting him off and on. He comes back and we go under the house. We chatted while he ran some tests and we pass the CO test.
WHAT THE FUCK!
He clears the building to return. All levels of noxious whatever are NOT there. Its fine/normal.
His best guess? The diffuser we had cinnamon in could be causing issues. Cinnamon is abrasive and diffusers atomize the particles and you are breathing in the chemicals. He suggests we not run any diffusers for a week to see if it is the problem.

I text H the clinician, shes at the ER they ran bloodwork and a CT scan. Everything is clear. I let her know there were no leaks and she tells the doctors. Shes fine on our end.

What the fuck!!

I cleared the clinicans to go back but let them know they could stay where we stuck them if they preferred. They all went back after 2 hours.
Whole timeline was under 45 minutes lol.

Then another clinician emails me and tells me the heater is kicking on and its the most vile dead nasty smelling mess. Im like shit, something died under their building. Went over to check THAT out.
I go in the basement with A, the receptionist there, She wanted to see it. It smells like musty old 120 year old house basement, she says oh this is exactly what the heater smells like when it kicks on. Are you kidding me. Really? I changed the filter.... he said that fixed it!
Good lord.
All that stress for DUSTY basement smell and dusty air ducts…

Im ready for bed lmao.
H is fine, The clinicians all went back. My day was long. All good.
So yeah.
I told CEO a while back. Pressure creates a diamond. And i shine very bright in a high stress high pressure situation. She said I shone big time today lol :)
This is something I can do!
Im glad everyone is ok and its not a leak. Maybe H mentioned to her clients how she felt and it was psychosomatic like when I started getting dizzy. I have a really sensitive sense of smell and I didnt smell anything. But best safe!
Anyway. All this while in dark creepy basements, wearing high heels and a plaid skirt.
Have a great night!


fjäril October 04, 2023

glad everyone is safe, but wow what an ordeal!

Jinn October 04, 2023

You handled it well :-)

Small Town Girl October 06, 2023

Oh wow! That is pretty scary! Glad all is well!

You must be logged in to comment. Please sign in or join Prosebox to leave a comment.