Don't Do Dumb Things!

This was the slogan that our mission president's wife created in my mission in Chicago. Apparently, there were some missionaries doing dumb things, so in response every apartment had a poster with this slogan printed upon it. Apparently I need to get that poster out and hang it up again. Yesterday morning I was out cleaning the pool. I was adding some chemicals and I had decided to pour the muriatic acid directly into the floating container that holds the chlorine tablets. There was an instant reaction and the container began to bubble over and foam was spreading everywhere. Moments later I began to smell a strong odor, which quickly began to encompass me everywhere. I tried to step back, but it was too late and I could not escape the fumes fast enough. I went inside and found that I was having trouble breathing and felt very dizzy. Becky was leaving for school so I was home alone with the wee ones. After she left I called poison control and I told on myself. Apparently I needed to breathe in some steam very quickly. I put a pot of boiling water on the stove and placed a towel over my head. I spent several minutes breathing in the steam when the water began to boil. Minutes later I was fine. Moral of the story: leaving the chemical mixing to the chemists.