Tragedy struck in June 2020 for nurse Jessica Taschner after she and her partner, Steve, were exposed to carbon monoxide from a propane-operated refrigerator while staying in her family's cabin on the Sunshine Coast.
Her family later called emergency services. Steve died and she was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
"I was very, very depressed," said Taschner. "This very dark place I was in because I lost the love of my life, I couldn't walk. I wasn't working. It was really hard."
She said her life hasn't been the same since and that she's still recovering nearly three years later. While working to regain her strength, she reminds herself that this is what her late partner would have wanted.
"This is what Steve would have wanted you to do. He would want you to get better. He would want you to go back to work. He would want you to be you again. That was my motivator," she said.
Taschner said she's sharing her story in hopes to protect others from what she went through.
"It could save you everything I've been through – losing someone you love very dearly, having to grieve and do crazy rehab to get back to where you are,'" she said, adding that she's much better now, having been treated at Vancouver General Hospital's Hyperbaric Unit.
Vancouver Coastal Health is now reminding the public about the dangers of carbon monoxide, also known as "the silent killer."
The invisible, odorless gas can cause major damage to people's internal organs and in extreme cases, can lead to death.
The hospital says it sees up to 60 patients a year and up to 40 need to use a hyperbaric chamber.
"Flooding the body with oxygen like we can do in this chamber, actually drives out the carbon monoxide faster than if we wear a mask or let somebody breathe on their own," said Dr. Bruce Campana, an emergency and hyperbaric medicine physician at the hospital.
"Those [who require the treatment] might be the people who are unconscious, may have a breathing tube in place, may be close to death," he continued.
He said it's important for people to be aware of the symptoms of poisoning.
"Headache, flu-like symptoms, nausea, sometimes vomiting, dizziness. It can feel like food poisoning," Campana explained.
"If you feel those symptoms and it doesn't feel like food poisoning, the best thing is to get out of that house and call the fire department," he continued.
He also outlined steps people can take to prevent exposure.
"Let's not burn things in the house except in the fireplace. Let's make sure we get our chimney checked every year. Let's not bring the barbecue in on cold days because 'Hey, it's a good idea to cook inside and we'll heat the house at the same time.' Let's not run the car in the garage," he said.
Lastly, he urges people to install carbon monoxide detectors on every floor and check them annually.
