Unintended consequences a parent doesn't want to face

Life is really just a series of consequences.

Chase and Tyler who died in
 2010 of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Some are hoped for and so are the outcome of directed and planned effort, but the other side of the leger is made up of unintended consequences; some often pleasing and others quite the reverse.

An unintended consequence that derailed the life of Mooroopna’s Vanessa Robinson in 2010 when her sons, Chase, 8, and Tyler, 6, died of carbon monoxide poisoning further unfolded recently at Shepparton’s School of Rural Health.

The ramifications of that tragedy continue to ricochet through Vanessa’s life, but rather than succumb to the sorrow such moment can bring, Vanessa has set about helping others understand how such consequences can be avoided.

Just last month Vanessa launched the website for the Chase and Tyler Foundation - www.chaseandtyler.org.au.

Vanessa’s welcome on the website says:

“In 2010, my children Chase and Tyler Robinson died from carbon monoxide poisoning from an un-serviced gas heater in our rental property. They were only eight and six years old.
“In 2011, The Chase & Tyler Foundation was established to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in Australia caused by carbon monoxide.
“Through the efforts of the foundation to educate communities about this health hazard, Chase and Tyler’s legacy of saving Australian lives will live on.”

Ever eager to ensure that others don’t suffer a fate similar to her own, Vanessa, who works at GV Health and now lives in Shepparton, has exercised her contacts and recently had an expert in recognizing and treating carbon monoxide poisoning, Associate Professor Peter Morley, talk with about 100 people at Shepparton’s School of Rural Health.

Prof Morley, an intensive care specialist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, took medical students from the Shepparton School and staff from GV Health through the intricacies and difficulties of recognizing a patient with carbon monoxide poisoning and then the equally complex subsequent problem of treating them.

Carbon monoxide is odourless and tasteless making its detection difficult in the extreme and there was some discussion at the recent lecture about the effectiveness of alarms for devices that produce carbon monoxide, particularly gas heaters.

There was some discussion about the importance of regular servicing of gas-fired heaters and one audience member said a recent service of her heater provided great peace of mind.

There appeared broad agreement among the audience about the need for regular checking and although there appeared to be agreement about mandated servicing and checking for rented properties, there was decided discomfort about making that society-wide.

 

Whatever happens, Vanessa wants others learn from the unintended consequences that left an indelible stain on her life and learn about it and take steps to ensure that the silent killer that is carbon monoxide doesn’t visit their lives.