PSA... Battery Acid fumes are bad for you.

Edited to add:
I am adding to this blog post because it has been getting quite a few "hits" from search engines regarding battery acid fumes.
My voice was affected for MONTHS. I needed to carry a rescue inhaler with me, even though I had previously NEVER been asthmatic.
There was no permanent damage to my vocal cords, though one specialist suggested I may need to learn to speak in a different register.
It has been more than 18 months since the incident. While I HAVE gained my voice back, I remain extremely sensitive to airborne particles of any sort.
If you are reading this because you have breathed in battery acid fumes- GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. You can be susceptible to secondary pneumonia or even a phenomena known as "dry drowning". Don't take a chance! (Thanks for reading my blog!) 
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  I didn't realize until this morning that I haven't blogged in a week or so.
My "big event" of the past week, most are already aware of- but I missed telling my Dad and Kathie (sorry!) and a few others who might care.
Not that I could TELL anyone... and getting a call from Mr C or one of the Individuals might make it seem worse.

Thursday at work- Boss Tim's last day. He was out the door pretty early to get to his new position over in Fayetteville. New boss Chris was still on vacation. Freshly minted but not sworn in Assistant Manager Chad was on duty. The store, of course, would be swamped with customers. I was just ALMOST finished with my tasks in receiving and shipping- gathering the last few items we had surplus of to send to the warehouse to be redistributed.
In one of my foraging trips into the customer end of the store, I had noticed a customer milling aimlessly about and asked if he needed help. He showed me he had a battery in our Testing/Charging Station. It still had quite a bit of time left to charge.
So I went on about my job. The battery charger beeped to indicate that it had finished. Chad and the other clerk on duty were both very busy, so  I stepped up to help the customer. The Testing Station is an enclosed box with a Plexiglas door. It indicated a "bad" battery. I turned off the charger, opened the door, and began to disconnect the battery from the cables. I noticed that there was a fairly large puddle beneath the battery. I told the customer to please not move the battery until I could neutralize the acid. Our store uses soda ash. I poured a cup of the soda ash slowly all over the acid, nudging the battery around and tilting it to get the neutralizer under the battery. This took a minute or so. Customer asked if I could sell him a replacement battery. I walked around the counter to the computer, and started to ask him questions about his vehicle in order to get the proper battery for his vehicle.
Within a few questions, I realized I was having trouble breathing. I couldn't get enough air to ASK any questions. I got Chad's attention and had him take over with the customer. He told me to "catch my breath" and take a break.
Within a few moments more, I had zero voice. As long as I didn't exert any oxygen to speak, I could do my job, but my breathing was labored.
Chad kept me for a bit after I finished the shipping, to make sure I was OK. I said I thought I was going to need to go see a doctor. This was his first HOUR as assistant manager- he wasn't sure where to get an accident form for workmen's comp.
I went on home, and tried to tell Tom what had happened. he was home for lunch, and on a tight time frame. And the van had a flat tire. He took the car back to work- leaving me with the useless van. Daniel and Sam were working, and would be home in a couple of hours. In those couple of hours, the heaviness in my chest grew from just tightness to a weight like  an elephant  a very large cow was on my chest. I decided I should go see the doctor as soon as the boys got home.
They walked in the door a few minutes past three- and I gave Sam time enough to change out of his wet clothes (He is a dishwasher). We headed to the local Doctor's office across the road from O'Reillys- the nearest place for medical attention. I walked in and with Sam's help, got across that I needed to see a doctor and why. The receptionist called the doctor and in short order, decided that the Emergency Room was a better choice for me. Sam drove me on into Siloam. I was taken back quite quickly. I didn't have breath enough to give medical history to the triage nurse. My BP was 188/118.
 In short order, I was seen by a doctor, had a chest Xray, and was given two breathing treatments. They took blood for a battery of tests from a vein when I first arrived. After the breathing treatments, the nurse needed blood from an artery. That  ranks right up there with childbirth on the pain scale... but fortunately doesn't last as long!
My blood oxygen levels were greatly increased, and my blood pressure down to acceptable rates.
I was given prescriptions for steroids, and an inhaler like asthmatics carry. Told to see my regular doctor if my voice didn't return by Saturday.
Friday I still had no voice. I could get a whisper out if I HAD to. By Saturday I was merely very hoarse, and on Sunday much improved, but even today, I am still raspy.
I am told I need to stay away from places where I could pick up illness, as I am susceptible to chemically induced pneumonia and the steroids suppress the immune system. I am coughing up thick green phlegm, which seems to be what is keeping my voice raspy.

So... breathing battery acid fumes is bad for you. I didn't even know it really made fumes, in all the times I've cleaned up spills at work. (None of the prior spills were in such an enclosed space as the testing station box.)
If you breathe battery acid fumes, you should not wait several hours to seek medical help, but head at once to the Emergency Room. Even if you think you "will probably be OK"... get it checked out.

Edited to add:
I am adding to this blog post because it has been getting quite a few "hits" from search engines regarding battery acid fumes.
My voice was affected for MONTHS. I needed to carry a rescue inhaler with me, even though I had NEVER been asthmatic.
There was no permanent damage to my vocal cords, though one specialist suggested I may need to learn to speak in a different register.
It has been more than 18 months since the incident. While I HAVE gained my voice back, I remain extremely sensitive to airborne particles of any sort.
If you are reading this because you have breathed in battery acid fumes- GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. You can be susceptible to secondary pneumonia or even a phenomena known as "dry drowning". Don't take a chance! (Thanks for reading my blog!)