Holy Oxygen Tank, Batman

Here’s a product that could use some ergonomic fixing: the good ol' oxygen tank. One nearly took my poor head off the other day as I tried to change canisters. Unbeknownst to me, there’s a secret way to attach the front nozzle so the pressure doesn’t escape. Thinking I was actually attaching it correctly, I turned the “open” gauge slightly to the right for the oxygen to begin flowing. Big mistake. The thing nearly blasted my ear drums. I couldn’t hear for a good few minutes after. I remember saying "oh, for crying out loud." An oxygen tank injury is the last thing we need right now (it'd be fitting though, given our luck...so would getting trampled by a yak). Thankfully, I had only twisted the knob slightly; had I turned it completely, the full pressure of the oxygen tank would have exploded outward, thereby turning the tank into a super fast rocket. And as much as I like rockets, having a makeshift one blast off in a borrowed house probably wouldn’t have gone over so well. I’m just glad the pressure didn’t shake off a loose piece of metal, or else I’d be blind. Who do you have to bully for a decent “how to” label? Sheesh.

We fired the compressed oxygen and brought in a new liquid oxygen tank, which should be easier to manage.  The oxygen tank looks a lot like R2D2, but whatever.  It's not a beauty contest.  Just as long as it doesn't break out a beebooboobeeboo in the middle of the night. -– J