Re: Family...Venting....Need help/advice

[Guest guest]

First, I am very sorry you are going through this. It sounds like you have

sufficient financial resources so I'm wondering if going to another state

with a low mold count for a period of time - taking nothing with you - would

help to improve your personal health. I hate to say it but you need to

worry about you first and mom later... It's obvious your parent don't want

to see how damaging this could be and are making it out to be psychosomatic.

I've found much difficulty myself in trying to educate others who don't want

to " see " the truth. Usually I give them scientific studies that they cannot

deny in full PDF text from scientific journals. My suggestion would be to

get the house tested for mold. If a toxic variety is found how could your

parents deny the findings? I don't know too much about the tests but I'm

sure someone on this list can tell you which test or company is reputable.

Good luck!

Lourdes " Sal " Salvador, salvadorlourdes@...

www.mcs-awareness.org, www.mcs-america.org , www.mcs-hawaii.org

[] Family...Venting....Need help/advice

> My mother is immunosuppressed from a heart transplant she had 9

> years ago (at age 58), during which time I was her primary

> caregiver, and basically gave her a second chance at life...prior to

> my mold house escapade.

>

> Unfortunately, her house is the first place I ran to when I began to

> get so sick in my house that I could no longer stay there. I brought

> some of my clothing, etc. and I ultimately began reacting in her

> house in my sensitized state, couldn't breath, feeling toxic, etc.,

> and left her house to sleep in a tent in the backyard of my mold

> house. She thought I had gone crazy.

>

> My entire family was, in fact, in disbelief as I went through my

> toxic exposure, dumped everything I owned, and paid a fortune to

> stay in a different hotel room every night, just to get away from

> the toxins, sometimes leaving my hotel room at 2am to go to the

> emergency room at the hospital, only to be told I must have

> allergies and the mold count was really high at the time. I thot I

> would surely die.

>

> That was 2-3 years ago. I'm still reacting to low levels of

> mold/toxin exposure and just doing the best I can to remediate as I

> go.

>

> For the past 6 weeks my other has had a terrible cough, that I am

> certain is due to the cross-contamination at her house.

> Stachy/Aspergillus. What do I do now? I've talked to so many

> professionals who tell me " it is extremely rare to experience

> symptoms from the toxins " , blah, blah, blah, " difficult to

> test " , " very expensive " . I'm sure you've all heard the same. And

> who has any money left after this experience?

>

> I'm incensed because my family basically still thinks I'm crazy,

> even my mom, which is a tough load to carry after being the only

> responsible one in my family to see my mom through her transplant

> ordeal, a college graduate, hard worker, and generally upstanding

> citizen. Yes, I'm taking it personally. ) And shouldn't.

>

> What am I to do now? I also think my dad/step mom are suffering

> from cross-contamination due to things I put in their garage, not

> knowing any better. Coughing, burning/red eyes, aching legs, etc.

> This is a nightmare that has been out of control for years. I feel

> that it was never addressed properly and is only going to get worse.

>

> They don't understand me and my experience, no matter what I tell

> them, and how many quotes, and evidence I send them from the

> internet.

>

> They see me as some kind of crazed person, and encourage me to stay

> away from the Sick Building Message Board as they think it causes me

> to focus unneccessarily on the problem, and invoke my panic. They

> don't even want me to talk about it, frequently shutting me down and

> saying they don't want to talk about it, and tell me things

> like " It's not possible " , and " would you be willing to talk to a

> psychologist " , which I already have, and luckily it was someone

> compassionate enough to understand that modern medicine doesn't

> understand/accept a lot of things people suffer from. Psychotherapy

> is not what I need.

>

> I've been asking my mom to mention to her doctors what I went

> through and she didn't, was afraid to, which I can totally

> understand. My mom met with a pulmonologist today, who wants her to

> do sputum cultures over a three day period. Sounds vaguely familiar

> to what I went through with the drs years ago and got nowhere.

>

> She doesn't realize that they don't get it for one, and there's

> nothing the doctors are going to do for her, anyway. I keep telling

> her she seems to do better when she's out of the house, and even

> asked if she would come stay with me for a week to see if she felt

> better (sabotaging my environment to be sure), but she says she

> can't because she has a cat to take care of. Her boss even told her

> to take some time off if she needed to.

>

> To top it off, and thi sis where my family dysfunction gets to much

> to take, there's a weird power struggle with my brother's ex-wife,

> who has threatened to take away my nephews (my mom's grandkids!!!)

> if she doesn't get her way, and she also happens to be diagnosed

> obsessive-compulsive, washing her hands with bleach and the whole

> nine yards.

>

> I think my mom is worried if she's contaminated she wont get to see

> the grandkids. And everyone is comparing my experience to her and

> thinking I've just lost my mind, even though I have IAQ tests

> revealing millionsof spores of stachy to prove my experience.

>

> Will someone help me, please. I'm at a loss.

>

> I called yet another testing company, and decided to do a series of

> tape testing for the stachy in various places; my apartment,

> storage, my mom's house, my dad's house...not sure if this is the

> right way to go.

>

> Feels like there is no solution, and we will all just get sicker

> over time if we do nothing. With tem blaming their old age, and me

> blaming the mold, as I was healthy active person before this all

> began.

>

> I don't write often, but I am so thankful for this group, and

> reading your stories helps me a great deal. More than you know,

> really.

>

> Jules

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Lourdes.

Feeling very frustrated at the moment. And worried. But you're

right, I have to worry about me. Sorry to everyone for venting on

the board. This stuff also makes me very emotional/frustrated,

arghhh.

I think a weekend in the mountains, high-altitude, may be a good

idea. I've also started back on cholestyramine, which I've been off

for a bit.

I have to continually remind myself, that it took a lot for me to

get where I am, and believe this experience is possible, but it only

happened because I had no choice but to believe if I wanted to

survive. I constantly had to shift my way of thinking each time I

reacted with a new symptom, or experienced cross-contamination,

etc.

Perhaps my family will find their own way through to the truth,

instead of relying on the " Experts " saying it's not possible and

doesn't make you sick, but I'm clearly not able to convince them.

It's very difficult for me, and a difficult place to be, especially

when I'm so worried about their health, especially my mom.

I sold my sick house 2 years ago and am still reacting, and yes

there was Stachy and Aspergillis. I'm dealing with cross-

contamination/sensitivity issues. And no, I have no money. Lost it

all in that piece of $# & $ house. Have been helped significantly by

my family.

I consulted with another IAQ person last week, and he said it's very

rare for people to be exposed to enough toxins to make them sick,

and how costly the testing/cleaning process is, not realistic.

The one before that told me cross-contamination isn't possible, and

he had a PhD in toxicology. Don't think the experts can help at

this point.

Jules

>

> First, I am very sorry you are going through this. It sounds like

you have

> sufficient financial resources so I'm wondering if going to

another state

> with a low mold count for a period of time - taking nothing with

you - would

> help to improve your personal health. I hate to say it but you

need to

> worry about you first and mom later... It's obvious your parent

don't want

> to see how damaging this could be and are making it out to be

psychosomatic.

> I've found much difficulty myself in trying to educate others who

don't want

> to " see " the truth. Usually I give them scientific studies that

they cannot

> deny in full PDF text from scientific journals. My suggestion

would be to

> get the house tested for mold. If a toxic variety is found how

could your

> parents deny the findings? I don't know too much about the tests

but I'm

> sure someone on this list can tell you which test or company is

reputable.

>

> Good luck!

>

> Lourdes " Sal " Salvador, salvadorlourdes@...

> www.mcs-awareness.org, www.mcs-america.org , www.mcs-hawaii.org

>

> [] Family...Venting....Need help/advice

>

>

> > My mother is immunosuppressed from a heart transplant she had 9

> > years ago (at age 58), during which time I was her primary

> > caregiver, and basically gave her a second chance at

life...prior to

> > my mold house escapade.

> >

> > Unfortunately, her house is the first place I ran to when I

began to

> > get so sick in my house that I could no longer stay there. I

brought

> > some of my clothing, etc. and I ultimately began reacting in her

> > house in my sensitized state, couldn't breath, feeling toxic,

etc.,

> > and left her house to sleep in a tent in the backyard of my mold

> > house. She thought I had gone crazy.

> >

> > My entire family was, in fact, in disbelief as I went through my

> > toxic exposure, dumped everything I owned, and paid a fortune to

> > stay in a different hotel room every night, just to get away from

> > the toxins, sometimes leaving my hotel room at 2am to go to the

> > emergency room at the hospital, only to be told I must have

> > allergies and the mold count was really high at the time. I

thot I

> > would surely die.

> >

> > That was 2-3 years ago. I'm still reacting to low levels of

> > mold/toxin exposure and just doing the best I can to remediate

as I

> > go.

> >

> > For the past 6 weeks my other has had a terrible cough, that I am

> > certain is due to the cross-contamination at her house.

> > Stachy/Aspergillus. What do I do now? I've talked to so many

> > professionals who tell me " it is extremely rare to experience

> > symptoms from the toxins " , blah, blah, blah, " difficult to

> > test " , " very expensive " . I'm sure you've all heard the same. And

> > who has any money left after this experience?

> >

> > I'm incensed because my family basically still thinks I'm crazy,

> > even my mom, which is a tough load to carry after being the only

> > responsible one in my family to see my mom through her transplant

> > ordeal, a college graduate, hard worker, and generally upstanding

> > citizen. Yes, I'm taking it personally. ) And shouldn't.

> >

> > What am I to do now? I also think my dad/step mom are suffering

> > from cross-contamination due to things I put in their garage, not

> > knowing any better. Coughing, burning/red eyes, aching legs,

etc.

> > This is a nightmare that has been out of control for years. I

feel

> > that it was never addressed properly and is only going to get

worse.

> >

> > They don't understand me and my experience, no matter what I tell

> > them, and how many quotes, and evidence I send them from the

> > internet.

> >

> > They see me as some kind of crazed person, and encourage me to

stay

> > away from the Sick Building Message Board as they think it

causes me

> > to focus unneccessarily on the problem, and invoke my panic.

They

> > don't even want me to talk about it, frequently shutting me down

and

> > saying they don't want to talk about it, and tell me things

> > like " It's not possible " , and " would you be willing to talk to a

> > psychologist " , which I already have, and luckily it was someone

> > compassionate enough to understand that modern medicine doesn't

> > understand/accept a lot of things people suffer from.

Psychotherapy

> > is not what I need.

> >

> > I've been asking my mom to mention to her doctors what I went

> > through and she didn't, was afraid to, which I can totally

> > understand. My mom met with a pulmonologist today, who wants

her to

> > do sputum cultures over a three day period. Sounds vaguely

familiar

> > to what I went through with the drs years ago and got nowhere.

> >

> > She doesn't realize that they don't get it for one, and there's

> > nothing the doctors are going to do for her, anyway. I keep

telling

> > her she seems to do better when she's out of the house, and even

> > asked if she would come stay with me for a week to see if she

felt

> > better (sabotaging my environment to be sure), but she says she

> > can't because she has a cat to take care of. Her boss even told

her

> > to take some time off if she needed to.

> >

> > To top it off, and thi sis where my family dysfunction gets to

much

> > to take, there's a weird power struggle with my brother's ex-

wife,

> > who has threatened to take away my nephews (my mom's

grandkids!!!)

> > if she doesn't get her way, and she also happens to be diagnosed

> > obsessive-compulsive, washing her hands with bleach and the whole

> > nine yards.

> >

> > I think my mom is worried if she's contaminated she wont get to

see

> > the grandkids. And everyone is comparing my experience to her

and

> > thinking I've just lost my mind, even though I have IAQ tests

> > revealing millionsof spores of stachy to prove my experience.

> >

> > Will someone help me, please. I'm at a loss.

> >

> > I called yet another testing company, and decided to do a series

of

> > tape testing for the stachy in various places; my apartment,

> > storage, my mom's house, my dad's house...not sure if this is the

> > right way to go.

> >

> > Feels like there is no solution, and we will all just get sicker

> > over time if we do nothing. With tem blaming their old age, and

me

> > blaming the mold, as I was healthy active person before this all

> > began.

> >

> > I don't write often, but I am so thankful for this group, and

> > reading your stories helps me a great deal. More than you know,

> > really.

> >

> > Jules

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > FAIR USE NOTICE:

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Sounds awful to go through... I hope you find some solutions and a weekend

in the mountains sounds just wonderful!

Lourdes " Sal " Salvador, salvadorlourdes@...

www.mcs-america.org , www.mcs-hawaii.org, http://mcs-america.org/ama.pdf

----- Original Message -----

From: " julesblucky " <julesblucky@...>

> Thanks Lourdes.

>

> Feeling very frustrated at the moment. And worried. But you're

> right, I have to worry about me. Sorry to everyone for venting on

> the board. This stuff also makes me very emotional/frustrated,

> arghhh.

>

> I think a weekend in the mountains, high-altitude, may be a good

> idea. I've also started back on cholestyramine, which I've been off

> for a bit.

<snip>