I have been thinking about writing this post for some time. I've had a bad dip in my health, so I have not been able to until now. This post is about getting the word out, so hopefully someone else going through this can take the necessary precautions and steps. Please forgive me if I sound blunt and to the point...I am extremely tired and have felt worse than normal for the past few days.
At the beginning of this year, my husband, myself, and our 4 children left our dream home and 14 years worth of belongings. We did this at the advice of 2 doctors, a mold inspector, and a mold toxicologist. Mold had ruined my health. As I look back, I can see it was also responsible for 3 of my children's unexplainable symptoms. They ranged from stomach pains, headaches, to chronic bronchitis and ear infections, etc. My 6 year old had a speech delay problem and could not focus in school. 6 months later, NONE of that exists. The mysterious ailments vanished and my 6 year old is reading, spelling and acing spelling tests. He still struggles some and is a bit hyperactive, but so was my husband as a child...so I am sure some of it is heredity.
However, my health is now worse. I think the mold house we left was the one that just did me in. My body said, no more! We had lived in 2 houses prior with mold problems and not knowing any better, took our belongings with us each time. I was born into mold... just found this out recently. A pre world war Army hospital. And, I have a genotype (25% of the population does) that makes it extremely difficult to expel the toxins. This is why some people will be fine around mold, or may just get allergy like symptoms, but when removed, will be fine. Others, like me, will stay very very ill. It's a long battle that will change life as you know it.
Here are some things I wish I had known before we left our home and belongings:
1. Cross-contamination. I thought that just pertained to keeping belongings from the contaminated house. Nope. I have realized that every time my younger children go to school, they are bringing spores home with them (I react). Going into stores with mold. Kids who are dating people from a moldy house, friends, etc. A new mold friend at the time tried to warn me about this and tried to get me to have a plan in place. I was too overwhelmed with everything that I just ignored it. However, seeing before and after mold testing on our new rental, this shows that we indeed are bringing spores into the home. It's definitely better than what we left, but as long as i'm still being hit...I really cannot recover. We life in a town where mold is rampant. My Dr's have been telling me for 2 years to RELOCATE, specifically to Arizona where it is drier. Yes, there is still mold there, but I actually went there for 2 weeks last year as a medical experiment and I did feel better and the air is MUCH different out there. I wish I had taken my Dr's advice and high tailed it out of South East Alabama 2 years ago when they told me to. There is such a thing as one mold hit too many. I am not saying this to scare anyone, but this coming form my Mold Doctor who has had patients that this has happened to.
2. Un-masking or re-sensitization. I wish I had known this was going to happen. You need to be prepared. Approximately 2 weeks to 3 months after you leave your moldy environment, the re-sensitization or un-masking will begin to happen. There is a science behind it. Your body is out of the mold...no longer stuck in fight mode so it will begin to wake up and you will react to things you never did before. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity set in with a vengeance. If I thought I could track down mold before...oh man, that was nothing to how it is now! I can smell it/react to it a mile away. Be prepared to react to places you hadn't before. I am reacting to my church, my parent's house, clothes, car, and to several other places I was fine a year ago, but can't set foot into now. This re-sensitization has to do with T-cells being lit up like a Christmas Tree.
3. The emotional trauma. I actually got PTSD from this experience. My husband recognized it in me. He is a solider, and he knows from personal experience. I was not prepared for the emotional trauma that would come along with this. I often feel like i'm crazy because i'm the only one this sick. Some family got upset with me due to choices I had to make. I lost friends. People stopped helping and checking in on us after 3-4 months passed. I don't think anyone can prepare you for the emotions you will go through. Know that you may experience intense depression, grief, anger, etc. Mold toxins are neurotoxins, they love to mess with the brain. You need to have a strong circle of support. If you cannot find this in your own family, I can connect you with a small group of ladies who have gone through this and are going through this. You will need emotional support. You will need to talk to people who have gone through this. Go to your church, if you belong to one. One of our greatest supports is our Pastor. He reflects the heart of Jesus. He doesn't understand everything I tell him about mold illness, but he listens to us without Judgement and he empathizes with our pain. He prays for us and I know he really does. His wife prays for us and speaks life into me each time I see her. Not everyone will understand or be there for you, but once in a while, you will find that and it will make all of the difference in the world.
4. Life as you know it will change. If you have MCS, you will need to switch you and your entire family over to unscented products. Clean with simple, natural ingredients such asVinegar and Water. Andrea Fabry has wonderful ideas for natural cleaning on her website. Please do check out her website. It's the most comprehensive mold blog I have seen and she has tons of helpful info on there. If your children are in a school with a mold issue, you must do something to keep the mold out of your house. For now, we have bins in our garage. We have them put their backpacks in the bins aned their jackets-they are not allowed inside. Then, I have to fog them off with a natural mold killing sollution. Either that, or they would have to change and shower every day after school. To keep the trauma down, I chose to fog them off.
Now with one of our sons, that didn't work. He has dated girls who are from very moldy houses. For him, he had to change after each visit or being in their car and then fog off at home before coming inside. I would then put his clothes in a bin of MMS or soak them in water with hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and vinegar before bringing them in to wash.
Ideally, with my younger kids, I would homeschool to keep the mold out, but I am too ill to do so. I hope us relocating (hopefully in the summer-we will see which direction the Lord leads us) will help us with that. However, it's estimated that a large percentage of American Schools have a mold issue. Be prepared to have a plan with how to tackle mold if you react to your kids after they go to school, or a friends house, or after you go somewhere you have a reaction to.. My 13 year old daugher has been unable to go to friends houses due to the mold issue. We cannot allow people to come into our house unless they are from a mold free/chemical free home. Easier said than done here. So, living is VERY different than how it used to be. I would also like to note that it took me 5 months to pick mold up on my kids from their school. I was so sick after moing in here form VOC's that my body was so overwhelmed..I just didn't get it.
5. Mold lives in dust, so it's vital you keep your house as clean as possible. I know it's like asking you to climb Mt. Everest, as if you have mold illness, cleaning your home is the last thing your poor body wants to do. I know for me, I have a few hours of "energy" after I wake up, but it's watered down energy. I never wake up feeling refreshed. The mold damaged my immune system, my Pituitary gland (Adnrenals, thyroid, etc). It damaged just about every hormone. I recently asked a mold friend who still has some healing to go, but has come so far in healing, about cleaning your home. She suggested that weekly, you should:
Mop all floors/vacuum, wash bedding and shower curtains (alternate weeks) and dust. They do this on Saturdays and everyone pitches in. I may try to do this during the week, if able, and then my family can help me out on Saturday if it's not all done. Deep clean once or twice a year (blinds, baseboards, etc..or more, if physically able to).
6. If you suspect mold illness and are in a moldy environment at work or home, please don't wait before you see about getting it re-mediated or if that's not an option, get out of there. If you are susceptible to mold illness, there are labs that will reveal this, then don't put yourself at risk by staying. You will do yourself more harm and risk severe damage.
7. Vehicles. If you live in a contaminated place or work in one, chances are your vehicle/vehicles are moldy as well. Not everyone can replace their vehicles. I know we could not. Check out this website for tips on keeping your car mold free until you can replace it (if necessary).
8. Grieve. Allow yourself to grieve. If you loose your health, home, belongings to mold...it's like a death almost. You grieve what you had, what you lost, etc. It is a process. It's okay to grieve. Take time in that, allow that to happen. But, watch for bitterness and anger. If you don't get that under control, it will make you a very miserable person. Try to focus on the positive in your life. If you can get out of bed, be thankful that you can walk, etc.. Try to list one thing you are thankful for that day. Earthing is very good for the body. Go outside, if even for 5 minutes, with no shoes on...walk around. Find beauty in God's creation. Watch the birds outside. If you are nearby a beach, sit on the shore and watch the waves.
9. It's a Marathon, not a Sprint. Understand that very rarely will a person get well from mold illness automatically after leaving a moldy environment. I have known a few people where that was the case. But, more than likely, it will be a 2-3 year battle. Depending on how long you were in the mold and what types you were exposed to. Dr. Gray from Arizona has found that it takes 3 years of treatment and mold avoidance to get a negative toxin screen via urine. So, it is a long battle. But, don't loose hope! I do know several people who are healing from this illness! It does take strict avoidance, detoxing, building up your immune system, and time.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Cavities, Root Canals and Extractions...OH MY!!
If you suffer from a chronic auto immune disease or diseases, such as mold illness and or Lyme...then the LAST thing on your mind is probably dental work. But, let me tell you, that should NOT be ignored and if you do suffer from auto-immune disease...please take note. A dental decision can very well affect your health!
During the past 3 years I've known I had been ill from mold and Lyme, I let my oral health go. I couldn't string 2 sentences together, I slurred my words, got mixed up frequently and could not remember to take my supplements/meds. Not that it would have mattered: mold rule #1. If you are in a moldy environment, GET OUT! Taking tons of expensive meds/supplements will not heal you if you are in a moldy house. During the 3 years we were in our moldy house, I didn't get dental check ups or anything. PLEASE don't ignore this aspect of your health. It is all connected. Did you know our teeth are connected to the organs in our body? Makes sense, but I never thought about that before! Check it out:
http://www.oasisadvancedwellness.com/tools/tooth-chart.html
Not a believer? Read this blog entry by Andrea Fabry about the connection between her daughter's tooth and unexplainable knee pain.
This is what I've found out recently, from my own experience, with all things dental...
Because of my lack of oral care for the past 3 years, I developed a very deep cavity. I KNEW silver fillings were out of the question and thank the Lord this is my first cavity. I am one of the lucky ones, as I have no mercury to remove from my teeth. If you do, you need to look at having it removed and replaced with a compatible composite filling. You can check out info on mercury fillings here. It's important to go to a mercury free dentist, trained in removing mercury SAFELY. If it's just taken out and you breathe it in, you will cause yourself much harm. My environmental Dr. recommended going to a dentist that is an IAOMT dentist. Part of the International Academy Of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. You can get info on that here. When I found out I had to get a filling, I asked my Dr. about that. At the state of my health now, I was concerned about putting anything in my mouth that I could react to (because that seems to be happening with everything...more in that in my next post!).
My gut feeling was right, she said, don't you dare put something in your body without knowing if you are allergic to it or not! There is a blood test you can get done for this...who knew?! It is expensive, at $295, but it's also a life saver I think. It's called a dental Bio-Compatibility test. The one my Dr. ordered is from Clifford Consulting. You have to have a Dr. order it for you. The kit will come in the mail, directly to you, with specific instructions. You take that to the lab and they'll draw for you. It is important to note that it should be shipped after the blood is drawn. You overnight it via FedEX (paid for already by the company). You can freeze the sample for up to 2 weeks if you cannot ship it then. Ship M-Th, not on a Friday, so that the sample won't sit over the weekend. Results are back quickly, which goes to your Dr. It's a booklet full of every dental compound, which will tell if your body reacts to it or not. You get 2 copies, 1 for you and 1 for your dentist. You take that to the dentist and they will select a safe composite for YOUR body to fill the cavity with. Click here for info on the bio-compatibility testing. It's important to note that typically, only mercury free dentists are familiar with this testing, and how to read it to find what is safe for you.
So, that takes care of the filling aspect for cavities. When I saw my local dentist, who was going to use a safe composite for me, he took another look and said...wow, this cavity is really deep. We may have to do a root canal. I literally panicked. Although I couldn't explain why, I KNEW that having a root canal done was bad news. He said we could extract the tooth then. Well, that didn't sit right with me either....WHY?! I had to find out. I came home and researched and found out that with root canals, the tooth is DEAD. Dentists refer to it as "non-vital." Ummmm...what does that mean? DEAD...hello?! Dentists are taught root canals are perfectly normal and will not harm anyone. But, the body will reject anything not vital. So, what does that tell you? For more info on root canals and what exactly that does to our bodies, read here. Now, none of this process was a poor reflection on my local dentist. He's an excellent dentist. My Dr. and I just felt, with the way my health is, that going to a dentist trained in things such as this would be best for me.
I moved on to trying to find out why I was uneasy about a tooth extraction. It took a few days to find, but if you have a tooth removed and it's not extracted properly...you will have what's called a cavitation. Not a cavity, but cavitation. It is most likely to happen when you have wisdom teeth removed, but it's possible to happen with any back teeth being removed, or perhaps any at all. A Cavitation is an unhealed hole in the jawbone caused by an extracted tooth. If the periodontal ligaments (all of them) are not removed properly when the tooth is extracted, a cavitation will more than likely occur. This cavitation causes highly toxic bacteria to be produced, which will further weaken the immune system, without any pain in the jaw area. In fact, Cavitations usually cannot be seen by exam or Xray. A special machine called a Cavitat has to be used to detect them. I also learned that a cavitation from a tooth extraction is often the rule, not the exception. Read here for more info on the root canal/extraction/cavitation deal. Mercury free dentists will tell you, as will research, that regular dentists won't acknowledge this to be a problem. In fact, many of them were never taught the word cavitation in dental school. Here is a good article about how a tooth extraction should be done and how to clean a cavitation.
It was because of this info and the possibility of an extraction, that I decided to go see a dentist on the IAOMT website, one that my environmental doctor recommended. This meant a 4 1/2 hour drive for us, but that's where we travel anyway to see my Dr's, so we just added 2 appointments in one day instead of one.
It was worth it. My dentist was super nice, and understood mold illness and MCS, as she's suffered from both herself. No scented anything is allowed in the office. She worked on me for 2 hours. She was extremely thorough, made sure I wasn't in any pain and that's saying a lot. My pain tolerance isn't very high:) She removed all of the decay from my tooth, with the knowledge of knowing she may have to extract it. And, she knows how to prevent cavitations. She knows the procedure for extracting a tooth properly. Halfway through, she said she believes the filling will work and the tooth can be saved. After she removed all of the decay, she used an ozone/oxygen treatment on the tooth. She said this treatment often saves the tooth from a root canal. She couldn't promise anything, but said that she believes the tooth will be okay. I am to go back in a month for her to inspect the tooth again and see if the filling is holding up, if not, I will have the tooth extracted...which is tooth #15 by the way, if anyone is interested. I am okay with her extracting it if it needs to be done because she will try to avoid cavitation. Hopefully that doesn't have to happen, but if it does, I know i'm in good hands.
During the past 3 years I've known I had been ill from mold and Lyme, I let my oral health go. I couldn't string 2 sentences together, I slurred my words, got mixed up frequently and could not remember to take my supplements/meds. Not that it would have mattered: mold rule #1. If you are in a moldy environment, GET OUT! Taking tons of expensive meds/supplements will not heal you if you are in a moldy house. During the 3 years we were in our moldy house, I didn't get dental check ups or anything. PLEASE don't ignore this aspect of your health. It is all connected. Did you know our teeth are connected to the organs in our body? Makes sense, but I never thought about that before! Check it out:
http://www.oasisadvancedwellness.com/tools/tooth-chart.html
Not a believer? Read this blog entry by Andrea Fabry about the connection between her daughter's tooth and unexplainable knee pain.
This is what I've found out recently, from my own experience, with all things dental...
Because of my lack of oral care for the past 3 years, I developed a very deep cavity. I KNEW silver fillings were out of the question and thank the Lord this is my first cavity. I am one of the lucky ones, as I have no mercury to remove from my teeth. If you do, you need to look at having it removed and replaced with a compatible composite filling. You can check out info on mercury fillings here. It's important to go to a mercury free dentist, trained in removing mercury SAFELY. If it's just taken out and you breathe it in, you will cause yourself much harm. My environmental Dr. recommended going to a dentist that is an IAOMT dentist. Part of the International Academy Of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. You can get info on that here. When I found out I had to get a filling, I asked my Dr. about that. At the state of my health now, I was concerned about putting anything in my mouth that I could react to (because that seems to be happening with everything...more in that in my next post!).
My gut feeling was right, she said, don't you dare put something in your body without knowing if you are allergic to it or not! There is a blood test you can get done for this...who knew?! It is expensive, at $295, but it's also a life saver I think. It's called a dental Bio-Compatibility test. The one my Dr. ordered is from Clifford Consulting. You have to have a Dr. order it for you. The kit will come in the mail, directly to you, with specific instructions. You take that to the lab and they'll draw for you. It is important to note that it should be shipped after the blood is drawn. You overnight it via FedEX (paid for already by the company). You can freeze the sample for up to 2 weeks if you cannot ship it then. Ship M-Th, not on a Friday, so that the sample won't sit over the weekend. Results are back quickly, which goes to your Dr. It's a booklet full of every dental compound, which will tell if your body reacts to it or not. You get 2 copies, 1 for you and 1 for your dentist. You take that to the dentist and they will select a safe composite for YOUR body to fill the cavity with. Click here for info on the bio-compatibility testing. It's important to note that typically, only mercury free dentists are familiar with this testing, and how to read it to find what is safe for you.
So, that takes care of the filling aspect for cavities. When I saw my local dentist, who was going to use a safe composite for me, he took another look and said...wow, this cavity is really deep. We may have to do a root canal. I literally panicked. Although I couldn't explain why, I KNEW that having a root canal done was bad news. He said we could extract the tooth then. Well, that didn't sit right with me either....WHY?! I had to find out. I came home and researched and found out that with root canals, the tooth is DEAD. Dentists refer to it as "non-vital." Ummmm...what does that mean? DEAD...hello?! Dentists are taught root canals are perfectly normal and will not harm anyone. But, the body will reject anything not vital. So, what does that tell you? For more info on root canals and what exactly that does to our bodies, read here. Now, none of this process was a poor reflection on my local dentist. He's an excellent dentist. My Dr. and I just felt, with the way my health is, that going to a dentist trained in things such as this would be best for me.
I moved on to trying to find out why I was uneasy about a tooth extraction. It took a few days to find, but if you have a tooth removed and it's not extracted properly...you will have what's called a cavitation. Not a cavity, but cavitation. It is most likely to happen when you have wisdom teeth removed, but it's possible to happen with any back teeth being removed, or perhaps any at all. A Cavitation is an unhealed hole in the jawbone caused by an extracted tooth. If the periodontal ligaments (all of them) are not removed properly when the tooth is extracted, a cavitation will more than likely occur. This cavitation causes highly toxic bacteria to be produced, which will further weaken the immune system, without any pain in the jaw area. In fact, Cavitations usually cannot be seen by exam or Xray. A special machine called a Cavitat has to be used to detect them. I also learned that a cavitation from a tooth extraction is often the rule, not the exception. Read here for more info on the root canal/extraction/cavitation deal. Mercury free dentists will tell you, as will research, that regular dentists won't acknowledge this to be a problem. In fact, many of them were never taught the word cavitation in dental school. Here is a good article about how a tooth extraction should be done and how to clean a cavitation.
It was because of this info and the possibility of an extraction, that I decided to go see a dentist on the IAOMT website, one that my environmental doctor recommended. This meant a 4 1/2 hour drive for us, but that's where we travel anyway to see my Dr's, so we just added 2 appointments in one day instead of one.
It was worth it. My dentist was super nice, and understood mold illness and MCS, as she's suffered from both herself. No scented anything is allowed in the office. She worked on me for 2 hours. She was extremely thorough, made sure I wasn't in any pain and that's saying a lot. My pain tolerance isn't very high:) She removed all of the decay from my tooth, with the knowledge of knowing she may have to extract it. And, she knows how to prevent cavitations. She knows the procedure for extracting a tooth properly. Halfway through, she said she believes the filling will work and the tooth can be saved. After she removed all of the decay, she used an ozone/oxygen treatment on the tooth. She said this treatment often saves the tooth from a root canal. She couldn't promise anything, but said that she believes the tooth will be okay. I am to go back in a month for her to inspect the tooth again and see if the filling is holding up, if not, I will have the tooth extracted...which is tooth #15 by the way, if anyone is interested. I am okay with her extracting it if it needs to be done because she will try to avoid cavitation. Hopefully that doesn't have to happen, but if it does, I know i'm in good hands.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
What It Feels Like
Imagine this.......
Imagine waking up, every morning, realizing your throat feels like it's on fire.
Your head feels like there are 2 small people tap dancing on your eyes and the pain just radiates around your head. And, your neck is swollen again, your lymph nodes are painful...kinda feels like you have the mumps. You sit up to get out of bed and look down at the next source of pain...your hands. Your fingers are swollen...again and your joints hurt. Your back is still sore from yesterday and your legs are tender as well.
Yet, you have to get out of bed...the children are up and you must get them breakfast. You have to constantly ask your children to please lower their voices because every little sound hurts your ears. You struggle through the morning, feeling like you are stuck in a perpetual hangover. You never feel rested, no matter how much sleep you get. You struggle with anxiety you cannot control. You feel alone and isolated.
Your children are bored but you don't have energy to do anything much, much less money to do fun things with them. Because, all spare money is spent towards your mounting medical bills and treatments, which your insurance won't cover.
On the days you are able to take your kids to swim or something, you sit on the porch, watching them, because you have no energy to enjoy it with them.
If you go out, you realize the building you're in has mold in it and you start to react, or there's a perfume scent, or a cleaner, or a plug in smell that gets you. Your throat gets red and blotchy inside, your glands swell, your headache becomes extremely painful and your fatigue level increases. Because of your symptoms, you cannot go to friend's houses like you used to...unless you are 100% positive you do not react over there. You can't have many people over to your house because your immune system is compromised and you don't know if their house has mold in it or if they will have a scented detergent on their clothes that will make you even worse. Even if you could have visitors, no one comes to see you. You have some good friends who hug you when they see you and ask how you are and you know they mean it, but as a whole...maybe people don't care, or they're tired of hearing about your never ending health problems, or maybe they just don't know how to react to you. Because, after all, you look "just fine." They don't understand what you go through...every, single day.
You finally get to what you think is a safe home, and your body goes haywire. Only to find out all of the VOC's are killing you too, which takes more money to correct...money that you already don't have. You notice a scent that instantly makes you ill and have to track it down. It's a soap in your kid's bathroom. You have to throw it out. Maybe your children are showing sings of mold illness too, but you don't have the money to get them treated, because well, that's not covered by insurance either.
By the time 4pm rolls around, your body literally feels like you've been beat senseless with a baseball bat. And, your throat still feels like it's on fire. And, sometimes you feel like you have a fever and the chills. You have no energy to cook dinner, and when you need to, your legs feel like lead weights just from standing in the kitchen for 30 minutes. You try not to use a lot of lights because you are sensitive to them and they hurt your eyes.
And this is the kicker, even though you have chronic fatigue and are dead tired all the time, when it's time to go to sleep...your body just won't let you. You have chronic fatigue & insomnia! When you do fall asleep, you sleep with an expensive filter running then, and 24/7, hoping it'll help relieve some of your symptoms while you sleep...only to wake up, realizing you are still struggling and that every single offensive toxin around you is assaulting you all at once. You have a long battle ahead of you.
This is written for all of my friends who suffer from Lyme Disease, Mold toxicity, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and any other disease that's considered "invisible." It's called that because we look "okay" on the outside. I can't tell you how many people have said that to me and others just like me. Our stories are heartbreaking, we often have lost our homes, our finances, our health and the health of our children and some do not have any spousal or family support... imagine what that would be like. Even if you have family that kinda get it, they really don't. Your health may still be put at risk for reasons you don't understand. Not everyone will want to make lifestyle changes for you. That's a very hard lesson to learn.
I am also writing this, so that on the off chance, there are any loved ones of people like me reading this...that maybe you will know how to help your loved one and maybe have a good word picture to help you imagine what their days are like. Not every day is this bad, there are windows of feeling not totally crappy:) But, never normal. Many of us can't remember what normal feels like...seriously. If you have friends that are struggling with something like this, give them a hug, even if you don't understand, be willing to listen. Tell them you are praying for them, even better, call and pray with them, offer to help with the kids if you know a specific time of the day is hard for them....there are so many ways to help.
We hear often that it's all in our heads, that we're making it up, that there's NO way mold can cause these symptoms, that no-you don't have Lyme...Lyme isn't even in your area. These are isolating diseases.
For those who can relate to every single word I wrote...I am so sorry. But, take heart...there is HOPE! Hang in there!!! Find a network of people online, in forums, support groups, etc., who can help you. People who you can talk to and they know EXACTLY what you are going through. Seek counsel. We have met with our pastor a few times just to talk about our struggles and even though he doesn't understand all of the ins and outs of my diseases, he listens and he believes that what is wrong with me is real. He gets it.
Go to the Scriptures. The book of Psalms is a great place to be in during times like this. You will see struggles and pain, suffering and hardships...but most of all, Hope.
"Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior."
Habakkuk 3:17
I found this poem on a blog I scrolled through while finding the right Eagle picture, which represents freedom...freedom you can only have in Christ and if you are in Christ...the ultimate freedom you will have one day:) I wanted to share the poem...it's awesome:
Imagine waking up, every morning, realizing your throat feels like it's on fire.
Your head feels like there are 2 small people tap dancing on your eyes and the pain just radiates around your head. And, your neck is swollen again, your lymph nodes are painful...kinda feels like you have the mumps. You sit up to get out of bed and look down at the next source of pain...your hands. Your fingers are swollen...again and your joints hurt. Your back is still sore from yesterday and your legs are tender as well.
Yet, you have to get out of bed...the children are up and you must get them breakfast. You have to constantly ask your children to please lower their voices because every little sound hurts your ears. You struggle through the morning, feeling like you are stuck in a perpetual hangover. You never feel rested, no matter how much sleep you get. You struggle with anxiety you cannot control. You feel alone and isolated.
Your children are bored but you don't have energy to do anything much, much less money to do fun things with them. Because, all spare money is spent towards your mounting medical bills and treatments, which your insurance won't cover.
On the days you are able to take your kids to swim or something, you sit on the porch, watching them, because you have no energy to enjoy it with them.
If you go out, you realize the building you're in has mold in it and you start to react, or there's a perfume scent, or a cleaner, or a plug in smell that gets you. Your throat gets red and blotchy inside, your glands swell, your headache becomes extremely painful and your fatigue level increases. Because of your symptoms, you cannot go to friend's houses like you used to...unless you are 100% positive you do not react over there. You can't have many people over to your house because your immune system is compromised and you don't know if their house has mold in it or if they will have a scented detergent on their clothes that will make you even worse. Even if you could have visitors, no one comes to see you. You have some good friends who hug you when they see you and ask how you are and you know they mean it, but as a whole...maybe people don't care, or they're tired of hearing about your never ending health problems, or maybe they just don't know how to react to you. Because, after all, you look "just fine." They don't understand what you go through...every, single day.
You finally get to what you think is a safe home, and your body goes haywire. Only to find out all of the VOC's are killing you too, which takes more money to correct...money that you already don't have. You notice a scent that instantly makes you ill and have to track it down. It's a soap in your kid's bathroom. You have to throw it out. Maybe your children are showing sings of mold illness too, but you don't have the money to get them treated, because well, that's not covered by insurance either.
By the time 4pm rolls around, your body literally feels like you've been beat senseless with a baseball bat. And, your throat still feels like it's on fire. And, sometimes you feel like you have a fever and the chills. You have no energy to cook dinner, and when you need to, your legs feel like lead weights just from standing in the kitchen for 30 minutes. You try not to use a lot of lights because you are sensitive to them and they hurt your eyes.
And this is the kicker, even though you have chronic fatigue and are dead tired all the time, when it's time to go to sleep...your body just won't let you. You have chronic fatigue & insomnia! When you do fall asleep, you sleep with an expensive filter running then, and 24/7, hoping it'll help relieve some of your symptoms while you sleep...only to wake up, realizing you are still struggling and that every single offensive toxin around you is assaulting you all at once. You have a long battle ahead of you.
This is written for all of my friends who suffer from Lyme Disease, Mold toxicity, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and any other disease that's considered "invisible." It's called that because we look "okay" on the outside. I can't tell you how many people have said that to me and others just like me. Our stories are heartbreaking, we often have lost our homes, our finances, our health and the health of our children and some do not have any spousal or family support... imagine what that would be like. Even if you have family that kinda get it, they really don't. Your health may still be put at risk for reasons you don't understand. Not everyone will want to make lifestyle changes for you. That's a very hard lesson to learn.
I am also writing this, so that on the off chance, there are any loved ones of people like me reading this...that maybe you will know how to help your loved one and maybe have a good word picture to help you imagine what their days are like. Not every day is this bad, there are windows of feeling not totally crappy:) But, never normal. Many of us can't remember what normal feels like...seriously. If you have friends that are struggling with something like this, give them a hug, even if you don't understand, be willing to listen. Tell them you are praying for them, even better, call and pray with them, offer to help with the kids if you know a specific time of the day is hard for them....there are so many ways to help.
We hear often that it's all in our heads, that we're making it up, that there's NO way mold can cause these symptoms, that no-you don't have Lyme...Lyme isn't even in your area. These are isolating diseases.
For those who can relate to every single word I wrote...I am so sorry. But, take heart...there is HOPE! Hang in there!!! Find a network of people online, in forums, support groups, etc., who can help you. People who you can talk to and they know EXACTLY what you are going through. Seek counsel. We have met with our pastor a few times just to talk about our struggles and even though he doesn't understand all of the ins and outs of my diseases, he listens and he believes that what is wrong with me is real. He gets it.
Go to the Scriptures. The book of Psalms is a great place to be in during times like this. You will see struggles and pain, suffering and hardships...but most of all, Hope.
"Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior."
Habakkuk 3:17
I found this poem on a blog I scrolled through while finding the right Eagle picture, which represents freedom...freedom you can only have in Christ and if you are in Christ...the ultimate freedom you will have one day:) I wanted to share the poem...it's awesome:
Soar, you eagle, soar up high
Never look back, never regret
In your heart shall be instilled
The Word, eternal, proclaiming good will
Behind you is the great force of the wind
And the Flames
Flames holy, empowering your wings.
Let the Flames be your light
For dark is the night, way beyond sight
And let the wind, the minds of old, propel you
For a great eagle shall hunger for Truth
For Truth only he shall fly
And in Truth only he shall die.
Soar, you eagle, soar up high
Ahead is the Kingdom. Be victorious.
-by: Anna Elissa-
-by: Anna Elissa-
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
CD 57 & mold/lyme treatments
It's been longer than anticipated since i've last posted. Partly due to things being extremely crazy at the moment and my body just being unable to keep up:) and partly because I want to so much to be able to help others while i'm in the middle of this myself, but the information out there is just overwhelming.
The Chronic Lyme Diagnosis is very new for me, although I suspect i've had it for several years. The mold toxicity is a huge issue and one that causes an auto-immune response in me that is not good. It has wrecked my health. What came first? I do not know. What I do know is that i've got mycotoxins and Lyme toxins in my body. I cannot be around mold... period! Please refer to my previous posts that describes what mold toxicity is as well our mold story.
Testing for Lyme can be tricky, as many Lyme literate doctors believe it's a health epidemic and one that is largely mis-diagnosed. Symptoms of mold toxicity are very closely related. That is no accident, as they are both neurotoxins. And, for 25% of the population ( I am one of them), our bodies cannot expel the toxins easily, like the rest of the population can. I was tested 2 years ago for Lyme Disease through the standard blood test and it came back negative. Here is an overview of tests that can be performed to help diagnose Lyme.
My mold dr. is awesome, but he isn't what you'd call a Lyme Literate Doctor. I am also seeing an enviornmental doctor in Atlanta as I was frusturated because I knew there was a missing link somewhere. I asked her if there was ANY other test that will be more accurate for Lyme. She said we will draw for a CD 57. The normal population should have a number of 150-200. Mine is 57. Many Lyme Literate doctors believe anything under 60 is positive for Chronic Lyme. And, many say that anything under 100 is positive for Lyme. Here is some information on the CD 57.
My enviornmental dr. is going to redraw for this soon to see if the number has improved any, stayed the same, or gotten worse. The test is done via LapCorp. It has been around for years and should be covered by most insurances. If your insurance doesn't cover it, the test is $205.00.
What I have found when trying to research Lyme treatment, is that the use of antibiotics is not always advised. I am currently on a low dose of Doxycycline at 400 mg a day. Whether that will do anything or not...remains to be seen. Because I have Lyme AND mold toxicity, it is super important not to treat with too much antibiotics because yeast will then become an issue and that would have to be treated before continuing on. My enviro doctor is open to treatment options, but she isn't necessarily a Lyme Literate doctor either. They are few and far between.
One of the problems with trying to treat with antibiotics, especially if you've had it for years, is that there's a strong possibility that co-infections exist and there's a good chance that antibiotics won't touch that. I also read that for many, they are treated with antibiotics and experience die off and may feel better for a time. But, after the treatment is over, they return to their previous state. Why is that?
I think antibiotics are NECESSARY and needed if you knew you got bit by a tick and have the obvious sign of Lyme and it's fresh. Chronic Lyme is different however, as one could have contracted it from birth, from another insect (not necessarily a tick, and therefore, no visible bulls eye rash), etc and it could have been in the body for years. Will antibiotics help at that point?
I cannot say, all I can do is offer up what I have learned and you must decide that for yourself. After hearing a broadcast on a woman who suffered from Chronic Lyme, I then found the woman's website who was interviewed. She had links on her site and I emailed one of the links for Lyme Literate doctors. The lady who wrote me back was very, very sweet. She gave me info on Lyme Literate doctors near where we live. If you need info on a Lyme Literate Doctor, email me and I will be happy to pass on the email address for contact info. She also said if you have a good doctor who is willing to listen to treatment options, that this is good information to look over. This website has a ton of info to pour over.
As I continue on in my journey to health and wellness, I realize that it's going to be a long, painful road of recovery and not a quick fix. I am battling many obsticles...including where i live. I live in SE Alabama, a very humid climate..which mold loves. I am surrounded by farmland and peanut mills and that is not compatible with my being able to be healthy.
For those who may be suffering from Lyme and mold toxins and don't have health care or don't know where to start... If you feel isolated and like you are all alone and like you will never figure this out...DON'T GIVE UP HOPE. I believe that a lot of our healing has to do with our diet. The majority of how you kill mold toxins, AFTER you remove yourself from the contaminated environment, is what you feed/don't feed your body. You cannot feed your body what will make the toxins grow...sugar, carbs, etc.
In August, I am going to attempt a very severe diet to try to start the mold toxins and the Lyme toxins in my body. A family of 11 did this...after severe exposure to the worst kinds of mold. Many of you may already know their story. The suffering they experienced is astounding.
3 years later, they are markedly better. They still have obstacles to overcome, but they are starting to thrive. The main crux behind their wellness, after they left their contaminated house and relocated, is how they changed their diet. It is extreme, but it allowed them to regain their health. Here is a link off of Andrea Fabry's blog that overviews treatment options to help recover from mold toxicity. They are tried and true, as they have incorporated these treatments for the past three years.
I can attest to the Cholestyramine. It does help remove toxins. I know this because I was experiencing die-offs from taking just 2 packets a day. I had extreme anxiety ( a common die-off reaction) and once I went back to once a day, the anxiety got better from what it was. I stopped taking it while we left our contaminated home. Now that we are settled in a rental, I need to start that regiment again. My suggestion is to take it, if you can get your doctor to prescribe it. But, start off slowly and work your way up to what is recommended. Which is 4 packets a day, typically, but for me-I think i'll only be able to handle 2.
This link from Andrea's post is an overview of foods to avoid while trying to rid your body of the toxins. I believe this is important for Lyme toxins as well.
There are many versions of diets you can do and when I say diet, I am not implying this to loose weight. This is a diet only in that it's restrictive to kill the toxins in your body. The GAPS diet is something they incorporate as well.
If you have/are suffering from Lyme and or mold toxins and are on the other side, please feel free to comment and share what helped you on your road to recovery.
One possible Lyme treatment I will mention, from a natural doctor, is something called Teasel tincture. Has anyone had good results with that?
The Chronic Lyme Diagnosis is very new for me, although I suspect i've had it for several years. The mold toxicity is a huge issue and one that causes an auto-immune response in me that is not good. It has wrecked my health. What came first? I do not know. What I do know is that i've got mycotoxins and Lyme toxins in my body. I cannot be around mold... period! Please refer to my previous posts that describes what mold toxicity is as well our mold story.
Testing for Lyme can be tricky, as many Lyme literate doctors believe it's a health epidemic and one that is largely mis-diagnosed. Symptoms of mold toxicity are very closely related. That is no accident, as they are both neurotoxins. And, for 25% of the population ( I am one of them), our bodies cannot expel the toxins easily, like the rest of the population can. I was tested 2 years ago for Lyme Disease through the standard blood test and it came back negative. Here is an overview of tests that can be performed to help diagnose Lyme.
My mold dr. is awesome, but he isn't what you'd call a Lyme Literate Doctor. I am also seeing an enviornmental doctor in Atlanta as I was frusturated because I knew there was a missing link somewhere. I asked her if there was ANY other test that will be more accurate for Lyme. She said we will draw for a CD 57. The normal population should have a number of 150-200. Mine is 57. Many Lyme Literate doctors believe anything under 60 is positive for Chronic Lyme. And, many say that anything under 100 is positive for Lyme. Here is some information on the CD 57.
My enviornmental dr. is going to redraw for this soon to see if the number has improved any, stayed the same, or gotten worse. The test is done via LapCorp. It has been around for years and should be covered by most insurances. If your insurance doesn't cover it, the test is $205.00.
What I have found when trying to research Lyme treatment, is that the use of antibiotics is not always advised. I am currently on a low dose of Doxycycline at 400 mg a day. Whether that will do anything or not...remains to be seen. Because I have Lyme AND mold toxicity, it is super important not to treat with too much antibiotics because yeast will then become an issue and that would have to be treated before continuing on. My enviro doctor is open to treatment options, but she isn't necessarily a Lyme Literate doctor either. They are few and far between.
One of the problems with trying to treat with antibiotics, especially if you've had it for years, is that there's a strong possibility that co-infections exist and there's a good chance that antibiotics won't touch that. I also read that for many, they are treated with antibiotics and experience die off and may feel better for a time. But, after the treatment is over, they return to their previous state. Why is that?
I think antibiotics are NECESSARY and needed if you knew you got bit by a tick and have the obvious sign of Lyme and it's fresh. Chronic Lyme is different however, as one could have contracted it from birth, from another insect (not necessarily a tick, and therefore, no visible bulls eye rash), etc and it could have been in the body for years. Will antibiotics help at that point?
I cannot say, all I can do is offer up what I have learned and you must decide that for yourself. After hearing a broadcast on a woman who suffered from Chronic Lyme, I then found the woman's website who was interviewed. She had links on her site and I emailed one of the links for Lyme Literate doctors. The lady who wrote me back was very, very sweet. She gave me info on Lyme Literate doctors near where we live. If you need info on a Lyme Literate Doctor, email me and I will be happy to pass on the email address for contact info. She also said if you have a good doctor who is willing to listen to treatment options, that this is good information to look over. This website has a ton of info to pour over.
As I continue on in my journey to health and wellness, I realize that it's going to be a long, painful road of recovery and not a quick fix. I am battling many obsticles...including where i live. I live in SE Alabama, a very humid climate..which mold loves. I am surrounded by farmland and peanut mills and that is not compatible with my being able to be healthy.
For those who may be suffering from Lyme and mold toxins and don't have health care or don't know where to start... If you feel isolated and like you are all alone and like you will never figure this out...DON'T GIVE UP HOPE. I believe that a lot of our healing has to do with our diet. The majority of how you kill mold toxins, AFTER you remove yourself from the contaminated environment, is what you feed/don't feed your body. You cannot feed your body what will make the toxins grow...sugar, carbs, etc.
In August, I am going to attempt a very severe diet to try to start the mold toxins and the Lyme toxins in my body. A family of 11 did this...after severe exposure to the worst kinds of mold. Many of you may already know their story. The suffering they experienced is astounding.
3 years later, they are markedly better. They still have obstacles to overcome, but they are starting to thrive. The main crux behind their wellness, after they left their contaminated house and relocated, is how they changed their diet. It is extreme, but it allowed them to regain their health. Here is a link off of Andrea Fabry's blog that overviews treatment options to help recover from mold toxicity. They are tried and true, as they have incorporated these treatments for the past three years.
I can attest to the Cholestyramine. It does help remove toxins. I know this because I was experiencing die-offs from taking just 2 packets a day. I had extreme anxiety ( a common die-off reaction) and once I went back to once a day, the anxiety got better from what it was. I stopped taking it while we left our contaminated home. Now that we are settled in a rental, I need to start that regiment again. My suggestion is to take it, if you can get your doctor to prescribe it. But, start off slowly and work your way up to what is recommended. Which is 4 packets a day, typically, but for me-I think i'll only be able to handle 2.
This link from Andrea's post is an overview of foods to avoid while trying to rid your body of the toxins. I believe this is important for Lyme toxins as well.
There are many versions of diets you can do and when I say diet, I am not implying this to loose weight. This is a diet only in that it's restrictive to kill the toxins in your body. The GAPS diet is something they incorporate as well.
If you have/are suffering from Lyme and or mold toxins and are on the other side, please feel free to comment and share what helped you on your road to recovery.
One possible Lyme treatment I will mention, from a natural doctor, is something called Teasel tincture. Has anyone had good results with that?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Chronic Lyme Disease & Mold Toxicity
Did you know that Lyme Disease and Mold Toxicity have just about the same symptoms? Both are biotoxins. I was doing research and came across a great article that explains everything perfectly.
About 3 weeks ago, I found out that I indeed also have Chronic Lyme Disease. That sure explains the missing link. I know i'm very, very ill from the toxic mold, but there were questions about my health before that and now, I know why. Did you know that you don't have to be bit by a tick to contract Lyme disease? Many Lyme literate doctors believe that Lyme Disease is carried by other insects as well, including but not limited to, jumping fleas and mosquitoes. It is also possible to be born with Lyme Disease, as it can be passed through the womb.
Lyme disease is much more common now than you would think. It's often mis-diagnosed and the right tests are not run, as some doctors do not believe it can be a possiblity in certain states. However, seeing as you can contract it other ways than a tick, doctors should be more proactive. The 2 main blood tests done for Lyme, the Western Blog and Elisa are notoriously not reliable and often get false negatives. The CD-57 is a lab test that is typically covered by inurance that is commonly used by Lyme literate doctors. This is how my Chronic Lyme Disease was found. Normal, healthy people should have a CD-27 number of 200. Mine is 57, anything below 60 is a positive for Chronic Lyme Disease. However, many doctors will say anything less than 100 is a positive for Lyme period.
Regarding mold toxicity, why is it that some people are just fine around it and others, like me, become deathly ill? This article caps the reason nicely. Here is how Dr.Richard Loyd explains it in his article (mentioned above) on Mold and Lyme Toxins,
"When these spores with their neurotoxins are inhaled, about 76% of the population can
make antibodies to the toxins and quickly eliminate them. They may sneeze, have a sore
throat or have other minor symptoms, but symptoms are temporary. If they spend several
days in a moldy building, they may begin to feel sick, but when they are away for a few
days they recover.
About 24% of the population have a genetic makeup that makes them unable to produce
the needed antibodies for mold toxins. The body simply does not adequately tag the
toxins as invaders and it does not eliminate them. The liver can send them to the digestive
tract via the bile, but they are quickly reabsorbed back into the blood. The result is that
continual or repeated exposures to mold toxins results in an ever increasing amount of
these toxins in the body. Those who can actually smell musty odors where they live or
work usually have the worst mold toxin problems. It is estimated that 10 million
American children are being exposed to mold toxins (many are medicated with "Ritalin"
as a result) and around 25 million Americans have some degree of mold toxin illness.
It is also common to have a genetic makeup that does not detoxify Lyme toxins and many
cannot detoxify either mold or Lyme toxins. If they have Lyme disease, Lyme toxins also build up in the body. These are the people that get very sick and stay sick when they do
frequency treatments for Lyme. FOR THOSE WHO GET MAJOR PROLONGED DIE OFF REACTIONS, FREQUENCY TREATMENTS FOR LYME ARE NOT
RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE TOXIN ISSUE IS ADDRESSED.
These mold and Lyme toxins attach to fat cells and cause the fat cells to continually
release inflammatory cytokines. The result is chronic inflammation with symptoms such person has the flu, symptoms are not caused directly by the viruses. The symptoms are as fatigue, pain, brain fog, out of control weight gain and loss of sex drive. The symptoms are caused by the resulting cytokines. Mold and Lyme toxins can cause symptoms similar to a permanent case of flu. An inflammatory reaction is very useful to help deal with an infection. It is devastating when it goes on and on."
In a previous blog entry, I went over the importance of the genetic factor and the role that plays. So, simply put, in my case, my HLA genotype is mold succeptible and post lyme syndrome. It reads like this: 3(17), 2, 52A ; 15, 6, 51. I inherited one set from my mom and one set from my dad. One of my parents is mold succeptible, and one of them is post Lyme susceptible. The first set of my genes, the 3(17), 2 is the mold succeptible gene. The 15, 6, 51 is the post Lyme susceptible.
This means that I am one of the 25% that cannot release the toxins from toxic mold. Not only that, but the biotoxins from the chronic Lyme Disease as well. It will be years of fighting to get well ahead of me. My chronic Lyme will more than likely not respond to antibiotics. I will have to do major detoxing with clean air, food, water, and especially, enviornment. I will have major die off reactions, which will literally make me feel like I am dying. I have experienced a window of that and had to back off on the process, as it was too much to bear at the time.
I hope to one day test my children for their genotype and see what they are. I do not know what genes my husband carries. Knowing some of my children have my genes is even more reason to get into the most healthy enviornment possible to start the long journey of recovery.
Here is a good blog for info on the symptoms of Lyme and how Mold toxicity and Lyme symptoms go hand in hand. I will be working on a post to go up within week or so that will go over how to get this genetic blood test done and treatment options for mold and lyme.
About 3 weeks ago, I found out that I indeed also have Chronic Lyme Disease. That sure explains the missing link. I know i'm very, very ill from the toxic mold, but there were questions about my health before that and now, I know why. Did you know that you don't have to be bit by a tick to contract Lyme disease? Many Lyme literate doctors believe that Lyme Disease is carried by other insects as well, including but not limited to, jumping fleas and mosquitoes. It is also possible to be born with Lyme Disease, as it can be passed through the womb.
Lyme disease is much more common now than you would think. It's often mis-diagnosed and the right tests are not run, as some doctors do not believe it can be a possiblity in certain states. However, seeing as you can contract it other ways than a tick, doctors should be more proactive. The 2 main blood tests done for Lyme, the Western Blog and Elisa are notoriously not reliable and often get false negatives. The CD-57 is a lab test that is typically covered by inurance that is commonly used by Lyme literate doctors. This is how my Chronic Lyme Disease was found. Normal, healthy people should have a CD-27 number of 200. Mine is 57, anything below 60 is a positive for Chronic Lyme Disease. However, many doctors will say anything less than 100 is a positive for Lyme period.
Regarding mold toxicity, why is it that some people are just fine around it and others, like me, become deathly ill? This article caps the reason nicely. Here is how Dr.Richard Loyd explains it in his article (mentioned above) on Mold and Lyme Toxins,
"When these spores with their neurotoxins are inhaled, about 76% of the population can
make antibodies to the toxins and quickly eliminate them. They may sneeze, have a sore
throat or have other minor symptoms, but symptoms are temporary. If they spend several
days in a moldy building, they may begin to feel sick, but when they are away for a few
days they recover.
About 24% of the population have a genetic makeup that makes them unable to produce
the needed antibodies for mold toxins. The body simply does not adequately tag the
toxins as invaders and it does not eliminate them. The liver can send them to the digestive
tract via the bile, but they are quickly reabsorbed back into the blood. The result is that
continual or repeated exposures to mold toxins results in an ever increasing amount of
these toxins in the body. Those who can actually smell musty odors where they live or
work usually have the worst mold toxin problems. It is estimated that 10 million
American children are being exposed to mold toxins (many are medicated with "Ritalin"
as a result) and around 25 million Americans have some degree of mold toxin illness.
It is also common to have a genetic makeup that does not detoxify Lyme toxins and many
cannot detoxify either mold or Lyme toxins. If they have Lyme disease, Lyme toxins also build up in the body. These are the people that get very sick and stay sick when they do
frequency treatments for Lyme. FOR THOSE WHO GET MAJOR PROLONGED DIE OFF REACTIONS, FREQUENCY TREATMENTS FOR LYME ARE NOT
RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE TOXIN ISSUE IS ADDRESSED.
These mold and Lyme toxins attach to fat cells and cause the fat cells to continually
release inflammatory cytokines. The result is chronic inflammation with symptoms such person has the flu, symptoms are not caused directly by the viruses. The symptoms are as fatigue, pain, brain fog, out of control weight gain and loss of sex drive. The symptoms are caused by the resulting cytokines. Mold and Lyme toxins can cause symptoms similar to a permanent case of flu. An inflammatory reaction is very useful to help deal with an infection. It is devastating when it goes on and on."
In a previous blog entry, I went over the importance of the genetic factor and the role that plays. So, simply put, in my case, my HLA genotype is mold succeptible and post lyme syndrome. It reads like this: 3(17), 2, 52A ; 15, 6, 51. I inherited one set from my mom and one set from my dad. One of my parents is mold succeptible, and one of them is post Lyme susceptible. The first set of my genes, the 3(17), 2 is the mold succeptible gene. The 15, 6, 51 is the post Lyme susceptible.
This means that I am one of the 25% that cannot release the toxins from toxic mold. Not only that, but the biotoxins from the chronic Lyme Disease as well. It will be years of fighting to get well ahead of me. My chronic Lyme will more than likely not respond to antibiotics. I will have to do major detoxing with clean air, food, water, and especially, enviornment. I will have major die off reactions, which will literally make me feel like I am dying. I have experienced a window of that and had to back off on the process, as it was too much to bear at the time.
I hope to one day test my children for their genotype and see what they are. I do not know what genes my husband carries. Knowing some of my children have my genes is even more reason to get into the most healthy enviornment possible to start the long journey of recovery.
Here is a good blog for info on the symptoms of Lyme and how Mold toxicity and Lyme symptoms go hand in hand. I will be working on a post to go up within week or so that will go over how to get this genetic blood test done and treatment options for mold and lyme.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Hidden mold
A fellow mold friend recently posted about a popular show on HGTV...Holmes Inspection.
The guy is awesome...don't you wish ALL home inspectors were like him? I sure do. Would have saved us the loss of our home, health, and belongings. In this episode, entitled "A hole lot of history..Part 1," the homeowner's older home is FULL of mold. The wife is also a cancer survivor. After seeing their home, it sure raises the question of whether or not her cancer was from the mold in her home. I am very thankful, as I know these homeowners are too, that Holmes was there to correct their home RIGHT. I think it is safe to say, they will not have any issues after he leaves. They remediated and fixed the foundation issues and leaks. You can view this episode via youtube, the link is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZPFX-ImLhY&annotation_id=annotation_700241&feature=iv
The thing is...almost ALL of the mold was HIDDEN!!! We recently had a home inspector come to our contaminated house to give an estimate on what it would cost to fix. We entertained the idea of doing that, rather than facing a short sale or foreclosure and bankruptcy, because that will ruin our excellent credit that we have maintained our entire 14 years of marriage.
However, after he came, what he said raised all kinds of red flags. I showed him the report, that you can see here. I also showed him the obvious foundation issues. The inspector stated that our inspector from Atlanta "oversold" it a bit. And, that because he didn't see any evidence of mold growing behind our walls via wall stains, that it probably wasn't an issue.
However, I would ask for you to watch the above Mike Holmes show for a perfect example. These homeowners didn't have water stains on their walls, but they sure had it in their walls. The inspector that came to our house wanted to open up a wall right then and there and check. Hello?!
Even though I do not know how much mold is in our home...or if it's a major problem, I know we have foundation issues, I know what the air counts are, and I know what the inspector's report showed. An inspector who has WAY more experience and credentials, an inspector who was recommended by a mold toxicologist who has a PhD and has studied this for decades, an inspector who sent off numerous lab tests.
Yes, we are taking extreme actions for not knowing exactly what lurks under our floors and walls. But, I am not willing to waste any more time or money trying to find out. I know the house makes me ill. I know being around things from our house does the same. I know I am hypersensitive to molds and chemicals and am suffering from everything else that mold does to a person like me.
If a home inspector does not do a proper inspection on the foundation when you buy a home...if you see low weep holes, cracks in the brick, missing mortar, or a bad mortar job...RUN!!! It is not worth it! According to Dr. Jack Thrasher, the mold toxicologist I mentioned, 50% of all mold in a home is hidden!
The guy is awesome...don't you wish ALL home inspectors were like him? I sure do. Would have saved us the loss of our home, health, and belongings. In this episode, entitled "A hole lot of history..Part 1," the homeowner's older home is FULL of mold. The wife is also a cancer survivor. After seeing their home, it sure raises the question of whether or not her cancer was from the mold in her home. I am very thankful, as I know these homeowners are too, that Holmes was there to correct their home RIGHT. I think it is safe to say, they will not have any issues after he leaves. They remediated and fixed the foundation issues and leaks. You can view this episode via youtube, the link is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZPFX-ImLhY&annotation_id=annotation_700241&feature=iv
The thing is...almost ALL of the mold was HIDDEN!!! We recently had a home inspector come to our contaminated house to give an estimate on what it would cost to fix. We entertained the idea of doing that, rather than facing a short sale or foreclosure and bankruptcy, because that will ruin our excellent credit that we have maintained our entire 14 years of marriage.
However, after he came, what he said raised all kinds of red flags. I showed him the report, that you can see here. I also showed him the obvious foundation issues. The inspector stated that our inspector from Atlanta "oversold" it a bit. And, that because he didn't see any evidence of mold growing behind our walls via wall stains, that it probably wasn't an issue.
However, I would ask for you to watch the above Mike Holmes show for a perfect example. These homeowners didn't have water stains on their walls, but they sure had it in their walls. The inspector that came to our house wanted to open up a wall right then and there and check. Hello?!
Even though I do not know how much mold is in our home...or if it's a major problem, I know we have foundation issues, I know what the air counts are, and I know what the inspector's report showed. An inspector who has WAY more experience and credentials, an inspector who was recommended by a mold toxicologist who has a PhD and has studied this for decades, an inspector who sent off numerous lab tests.
Yes, we are taking extreme actions for not knowing exactly what lurks under our floors and walls. But, I am not willing to waste any more time or money trying to find out. I know the house makes me ill. I know being around things from our house does the same. I know I am hypersensitive to molds and chemicals and am suffering from everything else that mold does to a person like me.
If a home inspector does not do a proper inspection on the foundation when you buy a home...if you see low weep holes, cracks in the brick, missing mortar, or a bad mortar job...RUN!!! It is not worth it! According to Dr. Jack Thrasher, the mold toxicologist I mentioned, 50% of all mold in a home is hidden!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Pandora's Box
Ever heard of the Greek Myth of Pandora's box? I think we all have at some point in time, but there is one key aspect of this story I did not know and I thought it was interesting. I came across it as I began reading Dr. Shoemaker's book, "Mold Warriors."
I often use the term "Pandora's Box" when referring to my illness and that is because mold toxicity and auto immune disease often go hand in hand. You truly open up a Pandora's box of health problems when your body is susceptible to mold and you become ill from it.
I remembered that according to Greek mythology, Pandora was responsible for every evil and bad thing being released upon the Earth. Pandora had a jar which she was not to open. However, her curiosity got the best of her. She opened it and every evil that was contained, escaped and spread over the earth. She quickly closed the lid, but the jar's contents had escaped. Except for one thing...which lay at the bottom. That one thing was Hope.
I read that and thought...wow. Never, ever had I heard that. I thought that was pretty awesome. Pandora's Myth parallels the Bible in so many ways. I think it's neat how even Greek Mythology can point to Christ...who is our hope.
Going through mold illness is a horrible thing. There are many setbacks, layers of illness to uncover and treat, mis-understandings from friends and family, financial hardship, etc.
But you know what...every kind of evil can be released around you and one thing still remains...Hope. Scripture is full of verses regarding Hope and how we are not to let go...but hold on. It may be bumpy and it won't be easy...but hold on, just hold on.
I often use the term "Pandora's Box" when referring to my illness and that is because mold toxicity and auto immune disease often go hand in hand. You truly open up a Pandora's box of health problems when your body is susceptible to mold and you become ill from it.
I remembered that according to Greek mythology, Pandora was responsible for every evil and bad thing being released upon the Earth. Pandora had a jar which she was not to open. However, her curiosity got the best of her. She opened it and every evil that was contained, escaped and spread over the earth. She quickly closed the lid, but the jar's contents had escaped. Except for one thing...which lay at the bottom. That one thing was Hope.
I read that and thought...wow. Never, ever had I heard that. I thought that was pretty awesome. Pandora's Myth parallels the Bible in so many ways. I think it's neat how even Greek Mythology can point to Christ...who is our hope.
Going through mold illness is a horrible thing. There are many setbacks, layers of illness to uncover and treat, mis-understandings from friends and family, financial hardship, etc.
But you know what...every kind of evil can be released around you and one thing still remains...Hope. Scripture is full of verses regarding Hope and how we are not to let go...but hold on. It may be bumpy and it won't be easy...but hold on, just hold on.
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