04/20/2007

Hello,

We are writing to you because we have a story that is not only very sad, but it is also very important that this story be heard, because it is happening to so many people all around the Country, especially in the Midwest. Toxic molds are killing Americans every day, and no one seems to care. The following story is our families story and what happened to us. After our story is five other families stories, (short versions), plus a few links to some info and news articles on mold and sick building syndrome that will shock you! We all are only six families out of tens of thousands that are going through, or have gone through what is now known as, "Sick building syndrome". I am begging each of you who receives this, to read it through, and please open your hearts and help us to get this message out for all to hear it. You are who the public listens too, and you can help make a difference. People are suffering and dying, and no one seems to care, other than those of us who are going through it too. Please think of how you would feel if you and your family were going through what the families below have gone through, and no one would listen to you or do anything to help you. I have suffered with tremendous pain throughout my entire body on almost a daily basis for the last few years. I have seen too many people suffering as myself and my family are, and no one caring to let the world know that there is a horrible problem that needs to be dealt with, but instead keeps being brushed under the rug. There are so many illnesses that are now being linked to toxic mold toxicity, and they are bad illnesses like, asthma, arthritis, COPD, rashes, headaches, bronchitis, cancers of all types, emphazemia, eczema, lupus, fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, bleeding lung in infants, this is only a few of the illnesses being linked to toxic molds, what is even worse, is the fact that there are many who have died from toxic mold, and it still continues to be hushed and those of us going through this are looked upon as a bunch of crackpots! Well I am fed up, and I will NOT sit quiet any longer. I am right now standing up and taking a stand against this horrible problem that maimes and kills, and I will NOT shut up until I am listened too and taken seriously.

We have a lot of info on toxic molds, and a more in depth write up on what we went through on our web site here. Here is our story,

We are a family of 5 suffering from what is called, "Sick Building Syndrome". This is a true story, my family and I honestly lived through this ordeal for 5 years before we even knew what was happening to us. Even though we are no longer in the moldy house, we still suffer daily from the effects of the mold that we lived with in that house for so long. We spent all those years there with the mold, and never knew it was there because it was growing within the walls, and under the floor in the crawl space. The reason it was growing was because the exterior of the house was not taken care of properly. It was a brick house, and over the years the mortar had chipped away, and years of rain getting into the open spaces between the bricks, started growing toxic molds in all sorts of pretty colors throughout the walls. Another problem which helped the mold to get started and growing, was the fact that there had been termites that did major damage to the foundation beams of the house.

We were only renters of that farm house, the owner acquired it through his father's estate and really lost very little because he had just cut a deal with a developer who is putting in sub divisions all over the 194 acres he owns. He made good money, plus got to continue to farm the land for two years after the deal. Us on the other hand, we lost everything we owned, clothes, furniture, toys, years and years of memories that can never be replaced. Dan bought me a stuffed animal for every birthday, Christmas, Valentine and Easter, since we got together 13 years ago. All of those are gone now, they all had to be thrown in the trash! We can get over all of that and move on, but what we lost that we will never get over, or get back 100%, is our health. We are now so allergic to so many things, (pollens, plants, molds, dust, chemicals, medications, etc.), that daily life is often times very painful and unbearable, and continues to get worse. Our children are not as bad as Dan and I, but they have problems if they get around any mold, or anything they are allergic to. For Dan and I it is a bit different. I have pain daily all throughout my body. I have pain that goes from my back, around into my ribs, and into my chest. This pain last for days with no relief at all, and the pain in my chest is so bad, it feels like I am having a heart attack! I have pain throughout my legs and feet, my arms, shoulders, and hands. I love working in the theatre, but I cannot even do that anymore. I do costume work for our Community Theatre and I went to work on costumes last week, and after only two hours I was in so much pain, I could hardly stand it. I have knots on my fingers that seem to be growing from the knuckle and when I bend my fingers, or bump the knots, they hurt something awful. I have trouble breathing all the time, as does Dan. The mold did a lot of damage to my lungs, and Dan's too. Dan also has COPD, and the children as well as Dan and I, all have asthma. We all have a weird rash that will not go away, and we all suffer from headaches, and a cough that won’t stop. I’m always tired and have little to no energy at all.

We now live in a modular home, which was the only house we found after 6 months of looking, that did not have mold in it, unfortunately this house has a problem with the central air system not cooling at all because of the duct work being disconnected in different places under the house, and it puts a mass amount of dust and insulation fibers into the air, making it hard for us to breath. It would be bad for anyone, but for us with our lungs being so damaged, it is very bad. The result for us is we cannot use the central air at all because all the dust and insulation gets in our lungs and causes a reaction that starts an infection in our lungs. It’s just another issue we have trouble with because of the damage the mold caused, and so many people have these same problems, and someone has got to stand up and speak out for all of us!

My husband was diagnosed with MS shortly after moving to Florida from NY. We had a serious mold problem in our basement of the house in NY, which our landlord refused to take seriously or correct. My husband had to go down and remove most of the weather insulation in the basement to keep it from getting worse. But the basement continued to leak and as our laundry facilities were down there we continued to use the basement. I first became suspect to the mold because my son (5 at the time) continued to have serious sinus problems which they kept trying to say were allergies and had him on every allergy med known to man (to no avail). When we moved to Florida my pediatrician sent him to an ear, nose and throat specialist who had to remove his adenoids, tonsils and insert tubes in his ears. I had suspected the mold while in NY but none of the doctors took me seriously. Now with my husband's illness, I wonder just how much we were affected by that mold??? It really is disheartening, considering we tried to have it taken care of and got no results. I even went so far as spraying the basement walls with bleach to try and keep the mold from growing but once in drywall the only way to remove it is to rip down the drywall. And as you probably are aware of, when you rent you do not have that option. We lived in NY for just under two years, but I think it was two years too long.... Thanks for the info and I will certainly look into the group you suggested.

Family # 3

The following was posted on my blog at Myspace;

Family # 4

A friend I met on Myspace has had the same allergies as me all her life. Shortly before Easter, she stayed at her son’s house which was being cleaned from mold in one room. She is now very sick, the doctors keep giving her one drug after the next and nothing is helping her. She is very sick, and it is sounding very much like she is sick from the mold.

Family # 5

This one is more well know. Here is a copy of an article on the Gov. of LA mansion; you can find the article here; http://environmentallegal.blogs.com/sholzer/2005/09/posthurricane_m.html

(Excerpt from the linked page) October 18, 2005

While the average citizens of New Orleans are being encouraged to return to the city with little warning of potential health hazards from breathing mold and the toxins they produce, Governor Kathleen Blanco has been residing outside of the Governor’s mansion. The mansion has been undergoing a taxpayer paid $800,000 renovation, $500,000 of which is for mold removal.

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These are only five stories of people living with the effects of toxic mold poisoning, we are members of an e-mail list that about 2000 people who have lived or worked in a building with a mold problem, and are now suffering from all sorts of horrible illnesses. Below are a few links to sites on the Internet with a lot of info on toxic mold and what the citizens of this Country are going through because of it
.

MOLDHELP.ORG - http://www.mold-help.org/content/view/33/

SF Enviroment - http://www.sfenvironment.com/articles_pr/2001/article/030501.htm

Science Daily - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/02/990208071455.htm

Black mold info center - http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse.htm

We are not writing this because we want to get attention and be on TV, or be pitied or anything like that. We are doing this because this is a very serious problem, and people need to be educated about toxic molds and sick building syndrome and what it can do to them. I am only one voice and most people will not take the initiative to do something about a problem, but I have never been one to take things lying down, and this situation is no exception. I honestly feel that I have kept quiet for too long. I should have done what I am doing now, two years ago when we first discovered the mold inside the walls, and started researching it’s dangers. We’ve wasted two years that we could have been out there telling our story and warning others, but we let unbelieving people that treated us like we were crazy, keep us from getting out there and helping others from going through what we have. We can no longer do that, we have to stand up for all those out there who will not, or cannot stand up for themselves. Toxic mold has gotten so bad in the Midwest that people are getting very sick and they need someone who will care enough about them to spread the word on toxic molds and put a stop to it being swept under a rug.

Carmella and Dan Dunkin
(317) 364-3700
dan_carmella@thegourdreserve.com