Mold Drives Family from Arkansas Home

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http://www.arkansasnbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1325836 & nav=F8n2GRPf

June 17, 2003 10:06PM CDTMike Duncan ReportsMold Drives Family from Home

"So what do you think? You think this will work for you? I think it looks like it's laying down pretty good..."

Burris still comes to work everyday, in spite of severe health problems that have plagued her for more than two years.

She was recovering from an operation to remove a tumor in her uterus when she began to have breathing problems.

She says half a dozen bout's with pneumonia followed -- and then the day during a coughing fit that she spat up blood on her daughters.

"Me and my kids we used to go bike riding and we used to swim a lot and just go walking. You know, things that we can't do now. I mean we could, but, you know i just can't breath and I stay tired all the time.

Doctors finally determined a fungus is growing in 's brochial tube and her left lung.

"They said that you can't get back in it. It's too bad. It's in the pores of the old wood and stuff. There ain't no way they can get it all out."

Carl Burris says his whole family was getting sick until they moved out of thier home at Christmas.

Tests show the home is saturated with black mold -- the result of flooding years before the Burris' bought the home.

Now the home sets sealed tight -- even the clothes and belongings are too contaminated to be removed.

Saturday the Burris' leave for the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver -- the number one respiratory hospital in the country -- for 2 weeks of tests and treatment.

The bad news is -- their insurance company canceled their health policy because of Samatha's chronic problems.