RE: I'm new and here's my story

[Guest guest]

Kim, I think you really need an attorney to help you sort this out. I was advise

NOT to quit, but to force termination if necessary, and I have since run into a

couple of others who quit rather than force the issue. The results weren't very

good for them in the long run. I don't know what state you are in, but the

general principle should hold up, regardless.

It's shame, really. Sounds like your employer is just another one of those who

can't see that it's FAR cheaper, easier, and safer to just do the removal

properly than to face a lawsuit down the road. (Not to mention the costs to your

health and wellbeing. Can't put a dollar value on that, really, but whatever it

is, I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to pay it!)

BTW, welcome.

Serena

www.freeboards.net/index.php?mforum=sickgovernmentb

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Can't put a dollar value on that, really, but whatever it is, I'm

pretty sure he doesn't want to pay it!)

>

Well, when Dr D was " (fired)asked to leave " the clinic after a similar

situation four years ago, she wondered how Dr. Employer and his

Stachyfied staff would do.

Now she knows.

Dr D called me up to say they're all sick to varying degrees with one

particular nasty doubtful person who is so fibromyalgized and

Depressionated that she cannot work.

Doctors are completely clueless, and amazingly enough, so are they!

-even after their free education - courtesy of Dr D.

And you know what?

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving bunch.

And they're paying for it now!

-

[Guest guest]

Serena,

Thank you. I do have a worker's comp attorney because I was denied back in

March. The insurance carrier representative had never even heard of such a

thing. It took too long to get the doctor's dictated memo about my

condition and its cause of the mold exposure at work. He is a doctor that

is in a solitary practice, and his staff is not very quick/efficient. So, I

ended up getting the denial letter the same day I had the doctor's letter.

Plus, that same day I got a letter from my employer saying I used up all my

sick days (about 22) and was now on unpaid leave. The next day I contacted

a worker's comp attorney. He recommended I go back to the office to " test "

it. So, I did and I got sick again. My boss was not there that day, but

the V.P. and the other coworker were there and saw my deterioration. I left

as soon as I got everything caught up. Then they offered me the opportunity

to work from home on our annual meeting preparations. The meeting was last

week. I was waiting for the next bombshell, and I got it yesterday. I did

break down and call my attorney today (Sunday) on his cell phone. Again he

suggested I return to the office and if I get sick again, to leave. This is

a vicious cycle. I end up having to give myself injections twice daily for

three-four days each time I am exposed to the office. My first worker's

comp hearing was supposed to be last week but it got postponed until the end

of this month.

My employer's letter stated that if I didn't show up Wednesday they would

assume that I have abandoned my present position and would consider our

employment relationship terminated. Like yours, they are trying to make me

quit voluntarily so they do not have to pay unemployment compensation. Of

course, he says that should I decide to leave on my own, he would like to

make arrangements for me to train my replacement.

It's very demoralizing that after 6 ? years of working in this small office,

taking them from the stone age into the 21st century and doing more for them

than any of their former employees, that my health means nothing to him.

The sad thing is that I am not the only one whose health has been affected.

I just seemed to have it worse.

Re: [] I'm new and here's my story

Kim, I think you really need an attorney to help you sort this out. I was

advise NOT to quit, but to force termination if necessary, and I have since

run into a couple of others who quit rather than force the issue. The

results weren't very good for them in the long run. I don't know what state

you are in, but the general principle should hold up, regardless.

It's shame, really. Sounds like your employer is just another one of those

who can't see that it's FAR cheaper, easier, and safer to just do the

removal properly than to face a lawsuit down the road. (Not to mention the

costs to your health and wellbeing. Can't put a dollar value on that,

really, but whatever it is, I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to pay it!)

BTW, welcome.

[Guest guest]

Heh - well, you can't very well train your replacement if you aren't employed

there. Can you. Maybe the attorney's got a point, if you can stand it. This is

war. Have you ever done an injection right in front of your boss? Needles make

lots of people queasy. Can't think of a nicer guy to favor with that little

show. Ahhhh, you think I'm kidding, don't you? Not! He needs in the worst way

to connect that he's made you sick AND now he's trying to fire you.

Wanna guess how many expletives, I just deleted? ; )

OTOH, if you do try to go back in there, will it screw up your comp case?

Serena

www.freeboards.net/index.php?mforum=sickgovernmentb

---------------------------------

Discover

Have fun online with music videos, cool games, IM & more. Check it out!

[Guest guest]

Kim,

Go to www.moldwarriors.com and get this book. The auther is Ritchie Shoemaker,

MD and is a Family Practitioner in Pocomoke, MD. If possible, I would suggest

getting an appt with him. Here is his contact info:

500 Market St

STE 102

Pocomoke City, MD 21851

Phone: (410) 957-1550

You can also go to www.chronicneurotoxins.com Dr. Shoemaker is a leader in the

field and has had great success treating patients with biotoxic illness. I had

an appt with him last week and he is on the ball when it comes to diagnosis and

treatment.

The thing that most physicians do not understand about mold illness is that it

is NOT allergy, so even if IgE blood tests and skin prick tests come back

negative, that does NOT mean that mold is not making you sick. Allergies

involves certain antibodies and histamine, and biotoxic illness has a whole

other pathway.

Please get the book as soon as possible and you will be on the road to wellness.

Good luck.

aka " The Newest Mold Warrior "

Kim <tkkskauffman@...> wrote:

My name is Kim and I have been employed with this company for for 6

1/2 years. Six weeks after starting work in 1999 I got sicker than

I had ever been and was in bed for a week with a sinus infection and

bronchitis. After that, I began getting sinus infections every

Spring and Fall. Each year they seemed to get worse.

Then about a 2 years ago I developed a rash on my hands, which I

attributed to Eczema I had has a child, only this time nothing would

take it away. It would start to get better at home, but then would

get worse again at work. I thought maybe it was the water, so I

tried different soaps, and even switched to using baby wipes to

clean my hands.

Last year (2004) my health started to deteriorate too. I had 3

sinus infections, upper respiratory infections, and an ear

infection. I had gone on vacation for 2 weeks in October and was

feeling really good by the time I returned. After a few days in the

office, I started feeling sick again.

In January 2005, a ceiling tile in our office collapsed due to the

roof leak (which we have had ever since I started working there -

the landlords have never repaired it, but simply replaced the

stained ceiling tiles - numerous times). This tile collapse left

the ceiling open and the insulation exposed. Upon review of the

insulation, my coworker and I saw what appeared to us to be mold.

After that I gave my boss a letter (I put it in writing this time)

requesting he have the landlords get the building inspected for mold

infestation. They had a company come out and they only did a visual

inspection of a couple of ceiling tiles, saying there was less than

3 square feet of mold. I persisted and asked them to come back out

and do an air sampling. They did, but only from my room of the

office. They did not check the areas of the office where the roof

leaks were, nor did they test the air ducts. So, I hired and paid

for an independent inspection from a certified mold inspector. He

tested the air ducts, and swabbed the insulation. His test showed

elevated levels of mold IN the HVAC ducts as well as unusual mold

conditions ON the insulation. Of course, the landlord's inspector

has been refuting my inspector's reports.

In January 2005 I ended up with another sinus infection & ear

infection and was put on 2000 mg of antibiotics as well as

Prednisone. I went from doctor to doctor getting tested for

allergies to mold (blood tests, prick tests, intradermal tests --

all came back negative), asthma and vocal chord dysfunction. I

finally found an Environmental Medicine doctor who did a different

type of allergy testing (provocative/neutralization) and he was able

to reproduce my symptoms and conclude that I am indeed allergic to

the molds that were found in my office building.

At his suggestion, I have remained out of the office since March

9th. I told my boss that I was going to take sick leave until they

set me up to work from home (with a VPN) until the building was

cleaned, moved the office temporarily until it was cleaned, or moved

the office permanently since our lease was up anyway. I ended up

using my sick days through the month of March when my boss informed

me I was out of sick days and put me on unpaid leave. I went back

to the office on April 6th to see if what they had done was enough

to keep me from getting sick, but I got sick again. After that, my

boss let me work from home.

On 2/16/2005, they installed HEPA filters in the HVAC system.

On 3/1/2005, my independent mold inspector did his inspection and

found that there was elevated levels of mold in the HVAC system and

unusual mold conditions on the insulation.

On 3/15/2005, they had the carpets shampooed in the office.

On 4/12/2005 they began the replacement of the roof.

Sometime in between 4/6/05 and now they have replaced the stained

ceiling tiles, but did not replace the insulation - they simply cut

a piece of it off. They have not cleaned the air ducts.

Now I have received a letter from my boss telling me of

an " unconditional offer " to return to the office this Wednesday,

June 15th. If I don't, they will consider that an abandonment of my

position.

He also included with that a copy of the most recent testing by the

landlord's inspector. This test revealed that the mold spore levels

were now higher outside than inside, but those tests also revealed

that the levels in my office did not go down, but went up... and now

they also show signs of STACHYBOTRYS in my office.

So, am I supposed to return to a building that makes me sick? Am I

supposed to just quit because I'm afraid of the long term health

effects of working in that environment? If I don't go back, I lose

all my benefits, not to mention my salary. Can I collect

unemployment compensation if I quit on these grounds?

I have lots of documentation and photos. I would really like to

know what my options are. I already contacted OSHA, but there

aren't any guidelines for indoor air quality so they have no grounds

for compliance. I just don't understand why my boss would not made

the landlords clean the building, regardless of what their inspector

said, when I had an independent, non-biased, inspector who says

there is a problem. Plus, the fact that we lease the office space

and that our lease was up for renewal should give him the leverage

for getting that accomplished.

I've already been online for about 3 hours this morning doing

research. I just found this group, so I haven't had time to read

through any of the messages yet, but any assistance would be

appreciated.

Kim

FAIR USE NOTICE:

---------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I hate to see victims of mold, but in some cases as you cite, they

deserve it. Every now and then I bump into someone who used to work at

United HealthCare and hear the horror stories - cancer, miscarriages,

heart problems (5 people had myeocarditis there just before I worked

there, out of which most died), etc. They all think they're immune to

sporeslime, but it's actually getting to them too - very insidiously.

Barth

TOXIC MOLD SURVEY: www.presenting.net/sbs/sbssurvey.html

---

e> Doctors are completely clueless, and amazingly enough, so are they!

e> -even after their free education - courtesy of Dr D.

e> And you know what?

e> Couldn't have happened to a more deserving bunch.

e> And they're paying for it now!

e> -

[Guest guest]

Almost every corporate building erected in the past few decades are

airtight and have dangerously contaminated ducting and mold behind the

walls and ceilings from leaks. There is NO way that they are going to

acknowledge this and set themselves up for remediation costs and

lawsuits from all of their sick employees.

No wonder there are a bunch of zombies roaming the world who are too

wimpy and too lethargic to fight for their rights. This is all part of

the dumbing down of the " sheeples " . Get their brains waterlogged and

electrically unbalanced - de-energize them so that they only have

enough energy to go to and from work. What an easy way to control the

populace.

Kim, if you have a good lawyer and doctor, you CAN collect

unemployment insurance, but you have to fight for it.

Barth

TOXIC MOLD SURVEY: www.presenting.net/sbs/sbssurvey.html

---

K> that the levels in my office did not go down, but went up... and now

K> they also show signs of STACHYBOTRYS in my office.

K> So, am I supposed to return to a building that makes me sick? Am I

K> supposed to just quit because I'm afraid of the long term health

K> effects of working in that environment? If I don't go back, I lose

K> all my benefits, not to mention my salary. Can I collect

K> unemployment compensation if I quit on these grounds?

[Guest guest]

Ha ha - I would do that, except he's kind of a pervert and would enjoy it!

That would make me even sicker!

If I DON'T go in, it would. My worker's comp attorney said I NEED to go in

to cover my butt. He said, go in, I'll probably be sick within 30 minutes

anyway, and leave. The last time I went in, I started having symptoms

within an hour. but, I felt so guilty that I stayed for 7 hours to get

things caught up. Better believe that won't happen this time!

RE: [] I'm new and here's my story

Heh - well, you can't very well train your replacement if you aren't

employed there. Can you. Maybe the attorney's got a point, if you can stand

it. This is war. Have you ever done an injection right in front of your

boss? Needles make lots of people queasy. Can't think of a nicer guy to

favor with that little show. Ahhhh, you think I'm kidding, don't you? Not!

He needs in the worst way to connect that he's made you sick AND now he's

trying to fire you.

Wanna guess how many expletives, I just deleted? ; )

OTOH, if you do try to go back in there, will it screw up your comp case?

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks! KC did contact me and give me a great overview and lots of

wonderful information. I plan to order the book today.

I'm doing really well right now. I guess at this point I am one of the

lucky ones that being away from the building has helped tremendously and I

am not experiencing any long term effects yet.

I found my doctor, who diagnosed me, on the mold-survivor.com website (

http://www.mold-survivor.com/DrLists/). Thankfully there was one in my

area. I was able to get in to see him right away. This was after I had

been to the regular doctor for an allergy blood test, to the regular

allergist for a prick test, intradermal test, histamine challenge and to the

ENT for vocal chord dysfunction and a videostrobe of my vocal chords.

He is an Environmental/Detox doctor. I even told him where I found his

info! He performed more testing on me. He said the problem with the

regular allergists and the way they test (prick/intradermal) is very

outdated. They use a serum that is diluted 1:10 so it doesn't find the

higher sensitivities.

He performed a provocation/neutralization test (similar to the Rinkel

method) intradermally. I was very skeptical when he told me that he would

be able to tell if I had sensitivities or not by reproducing my symptoms in

a laboratory setting. I took sick leave for a few days prior to my testing

so I wouldn't be experiencing any symptoms already when I went in. He

tested me against the molds from the mold inspector's report. To my shock

and amazement, they were able to reproduce my symptoms (provocation) and

then take them away (neutralization). I even had a sinus infection starting

when I went in, and it helped those symptoms as well. He then gave me a

vial (of course I paid for it!) of the neutralization serum and I had to

give myself injections 2-4 times a day for probably a month before I started

feeling much better. It took about that long for the " rash/mark " at the

injection site to go away as well.

Now every time I go into the office and expose myself to the mold there, it

takes about 4 days to recover and I have to give myself more injections.

Funny thing is, when I was at the allergists office, I was reading their

brochure and it states that " Other types of allergy testing methods the

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology considers to be

unacceptable are: applied kinesiology (allergy testing through muscle

relaxation), cytotoxicity testing, urine autoinjection, skin titration

(Rinkel method), provocative and neutralization (subcutaneous) testing or

sublingual provocation. If your physician plans to conduct any of these

tests on you, please see an AAAAI member allergist/immunologist for

appropriate allergy testing. "

Kim

Re: [] I'm new and here's my story

Kim,

Go to www.moldwarriors.com and get this book. The auther is Ritchie

Shoemaker, MD and is a Family Practitioner in Pocomoke, MD. If possible, I

would suggest getting an appt with him. Here is his contact info:

500 Market St

STE 102

Pocomoke City, MD 21851

Phone: (410) 957-1550

You can also go to www.chronicneurotoxins.com Dr. Shoemaker is a leader in

the field and has had great success treating patients with biotoxic illness.

I had an appt with him last week and he is on the ball when it comes to

diagnosis and treatment.

The thing that most physicians do not understand about mold illness is that

it is NOT allergy, so even if IgE blood tests and skin prick tests come back

negative, that does NOT mean that mold is not making you sick. Allergies

involves certain antibodies and histamine, and biotoxic illness has a whole

other pathway.

Please get the book as soon as possible and you will be on the road to

wellness. Good luck.

aka " The Newest Mold Warrior "

[Guest guest]

Hey, if that's what your atty says, I guess that's what you have to do. I would

have thought showing up for work, even for 5 minutes would be taken as proff

that you can work.

Ain't it funny? They just luuuuv you as long as you're making a profit for them.

Makes me think back to the time when employers cared about their people and went

the extra mile for them....oh no, wait. That was only in my dreams. Maybe you

could GIVE the perv a shot instead.

Sheesh. And they wonder why I think reality shows are stupid.

Luck to you! (KC's one of the good guys, btw.)

Serena

www.freeboards.net/index.php?mforum=sickgovernmentb

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Through all of this, I'm finding that employees really don't have any rights

at all. :-(

RE: [] I'm new and here's my story

Hey, if that's what your atty says, I guess that's what you have to do. I

would have thought showing up for work, even for 5 minutes would be taken as

proff that you can work.

Ain't it funny? They just luuuuv you as long as you're making a profit for

them. Makes me think back to the time when employers cared about their

people and went the extra mile for them....oh no, wait. That was only in my

dreams. Maybe you could GIVE the perv a shot instead.

Sheesh. And they wonder why I think reality shows are stupid.

Luck to you! (KC's one of the good guys, btw.)

Serena

www.freeboards.net/index.php?mforum=sickgovernmentb