Re: new to group..need some answers..

[Guest guest]

I definitely understand. I've been sick for the past five years or

more due to mold in my home but was not able to move out due to

financial reasons, also. My daughter also has been sick. I have gone

to numerous doctors just to be told it's all in my head or nothing's

wrong " the tests are " normal " " . If you are going to seek treatment

you must find a preventative or alternative doctor who knows about

mycotoxins.

good luck,

Dana

>

> Hi! My name is and I was directed to this list by someone who

> has been through problems with mold in her home. Let me tell you a

> little bit about myself and the situation our home may be in.

>

> I have not been a healthy person for several years. After years of

> frustration, I finally discovered I had food allergies. After

> eliminating everything I knew I was allergic to, I started to feel

> better. In October of last year, I ended up with a nasty case of

> pnuemonia. The week before, my doctor told me I had chronic

sinutis. I

> thought it was related to the issues I had with food allergies.

Well,

> by the middle of November, my allergies improved somewhat. I still

had

> the runny nose, but at least I wasn't sick. About two or three

weeks

> ago, my food allergy problems worsened. I'm developing more severe

> reactions especially to things made from mold (ie vinegar, yeast,

etc)

>

> We have suspected that we had mold around a few windows and our

patio

> door. There are also black spots on our carpet throughout the house

> that we suspected were stains. We also suspected mold in one of our

> bathrooms (this house was remodeled before we moved in. whoever

> remodeled put carpet in the bathroom. My husband tried to take it

out

> 2 years ago but was unable to because it was glued to the floor)

>

> Last Friday while cooking dinner, I noticed that one of the walls

in

> our kitchen was buckling. I pointed it out to my husband and he

> checked it out. When he touched the wall, a piece of drywall (1/4 " )

> came off. When he turned it over to look at it, it was covered with

> black spots. He wasn't worried.

>

> Since Saturday night, I have found stains in all of our kitchen

> cabinets that weren't there before Christmas (2 different walls in

our

> kitchen). There is mold under the carpet in our hallway (the wood

> things holding the carpet to the floor are rotted and black). In

> almost every room in the house paint is peeling and there are

bumps in

> the paint where the ceiling meets the wall. Paint is cracking. I

have

> found black mold in spots in the other bathroom. There is mold in

our

> utility room. I've also found what looks like dry rot as well as

> passages for termites.

>

> This morning, against my better judgement, I ventured up to the

attic.

> I never go up there because I am allergic to the fiberglass

> insulation. But I was smart enough to cover up, wear a mask and

> gloves. I didn't go into the attic, just stood and looked around.

Took

> pictures with a digital camera. We've got a BIG problem. There is

mold

> on the ceiling of the attic, in the joints, pretty much everywhere.

> The beams with no visible mold looked wet.

>

> Now, before everyone starts to hollar, I know enough to leave

> everything alone. I'm not touching or attempting to clean anything

up.

> My gut feeling is that things are a lot worse than they look. But

I'm

> a worrier by nature and tend to assume the worst. My husband and I

> cannot afford to move and we cannot afford to pay for this. We are

> stretched thin as it is. But I am concerned about my family's

health

> (and my stress level).

>

> I could use some advice and some help with questions I have.

>

> 1. How do I approach my husband with all this. He has no idea how

bad

> things look. And once he is presented with something, it takes him

> awhile to digest it and think it through. I need practical

suggestions

> on how to present this. I will print all answers I get and make

sure

> he gets to read them.

>

> 2. I know in my heart that I should have pressed the issue and

moved

> out over the weekend. But I need to hear from experts or be

directed

> to websites on what to do.

>

> 3. I want to salvage as much as I can so we don't have to buy a lot

> later. Is this possible? If it is, what can I do to salvage

clothing?

> Dishes? Pictures? Antiques (this one's gonna really hurt if I lose

the

> kitchen table)? Books?

>

> 4. Should I take the kids to the doctor to have them checked out?

My

> oldest has mold allergies like I do.

>

> 5. My aunt suggested we hire an inspector to go through our home to

> see if he can find more damage and make suggestions? Is this

feasible?

>

> 6. Can you direct me to websites that will tell me about the

adverse

> health affects mold will have on us if it's not dealt with?

>

> 7. I know we have to have a professional clean up everything.

Where do

> I look?

>

> If you can think of anything I missed, please let me know. Again

any

> replies I get will be printed so my husband can read them.

>

> TIA,

>

> Wohlfarth

> reneewo@...

>