Delp: My Mom and our Special Bond

[Guest guest]

04.24.2007

Delp: My Mom and our Special Bond

Huffington Post - New York,NY

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mother-daughter-campaign/linda-delp-my-

mom-and-ou_b_46722.html

I don't know what I would do if I lost my mom. We have always had a

special bond, but the last few years our love for each other has

kept us both from falling apart. We live far away from each other

but we try to call every day to keep in touch, give each other

support, but most of all to know that we are here for each other.

My mother is a beautiful person, 73, homeless with a heart

condition, and living in her car because her ex husband decided to

stop paying her alimony. He just took off no where to be found. She

has gone from living on the ocean in a beautiful condo to living in

her car. Oh she spent several years with the court system with a

very expensive lawyer. Her ex kept delaying hearings, never bringing

the proper documents until finally the judge issued a warrant for

his arrest. No one ever arrested him. Before foreclosure he sold his

home for a lot of cash and took off no where to be found.

The court system apparently has no procedures to help women when

something like this happens to them. She has been everywhere to get

help, but no one has helped her.

I am very ill with a terrible illness that most people have never

heard about. I originally got ill from mold growing in the walls of

a home I was living in for many years. I have had this illness for

nine years now and have met people all over the world suffering from

the same illness. Many that get ill from mold get to the point where

just everyday cosmetics and cleaning products, etc. cause severe

pain in the lungs, sinuses, digestive tract, and many other

problems.

There is no help for people with this illness. The only thing that

helps is staying away from mold, fragrances, colognes, air

freshness, etc. I have to bath with fragrance free soaps, launder my

clothes with fragrance free detergents, and clean with baking soda

and vinegar to stay safe.

I use to use all the regular products and lived a normal life until

I was about 44 and all of a sudden my life changed. I have adjusted

to changing my routines and the products I use, but unfortunately I

suffer mostly from the products that other people use.

The internet has been a life line for me. When I first got ill I

didn't know much about the internet, but I soon found my way when I

started finding a lot of information about the dangers of indoor

mold, and learning about the chemicals in our products.

Apparently our government knows about these issues and has done

nothing to help the suffering. I have spent thousands of hours

researching, writing to government officials, and even getting my

family's story on the legislative packet several years ago for toxic

mold legislation that has dragged for several years.

My mom has been so supportive to me. Even though she is homeless she

is more concerned about me than she is of herself. We have only seen

each other a few short times in the years I have been ill.

When I first got this illness, I had never heard of it. I started

out with a serious allergic reaction and my life has never been the

same since. My landlord didn't do anything to help and the next

thing I knew I was headed to sinus surgery, developed chronic

asthma, reactive airways disease and we were told to move out in six

weeks. I begged for help from our government officials, but there

was no help.

We moved only to move into another apartment that had mold. We were

told to get rid of most of our belongings, and the insurance didn't

help. Soon after my husband started having seizures and health

problems.

I use to have many friends and relatives nearby but as the years

went by relatives died and friends just disappeared. I had a best

friend for over 30 years, but illness sometimes takes a toll on

friendships. Even some people with cancer soon find themselves in

isolation.

My daughter has grown into a beautiful person and has her own place

now. It was very hard for her in the beginning not being able to use

all those products teenagers like to use the nail polish, hair

sprays, etc. My daughter was only about 13 when I started getting

ill.

I use to try to drive all her friends to the movies and places like

that, but I soon noticed every time I drove the kids someplace I

would get a migraine would have to rush home. I couldn't understand

why I was having such a hard time around fragrances, etc. You know

how kids can load up on that stuff.

After a while the doctors realized I had reactive airways disease. I

tried all the asthma products, but we found the only thing that

helped was to stay away from these cosmetics. . After years of

research come to find out that the companies that make these

products don't have to reveal what goes into their formula for

shampoo, etc.

Come to find out that the United States has tried everything

possible to stop any regulation on our products. Canada is starting

to make change. California is banning some chemicals that go into

baby products and fragrances, etc. The EU government has started

regulating the chemicals in our products, but how long before the

suffering will end.

Asthma is an epidemic with our children and fragrances and these

products trigger asthma attacks for many of us with this condition.

I would have never survived without my mom. Even though I haven't

been able to see her much during the years she has been so

supportive sending me cards often, comforting me when I am crying,

and letting me know how much she loves me. We have cried together,

laughed together, and tried to solve the world problems together.

I have tried to do everything I can for mom. I have written letters,

called everyone I can think of to get help for her, but mostly I

just love her all the time. She is always in my thoughts wherever I

am, whatever I am doing. My goal is to make change. There is no

reason in this day and age that a woman should have to live like we

are living. My mom homeless and me living in isolation trying to

avoid products that shouldn't even be on the market.

We have an ancestor that was a governor in the 1800's. My aunt

babysat for a senator that was governor when I became ill. We have

ancestors that died for our country, one that is the first one on

record in my state to die as a police officer. My grandfather died

before I was born falling off of a fire truck. You would think that

I could get some government official to meet me after nine years of

writing, calling and begging for my life-- and now for my moms.

I hope that there will be some time that I can share with my mom

where we are both in a safe place in our life. So much time has gone

by, and I am afraid that we are running out of time. One of us isn't

going to make it--we are getting older and weaker.

Whatever happens I know that the special bond that my mom and I have

cannot be taken from us as long as we live. I am her girl. When my

time comes I know that I did everything possible to make this world

a better place for my daughter and her future children. I hope I

live to see that day. It has been such a long struggle just to get

the truth out.