Hello, my story/lessons learned and THANKS.

[Guest guest]

I'm new to this " hidden underground " and thankful that you exist and

understand. I had no idea that my simple request for a classroom

with reasonably good air quality would end up with me absent for

medical leave and people questioning my sanity. I'm still in shock.

Of course, it took at least 6 weeks to finally convince someone that

the musty-smelling, dry, green and blackish mold-like substance on

the ceiling tiles was actually mold. The next week the maintenance

staff removed over a dozen tiles out of my room during the 24 minutes

the kids and I were at lunch. We returned to the room, and my middle

school students started asking, " What's all this stuff on my

bookbag? " All the mold spores/dust and bits of ceiling tile

had " rained down " on the room. My next class walked into the room

(not knowing what had happened) and immediately wrinkled their noses

and said, " What is that smell? It smells like mildew or something.

Gross! " I was sick for days--congested, feverish, weak, and my

muscles ached all over—like an instant flu, but with a day off and

the weekend, the " flu " disappeared.

I continued to fight the system--requesting the mold-spotted pipe

insulation be treated and the moldy tiles they missed to be removed.

I gave the administration a copy of the EPA guidelines as well as

other basic mold information. Maintenance didn't think they could do

the job until a short fall break--couldn't do it over the weekend

because they needed more time. I waited patiently until I found the

leaking pipe, dripping onto a moldy tile, growing new mold. I

mentioned the new complication and inquired about the upcoming

remediation. Yes, it was scheduled. I tried to relax and trust the

system. ( " Hope springs eternal " --or used to!) The scheduled date

came and went and nothing happened. Days later I found out the

reason--a crew member was sick and so they rescheduled for the next

weekend. " WHAT? You COULDN'T do it over a weekend. That's why

we've had to wait so long! " We were asked to cover the desks and

bookcases and such. The principal said he'd give us some old

leftover material from home ec. I explained, " Mold spores will go

right through the cloth. You can't use cloth. It has to be

plastic. " " Okay. We'll get plastic. " I guess he didn't read the

information I gave him, with important parts highlighted.

The " mold remediation " was scheduled to start at 8am. I don't know

if they started on time but they were cleared out by 2pm.

Hmmm.....less than 6 hours to do the job, the job that needed an

extended weekend. I went back with my camera, dust mask, and gloves

to inspect the job. (No one else would.) I found a few broken tiles

in my trash can, along with tobacco spit, used gloves, and a

paintbrush covered in gray goopy stuff. The pipe insulation was

sloppily covered with the gray stuff--they missed numerous (hard-to-

reach?) places. They painted right beside moldy tiles but left them

in place. There was a sign on the closet door saying there was a

leak (REALLY?) and they would fix it ASAP. I heard from a colleague

yesterday that they finally removed that moldy tile under the leaky

pipe, 6 weeks after I told them about it. The story is that they

fixed the leak weeks ago but left the moldy tile to make sure it was

fixed. (Because it would be easier to spot a leak on an old, moldy,

moist, warped tile than on a brand new clean tile?) I have my doubts

as to whether the leak is actually fixed...and if the wet, mold-

filled insulation around the pipe was replaced. I said a prayer of

protection just before I closed my classroom door. I haven't been

back since.

I was tested for allergies--negative. Still waiting on the blood

test, but the skin test (98 pricks on my back) and the intradermal

(12 needles in my arm) came back negative. The allergy doctor is not

a believer in mold illnesses. (And how can you blame him? I mean,

he's part of a multi-office allergy and asthma business. Moldy

buildings are excellent for business.)

My psychiatrist is helping me with my medication. He's understanding

about the mold, but can only treat my symptoms.

I brought up the mold to my regular doctor and she said, " We're not

going there. " And basically implied that those " internet sites " are

unaccredited and people would think I was crazy and I would ruin my

life. On the positive side, she said she KNEW that I WAS NOT CRAZY.

She even conceded that there may be some validity but that I wouldn't

be able to prove anything, that I couldn't fight the system, that it

would just cause my health to deteriorate further--and that seemed on

target. And despite the fact that we weren't going to talk about it,

we did, and she even offered to have the mold tested for me! That

made my day. Even if she doesn't believe all this " bullsh*t " --(her

word, not mine), she listened and offered me a small token--a lab

swab kit!

I'm feeling better but I still worry about the kids' health. Are

their headaches, sore throats, congestion, nosebleeds, etc. better?

The mold exposure has been significantly reduced—maybe they do feel

better. I believe the parents have a right to know what their

children have been exposed to, but it would be insubordinate to tell

them. Then I realized that the medical community would probably

dismiss their mold concerns. The allergist told me that mold cannot

cause any health problems outside of allergic reactions. When I

asked, " So, why am I sick when I'm at school but not sick when I'm

away from school? If I'm not allergic to mold, what's going

on? " " Well, you may react to it, but you're not allergic to. It

can't hurt your health in any significant way. " Oh, well, then I

guess you'd better tell my body because ever since it's been in that

room, it's been sick.

Symptoms that have more or less disappeared since being out of the

building:

sore throat

congestion,

postnasal drip

painful, clogged-up ears

fever

I'm still experiencing:

headaches (although less often)

shortness of breath

tightness in my chest

irregular periods

anxiety

depression

And I found out yesterday that I have a growth on my thyroid.

They'll be doing an ultrasound on Tuesday. And my blood pressure was

higher than usual for me (142/80). I don't think I've ever been over

the 120's on that first number.

My basic strategy for regaining my health (besides getting away from

the building and the frustration of dealing with people in charge) is

to focus on sleeping and eating, with a little exercise and prayer

thrown in--the basics of life. The doctor is switching my

antidepressants (which had been working for years). I don't have to

make any decisions until mid-January and I hope I will feel well

enough to know what to do. I miss my students, but the place isn't

good for me. I've requested a classroom change, but haven't heard

back about that. Even if my doctors don't agree about the role of

the mold, they do agree that I shouldn't be back in that classroom.

That's good enough for me. A year and a few months was more than

enough.

Here's are some things I've learned through this experience.

1. My health and well-being has to take first priority. If I ignore

my body and allow the stress to get to me, I will become quite sick.

If I don't take care of myself, NO ONE else will.

2. The squeaky wheel does get the grease. People have complained

about the air quality in that room for over 10 years and until this

year, nothing has been done. (The grease wasn't applied well, or in

a timely manner, but still—action was taken.)

3. The above squeaky wheel (the underdog) will be seen as a

troublemaker and/or a lunatic. One person cannot fight the system

and win (except on TV). They will be discredited and gotten rid of,

one way or another. Even people who have been the underdog's

supporters will abandon ship--they get scared and don't want to lose

their jobs. It's disappointing, but I understand.

4. My notion that Education (as opposed to Business) was a noble

profession that valued children above all was incorrect. Kids and

teachers/staff are way at the bottom of the list of priorities--

apparently, we are quite replaceable.

5. There are wonderful people in the world, who listen and care and

help you through the hard times.

6. Dogs worry about their owners and are great at cheering them up.

Simple things are healing, like a walk in the woods or good music.

7. Sometimes, life takes an unexpected twist and although it wasn't

your plan, it turns out to be a good plan. I recently convinced my

grandparents to move closer to me so I could be a support to them .

It turns out that I need them much more than they need me.

Humbling, but wonderful. I don't know that many 86-year-olds feel so

needed. :-)

8. People can become " obsessed " with mold. " Knowledge is power " and

research/learning is good. However I have to be careful to limit the

time spent on mold issues (to gather the information and seek to

understand it and apply it to my situation). When I start FREAKING

OUT because I learn that others with mold exposure have had thyroid

problems and my brain immediately jumps to the conclusion that I am

doomed and the mold will kill me, probably by the end of the year, if

not sooner--well, then, I need to step back and do something else

(and when I think about my thyroid again, think more rationally and

remember things like: my maternal grandmother and aunt had thyroid

issues, we don't know what the lump is yet, it could be nothing, it

may disappear on its own, etc.)

9. I have very little power when it comes to justice, but I am able

to decide my own future.

Thanks for reading my story and for making the path a little easier

for those behind you. Your experience and wisdom are a light in the

darkness. Actually, that metaphor doesn't quite work. You're not in

the darkness. You are in the light, a bright, revealing light and

I've joined you. (I may just have to keep it a secret.) It's

amazingly obvious to me that exposure to a sick environment made you

and me sick. It perplexes me that my school system, the government,

most of the medical community, etc. doesn't see it that way.

I guess that leads to a 10th lesson learned:

10. People who think I'm crazy are not people who think.

Thanks for being thinkers, even if your illness has damaged your

ability to think. I think my " mold time " is done for the day. I'm

going outside, to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.

MoldyUnderdog

p.s. I had to have an alter-ego to protect my job and those who

weren't so good at protecting me...now that's crazy! ;-)