Re: My plans: What to do with my moldy family & friends

[Guest guest]

Sounds good . One suggestion - don't put plastic on car floors. What I have is

mats but under it is a rug & under that is a metal grate

(from metal shelving) for airspace ( & lots of borax on the floor)

Good luck. You sound like you're dealing with the stress quite well...keep it up

!

>

> We will be moving in a few weeks. I am only taking car, kids, dog, husband...

who will be communting back and forth.. states apart.

>

> We will be exchanging the car.. selling and using a car that my father is

taking out of his sales fleet at his business.. and using until we locate

another vehicle. We will see if we can shave the dog.. lab, german shephard..

so not sure how that will go.. but she will be washed weekly and not be allowed

on furniture, beds.. not sure what else I can do. Outside will be too hot for

her.

>

> Complicating factor (besides dog) is that my parents and my sister both live

in water damaged homes.

>

> Air counts are reasonable in sisters house (depending on how you look at it ..

below 700 per cu meter mixedmolds) but we all know its the kind of mold, flavor

or aspegillus, etc and ratio that matters as well as hidden molds like stachy.

Cant control that other than I sent her an ERMI kit and I am trying to help her

obtain a good remediator.

>

> My parents house was remediated and we are working with someone trustrworthy

to help guide us here.. there may have been an improper remediation and stachy

and other WB critters were most likely let loose.. the air count was 7 spores

per cu meter of stachy with follow up inspection about 6 months later. First

follow up showed none .. realizing that air counts can not be too accurate but

this little bit is a sign of a problem.

>

> So I have a contaminated family to deal with when we get to our " safe " place..

there is no way to do this with any sanity if I worry to much, but common sense

tips would be helpful.

>

> I cant ban them. I cant isolate. I can have them remove shoes.. I can put

coverings on furniture they might sit on and wash.. ?? I cant not travell with

them in their cars, which they do keep immaculately clean.. or prevent my

children from doing so..

>

> We have friends who also lived in a WDB.. I saw mold growing on one piece of

furniture.. they moved to southern cal and my friend thinks some of her symptoms

are getting better.. same furniture, but she did get of the piece with mold. No

telling if other pieces also have mold.

>

> Would I prevent my kids from playing with their friends.. going over, coming

over if we happened to relocate out their way?

>

> There have to be ways to deal with these kinds of thing? I can see if the

biotoxin pathyway is compromised and constant exposures prevent it from settling

down, as well.. ??

>

> It seems there is WDB syndrome out there.. its like lyme ticks.. you cant get

away from them.. I worked out a solution that gave me some level of peace with

the ticks.. we are checked every night and if we find a tick we take it off, put

in a baggy with a damp cotton ball, with permanant marker write who was bit,

where, date and store in a bag in fridge. If symptoms come up, we have a tick to

check. If the tick was not caught in 24 hours.. you can usually tell this the

way tehy are embedded.. then we send it off to a lab to be checked for lyme

immdeiatedly. This is a common sense plan that fits out reality today.. we live

in a tick infested area and I cannot ban my kids from playing outside.

>

> Thing I have in mind.. washable covers for furniture. Shoes off when come in

house. Good help vac and clean often. Keep car clean, possiby line with plastic

on floors. have kids, husband change clothes after being in WDB/homes of

family.. ?? and shower when come in or at least before go to bed.

>

> My sister has a pool, so they are going to want to be there.

>

> I will be monitoring my biotoxin pathyway markers and starting CSM.

>

> Thanks for any insights..

>

> Robin

>

[Guest guest]

Oh.. thats a good idea.. thank you, and thank you for the support. It

helps relieve some of my stress!

Are you talking about rubber car mats or any kind of rubber mat you can cut to

fit.. and a washable cotton rug???

Robin

>

> Sounds good . One suggestion - don't put plastic on car floors. What I have is

mats but under it is a rug & under that is a metal grate

> (from metal shelving) for airspace ( & lots of borax on the floor)

> Good luck. You sound like you're dealing with the stress quite well...keep it

up !

>

[Guest guest]

They happen to be mats that have depth so that's a plus. It was a 2 part with a

removal rubber grating type thing on top - threw out that part years ago - it

was a pain to get off & my high heels got caught in it. :-) 20 years old or I

wouldn't have them. I'm not familiar with the cut to fit but you want air under

it so it should be fairly stiff. My floor grew fuzzy mold under the mat so after

that it was borax & grating for airspace on all the floor areas with the fabric

over the grate. Front floors have a cotton rug, back floors have hand towels &

the whole back (SUV) has a big towel on one side & a piece of thick cotton

fabric on the other with polar fleece over that because it's where the bed is.

It's like Building Science for vehicles in there.

>

> Oh.. thats a good idea.. thank you, and thank you for the support. It

helps relieve some of my stress!

>

> Are you talking about rubber car mats or any kind of rubber mat you can cut to

fit.. and a washable cotton rug???

>

> Robin

[Guest guest]

I have the same problem. My son, wife and daughter live in a disgusting mildewy

place and when they come over I get sick. The few times I babysat I changed the

baby's clothes because I couldn't stand to hold her (I now affectionately call

her " moldy baby. " ) But seriously, it's awful. Now my daughter's family is moving

into a home with a moldy basement and even though she will seriously remediate

and deal with this problem (she believes me) I'm thinking I won't be able to go

over there for a long time.

What are the odds? I cannot make my son change his clothes when he comes over

but I have not gone to their apartment after the first bad experience and when

they come over I mostly just leave and get my husband to air out the room for

hours after they leave. It's sad and I'm pretty sure not good for my health at

all. Even these tiny increments of exposure is going to affect me over time.

I think you should decide what your ground rules are and then stick to them-you

won't make any friends and some may hate you, but it's your health and your body

and just say it's like I am asking you not to smoke in my house-most people

respect that because they understand that. They just don't get the mold thing.

>

> We will be moving in a few weeks. I am only taking car, kids, dog, husband...

who will be communting back and forth.. states apart.

>

> We will be exchanging the car.. selling and using a car that my father is

taking out of his sales fleet at his business.. and using until we locate

another vehicle. We will see if we can shave the dog.. lab, german shephard..

so not sure how that will go.. but she will be washed weekly and not be allowed

on furniture, beds.. not sure what else I can do. Outside will be too hot for

her.

>

> Complicating factor (besides dog) is that my parents and my sister both live

in water damaged homes.

>

> Air counts are reasonable in sisters house (depending on how you look at it ..

below 700 per cu meter mixedmolds) but we all know its

[Guest guest]

that being said i purchased a set of weather tech floor mats for my truck. they

cover the entire floor board and imo are the best at keep water from getting

down into the carpet. ive had them since i first bought my truck and the carpet

still looks like its bran new. google weathertech i believe theres a video on

how well these floor mats cover the floor board

>

> I have the same problem. My son, wife and daughter live in a disgusting

mildewy place and when they come over I get sick. The few times I babysat I

changed the baby's clothes because I couldn't stand to hold her (I now

affectionately call her " moldy baby. " ) But seriously, it's awful. Now my

daughter's family is moving into a home with a moldy basement and even though

she will seriously remediate and deal with this problem (she believes me) I'm

thinking I won't be able to go over there for a long time.

> What are the odds? I cannot make my son change his clothes when he comes over

but I have not gone to their apartment after the first bad experience and when

they come over I mostly just leave and get my husband to air out the room for

hours after they leave. It's sad and I'm pretty sure not good for my health at

all. Even these tiny

[Guest guest]

There is an expression: " If you want to make an omelet, you have to break a few

eggs " . In OUR case, our " omelet " is the best level of health we can reach, for

ourselves. We should accept the fact that we have to hurt the feelings [break a

few eggs] of our loved ones, who still do not understand our unique health

requirements, in oder to attain the best level of health, for ourselves. In that

same process, we have to hurt our OWN feelings. Our world is filled with

unexpected dangers to our health. If we " knowingly " expose ourselves to

environments, and PEOPLE, who we already know pose a toxic threat to our

health, then our resulting illness is OUR OWN DAMN FAULT. I am referring to MY

OWN stupid behavior, not the behavior of anyone else. I have not allowed myself

to enter the home of my favorite niece, for over four years, due to my mold

reaction to her " spotless " home.

I am currently helping a father and son, who live in my building, in their

process of throwing out a lifetime's accumulation of rubbish, so they can get

their home ready for a rubbish removal company to come in to remove their

furniture and carpeting. They have a massive mold infestation, which is the

result of a water leak in their apartment, when they were away on vacation, many

years ago.

They have been living in that moldy apartment, for many years. The wife died

from pancreatic cancer, five months ago. The husband was diagnosed with

myasthenia gravis, seven months ago. The son has had a bipolar disorder for

twenty years. The daughter has been in a group home for autistic people, for

many years. Since none of these illnesses has a medically confirmed cause, it is

MY opinion that mold exposure is partially, or completely, the cause of some, or

all, of these illnesses.

As I can NOT enter their apartment, due to their mold, I stand in the building

hallway, OUTSIDE their apartment, and they hand me their rubbish, which I throw

down the gargage chute, 26 feet from their front door. They have lost too many

brain cells, to be able to think clearly enough to make that 26 foot journey, by

themselves. I haul larger bulky items, inside 30 gallon trash bags, down to the

street, for collection.

I KNOWINGLY expose myself to a mold plume, every time they open their front

door, to hand me their rubbish. I do this, to help keep them alive. But, I pay

the price, IN MY OWN SUFFERING, for every act of helping them to stay alive. I

do this, because I failed to save my own father's life, when he died, two years

ago, from mold exposure.

I am under no illusions that I am saving the lives of this father and son. But,

I feel that I must use my knowledge of the dangers of mold, to make every EFFORT

to save their lives.

If anyone else, on this board, gets a " message " from MY actions, that would be

nice. Remember, in order to have the health, strength, and energy, to help

OTHERS, you must first " break some eggs " , to keep YOURSELF healthy. To those who

plan to maximize their OWN health, while, at the same time, being polite and

courteous and considerate of the feelings of the " nonbelievers " , I wish you, and

your few remaining functioning brain cells, LOTS OF LUCK!

God Bless, Joe

.........................................

>

> I have the same problem. My son, wife and daughter live in a disgusting

mildewy place and when they come over I get sick. The few times I babysat I

changed the baby's clothes because I couldn't stand to hold her (I now

affectionately call her " moldy baby. " ) But seriously, it's awful. Now my

daughter's family is moving into a home with a moldy basement and even though

she will seriously remediate and deal with this problem (she believes me) I'm

thinking I won't be able to go over there for a long time.

> What are the odds? I cannot make my son change his clothes when he comes over

but I have not gone to their apartment after the first bad experience and when

they come over I mostly just leave and get my husband to air out the room for

hours after they leave. It's sad and I'm pretty sure not good for my health at

all. Even these tiny increments of exposure is going to affect me over time.

> I think you should decide what your ground rules are and then stick to

them-you won't make any friends and some may hate you, but it's your health and

your body and just say it's like I am asking you not to smoke in my house-most

people respect that because they understand that. They just don't get the mold

thing.

>

[Guest guest]

Thats hard..

Talked with my husband and he even agreed on some ground rules. The house is a

gift from my parents.. they wil lsell it when we leave but in mean time, a

gift..

But that doesnt mean I cant set some rules up. Havent decided what and not sure

hwo reactive I will be to them. The mold problem.. water damage has been fixed..

the house cleaned very well. but furniture is still there and clothing. It may

be able to get away with taking shoes off and putting throws on furniture for

them to sit on.

When you feel like the lone nut case, ti doesnt help.. it does help that my

husband understands and supports ground rules and that my mother has an idea

this could be legitimate.

I dont know how to get away from IT.

Robin

>

> I have the same problem. My son, wife and daughter live in a disgusting

mildewy place and when they come over I get sick. The few times I babysat I

changed the baby's clothes because I couldn't stand to hold her (I now

affectionately call her " moldy baby. " ) But seriously, it's awful. Now my

daughter's family is moving into a home with a moldy basement and even though

she will seriously remediate and deal with this problem (she believes me) I'm

thinking I won't be able to go over there for a long time.

> What are the odds?

[Guest guest]

It is like buildingn science and you should write a book! Thanks.:-)

Robin

> >

> > Oh.. thats a good idea.. thank you, and thank you for the support. It

helps relieve some of my stress!

> >

> > Are you talking about rubber car mats or any kind of rubber mat you can cut

to fit.. and a washable cotton rug???

> >

> > Robin

>

[Guest guest]

Robin, I just realized that instead of starting a new thread I hijacked your

thread when I asked about my mold report. I'm sorry for that! I get all messages

via email and replied to yours thinking that by changing the subject line I

would be creating a new thread. Good luck, by the way. When I feel better I'll

reply to others properly. AN

>

> We will be moving in a few weeks. I am only taking car, kids, dog, husband...

who will be communting back and forth.. states apart.

>

> We will be exchanging the car.. selling and using a car that my father is

taking out of his sales fleet at his business.. and using until we locate

another vehicle. We will see if we can shave the dog.. lab, german shephard..

so not sure how that will go.. but she will be washed weekly and not be allowed

on furniture, beds.. not sure what else I can do. Outside will be too hot for

her.

>

> Complicating factor (besides dog) is that my parents and my sister both live

in water damaged homes.

>

> Air counts are reasonable in sisters house (depending on how you look at it ..

below 700 per cu meter mixedmolds) but we all know its