Sick building Website

[Guest guest]

(just found out about this one today)

http://www.presenting.net/sbs/sbs.html

MY STORY

My story began when I went to work for a large health care corporation in an

industrial park in Kingston, NY. I developed a sinus infection the first

week I was there. That was in July, 1998. In September of 1998, I had

another sinus infection or cold. There were 3 consequent doctor visits. In

early December of 1998, I went to the doctor again to report severe muscle

cramping throughout my body and extreme lower back pain. In early January,

1999, I went back to the doctor to report these same symptoms along with

debilitating fatigue. I would have to lie down and sleep after such small

chores as doing laundry.

I was unable to walk from my car in the parking lot to the building entrance

without panting and much effort. I couldn't even walk a few yards inside the

building without being exhausted and having shortness of breath. I was

concerned that I was having heart problems. An echocardiogram showed a

normal heart, thank God. Never even gave my lungs a thought. The pain of the

muscle cramping in all parts of my body was so severe that I would go to

sleep at night crying. I went to work one morning with such a painful cramp

under my left shoulder blade, that tears streamed down my face and the nurse

was called to check me out. One night, charley horse cramps in both legs

woke me up! If I bent down, I'd have cramping in my ribcage. Upon taking a

short walk, I'd have cramping in my hips.

In early February of 1999, I was referred to the pulmonary specialist in

this medical group for possible pneumonia and because of very low oxygen

level. I was severely ill with flu-like symptoms. At that time, there was an

epidemic of " flu " in our building. I was very heavily congested. After

having x-rays, I was diagnosed with " interstitial lung disease " . My arterial

testing for bloodstream oxygen levels was VERY low! The doctor kept me out

of work for a month to see if it was in fact the workplace that caused this

problem. I knew that it was! At that time, the Dr. did state to disability

that this was caused by the workplace.

As soon as I would enter the building, it felt as though the breath had been

sucked out of me. I had a hard time concentrating on and retaining

information on the more complicated mathematical processes during my

training period. On occasion I had smelled formaldehyde when almost no one

else could smell it. I even asked my supervisor if she had just had her coat

dry cleaned. Only one other person was able to detect the odor.

In 1997, two years prior to my current x-ray testing, I had had a clear

chest x-ray. A multitude of blood tests proved all other allergens (dogs,

cats, birds, etc.) to be negative. My pulmonary specialist explained to me

that the offending allergen was fungal. Stood to reason. There were always

several wet ceiling tiles in the building, and many moldy discolored ones.

There was a major leak where water streamed in when it rained in the

conference room where we held our daily meetings. The rest rooms reeked so

badly that when other guests from other states visited, they would complain

about them.

My oxygen level had returned to normal before I went back to work on March

1, 1999. I immediately began to get the same symptoms as before. On March 3,

I went back to the doctor reporting difficulty breathing again and the

burning low in my trachea. I asked him his thoughts on this and his answer

to me with a patronizing pat on the shoulder was " this thing is bigger than

you and I " . He would not concede to my condition being caused by the

building. His latest (October, 1999) answer to my problem was stated as,

" this is a very controversial issue " .

On March 24th, another visit to the doctor revealed my oxygen level dropping

again. On April 9th, I went back to report serious edema, the shortness of

breath, cramps in body, cough, and fatigue. My oxygen level was even lower.

On April 14th, I went back in suffering with the same symptoms that were

becoming more severe, especially the burning in my trachea and the edema. I

was told that there was no proof that the building was causing this and was

left to make a decision for myself. I decided that it was not worth living

like this and compromising my health any further, so I left on my own. None

of the Drs. in this Kingston, NY medical group would this time state that

the workplace was causing my illness.

I've suffered financially since the doctors will not sign a statement

telling the truth about this sick building even though they are treating

others with heavy meds who are working there. The others will not complain

because they have been there a while and cannot find jobs that pay as well

in this area. So they compromise their health. I've suffered from the stress

of not being able to pay my bills in a timely manner.

I've suffered emotionally, physically, and financially by the lack of

commitment from doctors who don't want to get involved and no longer care

about the patients they are treating. Without a statement saying that this

illness was caused by the building, I cannot collect disability or Workman's

Comp. The NYS Workman's Comp Board wouldn't even hear my case without a

statement from the doctor. The judge closed my case without a hearing!!! I

was allowed to say two words in answer to the judge's question of whether I

had a Dr's statement saying that this was caused by the workplace. The judge

cut me short after the words " No, but.... " . So much for our right to fair

hearings. I was never even offered counsel. I believe that NYS has some

liability in this.

EPA would not investigate this building on the complaint of one person. They

needed 2 complaints to investigate! Even given the facts that a 30 year old

health nut bodybuilder who didn't smoke or drink died of a pulmonary

condition while working there, that there were 5 cases of myeocarditis in

which 1 or 2 people died, that the cancer and heart attack rate is very high

there, that another woman left with a vocal chord ailment caused by the air

in there, that there was questionable monitoring of the air upon complaints

(a monitor was put in the hallway near the door instead of inside the

workplace areas and OSHA had never been there as was reported to me and

others), EPA still refuses to get involved. There have been between 300 and

600 employees in this building through the years.

Prior to my working in this building, I was a very active healthy person.

I've done much laborious heavy work during my other career in sales. While I

am regaining my strength (at this writing, I've been out of work for 10

months) and feel so much better with oxygen level at normal, I am still

affected by much normal activity such as taking long walks because of the

pulmonary fibrosis scarring in my lungs. I still need to rest and sleep

after any kind of exertion.

I don't know what kind of toxins I was inhaling from the building, but the

edema is gone. I still wonder if I have any toxic residue that will cause

problems in the future for me. My sed rate continues to be high, but other

blood tests are normal now. The sed rate is a mystery to my doctor (now at

another medical group). Hopefully, in time, the toxins will be released from

my bloodstream. I will always have this scarring in my lungs and the

limitations of activity from it unfortunately.

The company I worked for knows the extent of the problems there, but mask

it. Their answer to other reasonable accommodation for me to continue to

work there under the Americans with Disabilities Act was to offer me work in

another section of the building with the same air system. It was their

responsibility to have an OSHA certified firm inspect the building within 30

days of my complaint, but that was NEVER done. It's been 9 months since my

first complaint and inspection has still not been done.

My doctor's group would not allow me to have my medical records until I sent

them a certified letter stating that it was my legal right to have copies.

I've since obtained them, but not in their entirety. The vendor handling my

disability case kept my records from me for weeks before I found out that I

had been denied disability. The employer told me and their other

complainants that OSHA was there on a regular basis inspecting the building.

Through the Freedom of Information Act, I found out that OSHA had never been

there ever! You would understand all this better if I revealed the name of

the employer. It would be a shock to you.

That's my story. Not quite in a nutshell, yet not as detailed as I would

have liked it to be. If you feel that you're a victim of SBS, get out before

it destroys you. Don't be like the person who has been carried out of this

building on a regular basis by the ambulance at least 6 times for fainting

and who has been treated by the same doctor's group I was going to with

heavy meds. This person is a very young attractive thin person who has

admitted to me how health has been compromised in lieu of the good salary.

Life is too short and too precious to make that kind of compromise.

EPILOGUE: This mega-company former employer kept me on leave of absence for

9 months until they knew I was legally and politically empty. If they

weren't guilty, why would they have paid for my benefits for such a long

time?

I was given an ultimatum to go back to work or lose benefits. The letter

mentioned " special accommodations " . I went back for 1 day. No one ever met

with me about special accommodations. I was put back into a training room

with people with the flu and laryngitis all around me. My nose ran

constantly all day. I did not go back and notified them that I would go back

when CDC comes out with their environmental testing and then with an oxygen

monitor on me or arterial testing done daily. Needless to say, I was

terminated.

My only recourse now is to continue my search for those who have had to

leave this company for the same reasons and to go to the media. At this

writing, I have some excellent media contacts to work with. At a later date,

many big names, both political and commercial, may be revealed in a

sensational story of coercion and deception.