Toxic Mold: If I had only known, but no one told me!!!

If I had only known, but no one told me!!!!

I moved into this little apartment as a young disabled nurse do to a back illness and surgery on March 25, 2005.

Eleven months (Feb 2006) living in this quaint little apartment I had started to experience a dry hacking cough, chest tightness that felt like an elephant was sitting on it, a throat that felt like it was constantly being strangled by someone's hands, not ever letting go. This is my nightmare, my journey.

The investigation medically began, in April of 2006 when I saw my physician, only to learn that he was questioning my experiencing "Sick Building Syndrome".and that was very dangerous for me. My apartment was tested by a professional mycologist, which in turn compiled up a report stating that the molds that were found in my central air/heating system were that of: Aspergillus, Pencillum, Phoma type, and Cladosporium along with old, deteriorating fiberglass duct lining, and yeast. Recently I had became aware that there were additional molds that are airborne (coming out of my central air/heating ducts) in my apartment which are Mucor and Rhizopus.

With the struggles of being a mold victim, my quality of life was stolen from me as it is many many mold victim's across the states. I moved into my apartment that is housed in a building for disabled and elderly persons. I am not that old, though had been disabled due to a back problem. Did I know that a year after moving into my little safe haven, that I would be fighting for every breath that I take, no I did not.

Nineteen months later, I have an oxygen tank to help in aiding me to breath. I take inhalers and nebulizer treatments due to the asthma along with many other medications due to the toxic molds that are in my central air/heating system, and yes professionally confirmed that are making me very ill.

Passing out which led to the diagnosis of slowing of the brain or they call it also, intermittent brain waves due to toxic metabolic encephalopathy or the Central Nervous System. Another words, on my diagnosis it now reads, seizures. Allergic to the toxic molds found in my central air/heating system: aspergillus, pencillium, etc, etc, etc.

Symptoms/Illnesses that I have and continue to experience:

Body Pain
Daily Headaches
pneumonia
Asthma
Raspy Voice
Coughing
Cough Brownish Sputum
Hard to breath
Heaviness/Tightness in Chest
Short and long term memory problems
Unusual weight gain
Chronic Fatigue
Hair thinning
Burning rashes
Unable to concentrate/brain fog
Zoned out feeling: like being drugged
Blurred Vision
Rash on legs, stomach
Burning sensation on skin
Passing out episodes diagnosed as Seizure Disorder
Unable to concentrate
Toxic Encephalopahy
Swollen vocal chords
Exacerbation of Fibromyalgia (some may be diagnosed with Fibro from mold exposure)

There are other symptoms that I do experience, but just thought I would list a few .

I have many other diagnosis since becoming ill from these silent killers. For someone like myself, that has never had any sort of breathing problem in my life of 51 years, being told I could go into shock at any time, being told to also wear a respirator mask, being told my cognitive ability has diminished to the extent that if my back problem got better, I could never go back to working as a nurse.

The simple little cough that I started to experience in Feb. 2006, was no simple little cough. The prognosis is not good, and road to recovery will not be possible, as I too, still live in this toxic mold nightmare that I call home.

My story is far from over, as every day is a different experience with the illnesses I have to endure. I don't know what the outcome will be nor do my physician's at this point. I am a fighter, and know in my heart, that someday I will overcome this journey as I know it today.