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Story:
Liberty School Mold Exposure
I worked at this position until June 24th 2004; also serving as the county’s summer school librarian from my library for most of those years. I can no longer work there. This is my story. ![]()
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![]() While working at the school, I developed a dry cough. By 2001 and 2002, I was feeling disorientated at times and began to feel tingling in my extremities, especially my legs. In the summer of 2002, (I worked in that space as the county’s summer school librarian) my legs gave way and I fell to the floor in dizziness. The nurse suggested seeing a doctor. I did see a local pulmonologist who found how about no apparent medical reason to explain this. He suggested taking more iron. I did. I also joining the gym, going at 6 am to 7 am everyday before school month after month.
January 2004, I developed a sinus infection and missed some school. My cough was omnipresent. January 28th was a snow day. The following day I came in to see the ceiling tiles on the floor again, and began to tally the cost of lost books to the water damage as the principal asked me to do. I began to find the smell in the library extremely distasteful; an odor I couldn't place.
![]() I had a bad taste in my mouth like hot iron and it wouldn’t subside. I told the doctor I had been having trouble clearing my throat with a feeling of rubber cement stuck there not moving. I told him I felt poisoned. On March 23, 2004, I went to retrieve a book from the WWII section for another school district and discovered a section that wasn't cleared during the January 29th clean up. It was slimy and smelly and the shelf had other books in that condition. When I removed them the shelf was black.
The school saw data from BOCES in March and April and decided it was safe to open the library on April 20th. When I did begin classes again, within fifteen minutes of opening students brought me at least four moldy and wet books. I was again feeling dizzy, and students commented on smells. I told the principal and he said we should close until I get some doctor reports.
I worked long hours, 6 am to 8:30 with family bringing me lunch and dinner, so as to get the library back in use again. What I didn’t realize as I continued to cough and feel foggy was that I was exposed to many molds and very high levels. Among these was (19:1) aspergillus versicolor, a mold which according to the EPA is "known to produce potent toxins ". As a result, my throat would close when I entered the library space at all. Added to the random numbness and disorientation I developed difficulty breathing and speaking. During the first week of June I was gasping involuntarily. I whispered so as not to aggravate a burn in my chest. I refused to return to the space which continued to cause me respiratory and physical distress. I worked on Middle School Library workm for the remaining few weeks of the school year, on computers in the high school library, still coughing. The summer of 2004 was spent with doctors and lawyers. I couldn’t serve in my usual position of summer school librarian, losing that income and expenses began to grow enormously. I saw Dr. R. Shoemaker of Maryland, a specialist in neurotoxic poisoning. In late September 2004, he appeared before the hearings on the Melina Bill and indoor air quality to speak about his work. He has published four books on his experiences with healing neurotoxic poisoning of body systems: http://www.chronicneurotoxins.com and http://www.biotoxin.info. Under his care my cough has disappeared. I am, however, still coping with difficult reactions to all chemicals to everyday items (poisons) which my body cannot presently tolerate. http://www.herc.org/news/perfume/risks.htm. This complication is referred to as EI: Environmental Intolerance or Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Any mold mycotoxin or chemical “hit” creates instant postnasal drip and a raw burning like open sores or swallowing whole hot peppers. The burn drops quickly from my throat to my chest and lasts sometimes for hours or days even once removed from the trigger.
When I called the EPA they informed me that indoor air quality is regulated voluntarily. The school remained wet after I left working there. Few know the truths of the leaking, the truths of the "assessment" and the "remediation" done. Persistent questioning of method and results and then an interpretation of the data is needed to assure a safe environment. Current laws allow me simply to be an expendable employee. I'm afraid that nothing will happen until parents and kids unite and educate themselves, after all, they are our clients. |
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