I have not
written in this blog for awhile. This
was a vegan cooking blog for non-cooks like me. The original name of this blog
was the perfect disaster and I have decided to return to that title as I feel
it represents my life - A disaster
peppered with many blessings, hope, and a higher purpose.
I very
rarely post about this online, but the truth is I have been chronically ill for
almost 14 years. I now know the original cause is from black mold and a broken
furnace vent blowing exhaust into my home. There are many other factors that
have played a part, which I will mention later.
You may see
me going on many adventures and going out dancing. I may suffer daily but I do
not let that stop me. Working full time
and choosing to hike may mean my house is a mess. Cleaning my house to the level
that I truly want means not having any other energy left.
The purpose
of this blog is NOT to focus on the illness that is currently hanging around, nor to get sympathy. My hope is
that through trying different aspects of healing, perhaps I can help others
too. I do believe I can completely
recover.
I also want
to highlight the dangers of mold, which is often dismissed in western medicine.
Through lack of knowledge, I made MANY mistakes in dealing with the mold in
my house. I have paid a high price for those mistakes, with my body and my
finances.
This blog
will explore many areas including nutrition, natural wellness, healing from
toxins, emotional and spiritual wellness, and of course, the dangers of mold.
I am now on
a wellness journey as western medicine has not been able to help me with most
of my illness. Most doctors do not believe in mold illness. Apart from my biologic injection for eosinophilic asthma and sinusitis
(Nucala) which literally saved my life, I am still suffering many ailments. My
hope is that through trying different aspects of healing, perhaps I can help
others too.
I had two
other mold exposures at work due to several roof leaks during construction. The
mold at work was found and remediated a week before the pandemic. My lungs
greatly improved for a few weeks during lockdown. Then things got significantly worse. In my
initial fear of the pandemic, I used bleach to clean my kitchen. I got so bad that I could barely breathe,
or walk, and my non-stop cough returned
with a vengeance. While I know the
bleach was very unwise and played some part, my respirologist strongly suspects
I might have had the original 2020 version of Covid. We will never truly know
as I was too afraid to go to the hospital and steroids at home kept me alive.
I also had
a bad reaction to the covid vaccine.
Many toxins, compiled with previous trauma and stress all played a part.
I made so
many mistakes in getting rid of the mold in my house and have learned so much
that I hope I can save others from what happened to me (and to my pets that all
became ill from the mold and furnace vent).
First things
first. If you suspect mold, please hire
a professional and read reviews. I
strongly recommend you look up We Inspect. They are not in Canada but they give
out SO much information on how to remediate the right way and what companies do
wrong in mold testing and remediation. You can follow the on Instagram @moldfinders.
There were major mistakes that have kept me ill for years. The first company who removed the mold found my furnace pipe broken and blowing exhaust and moisture, but they refused to remove my ceiling or take down any walls. I hired a contracting company who gutted my basement but left the debris in my garage for a week or so. I did not know this, but mold spreads! Only last summer did I find there was a huge amount of black mold in my garage shelves. These shelves were built by the previous owner and extremely high up. I did not see the mold. I spent a lot of time last summer ripping out shelves and cleaning and throwing out most of what was in my garage. Please never store anything moldy in your garage. Nothing is worth being sick. Throw it out.
The second mistake was not really inspecting when the company gutted my basement and put up new insulation. Just this Christmas break, I realized that I was so much more angry and confused in my basement. My gut said to rip out the insulation. I looked on Homestars to find someone reputable.
Upon inspection, he immediately found a gap between my pipes that was letting in moisture. When he came to do the job and fix the gap, he found a significant amount of black mold and a a few dead creatures, sadly.
It was removed and it was treated. I followed @moldfinders advice to get things done correctly.
I am going to be trying many things to heal and detox. I am viewing this as a discovery adventure. This blog will not be doom and gloom, I promise!
