<div><strong>Summary:</strong>
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<div>We have been living in an owned home with multiple molds types that have been affecting our health through exposure to mycotoxins; Alfatoxin M1, Ochratoxin A, Citrinin DHC, and Mycophenolic Acid. Their affects are:
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<li>Neurotoxicity (nervous system and/or brain, spinal cord)
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<li>Oxidative Stress (damage to cells, tissues, and DNA)
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<li>Immunotoxicity (immunosuppression, hypersensitivity)
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<li>Hepatotoxicity (liver damage / toxicity)
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<li>Carcinogenicity (cancer-inducing by altering DNA and cells)
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<li>Reproductive Toxicity (infertility, offspring development)
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<li>GI Toxicity (common chemotherapy side effect, weight loss)
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<li>Nephrotoxicity (kidney damage, renal toxicity)
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<div>The price of mold testing for both our home and our bodies has been expensive, remediation and rebuild will be both extensive &amp; expensive for our space.
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<div>We are living in Georgia until July with kind friends during this remediation and rebuild. The costs of moving, monthly storage, purchasing new furniture, and general livelihood will continue to be hard factors on our finances.
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<div>We have both experienced an increase in health issues as a result of our exposure to these toxins that have impacted our abilities to clean, work, cook, care for ourselves, and recover from physical labor.
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<div>Because of these disabilities, we have also relied on community members to help us with cooking, cleaning, loading, dumping, organizing, and storing our belongings. We are incredibly grateful to the mutual aid we have been provided from those who cannot donate! And will be on the lookout for new beds, furniture, mattresses, etc when we return, likely in the late summer.
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<div>We are hoping to raise enough funds to not go further into debt than we already have been between mold and medical expenses, so sharing is caring and thank you for reading this far!
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<div><strong>Story:</strong>
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<div>We are a lovingly married couple who have been living in a recently purchased home for the past two years. (Which is significant, as we carry multiple marginalizations that makes finding and retaining safe and stable housing difficult.)
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<div>We have had visible bacteria for these two years that indicated underlying mold that became even more prominent after A/C water damage that compromised our entire HVAC system. Because of these sources of mold, we have experienced disability and sickness while living and breathing in our own home.
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<div>We have been tested for mold in our bodies and found that we both have Ochratoxin A and Citrin DHC in our systems. This means that our bodies have been affected by Neurotoxicity, Carcinogenicity (Groups 2B and 3,) Oxidative Stress, Immunotoxicity, Nephrotoxicity, GI Toxicity, Hepatoxicity, and Reproductive Toxins.
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<div>I (El) also have Aflatoxin M1 and Myophenomonic Acid / MPA in my body, which means that my body has also been battling with an additional load of Carcinogenicity, Oxidative Stress, Immunotoxicity, GI Toxicity, Hepatoxicity, and Reproductive Toxins.
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<div>These toxins are likely the source of the chronic inflammation and hypersensitivity in my hands that has been disabling me in work, home, and life. I have always worked in artistic manual mediums that require haptic and tactile skills, in addition to hand strength, fine motor movements, and repetitive tensile movements. These mycotoxins results make sense of the other physical symptoms I've been dealing with, like
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<li>Losing my ability to perform basic tasks. Sometimes needing someone to help dress me, open food containers, or get me up the stairs.
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<li>Having gastrointestinal issues that result in lost weight, lost muscle... and having difficulties with eating food that is contaminated by being stored in our own kitchen.
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<li>Experiencing a visceral and jolting Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC) out of nowhere, and having regular heart palpitations even while resting.
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<li>Having hands and whole arms give out on me for hours at a time, sometimes happening in public, where I was fine typing one minute and the next need help opening my water bottle or fridge door.
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<li>After a huge inflammation pain flare that feels like I'm going to pass out, having waves of irrepressible belching burps that cramp my diaphragm to where I have even more difficulty breathing.
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<li>In general, having difficulty breathing.
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<li>Mentally disoriented and unable to complete executive functions that were previously second nature to me.
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<div>While I cannot speak for my spouse, I can say that he has been experiencing distressing symptoms as well because of this environment. These disabilities have cost us financially because of my work as well which requires parts of my body I can no longer rely on.
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<div>Because of the state of our home and our weakened bodies, in February we had to return my service pup that I had hoped to train and keep for 15 years or more- rather than only 5 months of companionship. We miss him but are glad that he is at a safer environment where his development won't be impacted by our situation.
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<div>We do still have two cats who we hope will be okay after living here so long with us. Any veterinarian advice is welcome!
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<div>We have been disposed of most of our porous/textile belongings; my spouse's clothes, our mattresses, frames, couch, and sentimental textile block prints that I have made over the past 3 years and 3 decades.
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<div>We are grateful to have had community to assist us physically when possible with our sorting, packing, moving, storing, and dumping. Without others, we would not be able to physically handle this undertaking. We have had housing issues for the past four years, and hope desperately to find safety, stability, and closure in our home once more when we return.
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<div>We waited in our hot and humid home without the A/C on for 4 months while waiting to have our place fixed; meanwhile gaining worse / stabilized symptoms of ongoing poisoning. We thankfully had kind friends in the Tampa area that took us in for April, and are now living in Georgia with another pair of sweet friends while waiting out the remediation process that includes removal of our compromised HVAC system.
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<div>Remediation will include removal of 4 feet or more of multiple walls, including a wall shared with a shower, a counter, and likely cabinets. We will also have 80% of our flooring removed, and need to replace the A/C unit and ductwork. And that's not even talking the rebuild and replacement of these structures!
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<div>Times are tough, so don't feel any guilt about not being able to donate, (or not donate "enough.") Every intention matters! We are lovingly held by community members who have been helping us out with so much in-person that we truly couldn't do alone! Take care of yourselves, assess your abilities, and be honest about your capacities, always.
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<div>If you're in the Tampa Bay area and wanna help out, feel free to reach out. If the most you can do is share right now, that's important work too and we appreciate you!
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<div>With care,
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<div>El &amp; Elliott
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El & Elliott's Home and Health Recovery Fund

El & Elliott's Home and Health Recovery Fund

Still $4,582 to go. Help us build momentum.