Help Sarah Survive CIRS (Toxic Mold Syndrome)
Donation protected
The Short Version:
Autonomic dysfunction. A resting pulse of 180 BPM (Sinus Tachycardia). Fainting. Severe Panic Attacks. Daily Migraines. Hormone disorders. Auto-immune disorders. Chronic immunosuppression. Chronic severe joint pain. Fibromyalgia. Intense weakness and fatigue. Dizziness, numbness, and tremors.
This is just the beginning of what Toxin Mold Illness looks like for me.
Up until about a week ago, I had no idea that this was something a person could suffer from, and it was all just "a mystery illness," most likely "just in my head." A week ago, I was admitted to the hospital, and the words "potential heart failure" scared me enough to fork over all my cash for an out of pocket mycotoxin test recommended by my doctor. It was that test that resulted in the urgent and immediate forsaking of my house and my possessions, and ultimately the creation of this "gofundme," as I now have a long, expensive, out of pocket medical escapade to tend to.
The short of it: My condition, given the type and concentration of mycotoxins in my body, is severe and potentially life threatening. I am unemployed due to COVID, and unable to pay for the extensive and ongoing medical treatments I will be needing with great urgency (unfortunately, these are not covered by insurance). I am in need of a clean, mold free place to heal while I sort everything out. And finally, recovering from mold sickness means finding the source of the mold exposure, A.K.A. expensive mold inspections and if not remediation, moving! And we all know that means $$$ (especially in Seattle).
I have run the numbers and it seems this could all cost about $20-$25,000 dollars this year.
If I can gather the resources for immediate treatment, visits with specialists, relocation/mold remediation, supplements, and medications, they say I might get better in 1-5 years. I'm shooting for 1 year (OR LESS!), so here I am, asking for help, and a chance to gain health back in my life. My daily goal right now is to stay out of the ER, and I need all the help I can get, thank you SO MUCH.
Please check out this website for more info, and STAY SAFE (mold free): https://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/home/
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The Long Version:
My name is Sarah, and I am 27 years old. Pre-COVID, I worked as an assistant manager at a local theater here in Seattle. In my free time, you could find me taking care of our chickens, hiking, doing home projects, cooking, and more! I considered myself an active person, but 5 months ago that all changed.
In August of this year, I experienced a sudden “stroke-like” attack which left me unable to work or drive, as I suffered from lingering debilitating neurological symptoms. With medical appointments delayed by Covid, getting answers has been difficult, but I eventually was able to see a neurologist who started treating me for symptoms related to Functional Neurological Disorder (FND info). Unfortunately, in the midst of trying to recover, things took another turn for the worse, as I was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago with symptoms of autonomic dysfunction (sustained sinus tachycardia). Since then, functioning on a day to basis has been a struggle, as I have been left so weak, and in such a state of misery, that I’ve relied on my friends and boyfriend to take care of me.
Not long after the hospital visit, a lab test came back that pointed to mold toxicity as the cause of these symptoms (mycotoxicosis ). I was told that the high levels of the specific mycotoxins present were both rare and extremely serious (potentially life threatening). As a consequence, I was advised to leave my house immediately until the source of mold exposure is found AND remediated. Leaving home during the holidays was undeniably stressful, but with the help of a friend I found a temporary living situation. Meanwhile, battling this affliction has put me in the ER four times in the past week and a half. The severity of my illness coupled with unemployment has left me in a financial crisis.
With no savings left after COVID, and no source of financial support, I am in desperate need of resources. What I have been advised to do by the lab is the following:
Have a mold inspector evaluate our house AND the place I move to: ($1500-$3k)
Mold remediation OR move to a new place that is mold-free and near my doctors in Seattle ($3k-$6k)
Visit specialists that can start treatment for my condition as soon as possible ($4k-$8k for one year)
What I have learned in the past couple of weeks about mold illness is that it is a lot like having a house fire. When I left my house I was unable to take much of anything with me due to the possibility of further exposing myself to toxins. As someone of low income that alone is quite devastating, because I have spent the last couple years saving up for the things in my home. In addition to having a serious illness, I still have to pay rent at my house this month, and also deal with the costs of moving into a safe place. For someone with mold illness, having a safe place to live, free of mold (which sadly doesn’t come cheap), means the difference between recovering, and not.
I am currently on Medicaid, and have found that doctors’ expenses and treatment options for my condition are largely not covered by insurance. With my condition being at such a severe stage, I am having to eat a specific diet, and purchase costly equipment, such as a high-grade air purifier. With everything continuously adding up, I estimate my expenses to be in the tens of thousands. And without the ability to get proper treatment and a safe environment, I am at risk for developing further complications from this life threatening condition.
I am writing this now not just as a call for help, but to advocate for others in my situation. When I was a child of 9-10 years old, I had similar mysterious symptoms, was in and out of the hospital, and was diagnosed with an autonomic brain dysfunction. I am now connecting the dots and realizing that my family lived in a very moldy house in northwest Ohio at the onset of these symptoms, which I recall disappearing after we moved out of that house to southern Oregon. However, since that time I have never been in good health, and am now discovering that my condition could have been caused by this initial childhood toxic mold exposure. Learning about this has given me hope to conquer my illness, as I now feel that I have a target to aim at and the knowledge to combat it. This has been one of the hardest times of my life, but I know that I can get better given the resources.
Thank you all for your time, and generosity. I'm sorry that I have to ask for support at a time when I would like to be supporting others. If there are other ways you'd like to send support, please let me know. I do have an ongoing Amazon list for items I need to purchase for recovery. Please read below for more info on mold illness, or PM me about my particular experience. I will answer as I am able to.
With gratitude,
Sarah Waterman
Please check out these resources on mold and other biotoxins:
https://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/home/
https://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/scientific_biological_and_medical_research_of_mold_exposure
https://paradigmchange.me/
https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gplmycotox
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/560ac814e4b067a33438ecea/t/59e7976c2aeba5ba9af73492/1508349804824/Pratt-Hyatt+Myco+Townsend.pdf
Autonomic dysfunction. A resting pulse of 180 BPM (Sinus Tachycardia). Fainting. Severe Panic Attacks. Daily Migraines. Hormone disorders. Auto-immune disorders. Chronic immunosuppression. Chronic severe joint pain. Fibromyalgia. Intense weakness and fatigue. Dizziness, numbness, and tremors.
This is just the beginning of what Toxin Mold Illness looks like for me.
Up until about a week ago, I had no idea that this was something a person could suffer from, and it was all just "a mystery illness," most likely "just in my head." A week ago, I was admitted to the hospital, and the words "potential heart failure" scared me enough to fork over all my cash for an out of pocket mycotoxin test recommended by my doctor. It was that test that resulted in the urgent and immediate forsaking of my house and my possessions, and ultimately the creation of this "gofundme," as I now have a long, expensive, out of pocket medical escapade to tend to.
The short of it: My condition, given the type and concentration of mycotoxins in my body, is severe and potentially life threatening. I am unemployed due to COVID, and unable to pay for the extensive and ongoing medical treatments I will be needing with great urgency (unfortunately, these are not covered by insurance). I am in need of a clean, mold free place to heal while I sort everything out. And finally, recovering from mold sickness means finding the source of the mold exposure, A.K.A. expensive mold inspections and if not remediation, moving! And we all know that means $$$ (especially in Seattle).
I have run the numbers and it seems this could all cost about $20-$25,000 dollars this year.
If I can gather the resources for immediate treatment, visits with specialists, relocation/mold remediation, supplements, and medications, they say I might get better in 1-5 years. I'm shooting for 1 year (OR LESS!), so here I am, asking for help, and a chance to gain health back in my life. My daily goal right now is to stay out of the ER, and I need all the help I can get, thank you SO MUCH.
Please check out this website for more info, and STAY SAFE (mold free): https://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/home/
------------
The Long Version:
My name is Sarah, and I am 27 years old. Pre-COVID, I worked as an assistant manager at a local theater here in Seattle. In my free time, you could find me taking care of our chickens, hiking, doing home projects, cooking, and more! I considered myself an active person, but 5 months ago that all changed.
In August of this year, I experienced a sudden “stroke-like” attack which left me unable to work or drive, as I suffered from lingering debilitating neurological symptoms. With medical appointments delayed by Covid, getting answers has been difficult, but I eventually was able to see a neurologist who started treating me for symptoms related to Functional Neurological Disorder (FND info). Unfortunately, in the midst of trying to recover, things took another turn for the worse, as I was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago with symptoms of autonomic dysfunction (sustained sinus tachycardia). Since then, functioning on a day to basis has been a struggle, as I have been left so weak, and in such a state of misery, that I’ve relied on my friends and boyfriend to take care of me.
Not long after the hospital visit, a lab test came back that pointed to mold toxicity as the cause of these symptoms (mycotoxicosis ). I was told that the high levels of the specific mycotoxins present were both rare and extremely serious (potentially life threatening). As a consequence, I was advised to leave my house immediately until the source of mold exposure is found AND remediated. Leaving home during the holidays was undeniably stressful, but with the help of a friend I found a temporary living situation. Meanwhile, battling this affliction has put me in the ER four times in the past week and a half. The severity of my illness coupled with unemployment has left me in a financial crisis.
With no savings left after COVID, and no source of financial support, I am in desperate need of resources. What I have been advised to do by the lab is the following:
Have a mold inspector evaluate our house AND the place I move to: ($1500-$3k)
Mold remediation OR move to a new place that is mold-free and near my doctors in Seattle ($3k-$6k)
Visit specialists that can start treatment for my condition as soon as possible ($4k-$8k for one year)
What I have learned in the past couple of weeks about mold illness is that it is a lot like having a house fire. When I left my house I was unable to take much of anything with me due to the possibility of further exposing myself to toxins. As someone of low income that alone is quite devastating, because I have spent the last couple years saving up for the things in my home. In addition to having a serious illness, I still have to pay rent at my house this month, and also deal with the costs of moving into a safe place. For someone with mold illness, having a safe place to live, free of mold (which sadly doesn’t come cheap), means the difference between recovering, and not.
I am currently on Medicaid, and have found that doctors’ expenses and treatment options for my condition are largely not covered by insurance. With my condition being at such a severe stage, I am having to eat a specific diet, and purchase costly equipment, such as a high-grade air purifier. With everything continuously adding up, I estimate my expenses to be in the tens of thousands. And without the ability to get proper treatment and a safe environment, I am at risk for developing further complications from this life threatening condition.
I am writing this now not just as a call for help, but to advocate for others in my situation. When I was a child of 9-10 years old, I had similar mysterious symptoms, was in and out of the hospital, and was diagnosed with an autonomic brain dysfunction. I am now connecting the dots and realizing that my family lived in a very moldy house in northwest Ohio at the onset of these symptoms, which I recall disappearing after we moved out of that house to southern Oregon. However, since that time I have never been in good health, and am now discovering that my condition could have been caused by this initial childhood toxic mold exposure. Learning about this has given me hope to conquer my illness, as I now feel that I have a target to aim at and the knowledge to combat it. This has been one of the hardest times of my life, but I know that I can get better given the resources.
Thank you all for your time, and generosity. I'm sorry that I have to ask for support at a time when I would like to be supporting others. If there are other ways you'd like to send support, please let me know. I do have an ongoing Amazon list for items I need to purchase for recovery. Please read below for more info on mold illness, or PM me about my particular experience. I will answer as I am able to.
With gratitude,
Sarah Waterman
Please check out these resources on mold and other biotoxins:
https://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/home/
https://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/scientific_biological_and_medical_research_of_mold_exposure
https://paradigmchange.me/
https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gplmycotox
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/560ac814e4b067a33438ecea/t/59e7976c2aeba5ba9af73492/1508349804824/Pratt-Hyatt+Myco+Townsend.pdf
Organizer
Sarah Waterman
Organizer
Seattle, WA