Toxic Mold Syndrome and it's effects on me
Donation protected
My name is Kathy Rojo, and I have Toxic Mold Syndrome. Throughout my life, I have been healthy, active, and very rarely even having a cold, much less a major illness. Back in 2016, I started getting sick. And it was bad, frequent, sudden and severe. I began losing strength, feeling and motor skills, and my doctor was at a loss as to what it could be. I went from riding my bike 15-20 miles a day and working 8-10 hours a day, 6 days a week, to barely being able to take a dish out of the cabinet. It happened quickly, it was terrifying, and no one could tell me why it was happening.
I went through test after test, each one ruling out another possibility. They thought I might have had a stroke or an aneurysm, possibly MS or ALS, but time and time again the tests they gave me came back normal. I went through 4 MRIs looking at my brain and spinal areas, and countless blood work evaluations, yet nothing was showing indications of any of their theories as to what was wrong with me. Yet I was struggling to walk without appearing intoxicated because my balance and strength were so drained, it was challenging to speak, and simple tasks such as dressing myself became overwhelming and a struggle.
Finally, I went to a different doctor, to get another opinion. I was told this doctor specialized in these types of cases, and I was struggling watching my life become such a battle with no explanation why. This doctor managed to put a name to what has happening to me, and that name is Toxic Mold Syndrome. I have been exposed to high levels of mold, which have caused all of these symptoms that are often confused with psychiatric, neurological, or other types of illnesses. Toxic Mold Syndrome is more common than people know, but it’s under diagnosed and often not considered in relation to symptoms such as the ones I have been suffering from. And, unfortunately, the treatment is long and drawn out, often taking years to fully remediate all of the symptoms.
Throughout this process, my husband, my support, my rock has stood by my side. We work together, in our family owned business, but my inability to even walk or talk consistently left him to have to do much of the work himself. He never complained, and continued to pull double duty in helping take care of me while trying to keep our business running successfully. Through our faith, our church, and our families, we have managed to stay positive, strong and optimistic. Now that we have a diagnosis and a treatment plan, we feel we are back on the right path. Unfortunately, this process has led us to having insurmountable medical bills. Until this happened, we have always prided ourselves on paying all of our bills on time, and not having to ask for help or support from anyone. Now, are at a point where we simply have no choice. Our medical bills are already well into the 6 figures, and has already wiped out our savings. Which is why we are asking for your help. Anything you are able to give will help us more than you can imagine. Every dollar helps us feel less and less overwhelmed, allows us to continue to get back to our daily lives and eases our burden and stress about our ability to pay for this very expensive series of tests and treatments. Thank you for reading our story, and please, if nothing else, take a few minutes to educate yourself on Toxic Mold Syndrome, I know we wish we had known more about it sooner ourselves.
I went through test after test, each one ruling out another possibility. They thought I might have had a stroke or an aneurysm, possibly MS or ALS, but time and time again the tests they gave me came back normal. I went through 4 MRIs looking at my brain and spinal areas, and countless blood work evaluations, yet nothing was showing indications of any of their theories as to what was wrong with me. Yet I was struggling to walk without appearing intoxicated because my balance and strength were so drained, it was challenging to speak, and simple tasks such as dressing myself became overwhelming and a struggle.
Finally, I went to a different doctor, to get another opinion. I was told this doctor specialized in these types of cases, and I was struggling watching my life become such a battle with no explanation why. This doctor managed to put a name to what has happening to me, and that name is Toxic Mold Syndrome. I have been exposed to high levels of mold, which have caused all of these symptoms that are often confused with psychiatric, neurological, or other types of illnesses. Toxic Mold Syndrome is more common than people know, but it’s under diagnosed and often not considered in relation to symptoms such as the ones I have been suffering from. And, unfortunately, the treatment is long and drawn out, often taking years to fully remediate all of the symptoms.
Throughout this process, my husband, my support, my rock has stood by my side. We work together, in our family owned business, but my inability to even walk or talk consistently left him to have to do much of the work himself. He never complained, and continued to pull double duty in helping take care of me while trying to keep our business running successfully. Through our faith, our church, and our families, we have managed to stay positive, strong and optimistic. Now that we have a diagnosis and a treatment plan, we feel we are back on the right path. Unfortunately, this process has led us to having insurmountable medical bills. Until this happened, we have always prided ourselves on paying all of our bills on time, and not having to ask for help or support from anyone. Now, are at a point where we simply have no choice. Our medical bills are already well into the 6 figures, and has already wiped out our savings. Which is why we are asking for your help. Anything you are able to give will help us more than you can imagine. Every dollar helps us feel less and less overwhelmed, allows us to continue to get back to our daily lives and eases our burden and stress about our ability to pay for this very expensive series of tests and treatments. Thank you for reading our story, and please, if nothing else, take a few minutes to educate yourself on Toxic Mold Syndrome, I know we wish we had known more about it sooner ourselves.
Organizer
Kathleen Rojo
Organizer
Klamath Falls, OR
