The Patient No One Wanted

It was August 2004 when the white dove hit the windshield of my car as I was driving home from church. Did it give up its life to save me or was it foretelling my continued misery and/or death? Little did I know then, but this was only the beginning of my descent into hell. The Patient No One Wanted is about my exposure to toxic mold in my classroom at the high school where I taught, and it describes the way in which the exposure has affected me over the years. The title refers to my endless search for a doctor to help me. The school was closed for six weeks because parents had complained that their children were getting sick from mold. We held classes at the Bristol International Speedway while the school was supposedly being remediated. However, conditions were even worse when we returned. The school had a flat roof that held water and was conducive to growing algae, which in turn grew mold. Over the years the roof continually leaked, and ceiling tiles became soaked and fell to the floor. In addition, buckets had to be placed in the halls to collect water, and black debris ran down the walls. Many "modern," airtight schools have a similar moisture problem. Having been a biology teacher and considering my exposure, I researched the subject of toxic mold extensively and corresponded with several renowned experts, such as Dr. Harriet Burge, who helped pioneer the field of aerobiology (study of airborne microorganism) and developed and ran the program at Harvard for ten years. I also received feedback from Dr. Ruth Etzel, the director of EPA's office of Children's Health Protection. Dr. Etzel was the chief investigator into the cause of bleeding lungs in a cluster of infants from Cleveland, Ohio. The cause turned out to be the black mold, Stachybotrys. I want the world to know what toxic mold can do to one's health. Along with teachers, the children that attend these contaminated schools are among our most valuable resources for the future, and they are in jeopardy!