October 2012
We are finally able to work through negotiations on a home for our family out in the country. We are so excited to finally have more of the lifestyle that we have always wanted for our children--5 acres, house at the base of the mountains, beautiful yard, ability to have all of the animals that we want, delicious well water, and just plain freedom to roam by moving into a house that seemed perfect for our family.
In our contract we had until May 31, 2013 to purchase the property. We put together what we thought was a perfect plan and moved forward to make it all happen:
1. We listed our rental house for sale in Utah so that we would have the necessary down payment for this house.
2. We rented our downtown Malad house on a contract with the option to buy
3. We worked with our accountant to get our taxes where they needed to be to qualify for the loan
November 2012
We excitedly pack up our things and move into our new "dream home"!
December 2012
I start to have some weird physical symptoms, including eating a whole bag of chips, and start to wonder if I could I be pregnant???? NO!!!!! I am just starting to get my body back into good health (worked very hard to take off 30 lbs. and had a goal that I was very focused on to have it all off by February 2013).
My hunch was confirmed by an at home pregnancy test and then I became very scared as I spent the night reading on the internet of other moms, like me, who had become pregnant with a copper iud in place. I read everything from birth defects, to miscarriages, to healthy pregnancies. The next day I was in to my OBGYN for an evaluation.
The IUD was still perfectly in place and I was congratulated for beating the 1% odds. The lady who did the ultrasound said she was the first pregnancy she had see with a copper IUD in place in over 6 years.
This news sent me into a severe 3-4 month depression. I even skipped writing our annual Christmas letter last year--the first time in 15 years. Financially we would definitely have to buy a new vehicle, I had just gotten rid of ALL of my baby stuff, and I had no maternity insurance. Physically I was scared to death. This would be my 4th c-section and after the last one I was told that my uterine lining was very thin and I would be very high risk for another c-section. I have also had to learn to put my total trust in the Lord with the risk of the baby having A-T. I already have three children with this horrible disease and having four would just add to this heavy burden that I already feel.
February 2013
February 6, 2013
Rachel sees the doctor for cough, congestion, fever, and vomiting after cough. She is diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection.
February 18, 2013
I take Spencer in for a doctors appointment because he is having some very strange physical symptoms--flu like symptoms, breathing problems, rapidly losing weight, going to the bathroom all of the time, and constantly thirsty. He is diagnosed with Type I diabetes and has his first ambulance ride where he is taken to Primary Children's Medical Center for a four day hospital stay.
February 20, 2013
Ben comes home sick with the flu
February 22, 2013
We receive a phone call from our Malad tenants because they can no longer afford to pay full rent. We are forced to give them a major reduction in rent to keep them there.
February 23, 2013
Dallin wrestles for the state wrestling title as a Freshman and mentally breaks down and loses to a kid that he had previously beat four times in a row.
February 25, 2013
Enoch is seen by the clinic for a concussion in a skiing accident. He also reports having had a deep cough since having the flu a month ago. He is diagnosed as having allergies which is believed to be causing the cough.
March 2013
March 7, 2013
Rachel sees the doctor for cough, head congestion, ear pain, and chest congestion. Her respiratory and cardiovascular seem to be ok and she is put on an antibiotic for an ear infection.
March 12, 2013
We take our three youngest children (Ben, Bekah, & Rachel) to their three year visit to John’s Hopkins hospital in Baltimore Maryland for an evaluation with the rare disease that they have, ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). We are so relieved to learn that overall the twins are doing incredibly well (in fact, they labeled them as being in the top 5% of A-T children that they have seen from all over the world) for their age and diagnosis. It is confirmed that Rachel too has A-T at this appointment.
While at this appointment they are very concerned about our children’s coughs that they have recently come down with, especially Rebekah and Rachel’s coughs and we are given studies and an education on lung disease and how children with A-T die from this condition. They send us home with a prescription for a very strong antibiotic for Rebekah & Rachel and ask us to please follow up with our local doctor as this is a potential life threatening situation for our children.
March 28, 2013
We e-mail our landlords and let them know that our intent is to still close by the end of May. Our income looks good and we are just waiting to receive an offer on our Provo house. We are told that if we do not close by the end of May they will be raising the price on the property.
April 4, 2013
We are devastated to come to the realization that we will probably not meet the May 31, 2013 deadline to purchase the property because the offer that we thought we were going to get on our Provo house falls through. As we are unable to pay more for the property, we notify them in writing to opt out of our purchase option.
April 9, 2013
Rachel goes to the doctor for coughing and congestion that has been going on for 6+ weeks. She is having coughing episodes 3-4 times per day that sometimes lead her to vomit and the other night she was coughing so extensively that her face was starting to turn blue. She is diagnosed and treated for seasonal rhinitis and cough. John’s Hopkins Hospital is contacted to see if they have any further recommendations. If breathing problems return we are instructed to return to the clinic/ER asap.
22nd: Larry comes down with severe stomach pain that lasts for a good three days. I try to convince him to be seen by a doctor, but he refuses and starts to feel better after three days and just attributes it to having severe gas pain.
May 2013
May 7, 2013
Larry woke up at 2 a.m. because of excruciating abdominal pain. Finally went to the clinic in the afternoon for an appointment. Larry is nauseous and the pain is causing shallow breathing. Larry is hospitalized for three days and diagnosed with acute pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas and requires immediate medical attention. 80% of pancreatic attacks are caused by alcoholism or gall stones, neither of which applies in our situation. Recurring pancreatic attacks can lead to death (because of damage done to the pancreas and the need to remove portions of it), diabetes, or cancer. It is at this time that we learn that Larry’s grandmother died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 49. Larry is 46. Cancer is ruled out at this time, but could be in the future if these attacks continue to reoccur.
May 10, 2013
We start to question our house as a source of contamination. We start to wonder if not being able to purchase the property has been a blessing in disguise. We have basic water tests run (Total Coliform and Escherichia Coli) from four different sources in the house (our shower, laundry room sink, upstairs bathroom sink, and the kitchen sink). All of the tests come back normal except for the Total Coliform test taken from the kitchen sink. The sample did contain total coliform which indicates an increased probability of disease causing organisms being in the sample. The sample did not meet the specification for potable water as established by EPA. We contacted the public health department and were told that because the kitchen sink was the only water source with a problem that it was most likely the aerator in that sink causing the problems. We took the aerator off and boiled it and swabbed it with a chlorine solution. After talking to the landlords we learned that the water testing they had done in the past had come back very good and their well was 200+ feet deep so we turned away from water contamination possibilities even though there are several other tests that could still be run.
May 15, 2013
I wake up in the middle of the night and the thought comes into my mind that it is the birds in the roof causing us problems! Birds in the roof, what do they have to do with anything???? I had never really paid much attention to them flying into the roof until I had that thought. I spent the whole night researching diseases caused by birds. I read about how “airborne spores from drying feces in air ducts and vents can settle on exposed food and transfer diseases.” Another interesting fact that I learned was that bird feces, if microspic pieces break off and become airborne, can contain dormant fungi and/or bacteria. When breathed into the lungs, the warm, moist environment of the lung lining provides a breeding ground for the infectious agents. These type of infections can also cause coughing, restricted breathing, and general body fatigue. I also read that in rare cases infectious agents, such as candida, can cause pancreatitis through bird droppings.
May 16, 2013
I call the landlord and express my concerns about the birds flying into the roof and causing possible problems. I briefly share with her the severe health problems that our family has been through since moving into their house. She dismisses our health problems as just a trial that our family is going through and is very adamant that it has nothing to do with their house. There is not even a commitment or offer to come and look at and/or fix the problems with the holes in the roof. This is very frustrating to us as we have tried to be good tenants always paying our rent early and taking care of the property. This is the first time we have contacted them about any concerns with the house and we are quickly shot down even though having a holy/leaking roof is a huge problem that should not be ignored by any landlord.
May 17, 2013
I spend most of my day on the phone with pesticide companies trying to find out how to have our roof inspected. In the end I learn that they will do nothing without the landlords permission.
May 18, 2013
I receive a phone call from the landlord that they are on there way to Malad to inspect the roof. She is still very adamant that there are no birds flying into the roof. After a brief inspection from the master bedroom window, they witness the birds flying into the roof and commit to come back the next weekend and repair the holes.
While at our house they experience a couple of Rachel’s coughing/breathing attacks and the landlord comments how she probably needs to be checked out as it almost sounds like pneumonia. Her sickness is something that I have been dealing with and trying to get help with for several months now.
I also express my concerns again that there is something in the house that is making us have constant health problems. Once again the landlord is very adamant that there is nothing in the house causing these problems.
May 20, 2013
I take Rachel to the Primary Children's medical center emergency room in SLC as she still has her horrible scary cough and I am wanting a thorough examination, especially with her high risk of having lung problems. I was very relieved to learn that she did not have RSV and that her lungs were clear! She had also recently come down with the symptoms of diarrhea and fever and was diagnosed with rhino virus which is a common virus that the general public gets. She was very congested and did display one of her coughing fits while there so we were sent home with a very potent antibiotic and told that if she did not completely clear up we were going to want to see a pediatric ENT.
I start to research other possible causes of chronic and even life threatening sickness that we have experienced as a family since moving to our new home. I research everything from formaldehyde, to radon, and finally molds. The one that seems to be the most fitting for what we are going through is toxic mold. Even though we have not visibly found the mold (we also have not looked very hard) we have several of the highest risks factors in our house for mold—leaking roof, wallpaper, a basement, and an unvented bathroom. We order a mold kit to test for what mold species are present in the home.
May 22, 2013
I see the doctor for sore throat and nasal congestion. Strep test comes back negative. Diagnosed with allergies.
May 23, 2013
Thanks to some very generous family members who were willing to watch our children, we are finally able to get away for a few days for our anniversary. We have a wonderful time. One of the things that we discussed while away was our concerns with all of the sickness that our family had experienced while living at our new house, especially with a newborn on the way.
After reading about how infants can experience pulmonary homorraging and die from repeated exposure to mold we decide that this is not something that we can even take a chance with. This information coupled with the high risks for all of our A-T children and our whole family for that matter, we make the decision to move before our baby is born in mid July.
May 25, 2013
Our landlord returns to patch the holes in the roof. While there he comments that the roof really needs to be replaced.
I wake up with half of my face numb. By the afternoon my eye is going blurry. As we are on vacation, we go to an insta care clinic in Utah County on our way back to pick up our children. Stroke is ruled out and am diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy and put on an anti-viral medication and a steroid. The next couple of weeks are very challenging as I have to now take medication that is always a risk when you are pregnant, I have a hard time eating and seeing out of the one side of my face, and I have to wear sunglasses and constantly put eye drops in my eye because I am not making tears and my eye is severely dilated.
We miss being able to visit with our family and get home late to see our children because once again we are at the doctor.
May 27, 2013
I talk to our tenants, who is now on a month to month contract, and ask them if they can please be out by the end of June.
I call our landlords and inform them our intent to move out by July 15th because of our continued health problems.
May 29, 2013
I start having back labor pains after only 30 weeks. After a much needed visit to Dr. Cox I am relieved to learn that they are not inducing labor.May 30, 2013
Larry goes to ER for almost cutting off finger in a work related accident. 20 stitches later we go home. He was very lucky to have missed his tendons or he would have had to have surgery. While there he is also evaluated for possible heart problems as shortly before his accident he was having chest pain. Luckily, everything checked out ok with his heart.
I also take Enoch in as he is complaining of breathing problems again and now tingling/numbness in his hands. His vitals look good so we will just wait until our appointment with the doctor in the morning.
I also take Enoch in as he is complaining of breathing problems again and now tingling/numbness in his hands. His vitals look good so we will just wait until our appointment with the doctor in the morning.
May 31, 2013
Enoch sees the doctor for breathing problems that have been
going on for 4+ months. He has been having a hard time since his last cold in
Jan./Feb. He gets really short of breath, wheezes, gets nauseated, lightheaded
and feels a burning in his chest every time he exercises. He denies problems
with breathing during rest and is short of breath only when he exercises. The
problems of allergic rhinitis and exercise-induced bronchospasm are addressed. He is also starting to experience some neurological symptoms where his hand is going numb while playing baseball.
June 4, 2013
My friend, Jen, from Pocatello learns of our situation and
offers her furnished, unused basement to
us to live in if we need it. I tell her thank you, but we only have to make it
to the end of the month so we should be ok. I am praying that we make it to the
end of the month before we experience anymore health problems, but I am
relieved that we have somewhere to go if we need to. It is very difficult to
find a place to temporarily relocate with a family of eight.
June 5, 2013
I have known for about a week now, after visiting with other
moms who have been through similar situations as ours, and doing research on
the internet, that if stachybotrus (black mold) spores are found in our house
that the only way to get better is to literally leave everything behind and
start a new life. The spores get into everything and they are so dangerous. The
only way to get rid of them is with 500 degree+ heat. If we were to move out
and take our possessions with us we would cross contaminate our new home and
bring the problem with us.
I call the insurance company that we have our renter’s
insurance through and am devastated to learn that we are only covered for water
damage or fire and they have completely washed their hands of any mold issues,
even though they know that black mold is just as destructive to possessions as
fire. We are very upset by this news because of the unknown to our future and
the financial debt that we are already drowning in because of all of our
medical bills, time off work, gas bills, and specialty items that we are having
to buy because of our situation are starting to pile up.
June 6, 2013
Larry has another pancreatic attack and is admitted to the
hospital for a 3 day stay. We are thinking that we might be taking Jen up on
her offer as we are really starting to believe that there really is something
in our environment triggering these episodes.
The trip that I had planned to Nevada for my niece and
nephews graduation and to visit with my family has to be cancelled. I was
really looking forward to getting away for a few days, but once again I have to
take care of my SICK family.
We also realize at this point that Larry will not be going
on Trek with our boys scheduled for June 18th as the risks with his
attacks are too high. He and the boys are very disappointed about this.
I call EMSL lab to check when the mold results will be back.
They tell me Tuesday and I beg them to please get them to us ASAP.
June 7, 2013
We receive the mold test results back from EMSL Analytical.
The ERMI Interpretation of mold comes back at a level 3 for moderate to
relative moldiness. Further investigation is needed to determine if sources of
mold exist. Although we are EXTREMELY RELIEVED to learn that the stachybotrus
(black mold) spores are not showing up in the testing, all of the detected
molds in the sample are considered dangerous and toxic, particularly
aspergillus flavus which produces aflatoxins.
Aflatoxin is a type of mycotoxin produced by aspergillus molds.
Aflatoxins are very toxic and highly carcinogenic. When a person takes in a
high amount of aflatoxins in a very short time it can cause a variety of health
problems including disruption of food digestion, hemorrhaging, coma, or death.
June 8, 2013
Larry is released from the hospital and spends the day with
the children at Enoch’s ball games. I frantically work hard gathering up our
belongings so that we can move to Pocatello and be in a different environment.
I am so exhausted by the end of the day from washing and packing that I am
literally crawling up the stairs to get everything we need and get our family
to a “safe” place.
June 9, 2013
We all stay home from church and have a much needed day of
REST!
June 12, 2013
Enoch sees doctor for throat pain and runny nose. He is
diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection that appears to be viral.
June 18, 2013
Larry has another pancreatic attack. He takes his pain meds
and we take him to the Portneuf Emergency room where he is once again admitted
to the hospital. By the time we get to the hospital, he is very weak and passes
out while having an IV put in. This really freaked me out as my husband has
always been very strong and I have never seen him so weak before.
The much needed shopping trip that I had planned was put on
the back burner because once again I was taking care of my SICK family.
June 19, 2013
I spent a large portion of the day over at the hospital with
Larry. They are having a hard time finding the cause of his pancreatitis and
are seriously considering taking out his gall bladder. We both highly suspect
that it is possibly mold related. 70% of all pancreatitis is caused by alcohol
which is a toxin. The aflatoxins that are produced by some of the molds
detected in our rental home are also toxins that can build up in your body and
cause all kinds of health problems. Larry is getting headaches from all of the
medicine and is not feeling well and I spend much of the day researching diets
for him to cleanse his body and help him get better.
I had planned on being in Malad today packing up the house,
but once again I am taking care of a family member who is SICK.
June 27, 2013
We are on a roll getting our things packed up and moved. I call my sister-in-law, who is watching our three little guys, and ask her if she can keep them for a little longer. Five minutes after getting off of the phone she calls me back and tells me that I need to meet her at the emergency room as she thinks Ben has a broken arm.
A broken and fractured right arm is confirmed by an x-ray. We are sent to the Pocatello emergency room where they will decide if surgery is needed.
At the emergency room, I am relieved to learn that the bone can be reset without surgery! As Ben has not fared well with anasthetics in the past, we opt to have it set without the anisthetic. He does have some lortab going through his system, but I was so proud of how brave Ben was as he endured the minute of excruciating pain by squeezing my hand and screaming out in pain. They strongly encouraged me to leave the room during the procedure, but I just couldn't leave my sweet little boy. He is looking at 2 weeks in his temp cast and 4 weeks in his permanent one.
This was the first broken bone we have had in our family. We have had concussions and stitches, but this is the first broken bone. The crazy part is the only thing Ben was doing was getting off of his bike and he just happened to fall wrong. There wasn't even a glamorous story to tell.
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