Four years ago I was fighting for my life. I had to force food down, was nauseated and bloated, had panic awakenings all night, was weak and could barely function. Afraid to go to sleep and to wake up, I just wanted to quit. Doctors were baffled and doubted I’d make it. Yet for over a year I was subjected to multiple procedures, tests, drugs, and therapies that just intensified the trauma. Only the Lord and the prayers of many kept me going.
Finally, a new doctor found the problem: severe mold toxicity!
I stayed elsewhere for the summer while the house we loved was turned upside-down in remediation. We lost almost everything. I was too weak and sick to even grieve the loss of cherished possessions, including family photos and my wedding dress.
I’m so grateful for my amazing husband who cared for me and also oversaw the entire demolition and reconstruction. He was a rock!
Six months later I was starting to feel better. It’s been a slow process, and I’ll probably always struggle with the challenges of post-traumatic stress.
Still, my gratitude continues to outshine the darkness.
It’s been an amazing learning curve. Did you know that not everyone reacts to mold the same way? Some symptoms of mold toxicity can be allergic reactions, GI issues, asthma, tremors/seizures, vertigo, headaches, fatigue, sinusitis, skin irritation, panic attacks/anxiety, IBS, and neurological issues. And due to the dampness in the northwest, mold is probably much more common than people realize.
While I continued to get stronger and our life returned to normal, one mystery remained: no active source of mold was ever found. Lots of latent spores (which can be equally toxic), but no visible growth. So. . . we shrugged and went on with our lives.
Until a few weeks ago. The doctor recommended the house be tested again, to be safe. Panic gripped me! I felt like throwing up and running away. I could NEVER go through that again!
But after much thought and prayer, we decided to go ahead. What did we have to lose?
We enlisted the help of “The Mold Hound,” a company recommended by my doctor. Jax was a young Beagle professionally trained to locate mold. His family (owners of the company) had lost their home and health to mold illness too, leading to their dedication to help others. https://mold-hound.com/
Finally inspection day arrived. The suspense was intense. Would we soon be grieving the loss of our home and belongings again, or celebrating the privilege of living in a healthy home? Or something in between?
When Jax came in our eyes met, and it was an instant bond. He put his head on my lap and just cuddled while I stroked his soft ears and talked dog to him. What a little lover!
An amazing dose of comfort I needed right then.
His owner Dmitri explained the procedure in detail and invited us to watch. Signaling Jax that it was time to work, he commanded, “Jax, Seek!” and he led him around the room on a loose leash while Jax sniffed away.
Suddenly Jax sat down. He was alerting to mold. Bummer! Then Dmitri commanded, “Show me.”
Jax pointed his nose up toward a specific spot. Dmitri rewarded him with a “Good boy” and a treat, and marked that spot with a piece of blue tape.
As fascinating as it was, that was all I could bear. I had to get out and go for a long walk. It would take about two hours because the dog needed frequent rest breaks.
When I got back from my walk, I was greeted with pieces of blue tape in EVERY room. Not good.
Holding hands, my husband and I just looked at each other while Dmitri finished up with Jax.
Sharing his findings, Dmitri admitted he’d initially been baffled. He walked us through the house, noting that most of the tape was far from any water source with no visible mold nearby. Then it dawned: each spot was in the path of a furnace vent. This led us downstairs to the HVAC closet.
There we saw two more pieces of tape on a corner brick wall. Still no visible mold or moisture. Dmitri climbed into the furnace closet and pointed inside, way in back. And there it was! Down below where no one had ever looked, or even considered looking, right behind the brick wall.
GOOD Boy, Jax!
We heaved a sigh of relief. It all made sense! All of the spots could be traced to mold in the HVAC closet — which was scary-ugly.
I wanted to invite Jax to live with us, but we had to say goodbye. He came for one last cuddle, and off they went.
The blessings continued. The HVAC and mold remediation teams were able to come right away, and within a few days the mold was successfully removed. Such a relief!
And guess what? They found more mold hidden behind another brick wall where Jax had alerted. Again, where no one would have looked without the help of a hound’s nose.
Our journey isn’t over. The mystery of how and where the water came in remains to be solved. So, we will watch and wait.
For now, I’m going to turn on the furnace, hold my husband’s hand, and celebrate the privilege of living in a healthy home. SO blessed. 💜
