About Me

Hello and welcome to Healing With Peace! I am so happy you are here and hope you will find something you can use to make your life better.

My name is Chris and I am in my late 50’s. From 2012 – 2014, I was working an office and becoming ill frequently. Toward the end of the two years, I was almost completely bedridden, having daily migraines, significant noise and light aversion, and severe nausea. Close to the end of my time there, the office was found, by a certified company, to have Cladosporium mold content greater than other offices or outdoors. Needless to say, I quickly left the job.

(Side Note: When I was much younger, I was diagnosed with PCOS but had always been relatively thin. During this illness, I was only able to eat pita chips and drink Ginger Ale to bypass the nausea. For anyone who knows about PCOS, carbohydrates are not a good thing to eat on a routine basis and will make you gain A LOT of weight. So, during this time, my weight increased from about 120 lbs to around 180 lbs or more.)

Prior to my departure from my job in 2014, I had appointments with several different doctors. I tried Neurologists, General Practice, Naturopaths, OB/GYNs, and Endocrinologists. Nothing seemed to work to decrease the frequency of migraines, the pain noises would cause, or my inability to do any physical activity. I tried switching jobs twice after leaving the office job. I missed more time than I worked. Eventually, I resigned and have been at home since.

It is incredibly difficult to find any physicians who believe mold can injure to such a degree. I still have those who believe mold isn’t at fault because it has been too long. I’ve had neuropsychological testing done that showed possible ADD and/or somatic illness. Despite being diagnosed with chronic traditional migraines, chronic vestibular migraines, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, occipital neuralgia, hashimotos, PCOS, hypermobility, and possible nervous system poisoned by mold VOC’s, I do not qualify for disability. Physical therapy has only increased my migraines and I have tried three different cycles with two different practices. Currently I am adding a Rheumatologist because I may have morphea which is a cutaneous form of scleroderma.

I know this is very long and I apologize but I’m sure you have just such a story. There is one more thing I want you to know. For 30 years, I was a Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Therapist. I worked in multiple different environments but most of my career was spent in the Intensive Care Unit setting. This requires quick thinking, critical thinking and the ability to work in stressful situations surrounded by chaos. This illness has made me unable to think quickly, unable to tolerate much stimulation, and unable to remember even the most simple things. I become quickly overwhelmed when confronted with even simple math problems. There are times I can’t remember names of people I have known for years. I have no physical strength and continue to have daily headaches. Simple computer work, housework, walking, socializing causes my headaches to increase in intensity. Not only is this frustrating but I have been so disappointed in the medical system that I had been a part of for many years.

I have slowly learned to live within my given situation. It doesn’t mean I don’t become sad or angry but I allow myself to feel that. Then I get on with learning new things. I hope that I can give you something that will help you to have more good days than bad. Thank you for listening and I will talk with you soon.

Chris