MagStar

My name is Maggie Murray from Christchurch, New Zealand. I have 3 beautiful grown daughters and I used to work with young offenders here in Christchurch. However my life dramatically changed when I was exposed to Aspergillus Fumigatus through unfiltered air conditioning/heating in our new prison facilities. It was such a concentration of fungal spores after a farmer doused his paddocks with untreated manure! This burnt out my face, throat and lungs.

I actually consider myself lucky in the sense that I realised what was happening at the time, as could feel the prickling sensation of something infiltrating my system as it burnt me. However I did not know what the culprit was until much later.

The diagnoses took 18 months and was a hard fought battle indeed with the establishment. I was hospitalised 4 months after contamination and was nearly dead! I could’nt walk as had lost all co-ordination of my legs, I couldn’t stand bright lights and my body was in full on flight/fight as my Adrenals were so over worked. Before being hospitalised I had a few courses of Anti biotic’s which only dampened what was happening! In reality this was making the fungal side of things worse.

My specialists here in Christchurch were bull headed and even though I had many fungul balls in Sinuses, and fungal plugs from lungs which all tested heavy growth Aspergillus Fumigatus, they were adamant I did not have an Aspergillus disease!

I did not accept this as know my body and knew what had happened to me, so instead I challenged them to the point of throwing tantrums if I needed to be heard. I finally saw a Allergist/Immunologist who tested me for many things and “Hello” I reacted severely to Aspergillus Fumigatus. He sent a stern message to my ENT and Respiratory specialists which finally got the ball rolling.

I had one sinus surgery which didn’t help much! I had told my ENT specialist that I could feel stuff way in the back so eventually after I paid for a deep sinus scan it revealed the Sphenoid area was clogged up, and another surgery was performed.

The flow on effect of having this illness is, Fibromyalgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Chronic fatigue, and exhausted adrenals almost like have Post Traumatic Stress syndrone.

I feel quite vindicated after reading in the latest Aspergillus newsletter about the enzyme that initiates stress in the body for the fungus to survive. So many battles over my adrenals and I was made to feel like a crackpot.

I originally went on Sporonox/Prednisone plus Tegratol for the Trigeminal nerve and Tramadol for pain. I detest taking all these medications so slowly weaned myself off all except the Tegratol.

I spent a fortune on Herbal medications and found 3 amazing Intergrative practitioners who I see weekly. I have Chinese Acupuncture, Healing touch Lymphatic drainage therapy and see a Natruopath. I am determined to stay off the hard drugs but every now and again I have an angry flare up and relent and go back on meds short term. My body however does handle it a lot better now. I try hard to keep an alkaline body and use remedies that remove the toxins as this is what makes me feel the worse, thoroughly poisoned actually.

My employers paid my salary for 4 years while I was off work but that all came to an end this May! I am not sure what I will do in the future.
My specialists did all apologise to me eventually:)

I am currently writing an article on Aspergillus from a Patients perpective which I hope to get published in a reputable well read magazine.

I am what my family call a Mold detector and I cannot believe how many places I visit which reek of mold. I believe many people here in Christchurch suufer from Aspergillus disease as so many damp homes, all with heat pumps which don’t get cleaned enough, then of course the fatal thing of massive amounts of processed sugary ,yeast ridden foods. Wow what a combination! I hope to enlighten as many people as I can:)

So that’s me for now:)

Cheers Maggie

11/11/2011