Housing issue for son

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Housing issue for son

You're right of course. There was me thinking that all Landlords are honest like me, but maybe I'm a rarity

Or maybe that you treat others how you'd like to be treated. Can't argue with that. Fair play

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

Thanks again PlanB it terrifies me to be honest! Trying to convince them they need to book a hotel in Wakefield tonight

I am also thinking they should go to A&E and explain the situation. He was taken there a couple of days ago when he passed out in work but then he was presenting with this throat issue. They checked he didn't have an ear infection and said he would have to wait to see the ENT specialist. He hasn't mentioned the mold issues to anyone medical as he just thought it was throat related.

Jane x

[PlanB]

Re: Housing issue for son

We will phone environmental health first thing tomorrow

And?

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

So sorry, life, Josh, environmental health and doctors seem to have taken over my life for the past 48 hours.

To cut a long story short we spoke to a lovely man at Wakefield Council on Monday who is going out to check the whole flat on Friday - he is concerned as he cannot understand why there is mold on a bedroom ceiling of a ground floor flat - he explained to me that damp and mold would normally form on the coldest part of a building so around windows or an outside wall, all of which the flat have and none of which have any signs of mold! He also highlighted that Josh's symptoms are very similar to carbon monoxide poisoning. I was under the illusion that if you had a carbon monoxide leak you went to sleep and didn't wake up but he said that sometimes if it is just seeping into an environment the levels build up in a body and the symptoms build up! He is also going to check this on Friday - We did get them a detector a few weeks ago when Josh started with headaches but he said it could be such a low level it isn't picking it up but it could be building up in their bodies. He has a very sensitive detector he will take around.

To be honest I got so upset by yesterday afternoon I broke all rules of etiquette and I telephoned our family doctor at home (he was Josh's football coach so I had his home number). He confirmed that carbon monoxide can "build up" in the body overtime and recommended that we get his doctor to test for both carbon monoxide and toxic mold. During our conversation he explained that as Josh had a low tolerance as he was growing up to certain things (when he was allergic he was always very allergic no mild symptoms for my boy! so much so that as a teenager he could not leave the house in the summer months without wrap around sunglasses due to his hay fever, he even had special dispensation to play football in them!). Nigel, the doctor, was very concerned - he said if Josh was seeing him then he would definitely test for toxic mold, carbon monoxide and also for glandular fever as the confusion, headaches and exhaustion are also symptoms of this if it is untreated. The fact that his symptoms improve after leaving the environment however, meant he was more concerned that it was the first two.

Anyway Josh got an appointment today for his doctor in Wakefield - it was an emergency one and it was not "his doctor". He was due to receive the results of the extensive blood tests he had last week anyway today but would normally have received them by phone. Anyway, obviously they had not tested for the toxic mold or carbon monoxide but his liver function test has come back and is concerning! They have taken more bloods today and he has another appointment with his own doctor tomorrow morning at 9.40 am. Damage to the liver is a symptom of all the conditions that are concerning us so we are none the wiser yet!

They spent Sunday night in a hotel but against our advice returned to the flat yesterday! They have blocked off the bedroom door with the window open and opened all the windows in the lounge, they are sleeping on an airbed and have bought a new quilt so nothing from the bedroom is with them... I am worried to death to be honest but I cannot force them to leave.

So we are really no further forward other than we have the environmental health people coming out on Friday and more tests and a discussion with his doctor tomorrow who will hopefully talk him into moving out until it is sorted...

The environmental man did say he would help us get them out of their lease if the doctor supported our suspicions that the flat was causing his health problems.

Thanks again for your help, I promise to up date when we know more.

Jane x

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Housing issue for son

I did wonder about Glandular Fever but like you say the fact that it improved away from the flat might indicate otherwise. It is quite easy to test for so worth doing though.
I wonder if the Council would provide urgent temporary / permanent? accommodation if the building tests prove positive? Also, it would be interesting to find out if the people in the flat above have any problems. Or any explanation for the damp.

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

Morning Elsa, Jim the EH man says dependant on his findings he will contact them such a lovely man.

Josh should have been tested for glandular fever 12 weeks ago when he first went with his throat problem, I also think the would have tested him last week as part of these tests but he's hopeless, I told him to ask exactly what he has been tested for but in true man like fashion he hasn't! I wish I could go with him as his brain function is not good at the moment and he forgets stuff. I have told him to write down a list to take with him today and also to write down the answers! Typical that I have gone back to work full time this week or I would have gone up there!

Jane x

[cymruambyth]

Re: Housing issue for son

Hi can his girlfriend go with him, primed with all the questions you want to ask?

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

She had recently started her new job and so can't get time off they did call her when he was taken to A&E and she worries it will not look good.

Jane x

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

This mornings update Josh is definately clear for glandular fever; they have tested for carbon monoxide and will test again on Friday now they are living in a flat with windows open 24 hours a day if that is the case then his levels should be dropping. Apparently it will stay and show in the blood for 3 weeks so we should have a clearer picture by Tuesday at the latest.

Environmental health have really kicked in; they are phoning the agents today to demand that they send British Gas immediately to do a carbon monoxide test. The doctor has now stated he is 100% sure Josh's symptoms are caused by an environmental issue and Jim (the EH officer) is determined to find out what it is. With regards to the mold, this is more difficult - EH do not test the type of mold - they will just enforce action to remove it if it is there. The doctor cannot do a full RASP test unless we know what mold it is - looks like we are going to have to pay for a test on the mold to get the strain, Jim is looking into testing companies for me in Wakefield.

Since they have decamped into the lounge and have the windows wide open Josh's health is improving, although they are both living in 4 or 5 layers of clothing and as it gets wetter and colder this cannot go on. Hopefully we will have some answers and a plan to put it right very soon.

Jane x

[PlanB]

Re: Housing issue for son

I can't put this any other way so here goes: GET THEM OUT OF THERE !
You are not being a "very neurotic over fussy mum" if you do, you're being a good mum

Plan B xx

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

Believe me PlanB if I could I would, they are two adults and they will not leave As Josh is feeling better with the windows open they wont pay for additional accommodation and no matter what I tell them they are sticking to their guns. Every minute of every day this week I am living in worry and both them and good old Jim from EH must be sick to death of me.

I am waiting to hear that British Gas will be there this afternoon and they are coming to stay with us at the weekend so I'm going to sit them down and talk to them face to face then.

Jane x

[cymruambyth]

Re: Housing issue for son

Don't you just love it when they are old enough to know better

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

Further up date - they are arriving here in about 10 minutes Environmental Health went out yesterday; agreed it was mold but cannot test the strain. He is going to serve notice on the landlord to sort it out - he has also instructed the landlord/agents to send out British Gas to carry out a full carbon monoxide audit - they haven't as yet. Once we get Josh's results on Tuesday EH will review and if necessary contact the landlords just once more to warn them they either do a survey or he will inform the HSE (apparently carbon monoxide falls under them).

Cant wait to see them and give Josh a huge hug.

Jane x

[cymruambyth]

Re: Housing issue for son

I'm glad to hear that there is some progress. Hope you have a lovely weekend behind locked indoors away from the threatened storms! They would have found it a bit difficult to keep all the windows open tomorrow!

[cymruambyth]

Re: Housing issue for son

Hi, any progress?