Summary of Topics

1 - GALE:  WELCOME!  posted December 01, 2003


Mother Margaret has shown and expressed a great deal of interest in chemical exposures to include the workers of the Valdez oil-spill clean up and Gulf War veterans. She has a great deal of information and compassion for everyone affected by these exposures.

We feel she will be a great asset on this bulletin board.

Welcome, Margaret!

2 - Looking for input from the Gulf War Vets, the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup workers posted December 01, 2003  

Thank you for sharing your experience. We learn what happened from sharing with each other. Of course the most frustrating thing is that you seem unable to get an accurate diagnosis. . . or for health care professionals to recognize the 'whole picture' of what chemicals do, and one in particular. I'm sure doctors are just as frustrated. We need their help! Without an accurate diagnosis, how can you be helped? You don't need any more time lost, or 'experimental' procedures. We need to know what really happened to keep it from happening over and over again.

May I have your input on what your symptoms are and comments in general on: valdezlink.com/generic.htm You can e-mail me directly, and I will summarize for the Bulletin Board, or you may do your own post.

May I ask your indulgence to first check out the primary chemical of harm to the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup workers? (2-butoxyethanol) Because although there are many things that can cause harm in war settings, there are few which do nearly ALL the 'odd symptoms' that 2-butoxyethanol does.

I believe troops also have exposure to it in what they clean their guns with and in the degreaser, and decontamination products they may be using. valdezlink.com/clp.htm For repeated use, doesn't the MSDS say to use goggles and chemical retardant gloves?

A main focus: an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment. We may need to lobby for policy changes, too, to keep others from the same harm.

Just thought I would mention that I've heard comments from military that complain they have the same symptoms and they weren't in the Gulf War. I would also most particularly welcome comments from any military from 1989 to the present with the GWS symptoms.

And also US Coast Guard and US Navy are part of the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup workers, as well. valdezlink.com/home.htm We have many sub groups that deserve to be medically monitored. I'm afraid we will learn that the cleanup chemicals were worse than the oil itself. But none in authority seem to know it, and the chemicals are being used more and more: Such as Corexit 9527 in Australia, 1995; in Karachi 2003 & in the military, too since 1989? Next the arctic ocean?

Thank you all - in advance - for your input!

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3 - Topic:   Comments from those who are Gulf War Vets
 December 02, 2003    
Please reply to this thread

You may have something to add to these symptoms of too much chemical exposure: valdezlink.com/gwv/gws_too_much_chemicals.htm

CAS - & - Chemical Name (EPA has tested Exposure/Effects of these as pesticides)
112-34-5 Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether
111-76-2 Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (aka 2-butoxyethanol)


This is worth looking at if you are interested in the nervous system damage of such chemicals
valdezlink.com/solvent_studies.htm

December 02, 2003    
Chad Pagel of Indiana is a combat soldier of the Gulf War. His community has recently done a fund raiser for him.
valdezlink.com/gwv/chad.htm

Please contact Chad if you have helps for him: chadpagel@hotmail.com And he may be posting updates on his own, as well.
valdezlink.com/gwv/chad_shares.htm
valdezlink.com/gwv/as_son.htm His sharing about the 'leathery skin' that no dermatologist could help with, reminded me of similar comments from the EVOS workers  How is Chad 2005?

He offered some pictures here of possible chemical exposures for the troops. valdezlink.com/gwv/chad4.htm   

And other comments: 

valdezlink.com/gwv/chad1.htm
valdezlink.com/gwv/chad2.htm
valdezlink.com/gwv/chad3.htm

Chad of Indiana has started up a forum that he asked me to contribute to. http://www.gulfwarhelp.com/phpbb2 His website with the focus on getting vets back to the way they were before the war is here http://www.gulfwarhelp.com

He says he has a lot of improving to do and I'm sure he could use the support of other vets. Thanks


5 - Topic:   Comments from military since 1989 with 'Gulf War Syndrome' symptoms

December 02, 2003 

Yes, Gale, because Chad IS a Gulf War combat soldier, I placed his story here http://www.gulfwarvets.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000003.html

I received a call from a Navy man 12-4 who said he was on a ship in 1998 heading to the Gulf when he came down with many 'Gulf War Syndrome' symptoms: chronic fatigue; poor memory, headaches, sore muscles/joints, depression, tremors in hands/legs, no appetite, urine was light brown - sort of amber back then... not the normal color; dehydrated, couldn't be alert & wide awake in the daytime, but couldn't sleep at night either, etc. It was noteworthy that the ship's hospital seemed to be always full; but he didn't know what other shipmates' symptoms were.

He said recently a neurologist turned him down flat, saying that he couldn't give any meds for his symptoms. In fact some of the tests the military had given him already were regulated, and he couldn't order the same as a civilian doctor. AND since it wasn't an illness with an accepted diagnoses, he could not help at all.

This navy man did not know what to do. I shared, that yes, some of the info I had was factual, as to what 2-butoxyethanol did, and some studies, but that it needed more study.

He lived near Dr. Rea; so I would think that would be one person to help him check further, and that an expert in blood and in the glandular systems would also be a step in the right direction. valdezlink.com/gwv/getting_started.htm

Basically he expressed concerns about the Anthrax vaccine. I said, it sounded like that could cause some harm, too, however, the 2-butoxyethanol is known to cause the symptoms he had mentioned.

He said they used CLP for cleaning guns. It was the ONLY approved military gun cleaner. And, oh yes, there was a vat that only metal parts were put in called the Parts' Washer. He didn't know what solvent that used.

valdezlink.com/gwv/gws_too_much_chemicals.htm

4 - Topic:   Comments from any who worked on the Exxon Valdez Oil spill cleanup
 posted December 02, 2003   
Terri shared that the specialists she has been seeing for 'seizures' and joints 'falling apart' would not look at the information on 2-butoxyethanol which she was exposed to during her 1989 laborer's work; there've been several operations for her and her husband, to put joints back together. Once the lab tech said there was more in the blood of note, but because the doctor didn't order that info, it couldn't be shared. She's taking medicine for the horrible nausea, too. That could even be harmful if meds caused the nausea in the first place (?) 

The blood has the KEY to what happened to these. 

AND it is not getting a full analysis.

Here is another such worker:

Yesterday I received a call from Slim. He said he just got out of the hospital. He has been in the hospital 5 times since July. His heart races wildly and then he collapses. So many times the docs look at him in disinterest and unbelief.

They have found some aspects of his health problem, but so far, not a full and complete and accurate diagnosis.

He was found to have 3 of his 4 heart chambers enlarged. He has elevated white blood cells, blood in urine; symptoms of hemolytic anemia, but no diagnosis as such.
In February I drove 180 miles to get him and take him to the doctor. He had RBCs of 4.59 and was thought to be just fine.

His red blood counts are dropping now and he has lost 30 pounds in 2 months... can't keep his food down (liver?)

He seems to have gotten worse since he started taking strong medication for his hands and feet that don't heal up. Worked during Exxon Valdez Oil Spill cleanup as a general laborer for Price-Ahtna had had some Corexit spill on him while working the red bagging area. He later also steam cleaned the blue barrels that held Corexit. Said the fumes were horrible. He is now declared legally blind (eyes had holes). The eye specialist said there was nothing that could be done.

Says he has horrible exhaustion, horrible headaches; can't keep any moisture in his skin (2-butoxyethanol is good at degreasing and it also defats the skin)

Says in recent years he has all the signals of time to urinate, and nothing happens. (On the verge of kidney failure.)

He's a vet, too, went in the military when he was too young, actually. Here is some of what he has shared with me:
valdezlink.com/evos/from_s.htm
valdezlink.com/evos/oct.htm

valdezlink.com/evos/fromheadaches-toheart.htm

Oh, yes, he will loose his temper real quick. He probably always had some temper but not like since this work.

With a good assortment of the 'symptoms' indicating this chemical's harm valdezlink.com/scenario.htm no in-depth focus on what is going on with his blood

December 02, 2003   
This is Capt Richard D. Nagel, who wrote his own letter last month. He had already given me pictures for the website. So they are included here, too.
valdezlink.com/evos/rdn.htm

I'm hoping he is OK, too, as it seems he is just barely hanging on; it seems too that his family doesn't understand his health issues, either.
valdezlink.com/no_respecter.htm

 

December 02, 2003  
US Coastguardsman -

"I was a monitor for the 'bioremediation workers' of the Exxon Valdez Oil spill cleanup. We were there before the first worker arrived to spray the beaches with Inipol EAP 22 and we were there until after the first one left."

"After that I was sent by the Coast Guard to be back up for the Gulf War"

"What distresses me the most, although I have many ailments, including rapid heart beat, is that I have been unable to father children. There is no explanation for it."
valdezlink.com/gwv/vetsymptoms.htm#monitor

Next Topics   Also - the military needs to look further - Has this chemical harmed troops?

12-16-03

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