HER DOCTOR FOR OVER 10 YEARS SUPPORTS CHEMICALLY-SENSITIVE PATIENT

VillagePRESS has the following documented report on the health of one Resident who is made ill by chemical spraying.  We withold the names of both patient and doctor which appears on the original.

4 April 2008 
To Whom It May Concern 
Dear Sir/Madam 
Re:          Mrs xxxxxxxxx
Address: xxxx Rd
DOB:     xxxxxx                  Ph: xxxxxxx

My patient xxxxxxx  asked me to write this letter describing her and her children's medical conditions to support her request for alternatives to road side and park spraying and to help find housing in an area protected from pesticide spray and spray drift.

I have known xxxxx and her children since early 1997.

Xxxxx is a mother of 5 children and is suffering from sensitivity to all chemicals esp pesticides and food additives. A sensitivity to these products is difficult to prove as the presenting symptoms can be interpreted as well as stress, depression, viral illnesses etc.

Xxxxx and her children are sensitive to many chemicals (so called multiple chemical sensitivity) to such a degree that her and her children's health is affected every time they are exposed to pesticide and a period of sickness follows.

The following symptoms can occur in various degrees of severity and might be occurring singularly or all together.

The symptoms in detail are:
      aching muscles and joints 
      anxiety 
      burning eyes mouth and throat 
      conjunctivitis 
      diarrhea 
      depression 
      eczema 
      flu like symptoms-sore throat , cough , headache , earache ,fatigue  
      insomnia 
      irritability 
      itching skin and sores 
      migraines 
      sinusitis
      cough and phlegm
      abdominal pain
      back aches

The symptoms vary in severity depending on the strength of the sprays used , frequency of exposure ,state of health at the time of exposure. Xxxxxx has found that she will be affected for about a month following the initial spray. Xxxxx usually protects herself with her having windows up and air conditioning on recycle, but she finds even that is not enough protection.

Due to the frequent spraying in many areas of Rodney Xxxxx's life has become very difficult in trying to avoid travelling through and consequently being in sprayed areas.

Xxxxx is concerned about  having her 3 children learning to drive and is seriously concerned about the impact the sprays could have on their driving ability, as she knows how it affects her own concentration and stress levels. 

Although she does receive help from WINZ and disability allowance for their health problems she finds it is never enough (2 of her children don't receive anything ).

Xxxxx would like to be able to live in an area free from chemical pesticides and walk ,cycle and ride horses freely on  the roads and in parks.

She hopes that her daughter can be able to walk to and from her school bus stop safely.

She looks for footpaths where she can be walking or waiting on for buses etc without the road verge has been sprayed on.

Her children have missed so much school and one of the reasons for this is their sensitivity to sprays subsequently her children have been struggling a lot at school and and this has contributed to 2 of her children failing NCEA. 
 
I hope this gives you a picture of her struggles and allows you to consider Xxxxx to find a solution to problems which more and more members of our communities become susceptible to. 

Yours sincerely 

Dr XXXXXXX

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