Mark
Eight years ago, the gas and oil companies started drilling around them. Their son was greatly affected by all of that.
He, as well as a daughter, and the mom, developed heart conditions and the son, numerous neurological problems. He couldn't walk anymore. A doctor out this way diagnosed them all and said it was definitely from the flaring.
He lost his hospital privileges immediately. They sold their house (all they could get was half of its value because of the drilling) and relocated to another farm. Their son began to improve, little by little. He walks with a cane now. Then, they started drilling around their new place, and so they packed up and moved out. They have nowhere to go, can't sell their home, and so have to live in their car right now. She and her husband and 28 year old son Mark were living in their car.
Isn't that awful. She said that we have to get out of here - She said that she could share stories that would shock us. She began to describe all of Mark's symptoms without me saying a thing. She believes that Mark will improve once we are away from here and that his relapse was definitely caused by the flaring. There is so much more.
The sad side is that some of the damage done will always be with Mark, and most likely the rest of us too. Some things will not appear until later. I have no doubt that my husband and my underactive thyroids are related too as Southern Alberta has an epidemic in thyroid cases. Over the past month, Mark has been complaining about his hands too sometimes stiffening up and then he can't move his fingers for a minute.

