I am a British trained Nurse and Midwife.

I came to California in 1963 in response to a Nursing shortage. I am a wife and mother and always worked as a full time Nurse. Just before I got exposed on the job to a massive dose of solvents I was the Assistant Director of Nurses on the afternoon shift.

During my life I had a few odd medical problems which no one diagnosed and usually I continued to work and they passed.

In 1994 I went to work and the hospital was being remodeled. They were installing a non slip surface on the stairs. The place reeked of something which was found to be a very toxic glue which should not have been used indoors. I became very hyperactive with a very red face and rashes where my body was not covered. At the end of my shift I was pretty incoherent and cyanosed. I do not remember driving home. I slept for three days and vomited. After about 2 weeks the hospital demanded that I went back to work pretty well saying it was in my head and I was pretty well making something out of nothing. Other staff were suffering from breathing problems. The hospital transferred me to an air-conditioned area of the hospital. I made it two weeks before collapsing again. They sent me back to work again and not being one to defy and order off I went by the end of the shift my Nursing career was over.

I got no medical care from the system and by the end of the year I was bedridden drifting in and out of semi coma.

Using all our savings we went to an Environmental Doctor and she got me on my feet. The main thing we did which took lots of dedication on my part was too repair my severely damaged gut. Being a Brit I had to give up tea which I had drunk since I was a child. I was in impending total body failure. I was housebound for several years and finally after 10 years I can get out with restrictions.

We do have a family history of sensitivity to medications and chemicals.

My sister has been in a board and care home for over 10 years and my other sister has chronic health problems.

My mother died after adverse reactions to medications.

I do have a Clinical diagnosis of Acute Intermittent Porphyria from a specialist and M.C.S from two Toxicologists.

The M.C.S diagnosis gave the system lots of room to heap ridicule on me and deny me of all benefits.

Patricia.