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It's 8:20 pm and I'm at the International Hostel in Austin, Texas. The sun has just set and I'm looking out the window at lights reflecting off the waters of Lady Bird Lake. I'm tired, sweaty and just a little numb.
I had high hopes of sitting down with other researchers and talking about how mercury may connect to these symptoms. I really did. I even wrote down and submitted an index card with the question of "What is the current understanding of the relationship between borrelia and mercury?" for the experts to answer during a question/answer session. The question was not shared. It is possible the question was lost. It is also possible it was intentionally discarded. I do not know. There was an end-of-session frantic asking of "Any other questions?" and I kept silent. I guess I felt rejected. It's okay I told myself I'll get over it.
The conference was over and there were a few stragglers including myself. One of the speakers, Amelia Withington, MD, had asked to borrow my printed copy of "Hell and Back Again" (my account of recovery published just over five years ago in Explore! medical journal). She beckoned me over to talk with a woman with lesions along her jaws.
Lesions correlated with the woman's mercury fillings and her gums had the tell-tale black-blue line of mercury poisoning. I felt good about sharing my understanding of this condition and hope this sufferer will recovery completely. If I've been able to help even one person, my trip is very much worthwhile.
I spoke with one other sufferer with similar symptoms associated with dental work and noted one of the presenters (also suffering from Morgellons) appeared to have "Dansberry Shakes" (a term describing the shakes and walk of mercury poisoned hat makers of long ago in Dansberry, Connecticut. Certainly, the description of neurological disorders associated with Morgellons spectrum symptoms goes back to the earliest documentation of these symptoms). My opinion of an association with mercury hasn't ended...in many ways it has been reinforced.
I guess I'll leave it at that. I am hoping some of the Holman Foundation folks will make an effort to connect with me. Most importantly though, I hope those suffering will find their way to health.
I had high hopes of sitting down with other researchers and talking about how mercury may connect to these symptoms. I really did. I even wrote down and submitted an index card with the question of "What is the current understanding of the relationship between borrelia and mercury?" for the experts to answer during a question/answer session. The question was not shared. It is possible the question was lost. It is also possible it was intentionally discarded. I do not know. There was an end-of-session frantic asking of "Any other questions?" and I kept silent. I guess I felt rejected. It's okay I told myself I'll get over it.
The conference was over and there were a few stragglers including myself. One of the speakers, Amelia Withington, MD, had asked to borrow my printed copy of "Hell and Back Again" (my account of recovery published just over five years ago in Explore! medical journal). She beckoned me over to talk with a woman with lesions along her jaws.
Lesions correlated with the woman's mercury fillings and her gums had the tell-tale black-blue line of mercury poisoning. I felt good about sharing my understanding of this condition and hope this sufferer will recovery completely. If I've been able to help even one person, my trip is very much worthwhile.
I spoke with one other sufferer with similar symptoms associated with dental work and noted one of the presenters (also suffering from Morgellons) appeared to have "Dansberry Shakes" (a term describing the shakes and walk of mercury poisoned hat makers of long ago in Dansberry, Connecticut. Certainly, the description of neurological disorders associated with Morgellons spectrum symptoms goes back to the earliest documentation of these symptoms). My opinion of an association with mercury hasn't ended...in many ways it has been reinforced.
I guess I'll leave it at that. I am hoping some of the Holman Foundation folks will make an effort to connect with me. Most importantly though, I hope those suffering will find their way to health.
