Okay, update time. I was down for 5 days, my body trying to shut down on me that whole time. In fact, sleep asthma kicked in and at night I would crash so bad that I had to force myself to wake up just to focus enough to keep breathing. Today, 9 days later, I am still struggling with 1/2 lung capacity and lung spasms, and a few lingering other symptoms.
The whole story is very long, but to shorten it as best I can. I ended up sending an email to our pastor, explaining that love wasn't really love if you can't get a straight answer to a life or death matter. In that email, our pastor grasp what we were asking from him, and took care of the issue immediately. In fact, he didn't talk to the Ass. pastor at all, but confirmed with an eye witness as to when the parking lot was sprayed. Now, in each conversation we had with the associate pastor, not only did the story change, but he tried to blame something else, even though we know I am severely allergic to herbicides and pesticides...which is still a sore spot with me, given that 1. I know from experience it is bad enough to put me in the hospital just driving by someone using it and 2. that there was no indication that anything in the basement of the church could have caused the reaction I had, but that is another story.
So, the chemical was sprayed on Fri. and Sat. morning we had rain...that would have explained the initial reaction when I went into the building, but not the severe reaction and duration that was threatening my life. So to be above reproach and to figure out what happened, we had the trustees check into what chemicals were being used in the church, if none of them were a problem, then it had to be the spray, either was sprayed on Sat. or something else happened. But we had to know.
Then we get a phone call...the pastor was walking into the building and saw a weed, reached to pull it, and the associate told him not to because it had been sprayed. He thought he had cleaned off his hand, but apparently, when we shook hands, it got on my skin (never happened before because I won't get that close to it) which set off the reaction. Now, to clarify some things that would evidence this to be the culprit. Sat. evening went like this...
Usually my husband lets me off in the drive not the parking lot, but the door was still locked to I walked through part of the parking lot having a normal reaction to spray that was about a day or two old. Walked into the basement prepared for the mold issue we got in the recent floods, but breathed deeper and was excited about it being a good night for my breathing because it smelled "clean". Went to the restroom, was very careful not to use the soap (allergic to that too). Then went upstairs. Greeted our pastor (hand shake) and began a short conversation with him, within less than a minute (not sure how long, but can relate the conversation and it doesn't even take a minute) I became a "zombie" I was aware of what was going on, but couldn't process it or engage in it. Thought that was weird but dismissed it as preoccupied and went to sit down and wait for my husband. Sat away from people in case perfume was a problem (normal behavior). Things didn't get any better, but instead got worse. Before the first song was over, I told my husband something wasn't right, and that I was having lung spasms. Went home and crashed, not caring if I lived or died (refused ER, another long story)
Well, yesterday morning, both my husband and I were sure enough that we went to church together. During Sun. School, I went downstairs which is where the chemicals would have been used that could have been the problem. Even walked by the room most affected by the flooding...no problems, in fact, I gained a full second of lung function while in the basement and never lost any more lung function the entire time we were at church. That ruled out everything but skin contact.
Well to put a nail in the coffin so to speak, the morning after the incident, I put my hand up by my face, and smelled chemicals but assumed it was just because I could taste the chemicals, so had dismissed it, until we found out the rest of the story. confirmed with my mother that I would never have been close enough to the chemicals growing up to have any on my skin. In fact, everyone close to me is so hyper careful that I never am close enough for them to be on me. Even when they are around the stuff, they scrub before coming home and put their clothes in the wash so I am not close to even residue on their clothes.
So that is where things stand. The ass. still is trying to make excuses and blame something else. Everyone is doing what they can to prevent another incident for me and another person who isn't as bad as me but does have problems around it. I am still trying to recover, and am afraid there was some permanent damage, but otherwise, getting a bit stronger every day.
Just thought I should update you all...where I stand emotionally, I've learned a lot about why I am the way I am and why I feel the way I do. Bottom line, when the ass. turned it into a drama, I got angry, I HATE drama and don't like anything being about me, so that made me angry which turned into me assaulting myself, getting depressed, and wanting to die (not suicidal, just not happy that God gave us the involuntary need to keep breathing). It's part of the root to the air conditioner as well, but not the whole story of the air conditioner. So there we stand...about time for me to lay down and ease the spasms for a bit, soooooo tired of being in bed so much...!