Michigan Surgical
Associates, P.C.
that kills mildew. Within 12 hours,
Merritt's throat.was closing. Within a
month, she had migraines and reacted
to a host of smells. She couldn't eat
and had trouble breathing.
She took a sick leave from the
teaching job she loved at Farmington
High, and set about getting rid of the
chemicals in her home that triggered
reactions. She pulled up the carpets,
replaced her couch with a wooden
porch swing, switched from gas heat
to electricity. Her health forced her to
retire at age 63.
As long as Merritt stays at home,
she gets better. She eats healthily, exer-
cises and gardens with a mask.
"One of the worst things is that
people look at you like
you're crazy. They look
at older women as hys-
terical females," she
says.
Yet, Merritt sees her-
self as lucky. Although
she can't visit her five
grown children, they
come to her. "Other
patients are falling
through the cracks,"
she says. "People don't
believe them."
MCS hasn't yet
made it in the
4111S° 0,
International
Codification of Diseases,
a handbook used by
the government and
insurance carriers for diagnostic and
reimbursement purposes.
Yet, people suffering with MCS
have initiated litigation and the diag-
nosis has become politicized.
"The chemical industry funds enor-
mous efforts to portray these patients
as crazy," Harbut says. "Insurance
companies say no way can exposure
make someone sick.
"On the other hand, there are
attorneys who claim that every malady
is attributed to environmental expo-
sure. Patients get caught in the cross-
fire between divergent economic inter-
ests and healing gets left in the dust,"
he says.
When Linda Weiss of Ann Arbor got
sick, she had a long history of exposure
to fumes from liquid plastics and art
supplies from working as an artist and a
manicurist. The chemicals gave her
rashes and headaches, but otherwise
didn't interfere with her life. In 1981,
three days after Weiss was married, she
collapsed in a shopping center and her
health went downhill. She believes she
reacted to chlorine. She was 42.
Weiss stayed on a restrictive diet for
18 months. She eats organic foods and
moved to Ann Arbor to be closer to
health food stores. New furniture and
cars give off fumes, so she buys used
items from non-smokers.
And she has become an activist.
Weiss spearheaded the passage of a law
in Ann Arbor that gives individuals
the right to be notified of spraying
within a quarter-mile of their resi-
dence. She is working to ban all spray-
ing.
As long as Weiss avoids pesticides
and fumes, her health is good. She has
raised three children — a son from
her first marriage and two stepchil- -
dren. She and her husband fostered
two teen-age boys
who remain close.
Six years ago, in
their mid-50s, the
Weisses adopted a
girl from
Romania.
Remaining active
in her home,
Weiss wrote a
newspaper col-
umn called
"Health Watch"
that covered alter-
native products,
and two books,
The Kitchen
Magician, a sub-
stitution cook-
book, and How to
Live With the New 20th Century Illness.
Weiss now runs a custom gift basket
business from her home. She orders
her supplies from catalogues and her
husband does the delivery. She asks
visitors not to wear perfume and she
rarely goes out.
In spite of the hardship, Weiss is
happy.
"It's a blessing in disguise. I see
what's happening in the world, and I
want to help," she says.
Trice, Merritt and Weiss belong to
a support group called MCS and
Friends. They meet via telephone and
know each other intimately, but have
never met in person. Traveling is a risk
none of them can take. 0
MCS and Friends is trying to help
Trice and others find safe places to
recover. They've set up a housing
fund and welcome any inquiries,
new members or gifts.
The address is MCS and
Friends, c/o Margaret Barlow, 814
W. Main, Northville, MI, 48167-
1344.
Specializing in General and
Laparoscopic Surgery
• Breast and Colon Cancer Screening
•Conveniently Located
•Variety of Office Hours
,3 f7A
WEST BLOOMFIELD
In The Beaumont Building
6900 Orchard Lake Road
Suite 211
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
(248) 539-3027
Fax: (248) 539-9267
TROY
At Beaumont Hospital
44199 Dequindre Road
Suite 615
Troy, MI 48098
(248) 879-3208
Fax: (248) 828-8482
CLINTON TOWNSHIP
39200 Garfield Road
Suite C
Clinton Twp., MI 48038
(810) 228-9191
Fax: (810) 228-3990
ST. CLAIR SHORES
21000 Twelve Mile Road
Suite 112
St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
(810) 771-8900
Fax: (810) 771-8901
4•A
Standing left to right Michael G. Taylor, M.D., F.A.C.S., Akash R Sheth, M.D
Seated left to right William L. Kestenberg, M.D., F.A.C.S.,
Joseph V. Riuo, M.D., F.A.C.S., Eric A. Brown, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Affiliated With Many Local Hospitals:
• Huron Valley-Sinai • Sinai • Troy Beaumont
• St. John Hospital And Medical Center
• St. John Macomb • Bon Secours
• Providence • Macomb Hospital Center
• St. John Oakland Hospital
Most Major Insurance Plans Accepted:
• Medicaid/Medicare
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Blue Care Network • Omnicare
• HAP • Selectcare • M Care • PPOM
• Wellness Plan • Aetna • Blue Cross PPO
• Smart Care • First Care • Cigna • PHCS
• Plus Many Others. Call For Details.
2/6
1998
119