Family fears mercury may be making them sick

Family fears mercury may be making them sick

10:06 PM CDT on Thursday, June 28, 2007

Scott Satchfield / Eyewitness News Reporter

One St. Bernard Parish family says something in their house is literally making them sick, and the government says they may be right.

Wearing protective gear, contract workers with the Environmental Protection Agency test the home of Crystal and James Patty and their young children.

They’re searching for mercury, after the Patty’s say they found traces of the substance and got sick.

“Your body starts aching,” said Crystal Patty. “I haven't been able to eat; my gums have been really sore where I can't chew down on it. You get cold and dry sweats, real bad migraine headaches.”

After a sweep of the house, there is a consultation.

“We even looked in the central air closet where the central air unit is, this is behind the air filter, because really, it's the same throughout the house, we can't find the source,” an EPA contractor tells the Patty’s, who don’t know how mercury could have gotten into their home, something EPA officials echo.

“What’s the source of this mercury? That is of concern at the residence in the New Orleans area, we don’t know,” said EPA spokesman David Bary.

The Patty’s say they first discovered a silvery liquid on a television set in the house, then began feeling sick.

“It's heartbreaking. That's why I'm going to get tested right now because I've been feeling bad the last two weeks,” James Patty says.

EPA officials agree: mercury can cause problems. That is why data samples taken from the Patty’s home will be tested over the weekend for complete confirmation.

“It's an inhalation hazard, mercury is toxic and when it volatilizes it can be inhaled, and entered directly into the blood stream and that's where the health problems are usually manifested.” Bary says.

According to the EPA website, mercury can lead to a variety of problems including kidney damage, headaches, respiratory failure and even death.

For now, the Patty’s say they cannot crack the mercury mystery, and they just hope the damage isn’t already done.

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