Woman with rare medical condition feels ‘homeless’
Happy Valley-Goose Bay resident says repaving work on her street will make her ill
Sitting on her daughter’s patio, Loretta Webber has no idea where she will sleep tonight. Webber and her husband, Clarence, own their own house in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, but she can’t go anywhere near it.
The reason for Webber leaving her house so suddenly: the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is repaving her street, and the fumes from the construction activity make her extremely sick.
“I’m homeless,” said Webber, fighting back the tears.
Webber suffers from a rare medical condition called multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). People who suffer from MCS often become ill from a variety of chemicals and scents.
“Multiple chemical sensitivity, in broad terms it means an unusually severe sensitivity or allergy-like reaction to many different kinds of pollutants including solvents, VOC’s (volatile organic compounds), perfumes, petrol, diesel, smoke, ‘chemicals’ in general and often encompasses problems with regard to pollen, house dust mites, and pet fur and dander,” states the website www.multiplechemicalsensitivity.org/.
While most residents are happy to see their street get new pavement, for Webber it is a nightmare.
Webber said she messaged a town councillor on Facebook in late August when she heard Montagnais Street would be repaved, to express her health concerns.
Webber said she knew from the councillor’s reaction the work would proceed.
“Nobody takes it serious,” Webber said.
“It felt like they were going to go ahead and do it anyway. It didn’t matter how it was going to affect me.”
A spokeswoman for the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay said the town didn’t receive a complaint about the work being done on Montagnais Street.
“The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay has not received an of- ficial inquiry in relation to the street resurfacing project,” the spokewoman stated in an email to The Labradorian. “The paving of Montagnais Road has been completed. Street resurfacing is a multiyear capital works project which improves the quality of roadways for our residents and increases year-round safety for all motorists. The town encourages residents with concerns, on any matter, to make an official inquiry by contacting the town hall.”
On Sept. 9, Webber was returning home from bringing her husband to a doctor’s appointment, when she saw that the paving work was starting on her street. She quickly grabbed whatever belongings she could and walked through the woods to get away from the street.
“When I got back, it was one side done and I started to get effects from it and I was starting to have panic attacks. And I said to my husband, ‘I have to get out of here,’” recalled Webber.
“At this moment, my husband just had knee surgery and nobody at home to help him out.”
Her daughter, Lori, picked her up and they both went to Lori’s house. But, because Lori and her husband did recent renovations, and Lori had just finished cleaning the bathroom with chemical cleaners, Webber had no choice but to stay out on the patio.
Webber’s struggle with MCS began in 2003, when she was working at the E.J. Broomfield Memorial Arena. She had worked there for 25 years, and had used different chemical substances for her duties.
It took Webber about a year to be diagnosed with MCS, after visiting a specialist in Nova Scotia.
Because of her sensitivity to odours and chemicals, even the most ordinary of social occasions has to be carefully planned.
“My daughter that lived away, before she’d come visit, she’d have to use my (specialty) shampoo for two weeks before she’d come,” said Webber.
And any friend or family members who smoke can only stick around briefly before having to leave.
“I’m alone a lot, because I can’t socialize. It’s a very lonely life.”
The Labradorian requested an interview with members of the Happy Valley-Goose Bay council, but had not heard back as of deadline.