“The Good, The Bad & the Unbreathable” is a powerful post on the local impacts of TVA Ash Spill Disaster from http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/ — In an earlier post she mentions her grandson: “I have very huge concerns related to this spill. I have an 18 month old (I am his custodial grandmother) who is a high-risk infant, born prematurely and was on mechanical ventilation for 7 weeks at birth… already compromised and with many medical issues……” and what later happens to them:
My Grandson became sick yesterday… Cough…. stuffy nose…. sneezing….. flushed….. didn’t want to eat….. not wanting to nap either….
It was windy yesterday just like the day before… and the ash had to be flying.
I took him to the ER as recommended by his physician. I took the information that TVA had given me, as well as a MSDS sheet about fly ash.
He had to endure a nasal wash & suction, x-rays, monitoring of his oxygen levels. The conclusion? Irritation from the fly ash, specifically airborne.
TVA is aware, and we are currently at a local hotel. The Doctor recommended that he not go home… we not go home….avoid the area altogether.
I didn’t realize how I would feel once someone told me I couldn’t go home. I didn’t sink in until this morning. Due to the stress and the lack of sleep… I began to meltdown. “don’t go home”…. keeps rolling through my head.
No, we didn’t lose our home to visible damage…. but we can’t go home.
Why is there no discussion of the radioactivity of coal ash? Media seems to be very silent on that subject.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste