email from Michael in Baghdad...depleted uranium?

[Mari333]

Here is his email....could he be sucking in depleted uranium??? is a bad cough one of the symptoms??? I got the email tonight.
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hey hey

i am getting my packages, although not one at a time. i got four a couple of days ago, but nothing in between. i have been snacking like a king, though.

nothing happening here, just i need to go see a doctor, i am coughing non-stop. i think it's the dust, or some sort of flower or tree i am allergic to. it's making me miserable.

well, i gotta go to work
i love you

[roguevalley]

1. I heard that rashs on the skin is a sign. I don't know about the

coughing. I would think it would be dust and such. Very dry air over there. I would be more worried if he said rashes or spots on the skin, honey.

[murielm99]

2. Don't think the worst, right off the bat.

It is probably the dust, or some allergy.

Great that you heard from him! Hang in there.

[murielm99]

3. Mari, did you write a letter that was published in the Nation

a few weeks ago?

[Mari333]

4. yes that was me and heres more I found out about depleted uranium

. . .

Depleted Uranium

During the war, US and British forces shot ammo made from Depleted Uranium (DU), a radioactive and toxic waste that is suspected as a cause of some illnesses affecting veterans of the 1991 Gulf War.


Scientists believe respiratory irritation caused by sand storms, oil fires, and concentrated vehicle fumes during Operation Desert Storm weakened the blood/brain barrier and allowed DU to enter the central nervous system of soldiers in the field resulting in slowly developing neurotoxic responses. Their brains, in effect, were slowly poisoned.

The brain is a 'target organ' for dissolved uranium. Tests on some Desert Storm vets show lowered ability to think and solve problems, as well as lowered motor skills in subjects with above average uranium levels.

During the latest operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq, American and British tanks fired thousands of depleted uranium armor penetrators. American A-10 and AV-8B aircraft shot hundreds of thousands of small caliber depleted uranium rounds.

Many troops in Iraq are being exposed to some level of DU, and the exposure this time may be far more long-term. The longer troops stay in theater if they are in a contaminated area, the more exposure they will have. DU is also toxic to the kidneys, and is known to cause cancer from inhalation. It is reasonable to assume that neither skin exposure nor swallowing particles of DU is wise.

The exposure to DU combined with the exposure to extensive combustion products from oil fires and blowing sand from the desert environment, however, is unique and the extent of exposure to respiratory irritants during this war was probably greater than in previous wars. These exposures for some soldiers may be more intense and more sustained now than they were in 1991.

What Are the Symptoms of D.U. Exposure?

Depleted uranium has two different effects on the body, chemical poisoning and radiation poisoning. Symptoms are similar to those described as Gulf War Syndrome. DU may also cause respiratory problems and is known to elevate the risk of lung cancer and leukemia.

• Chronic Fatigue

• Neurological signs or symptoms

• Signs or symptoms involving upper or lower respiratory system

• Menstrual disorders

• Kidney problems

What Should One Do If These
Symptoms Appear?

• Report them to a physician and get them on record. If they persist, do not be discouraged by military doctors who seem to brush them off. Return again and again if necessary as long as the symptoms persist.

• Those who are still on active duty should immediately register with DOD by calling 1-800-796-9699. Those who have left active military service should call the Veterans Administration at 1-800-PGW-VETS.

• Increase the frequency of screening for lung cancer and leukemia.

What Can One Do to Limit Exposure to
D.U. and Other Causative Agents?

Get out of Iraq or Afghanistan. If that is not an option . . . Cover the face to prevent inhalation of dust, and keep dust out of food and water. Avoid exhaust fumes and other respiratory irritants. Inform the chain of command when there is a way to reduce exposure to dust and respiratory irritants, and explain to them why.

[Occulus]

9. My best wishes, Mari

Again, you and yours are in my thoughts and prayers. :hug:

[The Traveler]

5. Hoping its just dust mites

And nothing more. It probably is just an allergy. Please accept my best wishes and hopes for the safe and speedy return of your loved one.

[NMDemDist2]

6. I live in Phoenix which i think is very comparable climate wise

to Baghdad. I have had upper respiratory trouble all week, and get it every year about this time. I know in my case it's allergies and I pray Micheal's are the same (symptoms match)

[Columbia]

7. The best person for diagnosis is the patient himself

"i think it's the dust, or some sort of flower or tree i am allergic to."

[NecessaryOnslaught]

8. Here is a self-assessment questionnaire

http://www.umrc.net/selfAssessment.asp PDF at the bottom.

And more on DU..

http://www.umrc.net/duBasics.asp

[Mika]

10. Mari

Here's a D.U. information link w/lots of very ugly stuff. Brace yourself - it ain't pretty,

http://www.iacenter.org/depleted/du.htm

I hope it helps your research.

[Hubert Flottz]

11. The real story that the DOD don't want we the people to see!

WARNING!
The photos displayed on this page,
might cause emotional stress
to viewers.
Please make sure
they are not viewed by minors!

http://www.writers-against-war.org/public/depleted-uranium.html

Why they're not dancing in the streets in Iraq or Afghanistan is no great mystery to me!

[Bozita]

12. Would radiation exposure badges help determine the relative safety ...

...of his surroundings?

badges like those here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/ask_doctor/radiation_badges.shtml

[Mari333]

14. I could contact a doctor and ask if I can send him some

Put it in one of his packages. The concern I have is that if he is sucking in radiation, the military wont care a whit and try to hide it . That would give him a paper trail of a sort.
so far they lost his Xrays and medical records of his spinal scoliosis, the bastards, and he shouldnt have even gone.
Thanks

[mouse7]

13. Sounds like "Vegas Throat" I had whole time I lived there

Dust and very dry air do not go well together, especially when you aren't used to it.

[Mari333]

15. I hope thats all it is

Michael has allergies to pollen and stuff. I hope thats all it is.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

16. Mari -- check these out...

here are two articles that talk about troops back rfom Iraq who have recently tested positive for D.U. poisoning.

You might get some clues from them:

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/180333p-156685c.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3960228,00.html

[Mari333]

17. I sent these to michal and I told him to cover his mouth

plus, I told him to demand all his medical records be sent to me and his dad asap
Got to keep a paper trail. Knowing the military, they will conveniently "lose" them.
assholes.
I also told him to demand a radiation patch, if they have them there. I doubt they do, the soldiers are fodder to this admin. They wont spend the money to take care of the troops.

[Robbien]

18. Mari it could be just the everyday Iraqi dust

The Iraqi dust is as fine as talcum powder and gets into lungs with every breath one takes. Iraqi lungs are used to it, but western lungs are not.