Nov. 22/09-I am so sorry I have been away so long!

It's a great Sunday mid morning and I am happy to report that the kids and I had a great sleep last night - WE SLEPT AT MY MOTHER-IN-LAWS house!!!

I am so sorry it has taken me a while since our return from out west to blog an update. Between catching up with work and the renovations, it just seems the days fly by!!

We returned from our amazing vacation on November 8th. Here are a few interesting things about our vacation:
- we arrived in Edmonton Alberta on Sunday October 25th and within just a few days I felt energetic, enthusiastic, and not fatigued at all. It was great to not feel that "draggy" feeling. I felt my memory was sharper, my energy was at a high, and my aches, pains and headaches were non existent. THE very interesting thing was that I was actually battling a cold and cough with a bit of a loss of voice and I still felt better than I had in a long time. When the cold/cough passed, I felt like a whole new woman.
- the kids slept extremely well while in Edmonton. My oldest did not complain even once about a sore back or any other aches and pains! My youngest did not wake up even once and say that his hands, feet, or legs hurt! THIS TO ME WAS a huge verification that their complaints are REAL. If they had become a force of habit, or came from them overhearing their father and I speak of our aches and pains, they would have continued while we were on vacation!
- Within the first week, I noticed that the kids seemed less emotional. They were playing well together. There were less outbursts and arguments between them. I believe they got the best two weeks of sleep they have had in a long time.
- My youngest rash was virtually gone, and remains that way. His only issue while out west was that he had some dry itchy skin from the change in humidity. It is much drier in Edmonton. The rash, the tummy aches, the other aches - all gone!

WHEN WE RETURNED....

It was Sunday November 8th when we returned to our home. The renovations we are in the midst of had come a long way since we left. Unfortunately, they are still not complete. Since we have been back, I have noticed that we hear the turbines every night and I have spent many nights lying awake and listening to them. I hear them, and feel them in my ears, but I have not noticed the vibration to the extent that I was prior to the vacation. I am hopeful that the work we have done to the house has somehow minimized the affect we feel from the vibration.

My headaches have returned, but seem lessened. I have been away from the house much more than I was prior to the vacation, so perhaps that is helpful. Also, it seems that during the day the turbines (like now for instance) are barely turning. At night, however, they are spinning and loud!

The kids, especially my youngest, have not slept properly since our return. My youngest is the reason I am up listening to the turbines in the night. He wakes up and then he says "it's too loud" "let's get up", by the time I convince him it is night time and get him back to sleep, I am stuck listening to the woosh/woosh of the turbines.

My oldest started complaining of back pain again about 5 nights ago. I believe he feels the effects of the turbines in his lower back.

My youngest started waking and complains of pain in his arms, hands, legs and feet again.

Other than those two things, I have not noticed any particularly alarming change in their behaviours.

I wish I had blogged daily because there were some nights that I could not believe how loud the turbines were and some days/nights where my headaches were quite bad.

MY HUSBAND and I are still optimistic that once the new roof and new insulation and siding are completed that the changes will give some relief to the noise. We have also replaced and insulated windows and when the blinds are back on, that will also give some sound protection. As I said, it seems to us that the vibrations are already being felt a bit less. If this works, I will be so excited to share with other victims what we have done and hopefully others will be able to have relief as well.

Of course, I still believe very strongly that wind turbines should not be placed near peoples homes. Even if we manage to minimize the effects, who can say what long term affects there will be on our health, and the health of our children. It is a scary thought.

I appreciate all of the emails, visitors and calls checking on us. Again, I apologize for not blogging sooner and I am sorry to have worried you.

We are doing well and 'living' with the turbines. I still have not heard back from Kruger in regards to my long list of questions regarding their "noise report" other than the letter they send acknowledging my questions and stating that they were waiting to hear from the MOE. I find this a display of complete disregard since they knew that my questions were in part to ensure that the renovations we are doing take into account all things that could possibly combat the effects we are feeling from the turbines. The bottom line is that they do not care about us, or any other family. They are a money driven company - to compare them to the tobacco industry is not an unfair comparison. This is exactly how I see them. They are going to convince themselves that wind energy is "good" for the environment and choose to disregard the hundreds of complainants. They will convince themselves that since there is no "proven evidence" that problems must not exist. I only hope that it does not take our government so many years and so many health issues to do something about the wind turbines as it did for them to do something about tobacco!!!

Well, that's my LONG two cents for today. We'll Chat tomorrow!

Nik