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CIDP CINDY 9/11 STORY
written by Cindy
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Cindy , She was helping the victims of 911 never realizing that she was breathing toxic fumes .
Cindy was crippled due to CIDP. Below is her email to cidpusa.org
"When the first building fell (when most of the rescue workers were lost) we all ran in all directions.
I found myself hiding behind a tomb stone in a graveyard at St. Paul's Church which is across the street from the World Trade Center.
The heat in the buildings one of the Fire Chiefs told us later was over 4,000 degrees.
My hiding space across the street was so hot I felt as though I was on fire and in fact I did have burn holes in my uniform. The air was so thick and hot I could not breathe.
As the buildings fell, it felt to me that the sky was falling. I thought I would die.
But when I survived alone the others we just went back to work doing whatever we could around the World Trade Center area. When the second building fell two fire fighters and I were able to get underneath a fire truck and they shared their air with me. I was at Ground Zero all that day and night.
I do not remember if I told you that I was in NYC because I was a nun and living in the Convent house in Manhattan. Because of my experience as an EMT and my emergency room employment, I was asked to work with the Coronor's Fatality Team.
I agreed. I became a Chaplain for the Coronor in the search and retrieval of the bodies (after the first day there were no 'bodies' just pieces.
I stayed at Ground Zero retrieving and blessing the bodies as we found them and was to make sure the other rescue workers were handling things as best as they could.
So I was present and breathing air at Ground Zero for six months (9/11/01-2/02). I had gotton to the point of having to stop. I just could not do this work anymore.
I have a number of ailments causing health problems for me. Could this have impacted CIDP?
I hope this gives you the information you ask about in your response. Cindy😃