I Was Exposed at Rocky Mountain Arsenal

The following is a personal story submitted to Civilian Exposure and published as part of our new series: “Contamination Chronicles: Personal Stories of Exposure”. If you would like to submit your story, you may fill out our form here or send directly via email to share-@-civilianexposure.org.

I need to find help. I was exposed at Rocky Mountain Arsenal. My uniform was orange but turned to blue when I was exposed. RMA gave me a case number, but no one contacted me to tell me how serious and dangerous it was. I am suffering for over 35 years living in hell & pain.

I was exposed to chemical warfare (probably Agent Orange) while working for Shell chemical at Rocky Mountain Arsenal (US ARMY) in the early ’70s.  It took years to find out. I went for years with severe pain and more plus a dozen misdiagnoses as bipolar or schizophrenic, neurosyphilis, TB, fibromyalgia, and many more. Now doctors say that I never was any of these things!!! One doctor told me “sue me…I made a mistake”, as now my diagnosis are:

• Cancer – Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma.
• Macular Degeneration with progressive loss
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Autoimmune Condition – unspecified
• Chronic Neuropathic pain
• Fever of unknown origin – intermittent
• Multiple recurrent Renal Calculi
• Chronic Renal Insufficiency
• Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
• Gastroesophageal Reflux DIsease
• Chronic fatigue
• Incontinence

My skin is very red and feels like on fire and piling. I am in severe pain and cannot go on much longer without help. I have been to Cedar Sinai, Glendale Adventist, USC, Stanford…no one understands or helps. Every part of my body is affected. I am in severe pain most of the time. I have even become allergic to water!!!!!

I cannot find help at this time. I take Restoril for sleep, Demerol injection for pain, Dupixent every 2nd week, Tylenol for fever, and Ataraxic for the aching and burning of my skin.

Note from the Editor: The account/editorial is verbatim from the author without edit, with only the omission of their name to preserve anonymity.