Dear Council Members,
My name is Ann =
Wirtz. My=20
family resided in the Forward Wind Turbine Project for well over =
a year,=20
just shy of 2 years. We lived at this same residence for over a =
decade=20
prior to the turbines being constructed.
I am going to =
tell you=20
what was like to live there after the turbines went up. I wasn`t =
happy=20
about them being built. But I did feel if they were going to be =
built,=20
someone surely knew it would be ok. After all, in America, they =
wouldn`t=20
allow anything this bad to be placed around peoples home. That =
was my=20
honest belief going into it. I was very open minded about it =
after I=20
realized there was nothing we could do to stop them from being =
built.=20
I remained open minded about it the first days they were =
spinning. I was shocked at the noise. I was surprised to see how =
nervous=20
and jumpy my docile alpaca`s were. But yet I told myself that we =
just=20
needed to get use to it.
I questioned my doctor shortly =
after=20
the turbines were spinning, "could the turbines be why suddenly =
I am so=20
tired and yet unable to sleep?"
I still remained open =
minded not=20
realizing it surely was the turbines impacting our lives. =
The=20
first times my then 16 year old daughter complained of stomach =
aches, I=20
thought it was nothing more than the "usual 16 year old stomach =
ache".=20
These stomach aches grew increasingly worse. For a time she =
would leave=20
every other weekend to spend time with her dad. Every time she =
was gone=20
for the weekend she came back home feeling pretty well. In a day =
or two=20
after being home she again started with stomach aches. Again I=20
questioned my doctors about living near the wind turbines. =
Eventually=20
her health took such a toll. She lost all her strength. Once so =
athletic=20
that she played varsity basketball as a freshman, she didn`t =
have the=20
strength to make it through any day without the need for a nap =
and lying=20
on the couch curled in a ball. She had been a "social butterfly" =
up to=20
this point having plans every weekend with her friends. Now I =
had to=20
watch her stay home most nights because she didn`t feel well and =
was so=20
tired. Eventually she had a colonoscopy done that found she had =
ulcers=20
all the way through her intestines.
For me personally, =
my sleep=20
got even worse. I would go to bed completely exhausted. I would =
fall=20
asleep and awaken in only an hour or sometimes even less. I =
would lay=20
there and not know why I couldn`t sleep. This went on for =
months. While=20
lying awake I would hear the sound of the turbines spinning. My =
thoughts=20
would follow the rhythm of the turbines. I tried adjusting my =
position=20
in bed. I tried covering my head with another pillow. I tried =
wearing=20
ear plugs to bed. I would get up to read in hopes that after a =
bit I=20
would be so tired that I`d just naturally fall asleep when I =
went back=20
to bed. I would walk around and try to tire myself even more. I =
would=20
try to stay up later than my exhausted body could stand in hopes =
that=20
when I did fall asleep I would stay sleeping. I tried over the =
counter=20
sleep aides. I tried prescription sleep medicine. Nothing ever =
worked.=20
Most and I mean most nights I was lucky to get more than 1-3 =
hours of=20
sleep. I got lucky every now and then but very few nights. When =
the wind=20
was heavy the sound was really bad. In light winds I would feel =
a=20
pressure that I couldn`t stand. I eventually felt like the house =
was=20
vibrating. It would make me feel nauseas. These later feelings =
of=20
vibrations and pressure didn`t start until after I had been =
exposed to=20
the turbines for some time. Eventually in the last 9 months of =
living in=20
our home before we left it, I slept on a couch in our living =
room. The=20
pellet stove that had a blower fan on it seemed to somewhat =
lesson the=20
pressure and vibrations I felt. But again, most nights I still =
got very=20
minimal sleep. I use to try all kinds of deep breathing =
techniques. I=20
use to lay there and think sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep and only =
try to=20
clear my mind for sleep. I would lay there and try to block the=20
vibrations and pressure I would feel. But usually, even this was =
very=20
unsuccessful.
I had always had a faced paced life, being =
a mom=20
of four and working a full-time job. I now was unable to cope =
with all I=20
had to do being completely exhausted. There were days I could =
not think=20
clearly. I had always multi tasked and now found myself barely =
able to=20
function to the simplest of every day tasks.
For a long =
time I=20
felt like no one could understand what I was living with. I =
don`t need=20
to ask anyone ever again, "could it be the wind turbines we are =
living=20
by?" There is no one in the world who can tell me it wasn`t. We =
moved=20
away. I have slept well since. My daughter has improved greatly. =
Her=20
ulcers are gone. Today since we have left and I have talked =
about it, I=20
finally know there are other people who are going through this. =
I have=20
cried with them.
I am begging you to put a stop to this. =
Wind=20
turbines are unhealthy for people. Not everyone exposed will =
have the=20
same reaction; I saw this within my own family. But, some people =
will.=20
You`re just rolling the dice, to find out who is affected by low =
frequency. No one should be forced to take that chance. If you =
want to=20
allow turbines, then they CAN NOT be placed where people live, =
work and=20
go to school. Stop it before it is too late for many other=20
families. |