Senator Fred Thompson Chairman
Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510Testimony of Janine L. Voner to Senator Fred Thompson Pertaining to the K-25 Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant Hearing on March 22, 2000
Dear Senator Thompson:
In 1978, I began my employment as an administrative assistant at the K-25 Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. When I began working at the K-25 Plant Site I was 25 years of age and in excellent health. It was not long after I started working there that my overall health began to change and I was experiencing health problems such as cluster migraines, cardiac arythmia, anxiety/panic attacks, severe memory loss, acute daily muscle and joint pain and swelling, night sweats, flushing of my ears, face and neck, intestinal problems, multiple ovarian cysts, multiple hemangiomas in my liver with the largest being 7.5 cm. in size, fibroid adnoma in my left breast, fibroid tumor in my uterus, reoccuring cystitis and nephrytis, diseased sublingual and submaxillary glands in the left side of my neck, constant swelling in my lympth nodes, reoccurring pneumonia and plurosy in my left lung as well as mild depression. For the past twenty years of my life I have gone from physician to physician, had numerous surgeries to remove glands, cysts, as well as fibroid tumors, endured constant physical therapy to include electrical cortisone injections for swollen and painful joints, and have undergone a myriad of medical testing and treatments.
In 1998, my health began to worsen and I began having crippling fluid on the back of both of my heels. My cluster migraines were no longer being controlled by medication or injections, I began having severe night sweats once again and my memory as well as my speech began to get worse along with my depression which my medication was not controlling. I had an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness and did not know where to turn as it seemed as though none of my physicians were able to diagnose the cause of my illnesses. On September 28, 1998, I began reading the front page of the Maryville Daily Times an noticed a headline: "Mysterious ailments uncovered around nation's nuclear facilities". The article told of scores of former and current workers at the Oak Ridge Nuclear Reservation that were suffering a pattern of unexplained illnesses. I consequently contacted Bob Poe at the DOE Oak Ridge office and asked him if he was familiar with any of these employee illnesses and if there were any organizations or groups that I might be able to contact to find out further information. Mr. Poe advised me that he was not aware of anything pertaining to sick workers in Oak Ridge and also that he knew of no one that I might contact regarding this. After talking with Mr. Poe I spoke with an employee at the DOE office and was advised to contact Sandra Reed at the Coalition for Healthy Environment. It was through this contact that I found out that there were many sick workers who were suffering from a variety of unexplained illnesses and health problems.
Subsequently I contacted the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge office and requested copies of my K-25 medical file be sent to me. After receiving my medical file I delivered it to my family physician for his review. I was then referred to a toxicologist for testing. My toxicology test results revealed that I had many heavy metal toxins in my body to include Mercury, Cadnium, Arsenic, Lead, Nickel, Thallium, Tin, Tungsten, Uranium, Cobalt and others. The test results also indicated that my entire immune system had been severly compromised due to the loss of necessary trace elements and minerals needed to keep my body in good health.
In February 2000, I was approved for Permanent Medical Disability by the Social Security Administration due to Chronic Fatigue Immune Difficiency Syndrome, Damage to Overall Nervous System, and Heavy Metal Toxicity. I own a small gift shop which supports my daughter and I now have full-time workers to run my store as I am physically unable to work. My current medical condition includes constant swelling in my lympth nodes, Chronic Epstein-Barre Virus, Chronic Fatique Immune Deficiency Syndrome, chronic bone and joint pain, cluster migraines, cardiac arythmia, severe memory loss and speech difficulties, constant fevers, severe fatigue, sleep and eating disorders, weakness in my arms and legs, constant upper abdominal pain, restless leg syndrome, constant chest pain, flushing of my ears, face and neck, and depression which comes and goes. On January 4, 2000, I participated in the Worker Health Protection Program for DOE Gaseous Diffusion Plants and had a physical exam in Knoxville, Tennessee. Last week I received my test results and have been advised that my LPT test for beryllium is now abnormal as well as testing weakly positive on one of the four bladder cancer screening tests. I have since had my third LPT test for beryllium sensitivity which was recently sent to National Jewish Hospital in Denver and have taken another set of bladder cancer tests thru this medical testing program. In 1999, I was sent to a neurologist at Erlanger Medical Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was advised that I have permanent damage to the sub-cortical area of my brain, damage to my overall nervous system, and a severely compromised immune system all due to chemical/toxic exposure.
My financial situation extremely stressful. I have doctor bills which I cannot pay and health insurance which will be cancelled in approximately one more year. My medication each month will cost me over $300 per month without insurance coverage and to pay the doctor bills will be impossible for me to do.
We need help. We need qualified physicians who are familiar with the effects that that heavy metals, toxins, and chemicals have on our bodies and what treatments would be appropriate for our illnesses and symptoms. We need health insurance to cover testing and treatment. We need financial assistance for those of us who are on Permanent Disability and are unable to work.
I would like to thank you for allowing me to submit this written testimony. My prayers are that our government will pass a fair and comprehensive Workers Compensation Program to include the assistance that we are so badly in need of.
Sincerely,
Janine L. Voner
1630 LeConte Drive
Maryville, Tennessee 37803
1(865)984-0786