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| Last updated at 11:42 PM on 03/08/07 |
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he only peace Joanne March-Laberge gets these days is when she’s in secluded, natural areas away from the electromagnetic fields that intensify the symptoms of her suspected case of electrical hypersensitivity.
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City woman believes to be suffering from electrical hypersensitivity 
CHRIS QUIGLEY
The Western Star
Joanne March-Laberge was supposed to be enjoying this phase of her life.
A woman who loves people and the outdoors, March-Laberge, 48, was quite content to relax and enjoy all the things Corner Brook has to offer now that her daughter had moved on to university and she had no real direct commitments to speak of.
Then suddenly, in November of last year, that carefree lifestyle she sought was abruptly taken away.
March-Laberge believes she’s suffering from electrical hypersensitivity (EHS) — a chronic illness triggered by exposure to electromagnetic fields, which are waves of energy emitted by all electrical sources, power lines, appliances and radio/radar/microwave transmitters such as cellphones. Those who develop EHS have a physiological disorder characterized by neurological and idiopathic or allergy-type symptoms.
“It all depends what kind of sensitivity you have,” she told The Western Star. “It’s mimicked by a lot of diseases out there and the problem is a lot of doctors can’t explain it or won’t diagnose it, and I’ve been through an ordeal in Corner Brook.”
She said she underwent numerous tests of every kind from her doctor as he looked for answers, but when everything came back negative, she claims all she was told was it was either anxiety, depression or menopause. Even mercury poisoning from the fillings in her teeth was considered, but nothing seemed to match exactly what was wrong with her.
Eventually she decided to try her luck in St. John’s, where she visited a naturopathic doctor who first suggested the possibility of EHS. That was when some of the pieces began to fall into place.
“I had never even heard of EHS before,” she said. “How can you determine that you have a reaction to electricity or radiation from the phone? But you don’t make that up.”
With that slight bit of information, March-Laberge began a quest for knowledge regarding EHS, researching symptoms, causes and potential cures with varying results. She even gave up wearing her glasses and switched to contact lenses after reading that the wire framing of the glasses acted as a conductor for the electric energy which was giving her so many problems. The condition dries out the eyes, however, so contacts are only good for so long and she’s unsure if she can get laser eye surgery.
She recently discovered a ray of hope, in the form of a hospital in Toronto that diagnoses the condition.
There are other potential destinations in Ottawa and Montreal, but hasn’t made any plans for a trip to the mainland yet. Even a journey from St. John’s to Corner Brook on a bus for a family reunion, which she’s currently in town for, was a near-unbearable experience for her in this day and age of portable DVD players and iPods.
“I get a lot of headaches and ear aches and it has affected my nervous system,” she said. “Just being around cellphones or any electronic devices... it’s almost like someone with asthma being trapped in a room full of perfumes and just told to deal with it.”
March-Laberge is still unsure if her condition can ever be fully cured, but she refuses to let it control her life completely.
“My doctor in St. John’s told me, if it’s EHS, it isn’t going to kill me so I just have to try to remain active and positive,” she said. “I just wanted to get this story out there and maybe even help one person who might be going through this and who are being told they’re depressed or just stuck in a hospital bed not knowing what’s going on.”
She said there are certain things she misses about her life before her affliction took over, but the former Sobeys employee said not being able to do something as simple as getting up to go to work in the morning might be the most painful part.
“I really miss working — and working with the public especially,” she said. “It’s been a big adjustment to have to deal with and it’s going to take some time.”
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04/08/07
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