Oil and Gas in Northern Michigan

Ah Northern Michigan, the long forgotten part of the state that alerted a lot of you to the dangers of the oil and gas industry. We (2 of us) felt that if we can help one person we have done our job and look how many we have helped. It is truly a blessing.
Yes, I am a casualty of the oil and gas industries alleged illegal activities. My life was nearly sniffed out and my children and I and John lost everything.
We lived downwind from an sour crude (though they denied it until we found the paperwork) offloading facility. Downwind 6 out of 7 days of the week. We were becoming ill and had no idea why. In fact oil has been prevalent in No. Mich. hot & heavy since the 80's. One day one of the roofs on one of the 150,000 storage tanks gave way. It was full of sour crude and when the roof collapsed on a full tank the H2S, or hydrogen sulfide went up and downwind. No warnings, no nothing. The DEQ, Department of Environmental Quality just brushed us off.
I was to the point of near death if I didn't get out of the area. My doctors' all agreed, I needed to leave Michigan, which has one of the worst air quality in the nation or take an experimental shot twice a month to have a fighting chance. Since finding out after stopping those "shots" after 9 months that they left me with side affects that will not go away as well as the affects of the chemicals we were exposed to: Tolulene, Benzene, Glycols, more than I can remember.
Oh yes, I also had a stroke from all this.
Can we find a lawyer, no way, we have been thru dozens. So we have lost all, my home, my security, my family and eventually my husband and I am left with more health problems than I can deal with. Through all this nightmare I met a wonderful man who does not get overwhelmed with my health and sensitivity to chemicals. Well, maybe some days but so do I.
We had Senator Stabenow, Congressman Stupak, Rep. at the time Matt Gillard and loads of DEQ, EPA people helping us. After 4 years of fierce fighting and losing our husbands the 2 wives fight on. Not as vigorous as we used to but we try.
Any type of chemical smell can bring me to the floor. I don't want to lose another wonderful man because of my health and I am clinging to hope that he will hang in there with me because with him life is great! Just a few things have to be fixed or altered to accommodate my health. I'm so afraid of losing him.
Lewiston, Michigan is on the Niagaran Reef and the Antrim Shale, oil and natural gas, aren't we lucky. So many alleged illegal activity with no regard for the people who live nearby. We were told we were the "sacrificial lambs" for the better good. OH PLEASE.
I write off the cuff so to speak. I thank all of you for keeping me updated on the situations throughout the country and we need to remember Northern Michigan also!!
Jaime Long
Citizens Against Environmental Destruction