Reports symptoms near masts, Wi-Fi and electric buses, loss of employment and restricted family visits, a…

I am writing this in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. My name is Carol Franks and I live in the UK. I am responding as an individual who suffers debilitating symptoms with exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am sure that, from all the studies and evidence gathered by independent bodies that we are all affected, but some of us are noticeably physically affected and this is very restricting on life style. Tests that my general practitioner had carried out, for the symptoms, showed no other reason for the nose bleeds, heart-rate changes, rashes; pains about my body and head; fatigue; nausea/digestive reactions among other symptoms particularly when in the vicinity of masts or mobile phones. The rashes especially from ankles up to knee can occur after riding on electric buses. They can last for up to a week and I find I need to refrain from riding on electric buses or being near Wi-Fi for up to that time as I feel unwell along with the rashes. If I ride on a longer journey on an electric bus with all the mobile phones of passengers or short journeys 2 days running I am unwell with symptoms of nausea and digestive issues the following day that cease if I remain at home without Wi-Fi. My life has been restricted since I had to give up my job several years ago because of the debilitating symptoms working with Wi-Fi. I am affected by all electricity, but can be on a wired computer for up to one hour without debilitating symptoms. I can have no Wi-Fi in the house. This, of course, has affected my husband, too, with living with me and my ability to live a normal family life with my daughter and family. She has Wi-Fi in her house and I can only stay for a short time and can’t visit her too often. She is aware, but uses a smart phone and I need to sit away in the conservatory when I visit her, but I still get symptoms afterwards. Two examples of experiences that were in the diary kept for my doctor are: The first was when I was walking to visit my Father. I was with my husband and we were chatting and walking through a hedge-lined lane about 2 miles from my home when suddenly all my energy started to drain from my body and I felt scared because I thought I was going to fall. My husband caught me to support me. I said to him, ‘I can’t understand it because I was feeling fine until now’. He replied ‘There is a mast just around the corner.’ There was a z bend in the lane so this was not visible from where we were with the high hedges. I replied, ‘I didn’t know that, show me where’ He said, ‘It is disguised as a tree.’ He continued, ‘I will help you to get past it and see if you feel better when we put some distance between us and the mast.’ We did so and as we walked further from the mast, my energy returned and I felt my strength return to finish the walk to see my father. The second example is: When we changed broadband providers, a new router was sent to us. My husband spoke to the company and asked if it could be wired not Wi-Fi, explaining why. The company assistant said it could be either and my husband said it must be wired as my wife is badly affected by Wi-Fi. My husband set it up when it arrived, but I didn’t know as I was out at the time. On returning, I went to use the computer. I was only working on it for about ten minutes when I started to feel quite ill – nauseous, dizzy, foggy in the head and disorientated. I felt frightened and anxious, so I told my husband. I said to him that I was going into the garden to see if I felt better and I did. I thought it could be the weather as I always felt slightly unwell before a storm, but this was much worse. I came back to my computer to carry on working, but this time I was only on it for a few minutes before the awful symptoms returned. I said to my husband that it must be something in the room. I indicated that I was going for a shower to see if that helped me. While I was in the shower, my husband called to me at the door saying that he thought he knew what the problem was – the new router. He said he had looked into it and he needed to go on to the Internet to de-activate the Wi-Fi. He said he would do that and when I came out of the shower, I could see if it was better. I went back to my computer again and I was on it for an hour and I was fine. I ask HHS to carefully evaluate experiences of people like me and the scientific evidence; identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to the young and other potentially vulnerable people. Please establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for reading my response.