I wrote a Letter to My mother today

I wrote a Letter to my Mother today, I have been writing her everyday to tell her of my ongoing struggle. I reread it and felt it was good and powerful. I want to share it here (also I am posting this at my myspace blog space)...

"So far I cant tell you if it did any good.

About 4pm yesterday it was so humid I had to turn on the A/C. It took over an hour before it started to get cool. After I got home at 1130pm from work, Nicky told me there was the Cigarette Smoke & Odor in the Bedroom. That made me really mad and frustrated. I cursed and yelled and cried. I really had hoped that somethings would change for the better. We turned off the A/C and I closed all the vents again and blocked the returns with pillows again.
Nicky got really horse in her throat and that burning came back in her chest/throat. I Opened all the Windows again and turned on all the fans back to high. It even felt 2x as strong in the hallway as before. The smell in the hallway is even more Acrid. Its just disgusting. No one in their right mind could say, Oh I don't notice anything. Fortunately the Sheets we hung up have kept the Toxic Smell from coming into the Living Room and Kitchen as much as it did before. But theres no Way of telling what crap is crossing through that we cannot smell... crap that is still cause us both harm.

So I think you are Right. Air Ducts are the Magic thing. Somehow, Someway, our Ducts are tied to other ones or there is a significant blockage or something interferring with them. Because when the downstairs neighbors use their Exhaust fan in their Laundry Room or Brathrooms, the Shit comes into our Laundry Room and Bathrooms. When they Use their A/C and we try to use our A/C, there is a crossover somewhere and the Shit is forced into our bedroom and other areas we thought we were able to block off.

Every single Night, for some reason, the Smell, the Odor, the burning in our throats, our noses, the sneezing the headaches get worse after 10pm. EVery single night it seems like those 3 people down there are Smoking even more. Its just unfathomable to me HOW these people can even smoke... I cannot for the life of me UNDERSTAND how anyone who smokes can continue to smoke.

I always thought I was pretty tough. Before I usually could deal with being around a friend or coworker outside who was smoking. Shoot I even used to not have too many problems when I was at a Bar. I never liked the Smoking sections in Restaurants because thats when I am trying to eat.

I almost laughed in the Maintenance guys face yesterday when he said it didnt smell to bad in my hallway. THE GUY IS A SMOKER. HE HAS NO SENSE OF SMELL LEFT!!!!! Then he has the audacity to tell me the guys downstairs are really trying to be neighborly, they got Glade plug ins and air fresheners. EXCUSE ME, a Glade Plug In does not DESTROY Cigarette SMOKE! I for one can attest to that.

I am so torn right now. I think about my brother Karl. and I pray to God he can quit Smoking. I don't dare talk to him about or I face being Preached too or worse, he could decide to Cut off communications with me.

Love, Luke

P.S. If I knew that Fountain Park Management gave a Damn about us, If I knew that They would do something other than telling us they cant, then I'd suggest to them that they move the downstairs neighbors elsewhere.
But I know, already, Ms. Mary Rogers, the Apartment Manager already told us the Building 9 is the only Smoke Free building in the complex. Which suggests to me, She thinks WE SHOULD MOVE. What she Doesn't KNOW is WE ARE GOING TO MOVE... WE ARE GOING TO MOVE OUT OF FOUNTAIN PARK NOVI FOR GOOD! Somehow, Someway, As God as my witness, We will Move out of Fountain Park. I can only hope and wish and pray that were we move to is a New Home in a New place where we can afford it."