Just thought I would throw this out there for anyone interested. I never watch TV, but just happened to turn it on to watch the show House, I believe it's called. And they, as usual, have some medical mystery causing severe problems in a person's life....always dramatic, and they always solve the puzzle. The usual. Anyway, they just figured out that a guy was in a coma for 10 years due to mercury toxicity...from working in a factory and being in a fire where the painted walls had mercury in them. Yes, drama and yet another hospital tv show.....I'm not really into it.....BUT, it's good to see mercury toxicity being put into mainstream awareness, even if it is a dramatic tv show that people may not take seriously. Better than nothing! Plus, the way pop culture has an effect on people, it's sadly more powerful than sick people talking about it.

~Tia

My husband and I are regular watchers of "House". The first season it started, he got hooked on the first couple of episodes and got me watching it. I do not watch a lot of TV either, but House is one of the few shows that I do watch. I am very interested in medical type shows, and I watch a lot of the Discovery Health Channel, also. I have always dreamed of having a group of doctors, like on House. They are so genuinely interested in a person's health, and they don't stop until they find out what the problem is. I know it's only a TV show, but it's too bad you don't find that kind of dedication in the real world.

Anyway, my husband is on second shift now, so I am having to tape the shows we watch, and we watch them at a later time. My 16 year old daughter was watching House tonight, and I was on the computer, trying to ignore it, so I can watch it later with Hubby. My daughter says, "Mama, you won't believe this, they are talking about mercury poisoning on House". I then turned and watched a little of it, but I have to admit I can't wait to watch it all the way through. I told my daughter, even though it may not be the same WAY that I have mercury poisoning, it might spark some interest for some people, and I am glad that they are getting the word out there. So many people don't believe something like this can happen to someone. Even if it is not shown in the form that I aquired it, I am thankful that they showed this episode!!!

My mom always told me to NEVER break a thermometer, and NEVER to bite on it, when she was taking my temperature. One time I asked her why, and she told me because it is poison. I remember thinking to myself, if there is poison inside, then why am I putting it in my mouth? I also remember hearing to never rinse one off in hot water after you were done, but at the time it didn't make sense to me. If someone was sick and had it in their mouth, but you don't rinse it off good in hot water, won't the next person catch the sickness? No one ever told me why. Which just sparked a memory in my mind (It is hard to spark memories much anymore, I am suffering terrible memory loss), I remember BREAKING a thermometer once. I ran it under hot water, and I have a vague memory of it busting. I don't know if vapor came out, but I'm sure it did. Oh my God that is scary, but I wasn't thinking when I did it. You know why? Because no one REALLY told us what MERCURY could do!!! I knew it was bad, but I thought if it was in our everyday items, like thermometers, that it couldn't be THAT bad. That is what people are thinking about our fillings, aren't they? It all goes back to a lack of information, and the brainwashing of our society.

I'm sorry I got on my soapbox. I am just really happy that they showed this, and if it gets ONE more person interested in finding out about mercury poison, then all the better.

I am glad you posted this, and you are RIGHT:

If I hadn't known about it, but my symptoms were similar and I had watched this show, I would be on the internet right now trying to find out all I could. Let's hope some people are doing just that!