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Canadian woman battling crippling disease caused by pigeon poop —The Globe and Mail 2/16/16 10:40 AM <br />Ms. Richards said the symptoms started with a migraine headache that wouldn't go away. She was admitted to hospital on <br />Feb. 10 after many days of intense head pain. Shortly after, she went into a coma -like state. <br />"When I woke up I thought I had a mask over my eyes, but I was wrong. I was blind. I was recently told that I will be blind for <br />the rest of my life. This is a tough thing for a 23 -year-old to go through. ... My world crumbled around me." <br />Ms. Richards said the odds of surviving the disease are 50-50. <br />"However, I managed to make it through," she said, battling tears. "I don't know how but I am still here, and I am glad <br />because I get to warn everyone else of this." <br />Cristin Muecke, the Health Department's regional medical officer, confirmed the disease is often associated with pigeon <br />droppings. She said the illness can't be spread person to person and is more common with someone who has immune <br />problems. <br />Ms. Richards, however, said she has never had a problem with her immune system and that's what's so puzzling about <br />contracting the affliction. <br />"I do not want anyone else to suffer this agonizing disease and I ask anyone who is feeding pigeons to stop," she said. "It's not <br />just a matter of keeping your neighbourhood clean ... it's a matter of keeping people healthy." <br />Follow us on Twitter: @globeandmail[hitps://twitter.comn/@globeandmail] <br />„Next Story <br />Former UN chief Boutros Boutros -Ghali dies at 93 <br />Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016 10:414AM EST <br />Swift wins Album of the Year <br />Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016 10:12AM EST <br />http://www.thegiobeandmall.com/news/national/canadian—woman—battling—crippling—disease—caused—by—pigeon—poop/article577526/ Page 2 of 7 <br />