Allergies and Respiratory Issues After Hurricane

Hey Ted! I'm not sure if you remember me but I read many of your Earth Clinic posts and emailed you long time ago concerning my hair problem and you offered very valuable information that I am grateful of. I have another question for you and I know you are a busy guy so I won't take up too much of your time but I am in dire need of an explanation for my mother's respiratory problems. I will cut right to the chase - My mother has been suffering from some form of allergy/respiratory problems and doctors have been treating her with steroids even though I believe they are not exactly sure what's going on. This problem all started when Hurricane Ike struck our town (in Texas) in 2006. There's no doubt in our mind that something foreign blew in from the hurricane Ike storm because her problems started after the hurricane when she went outside to pick up loose branches and debris without any mask on. The hurricane came in off the coast of Africa and probably blew in foreign dust, allergies, and whatnot.

She's been having trouble breathing since then and is constantly coughing up congestion in her lungs. It comes up thick and sort of beige color. When it rains she usually struggles with her breathing even if she doesn't get wet. The doctor has her own steroids and they did a lung test betting she had fungus on her lungs and didn't find anything on her lungs. The doctors told her, her lungs are fine but she has a very high sensitivity to allergies (but that was never the case until after the hurricane), and they also said the humidity levels affect her respiratory problems too. Most doctors in our area don't think outside the box. They are forever treating her symptoms but they cannot find the culprit. Other factors that you may want to know about are: The weather is very humid down here, we live around a bunch of Industrial Plants, lots of animals in the area (farm animals and domestic), and she used to smoke many many years ago. I'm so desperate for any direction that you can offer at this point as I am sad to see my mother suffering from this for 7 years now. I hope to see the day she can work in her garden and enjoy outside weather. Thanks for any help you can offer!!!