Indiana Mom Devastated by Mystery Illness Finally Learns the Truth Thanks to Home Contractors

An Indiana woman who suffered from a mysterious illness that left her with extreme fatigue for 10 years is finally bouncing back to good health, thanks to the construction workers who determined its cause and gave her life back.

As a result of her condition, Kathi Wilson, 41, of Shelbyville, was left walking like an elderly woman with the help of a cane. The condition left her and her family baffled.

Her symptoms were similar to that of the flu — malaise, muscle ache, fatigue — which only became more debilitating over time.

"Over the years it kept getting worse and worse," her daughter, Ashley, told Inside Edition. 

Even her doctor, Mary Beth Hensley, couldn't figure out what was making Wilson so sick. The woman tried many medications and specialists ran all sorts of tests, but all turned up nothing.

"[She had] cardiac testing, chest x-rays, MRI’s [of] the brain, the spine, to see if something was related," Dr. Hensley said. "I felt we were very thorough, but didn't come up with a solution."

In the end, it was a team of home construction workers — hired to remodel Wilson's bathroom — who figured out the cause.

It turned out that the furnace and water heater in her home were not properly installed and leaking small amounts of carbon monoxide, the clear, odorless gas known as the silent killer.

"I was shocked," Wilson told Inside Edition. 

In no time, the contractors fixed the connections and she is now bouncing back with renewed energy, although her voice is still weak from the decade-long ordeal. 

"I feel great," she said. "I haven’t been this happy in I can’t tell how long."

Wilson has nothing but appreciation for the contractors who made a diagnosis, telling them “I want to thank you guys for giving me my life back.”

Experts say every home should have a carbon monoxide detector placed about five feet from the ground and near bedrooms, since the danger is greatest while you're asleep. 

RELATED STORIES