For over 30 years I was in Fire & Water damage Restoration and related fields.I am [ADHD](http://steem.link/dENrQ) and when I was a child they didn't know what that was.

After about 3rd grade I stopped understanding and felt stupid as I would always be the, "stupid one", in the class.Finally, after being pushed through the 8th grade, (so the same teachers wouldn't have to deal with me again), I quit school. Never once, did we receive a phone call from the school or any law enforcement officials. (That... I didn't have a problem with)! As a matter of fact, I was the kid who would spend his life in prison. Here I am at 59 and have never been in any trouble! (I guess I showed them)! lol

Shortly after, around the age of 14, a friend that worked for an apartment complex in maintenance came home telling me about a new machine, in which (http://www.jokesclean.com)/OneLiner/PhyllisDillerJokes.php that had just come out. His company bought one and he was telling me that this machine would make old, nasty carpet look brand new.

He also told me that guys were getting 25-40 dollars cleaning the carpet in 1 apartment and it only took about an hour to do the work!

One thing I could do is add, subtract, multiply and divide!

Back in the early 70's that was a fortune, so.....I begged, pleaded, pleaded and begged my parents to co-sign a bank loan for $2500.00.

I kept being told no,no,no but to me that meant, not right now. I was and always have been a hard worker with great tenacity and I can relate with and talk to people.

Finally, one day the phone rang and it was an apartment manager a few blocks away. She told me she was going to give me a shot! She also, years later told me that the apartment she tried me out on was scheduled to have the carpet replaced because it was so nasty! When she came to look at it she was shocked because it looked new! ( no matter what, I've always tried to do my very best at any task at hand). She then proceeded to give me a list of apartments to clean!

Years later I went to college majoring in music. I had a 3.4 GPA but was tired of being broke as I had gotten burned out cleaning carpet and sold the company for chump change.. However, I didn't finish college because I was tired of being broke all of the time.

I went to work off shore for a while, saved some $ and went back into the carpet cleaning business.

The following year, we had a major freeze causing broken pipes, flooded homes, buildings,etc. everywhere. After about a month, I had around $30,000.00 in the bank and all of my bills were paid and my equipment was paid for. So.....I was rich! Back then that was a lot of money, especially to a kid that had been raised with very little money. My parents didn't have money but they had maintained good credit.

After the freeze I told one of the guys working with me, and I quote, "screw the carpet cleaning, this is what we need to be doing"!

I started to attend various classes and ended up certified in carpet, fine fabric cleaning, fire and water damage restoration, odor control, oriental rug cleaning and mold remediation as well as other related area's.

I always loved that business but after the black mold in Texas was basically removed as a covered loss by most insurance policies I decided to sell the company because the stress had begun to take it's mental and physical toll.

I've always wanted to get back into the business as a ministry, but being a single Dad with minors still at home would be too much of a strain on my girls.

Soooo.......................I've decided to start posting tips for people who may be the unfortunate victim of a flood or fire. The knowledge I have is invaluable to a person in that situation. And always know, If you ever need to contact me,I'm only a phone call away. If it's always about the $, then you're heart's just not in the right place.

Have a Blessed day,

(http://steem.link/dENrQ/qr)

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