An Exhausting Day
Yesterday was exhausting...First we had to go pick up a water heater. Going into home improvement places and hardware stores is always a big challenge for people with MCS because of all the fumes from paints, solvents, carba chemicals, etc. I have found, though, that if I go to the front desk and explain my situation, they are generally more than happy to have someone go get the product or products I need so that I don't have to take a chance on collapsing in their aisles. But there was still some exposure involved in just going in and paying for the item.
Then off to Walmart to get two new tires mounted. Tire and lube centers--another of the worst possible places to go. Tires, like most black rubber products, let off fumes of carba chemicals, which are a big trigger for me. Since I was already off to a bad start, and since the Walmart we went to was doing a lot of remodeling inside, I couldn't walk around in there. And I certainly couldn't hang around the tire and lube center. So Jamie and I grabbed something to eat and waited at a comfortable distance outside. Of course, there were still fumes to contend with when we went in to pay.
Then off to get a new muffler and tailpipe--more auto repair fumes. Normally I would have spread these tasks out over several days, but they all needed to be done right away. Last night I felt awful, and I am still feeling the effects today, but I keep reminding myself how far I have come to be able even to leave the house to take care of these things on my own. Several years ago I would have fallen over convulsing at the first bit of fumes.
This brings up a few questions, which I will be addressing soon. How much should people with chemical sensitivities shield themselves from exposures? Can a chemically-sensitive person do their own shopping, and if so, how?
© Dorothy Herrmann 2009
