I was sick all weekend again. I thought at first it was a headache brought on by back and neck problems. That’s what it felt like. But no amount of massage and traction from Tom helped much. Then I thought maybe it was a sort of low-grade virus or “background” migraine. But Saturday evening I was having some problems breathing, and the breathing problems seemed to make the headache worse. I took an antihistamine and it backed off the worst of it.
I had an inkling, but was so tired I just went to bed. In the morning I was better, but not “well.” And it got worse as the day wore on until I was dragging around the house. I cloistered myself in my office much of the time, trying to fill the time with surfing the ‘Net — something I don’t usually do.
And all of this with company!
And then company left, and I started to feel better — until by the time the kids were in bed I was up and doing again.
And then, I sat down on the sofa next to the bedding that was waiting to be put away from our guest… and I got sick again. Headache, breathing… all of it.
Not sick after all, but suffering through yet another chemical attack.
Was it the fabric softener, the laundry detergent, the soaps, shampoos, colognes? Any. All.
Something lingers in everything he touched or sat in or on. So I am washing, airing out, moving everything away from me today, until enough of it has dissipated and I am sufficiently de-tox’d that any residual is tolerable.
This is why I am so nervous about going places with crowds, especially situations where I am stuck in between. I hate airplanes, buses, trains because there is no escape. Concerts, movies, shows — I have left all of them, or moved my seat, because someone uses a substance that causes a reaction. There are times I don’t go into my yard because the neighbor is doing laundry and the exhaust from the dryer is toxic to me…
And even people who don’t use perfume per se are dripping in chemicals. Once, a woman in a grocery store reached past me to get to a shelf and I had such a strong reaction… she was appalled when I asked her to move away because of her perfume (apparently she didn’t think she had any on). Certainly my friend knows of my allergies, and yet neither of us considered that his clothing or soaps were causing my discomfort.
A change however — the last time I reacted to chemicals it made my skin burn. Is this an improvement or a set-back? I haven’t decided which reaction I prefer… but am leaning toward the burning skin. At least I could think straight!