MCS/EI Bloggers

MAY 11, '15 CHIT -CHAT- & CHATTER & MORE!!! HELLO- TO EVERYONE- YES- YOU GUESSED IT-- I AM WAY- WAY- WAY -WAY- BEHIND ON EVERYONE'S E-MAILS- CAN'T READ THEM ALL OR ANSWER THEM ALL- SO I JUST DELETED AGAIN!!! :) WE WILL START ALL OVER AGAIN!!!! :) PRETEND ALL IS WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I’m a creative, caring, Canadian, mother of two who became disabled and housebound from exposures to toxic chemicals allowed in everyday products and materials. In my case, the “straw that broke” my back was cheap carpeting installed on the floor below me... I developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Environmental Sensitivities (MCS/ES), Fibromyalgia, and eventually a side of Electromagnetic HyperSensitivity to wireless technologies (EHS or otherwise included in ES), tossed in just to make things more interesting (as the old Chinese curse goes). MS and adult onset, intermittent relapsing autism have also made appearances, along with probable toxic brain injury caused by gas leaks and a series of other unavoidable exposures. I’m sure I am forgetting a few other relevant diagnosies, but that’s to be expected from the cognitive issues experienced as a result of all of the above." A quote from Linda Sepp's blog, Seriously Sensitive to Pollution

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: My thoughts about MCS (by Catherine McIver)
This blog is © Catherine McIver 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine McIver and https://multiplechemicalsensitivity.wordpress.com/ with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

TILT, Toxicant Induced Loss of Tolerance, is another acronym for the illness also referred to as MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or EI, Environmental Illness. As a result of chemical injury during my 20s, exposure to low-level everyday chemicals now makes me ill. Despite my reactivity, I don’t usually feel all that “sensitive” but I do always feel like I am on TILT. Parenting two kids, who do not share my physical limitations, keeps me reaching beyond what I can comfortably do. I stumble and fall a lot, usually without the triumphant soundtrack to emphasize any graceful recovery or wisdom gained. So far, there’s always been a dark comedy soundtrack and another mud puddle to tilt into. Hopefully my stories can help other chemically injured folk avoid some of these metaphorical stumbling blocks and maybe even help some regular folk see why we’re TILTed over.

Author of Poisoned by Pollution, Anne Lipscomb is a former award-winning public relations manager who developed multiple chemical sensitivity in 1993, becoming one of a handful of workers in the U.S. to receive workers’ compensation for illness related to sick building syndrome. Having spent most of her childhood living in Africa, she then lived in France and India as an exchange student. After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, Anne moved to Seattle and worked in international trade. You can visit her amazing blog here

Life in the City with a Future is a blog written by Colleen, a teacher who had to leave work because she's sensitive to chemical irritants in fragrances. She lives and survives with a condition called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), and blogs about it. Her site is filled with spectacular photographs of nature and images captured on her travels through colour.

"They call me crazy Justin for a reason!" is the title of the blog written by Justin, an athlete and marathon runner who has MCS. Justin is pro-active about taking care of his health while practising science-based treatments for chemical sensitivity. He shares his adventures and tribulations over at They Call me Crazy Justin for a Reason

'In the Year 2001, a retired psychiatrist who was never board certified in any-thing stated: "Today, I am the media ." He repeatedly presented himself as an expert in medicine, nutrition, and law, while having zero experience as a practicing physician, no training in nutrition, and zero bar association membership.' A quote from an article about the evil MCS-denier, Stephen Barrett, from the concise and contentious blog, Blue Marble Album, written by Patrick Pontillo

"EVERY DAY, for hours on end, Amelia Hill sits inside her plain 4m x 4m room, its large galvanised-iron door closed against the outside world, and quietly plans her escape. She has no television, no radio, no computer, no books or magazines. She sleeps on a metal cot. Her only interaction with visitors — the few she gets — is through the single glass sliding door that last slid open many years ago, and which has long since been permanently shut... Amelia Hill is allergic to modern life." An extract from an interview with Amelia and SA Weekend Newspaper. You can read more here She is also on Instagram @AmazingAmeliaHill and on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/HealAmeliasLife

Miriam, has a backgroud in finance (BBus Hons) with further studies and self-education in health, fitness and sustainablity (Vicfit, Trager, Permaculture Design Certificate, alternative health management techniques, food as medicine, nutrition). Miriam developed (invisible) disabilities due to a chronic medical condition over 20 years ago forcing her into early retirement. You can visit her blog here

MASKED CANARIES serves as a clearinghouse of useful information for those who suffer from environmental illness--or have a relationship with someone who does--so that they can deal with the issues that affect their daily lives in their homes, workplace, public places, and neighborhoods. Health matters, the community matters, the environment matters. You can visit Masked Canaries here

"After exposure to severe mold in the workplace, I found myself unable to continue the life I once led. I was forced to quit work and give up many things that I cherished. At the time I became ill, I was a 45-year-old mother of two. The mold exposure sent me on a path of immune system dysfunction, severe depression and near financial ruin. I struggled with the loss of identity, loss of my independence and severe depression. In 2003 I began to write my book." Kathryn Treat's book, Allergic to Life: my battle for Survival, Courage and Hope, is a gold mine of information for people navigating through life while sensitive to mould and chemicals. Her blog, Allegictolifemybattle, stands testament to the courage and tenacity of the author and her struggles. Sadly, Treat passed away 21 December 2014. RIP!

Recovery from a chronic pain and fatigue syndrome or environmental illness that results in wide spread symptoms and impacts you psychologically can be difficult. Made more difficult if you do not have a map to guide you. That is what a Self Care Wellness Plan is.

Chemical Sensitivity...From the Beginning Sometimes I say that I've been sick with multiple chemical sensitivities for 14 years, since we built our home. It's true that 14 years ago is when I began to become aware of what was happening to me. But in truth, I can trace it back much farther than that. I want to be sound as a crystal. I remember a time when I seemed to be. But now my body reflects the damage done to our precious home, Earth. As the Earth is polluted, so is my body. I’m a living warning that our way of life hurts. I look forward to the time when the Earth is restored perfection.

The Allergy and Environmental Sensitivity Support and Research Association Inc. is a support group for people with allergies and sensitivities, particularly Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). It started in Melbourne and now has members around Australia. Reg. No. AOOO 6141S ABN 32 386 589 943 P.O.

ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc brings you Multiple Chemical Sensitivity News

My illness turned me into an environmentalist. I came to believe that I and others like me are canaries in the coal mine, our bodies the early warning systems signaling the dangers in the bad air of our chemically saturated culture.

The great lie of American individualism is that we alone bear responsibility for our illness. But I now subscribe to the feminist dictum, “The personal is political.” Something is wrong, and it’s making us sick. MCS and CFS are cautionary illnesses, asking us to wake up and pay attention.

Thus, this blog.

"When last we heard from our intrepid adventurer fortune was not favoring her, yet her spirit remained undaunted. Since I last posted a lot of respirators have seen their way through a stint of face time and into landfill." A quote from Masked Avengers website, which chronicles of the life and musings of a woman with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, containing links to useful information for fellow sufferers.

"Well, it's happened. For the last month every store in town has been out of my Kinnickinik rice bread. I loved that bread. It tasted wonderful when toasted lightly and was a good substitute for ppl like me who can't eat wheat." A quote from Zona's blog, where she gives an inside-out look into the mind of an incredibly intelligent --oops ok well maybe it's not intellegence but brain malfunction? --lady with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity aka Chemical Injury and how she copes (or doesn't) day to day with her CFS/FM/Mcs disabled husband and teenage daughter.

From Tuscan, Arizona, we have another blogger who has been injured by toxic mould, "I'm a physicist/engineer disabled by toxic mold. I'll be better in a couple years, but until then, when I feel good, I can get a little bored. For those of you who haven't seen it, a bored engineer can be a scary thing." If you have problems wearing new shoes because of the chemicals embedded in them, you need to read their posts on making their own shoes!

Outside the Matrix is a blog by Adrienne Coventry: "The theme of my page is inspired by the movie, The Matrix. This would have to be my all time favourite movie, that suddenly started to mean so much more to me after developing an environmental illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). So many quotes in the movie affected me so deeply that it may have played a major part in waking me up from my deep sleep... I hope that this blog works to raise awareness of this extremely debilitating illness, that is so far only recognised in six countries worldwide. MCS is yet to be formally recognised in Australia and America…..two of the most chemical dependent nations on the planet! Surprise surprise…. "

MCS help from the blog, Angelfire: "This site contains many links to safer products, non-toxic catalogs, and sites with information of interest to those with any sort of sensitivity to chemicals. Those with Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia may also benefit from using less toxic products. This is because all these illnesses are basically similar."

"A Journey from Lost to Alive My life had changed forever. I lived in a fog, with seemingly no way out. Doctors ran countless tests only to tell me that I was healthy. Despite being healthy life was far from normal. Before I heard the words Multiple Chemical Sensitivity I started to notice that I felt better in some places and worse in others. I asked, “What was going on?” It didn't seem to make sense that objects and places that don't affect others made me feel awful. I discovered that some clothing and personal care products could trigger reactions in me. There was hope, things could be avoided. I found a naturopath and a homeopath who had encountered people like me. I finally knew that I was not alone and there were treatments that would bolster my resistance. Today life is good, MCS has not gone away but I have learned how to control it and not always have it control me."

"Ten years ago I was diagnosed with MCS and told my only hope would be to limit my exposure to everyday chemicals and toxins. Eventually I realized I needed to reinvent myself if I wanted to survive, be able to work, be independent, and stop feeling so sick I wanted to die. I'm writing this blog to share what I've learned and hopefully, the blog will find others who will share their ideas and insights so we may all continue to grow and survive in the new lifestyles we have been forced to create."

Heather Awen has put together this wonderfully resourceful site: "Welcome -Advice to MCS Newbies -Guide for Friends/Family Resources (General MCS Information, Health Care Related Topics, Medical Research, Treatments Recommended by Canaries, Electromagnetic Sensitivity, Ink Intolerance & Toxic Dangers of Art Supplies, Housing/Camping & Automotive, House Care & Furnishings, Cleaning, Food Related Topics; Clothing, Shoes, Masks & Fabric/Yarn; Emotional Coping & Sensory Defensiveness, Socializing with MCS; Romance & Sex, Healthy Communication & Community Building, Activism & Educating Others, Legal Issues... "