Re: Update - curtains in Phoenix

[Guest guest]

Corky,

I just came across your post and someone mentioning my name,

and that there may be multiple reasons for your reactions.

My suspicion, as it appears most others have already noted, is

that the " dust " on the sheers triggered your new onset of

reactions. I'd follow what members have told you off-list because

they've been through this.

What I may add is three points which may help to understand

what you continue to experience.

The " dust " which settled out of the air and onto the sheers will be

composed of a lot of different kinds of particles, not just one. So

you were exposed to all of them. Individually and in combination.

With your level of sensitivity you will now react to any one of

them, individually or in combination, no matter where they are.

There is no longer a single exposure or a single location. There

are many.

The " dust " on the sheers was already on other surfaces in the

house, not just on the shears. It just accumulated to a higher

level on the sheers and you got directly exposed to it there. Now

that your sensitivity has been triggered you can expect to react to

the " dust " which was already on other surfaces or in any other

locations including outside of your house.

The " dust " on the sheers did not stay on the sheers as you put

them in the bag and hauled them away. Some of the " dust "

became airborne and stayed in the house where it will again

settle onto other surfaces (cross-contamination). It also got on

your hair, face, and clothes. It's good you wore gloves but the rest

of your skin was exposed and I don't remember seeing anything

about a mask or respirator or wearing removable protective

clothing.

All of which accounts for why you are continuing to react even

after the sheers were removed and taken to the dumpster. A

trigger exposure. Removal of only one of several sources. Cross-

contamination of the house and on your body.

Understanding the above will help in cleaning the house or how to

prevent taking the " dust " with you to other houses or locations.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

>

> Since the sheers and drapes were on everyone's `hit list', yesterday I took

down the sheers (with gloves on),

> put them in a bag and took them and the drapes to the dumpster. Shortly after

returning home my skin was

> crawling bad, even my scalp, which indicates the sheers are the source of my

symptoms. I also opened the

> front door and all windows, put on the swamp cooler blower to air out the

house but that did not seem to

> help, pollution in the house makes me ill, too.

>

> At 4 AM today I awoke, not sure if the burning is a little worse or the same,

but I now have the burning under

> the bone below the neck, plus the skin on my legs and arms are burning. I

remembered my dr. had me take

> Tylenol (325 mg) for those months last year when the replumbing at work for

made my gums raw red and the

> burning throat, etc., so I started on the Tylenol today. If not better on Mon

I will make an appt with the dr.

> She, of course, always tells me to leave the house but nowhere to go, yadda,

yadda. If it were not for the

> pollution I would stay outside by day, and in my truck by night.

>

> I was too tired/weak yesterday to climb up and wash the window, got to do that

today and hope that helps,

> plus try to clean out the dryer drum, not sure if I should use 7th Generation

dish liq and many rinses with

> just water.

>

> I got a lot of responses and thanks to all for your input.......Corky

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your input Carl.  This seems like a nightmare.  Yesterday I took

Tylenol, since my dr. last year told me to when the replumbing at work was

making my gums raw red, burning my throat, skin, etc.  Today I do feel better

except for that part (? wind pipe & under the bone below the wind pipe).  I was

not itching today but sure am now-- am on the computer in the spare

(contaminated) room.

 

I am hoping that whatever is in the air dissipates with time.  I wanted to wash

all my curtains in the house but will wait.  My bedroom was next on my to do

list-- terrified to wash them as my bedroom (w/door closed) is my sancturary,

air better there.

 

There is a stink of something in the air here, and it does not help that

maintenance here sprays & reseeds the huge, park-like area in front of my mobile

home.  The park-like area separates my house from the ones across the street. 

My neighbor on the side of the house where my spare room is uses Round Up a lot

for his weeds.  He had termites 2-1/2 yrs ago, put Home Depot plugs around the

house, and also used a spray around the outside of his house, may have done it

recently, too.

 

When I did my master bathroom carpet with Woolite 2-1/2 yrs ago, I was forced

out of the house for 9 months.  Every few months the fumes seemed to lessen in

strength.  (that was when I spent my non-working hours in my pickup)   So,

hopefully, whatever is in the air now will fade with time, too.

 

I have been opening the windows and front door all the way to get an exchange of

air since this problem with the sheers ( & ???), notice the air outside is foul,

usually is.  We MCSrs were born in the wrong century-- our environment has been

poisoned on all fronts.

 

So glad I found these groups!!!

[Guest guest]

>I don't know if anyone mentioned this or not but could you get rid of your

carpeting altogether? I had to rip up all the carpeting in my house because I

could not be in a room with carpeting without having my eyes burn and getting a

migraine.

It DID seem like a nightmare! That's a really perfect word for this. But I just

have to tell you it will get better. It took me over 2 years but slowly I hunted

out every bad thing in my house (wearing an eye mask in the house for the whole

time!). The day I could sit in my kitchen without a mask was so emotional I

wanted to cry.

Again-I don;t know if anyone mentioned this too but go to Home Depot and get

yourself an eye mask and a face mask. It will help protect you as you clean up.

The truth is you shouldn't be doing the cleaning yourself at all but then

sometimes nobody will help, right? And then it will always be hard to clean-I

have someone helping me clean once a week now and I know the day after I will

suffer a bit from the minute bit of dust that got stirred up! So upsetting.

I still use the eye mask in places like movie theaters where I can't control the

environment but I'm better generally because my home is safe now.

Good Luck! Surella

> Thank you for your input Carl.  This seems like a nightmare.  Yesterday I took

Tylenol, since my dr. last year told me to when the replumbing at work was

making my gums raw red, burning my throat, skin, etc.  Today I do feel better

except for that part (? wind pipe & under the bone below the wind pipe).  I was

not itching today but sure am now-- am on the computer in the spare

(contaminated) room.

>  

> I am hoping that whatever is in the air dissipates with time.  I wanted to

wash all my curtains in the house but will wait.  My bedroom was next on my to

do list-- terrified to wash them as my bedroom (w/door closed) is my sancturary,

air better there.

>  

> There is a stink of something in the air here, and it does not help that

maintenance here sprays & reseeds the huge, park-like area in front of my mobile

home.  The park-like area separates my house from the ones across the street. 

My neighbor on the side of the house where my spare room is uses Round Up a lot

for his weeds.  He had termites 2-1/2 yrs ago, put Home Depot plugs around the

house, and also used a spray around the outside of his house, may have done it

recently, too.

>  

> When I did my master bathroom carpet with Woolite 2-1/2 yrs ago, I was forced

out of the house for 9 months.  Every few months the fumes seemed to lessen in

strength.  (that was when I spent my non-working hours in my pickup)   So,

hopefully, whatever is in the air now will fade with time, too.

>  

> I have been opening the windows and front door all the way to get an exchange

of air since this problem with the sheers ( & ???), notice the air outside is

foul, usually is.  We MCSrs were born in the wrong century-- our environment has

been poisoned on all fronts.

>  

> So glad I found these groups!!!

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Surella,

 

Thank you for your response.  My carpet is not a problem.  I had it installed 3

yrs ag-- told salesman of my sensitivities and we chose the carpet and glue

accordingly.  I was in the house when it was installed, could smell the glue

vaguely for ? 1/2 hr but never got symptoms.  Nothing was bothering me in my

house since I stunk it up with the antibacterial soap a few months ago until I

was on the stepstool taking down those sheers.

 

I do wear masks sometimes but did not think of it to take those curtains down. 

I have surgical masks and 3 M that the doctors in the hospital that I worked for

gave me to wear when the renovation and cleaning fumes bothered me.  I also have

the I Can Breathe Mask.  Home Depot did not have the small in the half face

mask.  I wear glasses so I can't stand goggles on and CAN'T STAND to keep

attaching things to my head.  I wear a wig, too, (almost bald) or a scarf when I

leave the house, so it's a nuisance trying to keep all that straight/ not

lopsided on my  head.  I HATE MCS and MCS hates me!

 

I am feeling much better since yesterday, still keeping the door to the spare

room closed with all my air cleaners going (and in the spare room).  My lower

throat is still burning, maybe a few more days and it will get back to normal.

 

[Guest guest]

Corky, What kind of carpet did you chose? Do you have carpet throughout your

home or are some hard surface, easier to keep clean?

>

> Hi Surella,

>  

> Thank you for your response.  My carpet is not a problem.  I had it installed

3 yrs ag-- told salesman of my sensitivities and we chose the carpet and glue

accordingly.  I was in the house when it was installed, could smell the glue

vaguely for ? 1/2 hr but never got symptoms.  Nothing was bothering me in my

house since I stunk it up with the antibacterial soap a few months ago until I

was on the stepstool taking down those sheers.

>

[Guest guest]

The house is carpeted except for the one bathroom, which is old linoleum.  The

carpet never bothered me.  I am considered moderate MCS.  I never thought to ask

the salesman what the fiber was in the carpet I had installed.

 

My sheers- the ones I had to throw away....  I thought of something today.  My

spare room (w/my computer in it) is at the back of the house facing my carport. 

My neighbor has his shed ? 6-8 ft from my carport.  He keeps his washer and

dryer in there and his motor cycle.  I had to get off my computer once because

he had that noisy thing running for more than 15 min while he was in the house. 

I got very, very ill.  He has not been using it much because of the 100+ temps

but uses it just about every day in the winter.

 

I am wondering if what made me so ill when I took those sheers down is a build

up in the curtain from his exhaust pipe.  I will have to keep that window closed

in the winter, I guess as a precaution.

 

I went to the store where I had bought my bedroom curtains 3 yrs ago (afraid to

wash those now) - checked the material, they are faux suede.  I found only one

style cotton drapes for my spare room but they did not have the size I need. 

They had only one pair of cafe curtains and valance that would work on my window

but it was polyester-- the few cotton cafe style they had were not the right

size.  I presume polyester is out for me as cotton seems to be what the group

members have said were safe.

 

...............Corky

 

 

Corky, What kind of carpet did you chose? Do you have carpet throughout your

home or are some hard surface, easier to keep clean?

>

>