(no subject)
Jan. 2nd, 2002 12:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rootofnewti had a lovely vacation recently. hubby and i drove to florida (1000 miles or so one-way) a week and a half ago. we spent the first part of the holiday with his grandmother, whom i've only see once or twice before.
now, while i really don't like florida (i was there when i first got the UV allergy and my mold/mildew allergies go insane down there), i felt pretty darn good. yes, i was tired. yes, i was in pain. that's to be expected--i have fibro and cfids. but my allergies were in check.
grandma has a cat (monstrous allergenic beastie with GORGEOUS *green* eyes). kitty lives primarily in the sun room. she has a door to outside (open only during the day) and one to the inside, near the sliding glass door. if the cat wants to sit on the couch, grandma puts down blankets and sheets.
in spite of my hideous cat allergy, i was not sick. i even sat and petted the cat a few times (i always washed well immediately afterwards). i think grandma's house has something to do with that. she has ceramic tile floors, very few rugs, and lots of windows. she also has excellent AC (living in florida, that's a necessity) and some air filters.
i'll admit, the FIRST thing i did was set down my honeywell in the bedroom and turn off grandma's ionizers (not only do they not work well, they drive me literally nutso). i felt pretty darn good, though. my sinuses didn't get all gunky and my asthma was okay when i was in the house. i did break out horribly, but i was living on caffeine while there... too much soda always makes me look less than spectacular.
then i visited my parents, who were cleaning my grandma's winter duplex. i was congested within a few minutes of walking in... part of this is due to my parents' wee little black bastard (also known as bailey), an ankle-biting Scottish Terrier (a rescue dog, he's got some issues). scotties are very allergenic. my dog allergy is mild and bailey can make *me* ill. my hubby, who is horribly dog-allergic, was living on caffeine, albuterol, and antihistamines for two days.
well, bailey doesn't make me as sick as i was. and he doesn't smell like mold. he smells like a little flatulent doggie. i told my parents the house had a mold problem. this didn't sit well with them. i went to sleep. i woke up. i was all congested and itchy of eye and unhappy. i told them that this was how i felt at my home... all the time... part of the reason we're moving. mold, dust, pollution. ick.
and then i came home.
and i got WORSE.
and i just realized that i'm not *worse* than before i left... this is how i've been ever since the drains for the building started flooding a year and a half ago. i've had building inspectors out... the landlords have been ordered to fix things...
and it's still not fixed.
i know that part of how i feel right now is caffeine withdrawal... a very small part of it is a hangover (yeah, but that poison helped me celebrate NYE)... part is exhaustion from driving 2500 miles in one week...
but the congestion, itchiness, hives, red eyes... i wasn't hungover when i walked in the door and this is how i felt within five minutes.
this apartment is toxic.
i have to get out.
i know this.
why is it taking me so long?
now, while i really don't like florida (i was there when i first got the UV allergy and my mold/mildew allergies go insane down there), i felt pretty darn good. yes, i was tired. yes, i was in pain. that's to be expected--i have fibro and cfids. but my allergies were in check.
grandma has a cat (monstrous allergenic beastie with GORGEOUS *green* eyes). kitty lives primarily in the sun room. she has a door to outside (open only during the day) and one to the inside, near the sliding glass door. if the cat wants to sit on the couch, grandma puts down blankets and sheets.
in spite of my hideous cat allergy, i was not sick. i even sat and petted the cat a few times (i always washed well immediately afterwards). i think grandma's house has something to do with that. she has ceramic tile floors, very few rugs, and lots of windows. she also has excellent AC (living in florida, that's a necessity) and some air filters.
i'll admit, the FIRST thing i did was set down my honeywell in the bedroom and turn off grandma's ionizers (not only do they not work well, they drive me literally nutso). i felt pretty darn good, though. my sinuses didn't get all gunky and my asthma was okay when i was in the house. i did break out horribly, but i was living on caffeine while there... too much soda always makes me look less than spectacular.
then i visited my parents, who were cleaning my grandma's winter duplex. i was congested within a few minutes of walking in... part of this is due to my parents' wee little black bastard (also known as bailey), an ankle-biting Scottish Terrier (a rescue dog, he's got some issues). scotties are very allergenic. my dog allergy is mild and bailey can make *me* ill. my hubby, who is horribly dog-allergic, was living on caffeine, albuterol, and antihistamines for two days.
well, bailey doesn't make me as sick as i was. and he doesn't smell like mold. he smells like a little flatulent doggie. i told my parents the house had a mold problem. this didn't sit well with them. i went to sleep. i woke up. i was all congested and itchy of eye and unhappy. i told them that this was how i felt at my home... all the time... part of the reason we're moving. mold, dust, pollution. ick.
and then i came home.
and i got WORSE.
and i just realized that i'm not *worse* than before i left... this is how i've been ever since the drains for the building started flooding a year and a half ago. i've had building inspectors out... the landlords have been ordered to fix things...
and it's still not fixed.
i know that part of how i feel right now is caffeine withdrawal... a very small part of it is a hangover (yeah, but that poison helped me celebrate NYE)... part is exhaustion from driving 2500 miles in one week...
but the congestion, itchiness, hives, red eyes... i wasn't hungover when i walked in the door and this is how i felt within five minutes.
this apartment is toxic.
i have to get out.
i know this.
why is it taking me so long?
