Invisible Illness Week 2013: I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

1. The illness I live with is:  Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2011 (After a seizure)
3. But I had symptoms since:  I was a child (looking back on it)
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is:  The way I prepare and eat food.
5. Most people assume:  I’m making this stuff up and that it’s not real.  (I wish it weren’t real!)
6. The hardest part about mornings are:  Getting up.
7. My favorite medical TV show is:  Food Hospital
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is:  My immersion blender.  (I use it to make homemade mayonnaise in minutes!)
9. The hardest part about nights are:  Not being able to sleep.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)  I don’t take either because I’m allergic to the fillers they put in them.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I:  have to use alternative treatments because “conventional” treatments make me severely ill.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose:  I would choose a visible illness because people can understand those better than invisible ones.
13. Regarding working and career:  I miss having a job to go to everyday, but I can’t work anymore because of my illness.
14. People would be surprised to know:  I miss conventional foods like Starburst and Cheezits.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been:  Not being accepted by my peers and my family.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was:  Learn how to become a better from-scratch cook.
17. The commercials about my illness:  There are no commercials about my illness that I know of.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is:  Going to and eating at a restaurant.
19. It was really hard to have to give up:  My social life.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is:  Sewing and crafting projects.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would:  Have friends over and not worry about synthetic fragrances or food ingredients making me ill!
22. My illness has taught me:  Not to judge a book by it’s cover!
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is:  “She’s faking it!” or “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
24. But I love it when people:  Treat me like a human being, listen to what I have to say and try to understand.  I also love it when they stop lighting candles or using fragrance around me!
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is:  “Being  honest may not get you a lot of friends, but it’ll always get you the right ones” ~John Lennon.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them:  There are others out there sharing the same plight.  Don’t give up, I’m here and can    help!
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is:  That everyone expects me to be healthy and normal.  
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was:  My fiance cooks for me, cleans the kitchen and  helps me walk to the bathroom.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because:  I think it’s important to connect with others having similar issues so that we can share our experiences and help each other cope.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel:  Relieved.

The Best Homemade All Purpose Cleaner Ever

I usually refrain from saying things are the best ever, but seriously this homemade cleaner is amazing.  It doesn’t have the vinegary smell of most homemade cleaners and it packs a punch on stains, too.

This is an adaptation of the General Purpose Cleaner recipe found in the Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda for Baking, Cleaning & Deodorizing Over 100 Helpful Hints Published by Publications International, LTD..

The quote from the book says this:  “This homemade concoction can replace most of the commercial cleaners you probably have on your shelf.”  So far this recipe hasn’t failed me yet.  I’ve used this on really sticky, burned messes on my stove, to clean up dog feces, and to wipe off counters and tables.

 

• 1 Homemade Dishwasher Tablet
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups hot water (I boiled mine)

 

Pour the 2 cups of boiling water into a non-reactive mixing bowl (ceramic).  Put the dishwasher tablet, baking soda and vinegar into the hot water.  The mixture will bubble and fizz.  Once it’s finished fizzing, stir with a wooden spoon and pour into a spray bottle.  It’s ready to use!