Goodnews's interview
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How did all start?
Once every couple of years I would have a problem if I would smell a paper mill. The last few years it’s happening more and more, till in the last year when it happens every month I have a reaction, my mother has it and has had it since she was around my age 40. I was diagnosed with CFS when I was 12 but didn’t start having problems with chemicals until around 30 to 40 years old. Can’t smell it most days, but I will react depending on whatever is in the atmosphere. I really don’t know seems to happen more on overcast days. but about 20 minutes after exposure to outside air on certain days .. I would say about once a week average. I don’t know why some days it happens another’s it doesn’t. I soon as I get into air-conditioning my symptoms start to subside Within about Half an hour to an hour
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
No but my mother does have 'multiple chemical sensitivity' diagnosis. However, I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome after being in the hospital for a week. About 30 yr after I got chronic fatigue syndrome my father got it. He was extremely active before that, and still is off and on when his health permits. Now I’m having chemical sensitivities exactly in the same way my mother did when she was about my age only she reacts to different chemicals. for her, it’s perfumes and things people wear, but for me, it’s seems to be an atmosphere thing, something I assume has to do with industries nearby, and I can’t smell it most of the time
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
No particular specialty that i have found.
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Air-conditioning and inside air especially if I’m in the car it has to be on inside air if I start getting sick from the outside air, and don’t go outside early morning can be worse especially on overcast days but not always. Also I get very sensitive to being carsick when I’m dizzy from the chemicals and so usually close to throwing up. So better when I don’t move around too much so that I don’t get too nauseous
What have been your biggest difficulties?
I really am not bothered too much Only because I saw my mother go through it for many many years but the hardest thing is when people think it’s psychological plus you really don’t look like you are going through anything, until it affects the way you walk, which only happens with certain chemicals on certain days. So many times no one knows that you’re reacting. The dizziness can make me very carsick also.
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
I think everything is making more sense since it seems that all these illnesses are related somehow either genetically, or perhaps the immunity, I really don’t know, but I think it’s helped my mother knowing all along that it is a real illness and so you feel good in the sense that you aren’t alone and you’re not crazy and it’s not all in your head.
What things have you stopped doing?
I can only go outside on days where it doesn’t bother me or if I do go out on days that it bothers me, I have to stay in the car and inside air or in air-conditioning but it makes fatigue worse for the rest of the day. I’ve had to leave a couple times from meetings because I would go from being shaky and dizzy to walking slowly and not knowing if ill be able to walk soon.
What do you think about the future?
The future is great. Because like the in the 'our father' prayer in the Bible, and many more scriptures, I know that very soon, here on earth, God has promised to have his will be done as it is in the heavens. Psalm 37:11 And other Scriptures say, that then, there will there be no sickness. Isaiah 33:24, Revelation 21:3,4 Because Jesus will heal on a grand scale. So no sickness is permanent. And it makes a lot of sense because the Bible also says that man cannot rule himself, Jeremiah 10:23 and that God will bring to ruin, those running the earth. Revelation 11:18 It’s obvious with all the chemicals in the atmosphere, that the earth and our bodies are going downhill fast. So it wont be much longer. Psalm 37:10,11 , Habakkuk 2:3, Matthew 24:21. There is nothing our creator can’t fix. He has promised and he wants to.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
I have had a good life, Sick or not. I would say I’m truly happy right now, with the way things are in my life, aside from health problems- but that’s always been like that for me so I’m used to it. Everything else is as good as it can be.
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
If I was healthy, and didn’t have chronic fatigue syndrome, or anxiety, or multiple chemical sensitivity. I guess I would be out teaching the Bible's hope for the earth and the future and each of us need to do to be there, full-time. And working to support that volunteer work.
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
Life has been unpredictable but with Jehovah God's help, I have had a great life despite any problems.
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
Study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Because there is a hope for the future where there will be no more sickness and we will live on earth the way we were supposed to from the very beginning.
