Photo from 123RFThe following came from a message board per issues affecting people with chemical sensitivity:
WHAT IS MCS (MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY)?
MCS is the inability of the body to readily detoxify and eliminate chemicals found in the everyday environment. They go on to store in the liver, brain and fatty tissues of the body and make the individual very sick. If you have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, you likely have problems with housing, as well as visits to the doctor or hospital.
A lot of the problem is that people do not understand what they are dealing with when they encounter us in these settings. However, with a little effort, it is possible to lessen some of the factors that cause us severe reactions, making our visit or stay a bit easier, or in some cases livable.
All of the major hospitals in Louisville, KY with the exception of one new one that I haven’t yet contacted, has a policy for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, or Environmental Illness. This took about 2 years to accomplish and was well worth the effort for those of us with MCS. I’d like to encourage people in every state to kindly write the CEO of their hospitals and start the ball rolling for their own town. It can be done peacefully, but you have to keep calling, and not give up.
Housing is another issue we need to all address. I’ve known people who have lived in tents, because they could not tolerate either interior building materials or something in their environment. I’ve known others to live in their car on the driveway, and have even been ran out to mine briefly in the past when I still had one. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity should become a household word just like Diabetes, or Heart Disease.
There is no need for us to undergo harsh and cruel treatment from Landlords who do not understand our disability, mock us, and even make a game out of exposing us to the very things that make us sick.
Can we create an awareness and put an end to this type of treatment. Answer: Yes We Can! I am confident that we can have “safer” housing, even in the traditional low income housing projects which can tolerated by some, by removing disability barriers such as air fresheners, and harsh cleaning chemicals, and by giving advanced notice of pesticide, and lawn spray applications, paint projects, etc. depending upon the tenants sensitivities.
And we all have different needs as no two of us have the same tolerance level. How are we going to do this? Together. Professionally. Every City. Every State. Supporting each other as much as possible through letters, phone calls, and offering support. Let’s put our heads together and see what we can do.
Information shared for the benefit of policy-makers and the greater good
source: http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/multiplechemicalsensitivity
