Having invisible disabilities can present challenges most people don’t think of.
Modified from original image by Eurofin
Indoor air can be too polluted for some of us to safely breathe. Those of us with MCS/ES can develop serious and life-threatening symptoms from breathing in toxic chemicals commonly found in indoor air. Even a mask may not be enough to protect us.
Or we may be having a bad Fibromyalgia flare and just be in too much pain to shop.
So what can we do when we need something?
Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Sensitivities, Food, Human Rights, Indoor Air Quality, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
Tagged accessibility standards, Accessible Customer Service, CFS/ME, fibromyalgia, Fragrance, fragrance chemicals, IAQ, invisible disabilities, MCS/ES, shopping, toxic chemicals, VOCs
Dr. L. Christine Oliver is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Co-Director of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
This is an excellent half hour presentation.
Dr Oliver packs so much about the issues faced by people with MCS into the first 16 minutes of this video. If you can’t watch the whole video, at least watch this much. Alison Johnson finishes off by reading from her important book Amputated Lives.
Alison Johnson is the author/producer/director of books and documentaries on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Visit http://www.alisonjohnsonmcs.com to download a transcript or to purchase her books or DVDs.
Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Health, Health Care, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Public Health
Tagged chemical exposures, environmental sensitivities, Fragrance, fragrance-free policy, health, health care access for people with MCS/ES, Housing, indoor air quality, MCS and CDC, MCS video, MCS/ES, sensitive to pollution, smoke-free, suicide, video
Safe, non-toxic housing is the primary medical need of people with MCS/ES and EHS. The number of lives affected and needing this kind of medically required housing is growing, and far too little is being done by the various governments or medical associations to address the needs of all the people who are being injured and disabled by common everyday chemical and EMF/EMR exposures.
For us, safe housing is like the cast after we break a bone. It protects us and allows us to heal while preventing re-injury, especially if the housing is in an area where the outdoor air is also safe for us to breathe. Especially for those of us who have been repeatedly and seriously injured. That means no dryer vents that emit hazardous laundry chemicals, no pesticide use, or industrial emissions or busy roads nearby.
The good people at the Environmental Health Association of Québec (ASEQ-EHAQ) see and understand the need and are working to do something about it, by developing an ECOASIS in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, but they need your help to make it happen.
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If you need to know more about why this is so important, then please keep reading…
When your civil rights are violated you don’t need a good hug – you need a good lawyer.
Because most voters with disabilities cannot pay for a good lawyer they have no way to protect their civil rights, which are frequently violated by government, unions and businesses.
You don’t have a civil right if you don’t have a remedy to enforce it.
Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Government, Human Rights
Tagged civil rights, documentary, Hope Is Not A Plan, Human Rights, Paul Caune, video
Derek Shanks is a 38 year old Toronto based black & white street and documentary photographer.
He recently photographed Olga, a woman who has commented here on my blog at times. The photos and some of her story can be seen on his blog:
Olga also let me know about an event she is organizing for the morning of Tuesday April 16th, 11am, if any of you are in Toronto and can attend to lend support.
Event details are on facebook:
MCS/EI/EHS, Housing & Human Rights: Press Conference
Part 3: Things I Need to Do to Survive a Trip to the Dentist
(I have severe MCS, the measures I need to take are not necessary for everyone)
In addition to making sure I am fully prepared for what I need in order to survive the days following a trip to the dentist (supplies, food, frozen foods, etc), I have to prepare for the actual visit. Depending on my state of brain fog and or brain injury symptoms, this can be very time consuming and challenging.
If possible, I discuss these measures in advance with staff when I make the appointment, to make sure they are prepared to accommodate my disability related needs, and can be comfortable explaining them to other patients who might have concerns when seeing me.
Access to Safe and Appropriate Dental Care for People With MCS/ES:
What we really need are mobile dental vans that have no-VOC interiors and staff for people with severe MCS/ES, and safe and accessible dental offices and practitioners for everyone else. Until then, we need ways to protect ourselves and must often educate the dentists and staff as to how they can take care of our needs.
From mild to severe MCS/ES, different measures may be required.
Here are useful links that can help you prepare, and a sample office policy:
Part 1: The Problems
This is a subject I’ve been meaning to write about for quite some time, as I have my own serious dental issues much like like Doris, whose story follows.
We are dependent on ODSP and their dental program which does not cover our disability related medical needs of materials compatibility testing, safer materials or oxygen, all of which can be absolutely necessary to avoid serious health consequences from chemical exposures in dental offices and from incompatible materials.
Also, as Doris mentions below, most dentists have no experience with our specific needs.
I am aware of other people currently experiencing similar predicaments, in Ontario and elsewhere. I might be posting a few more stories as a part of this series.
We are looking for suggestions on how we can receive appropriate, safe and affordable dental care, which as we know is necessary for more than just dental health.
I will also be posting some steps and solutions available to those with adequate financial means to pay for them, but will start with the problems, and the request for assistance in finding solutions for those of us without adequate financial (and social) resources.
What follows is Doris’s story, in her words…
Fergiemoto wrote about the challenges she faces due to having MCS and fragrance chemical proliferation. I love her illustrations! See Human Canaries and Friendship.
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Sharon, a writer and service dog partner who also has Lyme Disease and other disabilities, wrote about how MCS affects her life here: How MCS Affects Sharon
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Phoenix Rising posted this great piece by Carol Schmid who examines what it is about the nature of ME/CFS that makes it likely to generate skepticism. There are many similarities with MCS/ES. See: The ME/CFS Stigma
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Finally.
Someone tested it.
And just like many of us who have MCS/ES have been saying for years:
Supermarket food is contaminated with fragrance and plastic chemicals.
Posted in Accessibility, Chemicals, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Images, Public Health
Tagged Food, Fragrance, fragrance chemicals, fragrance in food, health, images, phthalates
 | linda @ Seriously "S… on MCS/ES |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on The CDC and MCS |
 | Tabatha Schnorr on MCS/ES |
| Tabatha Schnorr on The CDC and MCS |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on MCS and Housing |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on Hospital Protocols for People… |
Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 