Dear Robin,
Thank you for your information about WWOOFING. Indeed, I considered trying
to live and work on an organic or biodynamic farm (and, in fact, asked the
head of one such farm not too far from where I now live, if such would be
possible on his -- there was no such "slot" available).
Aside from the situation with this one farm, frankly, I do not believe most
farm "leaders" would want to be bothered with me (to -- as Kinky Friedman
would say -- put it on a bumpersticker). The "demands" of MCS-CI (Multiple
Chemical Sensitivity-Chemical Injury) are more than most individuals want to
deal with, no matter how "environmentally" evolved and well-intentioned they
may be, has been my experience.
As just one example, for a few months I lived on the land and in the house of
a such a ("environmentally" evolved and well-intentioned) fellow. There were
many things that disturbed him about my condition, but one that stands out in
my memory was his perplexity and upset when I was so badly cardiovascularly
affected by the smoke emanating from his burning of garbage some hundred or
so yards from the house in which I was sitting, that I had to go on my oxygen
tank. Another source of dismay was how the offgassing mold and/or chemical
content of the wood of this old house, "potentized" any other chemical
exposure I had there, and tended to heighten my emotionality (I got very
weepy on a couple of occasions, wherein normally I'd have taken things in
stride -- I am truly quite a stoic person. Such appears to be a facet of the
Central Nervous System injury the chemicals have done).
The fact is, my (and others' with this condition) chemically-injured body is
so badly affected by so many things, that even if I were to find a farm on
which all workers were cognizant that every chemical-producing activity might
have a deleterious effect upon me (whether bonfires, garbage burning,
wood-combustion, painting, shampooing) and caring enough to help me avoid all
such, it would be unlikely that a living "module" could be contrived that
itself would not itself offgass deleterious stuff.
The unhappy fact is, I must be able to control what comes in and out of my
every breath, and now, after the unbelievable amount of effort I have had to
put into about 20 different dwellings in the past 12 years, to try and get
them "sustainable" for me with this condition, I have become so totally wiped
out, that I don't think I can face doing it "yet again" in a new situation,
only to find that the people there will get tired of having to "deal" with my
"sensitivity" and not want me to stay.
I do appreciate very much your sugestion, which would work well, probably,
for people with most any other condition, e.g., cancer, AIDS, stroke, heart
attack, etc. I did notice an improvement in my health when I camped in my
van for a couple of days and nites at the September 2001 workshops in mid-TN,
and doubt little but that eating biodynamic food was part of what helped.
But aside from the burning (then all-morning next-day smouldering) of the
bonfire, and the heavy incense in one participant's clothes, and the cig
smoke of the solitary smoker there, I think it was the purest air I have been
privileged to breathe in the past 12 years, that contributed most.
Take care,
-Lily
You wrote: <<
From: "Robin Duchesneau" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Lily's life/ health - was: The Wizards weekend
Dear Lily,
Your essay touches the roots of many thoughts that have crossed my mind. =
Indeed. In response to your inquiry about "...finding of a modest (and =
modestly-priced) house/land combo of this nature in the USA...", I'm =
sorry that I can't help since I'm in Canada. Perhaps, as a temporary =
solution, you might consider 'WWOOFING'. If the term doesn't ring a =
bell I can explain. WWOOF means Willing Workers On Organic Farms =
(...also Biodynamic). I know of this because I worked on a Biodynamic =
Farm in Canada that accepted many WWOOF'ers from all over the world. =
The typical arrangement is that people come to live on the farm to learn =
about farming in exchange of labor. But... I've also seen people come =
for therapeutic cures... Sometimes living on a BD farm, eating BD food, =
and helping in whatever way possible can be just the right thing. I =
know because I've seen people heal from the land. Here is a www link =
for the US. http://www.wwoof.org/wpusa.html . Perhaps you can find =
something just right for you.
Of coarse this solution is far from what you are looking for, but I =
thought that spending some time in a spiritual place, far from all the =
chemicals that make you ill, might speed up your healing.
Just a thought,
Robin
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Gil Robertson=20
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]=20
Sent: July 11, 2002 4:51 PM
Subject: Lily's life/ health - was: The Wizards weekend
Hi! Lily, [snip]
