Genetics...You are So Screwed.

Most of my family are stinkers and don't give a rat's ass if their bad habits are poisonous to me so I avoid relatives when possible. My brother just recently quit smoking so his toxicity has decreased. I wait for a nice day so I don't have to sit inside his newly constructed [formaldehyde smelling] house and in the fresh and tolerably warm-ish air I am able to catch up on gossip and family news.

My niece was unexpectedly present. She's a stinker. Her long hair freshly washed in god-awful scented shampoo is enough to kill me...besides the make-up, lotion, deodorant, and scented candle fetish. And cats. She's a cat woman.

A few years ago she was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease so I was eager to discuss autoimmune diseases with her. I shared with her my Hashimoto's Thyroiditis diagnosis. She complained her doctors know nothing. (At times she so very much like me in odd ways it's frightening!) However, when I asked her if she had read any books or websites on autoimmunity. She hadn't. I attempted to ask her about her diet, but she became defensive stating her diet is fine although she still ends up in the hospital. She complained about being tired all the time, but she confessed she eats a lot of sugar. She told me stress is a trigger for her and asked me if I knew that. Yes, I did. She looked at her father and said, "SEE! I'm not making it up!"

We continued chatting and she wanted to know about my genes because she might have the same. She wants to get her DNA tested and I shared that I had mine tested. This made her very excited and she wanted to know our ancestry, but specifically the genes I have that are associated with health and disease. I told her I couldn't remember specifics and our DNA won't be exactly the same, but when I get home I'd email her. She kept bouncing between docile and attentive vs. loud, defensive, and high strung. I wondered if this was a symptom of something. (Too many toxins?? Too much sugar??)

I have many, many times in the past tried to educate her about chemical sensitivity, but like so many unenlightened, she's not interested. It's not personally meaningful to her and, well, she doesn't seem to give a rip about anyone around her. So on this particular encounter, I stopped asking about her health as I sensed it frustrated her or caused stress and I didn't want to personally be the trigger for her next hospitalization. She professed to being interested in solutions, but clearly she wasn't ready or not THAT interested. She hasn't reached the point of desperation and disability checks allow her to survive without too much financial worry. She doesn't understand everyone is one step away from chemical sensitivity, and try as I may, I can't convince her. If she has my same genes, she's less than a step away!

Being calm and looking very Modigliani...

At one point while we talked, I laughed loudly and she grimaced quickly covering her ears with her hands. My mouth fell open.

"Whoa! Do you have a hearing sensitivity?"

Most definitely. She can't tolerate noise. I shared with her I also have a hearing sensitivity and we compared information. Unfortunately, I failed to walk through the open door! Here was my opportunity to add more about chemical sensitivity and possibly convince her to start taking steps. Hearing sensitivities are a symptom of MCS. But do I continue to harangue her and risk her shutting down again? Damn the dilemma!

We exchanged email addresses and she wrote once. Promising, but that was it. I didn't even do any more quality haranguing in my email! She just stopped. I waited. I wondered if her email wasn't working as she implied she was having issues with it. Tired of waiting, I wrote her a letter enclosing some art she requested. It was long and informative because I figured if she wasn't going to email, I'd at least plant some seeds that might make her think. I told her about my DNA and specific genes that contribute to MCS. I told her it is common for people who have one autoimmune disease to get more. I told her autoimmune diseases are 77% caused by environmental factors, or chemicals. I told her stress is a huge factor and asked her if she realized stress has two forms: mental/emotional and physical. I questioned if she realized all the scented products and junk food she eats might be contributing to her physical stress level and creating autoimmune responses causing the fatigue and digestive problems. I told her a whole lot. It was one long letter! She never responded. It's very frustrating to want to help someone who doesn't want to be helped!

So...if she has my genes, she's screwed! MCS might just be around the corner for her. With women, it often rears its ugly head after age forty when their bodies over time have become overloaded. She has years to go, but she's already showing signs and has an autoimmune disease. I'd like to say I wouldn't wish MCS on my worst enemy, but at the same time, I wish it on everyone! If everyone had MCS, no one would be using toxic products and everyone would be far more tolerant of the chemically sensitive.

Time will tell. I keep holding out she might email me again, but it's been two months. Hmmmm....