I became chemically sensitive in the early 70’s after the maintenance crew saturated my apartment with organophosphates pesticides. At that time I was an artist and created a collection of about 120 paintings, using occasionally my hands directly in the cans of paint containing lead. There was no warning on the cans of paint as to their lead content. Several times I was exposed to de-foggers, which I found out later on could damage the central nervous system. In apartment living I was routinely subjected to new carpeting, heavy concentration of pesticides indoors, and outdoors, including a pesticide bearing the poison sign of skull and bones symbol on the canister. I was also exposed to pungent, anti-mildew and anti-fungal paint on the walls, rug cleaners, fresheners, and deodorizers, asphalt roofing, cleaning products, and products for roaches containing arsenic. I was subjected to the negligence of a maintenance employee, who misused one gallon of Sodium hydroxide (lye) to unclog the bathtub, which resulted in the most toxic and heavy white fumes in my apartment. Also an employee spraying a bush tree behind me accidentally sprayed me directly on my arm with a lawn pesticide.

Over the years, I became gradually hypersensitive to more and more things in the environment and also developed a lot of allergies to plants, trees, flowers, algae, molds, pollen, insects bites, many foods. In the past due to heavy concentration of sulfur dioxide in the air, I had severe asthmatic attacks. Several years ago I started to develop severe joint and bone pains and fatigue.

By now, I have severe hypersensitivity to virtually everything in the environment, and I am unable to tolerate even a drop of alcohol or a minute dose of any medication, or herbal remedy even by skin contact. I also developed electromagnetic (emf) sensitivity and cannot use an electric typewriter, a hair dryer, or vibrator, x-rays, or scans of any kind.

At times, the loneliness and feeling of isolation simply cannot be described, especially for an artist with so many talents who has so much to offer to the world, and who would like so much to socialize with others.

But that’s the way it is and there is nothing I can do to change this.

So I just pray that God gives me the strength to go on and let me live long enough on this earth to accomplish my mission, which is to help other MCS’ers and the homeless, and spread MCS AWARENESS around the world, so this planet can be given a chance for other generations to come.