A few days ago I posted about a young woman who has been forced to quit school because of an allergy to books due to dust, mold, and chemicals. I wrote that could empathize with this young woman because of my allergies to mold and dust and my extreme sensitivity to chemicals.
A dear friend and fellow blogger, Michellina, from the-labyrinth is a student at Victoria University in Australia. Despite having similar allergies and sensitivities as I, she has managed to get the most amazing accommodations at her university allowing her to continue her education. I am in awe of all that she has managed to accomplish for not only herself but her fellow students who may or may not know how to go about getting accommodations or who may be afraid for fear of being labeled “crazy”. Please read Michellina’s post and learn all that she has managed to get done while a student at Victoria University.
allergictolifemybattle 
I so feel for this young woman. I just went to my parent’s home where they do everything they can to accommodate me — sat down on the couch and started coughing and had severe trouble breathing. We have as yet to figure out what caused it. People shouldn’t have to give up their dreams because of all the toxins that are being spewed into the environment.
I do as well Colleen. I hope you figure out the culprit at your parent’s home soon. Giving up dreams because of toxins is a horrible thing. It is so very important that we continue to share and bring awareness to the dangers of chemicals and mold as well. We are the tip of the iceberg and the number of those experiencing some sort of difficulty is only going to continue to grow.
I loved this article Kathryn.
Pattimari
Every time I read your blog, I learn something new. How many more people suffer with the same allergies and sensitivities and are not able to correctly identify the culprit(s)…or are ridiculed, ignored, or considered a troublemaker?
This was a great article.
Thank you Karen. And the interesting fact that we all have different reactions to these culprits which can make it even harder to recognize. For me now, my symptoms and reactions for mold and chemicals are very clear and I am able to distinguish the culprit. However, sometimes I just get slammed and cannot figure out what did me in. I have a dear friend who has “delayed” reactions and gets sick hours after her exposure making it difficult to know what she was exposed to or where it happened. I immediately can’t communicate, have throat restriction, and start tremoring around mold. A friend of mine tastes pencil led and immediately begins burping. We are alike and so different. This makes a diagnosis and even credibility even harder to get.