Am I dating myself with this phrase? How many of you remember the Calgon commercials? Back in the day before I became sensitive to chemicals and realized all the stuff these products contained, I loved letting Calgon take me away! Today is one of those Calgon take me away days. It started with my grandson sitting on my wicker love seat cushion and wetting through his diaper forcing me to remove the cover and wash it and take care of the inner cushion. More has happened but I won’t go into detail here.
What do I do to “take me away”? I get in the car and go for a drive. So much has happened over the last few months: my father becoming ill and passing within a matter of weeks, my grief and helping my mother get through things which added even more exposures to my already overburdened body, suddenly developing swelling in my ankle and learning that I have a blood clot and needing to start blood thinners, and now the addition of a sinus infection. My doctor gave me the okay to get away as long as I am careful about my time sitting in the car.
A few weeks ago my husband took me for a drive to the mountains to the little mining town of Columbia just to walk around and get away from it all.A few days later we joined my daughter and her family at the Pumpkin Patch. It is a 45 minute drive to my daughters and I was able to walk around before the drive to the Pumpkin Patch where I was able to walk around to look at the pumpkins and enjoy the scenery. The following week my husband and I drove to my favorite place, the beach. We had to stop along the way for me to get out and walk around but it was well worth it. Nothing recharges my batteries like the ocean breeze on my face.
Today I cannot do any of those take me away things. My alternative is to sit with a cup of hot green tea and read a book and allow the adventures of May Dodd from the book 1000 White Women to take me away.
What is your Calgon “take me away”?
allergictolifemybattle 
Reblogged this on sondasmcschatter and commented:
QUOTE FROM OUR MCS SISTER KATHRYN: “What is your Calgon “take me away”?”
MY CALGON– USE TO BE GETTING ON MY HORSE & RIDING OFF BY MYSELF— NOW MY CALGON– IS ALSO GOING FOR A CAR RIDE– OR A RIDE IN THE GOLF CART DOWN TO THE LAKE– OR BELIEVE IT OR NOT ANSWERING E-MAILS FROM ALL MY MCS SISTERS I GET EACH DAY & READING MY MCS SISTERS BLOGS– & WRITING A POST ON MY BLOG!!! SOMETIMES I THINK IT WOULD BE AWESOME TO JUST BE ABLE TO LEAVE OUR MCS SAFE HOMES ANY TIME WE WANTED & DO “NORMAL THINGS” WITH OUT HAVING TO PAY FOR IT WITH OUR HEALTH!!!! BUT WE CAN’T– SO SUPPORT FROM OTHER MCS SISTERS WHO UNDERSTAND GOES A LONG WAYS!!!! LOVE YA KATHRYN!!!
Yup no chance of Calgon taking me away since having this joyous illness. Trying to do ‘normal’ things to not feel so secluded/excluded only ends up in, as sondamscchatter says….’paying for it’. Seventeen and a half years in and I unfortunately still don’t have a safe home, it is my safest space but has a long way to go. I too very much appreciate the shared stories and experiences. Sounds like you had a nice drive a few weeks ago and I hope you enjoyed your tea and book…after you recovered from the grandson adventures 🙂
I am sorry you still don’t have a safe home yet. It was a wonderful drive with my husband and family. Hang in there. I did enjoy my tea and book.
What a nicely timed article – I’m off to spend two nights in a gorgeous B&B in the mountains today and I am Super Excited, and Super Anxious. Will I react badly to the cleaning products/mattress/carpet/paint in our room? Will I be so happy to be away and walk around too much and then crash? Will there be eating options that I won’t react to, or will I spend my time away with a swollen and painful belly?
Claire
I wish you the best on your excursion! I hope it is all that you hope for and nothing that causes you angst.
I like to go out in nature. Whether it is working in the garden or going for a walk or a hike. I used to live near the mountains and those are a real get away for me.
There is something peaceful about going for a walk or communing with nature.
By the way, I remember the Calgon commercials. 🙂
When looking for the picture, I saw some old video clips as well.
I’m fortunate in many ways — including relatively easy-to-manage allergies. My “Calgon” is the sculpture garden at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. It’s weird and wild and very peaceful, right in the middle of a busy city. I also like the roof my building in the summer. There’s green, but it’s urban green with views of the city as night falls.
Oh, the sculpture garden sounds lovely. I bet the views of the city at night must be spectacular. There is an outdoor garden that I want to go to where the trees are weirdly sculptured. I need to find pictures and do a blog post.
My Calgon is either reading or writing a good story.
Reading is a good Calgon take me away. In the beginning of my illness that was what I did a lot of…just read and read. Now I am sewing again and trying my hand at knitting and crochet.