Julia
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I bought a new mattress from one of the leading mattress companies, and my life changed forever. I remember them pulling back the plastic sheet it was wrapped in, and me getting a face full of formaldehyde fumes, flame retardant, dyes and who knows what else they put into mattresses we place our faces against every night. I fell backwards. My tongue swelled, my eyes watered and I was in a state of mental confusion. “Are you alright?” “Yeah, sure, uh huh,” I said, not knowing what exactly had just happened to me. But I wouldn’t know then how not alright I’d be for the years to come. That was 15 years ago and thousands of dollars later spent going from doctor to doctor trying to understand what would later be termed “chemical sensitivities.” There’s no aspect of my life where these sensitivities haven’t rearranged the bigger, better plans I had for myself. It’s impacted what jobs I’ve taken–or been unable to. Where I live. Even who I love. No one is immune from this kind of vulnerability. I now make a point to be a gentle irritant to my elected officials on the matter of toxic chemicals in our environment, personal care products, homes, workplaces, and on and on, and an educator-by-the-seat-of-my pants to the people I love–and those I don’t even know–when they’re ready to hear it. Even when they’re not.
