Full Chemical Attack

That sounds like a really bad 80's alternative band, but it's actually what I experienced last night.  I'm referring to MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.  I was supposed to go out for a girls night last night, hubby came home from work early and I kissed him and littleA and whisked out the door, excited.  There was no traffic and I arrived at my location just 15 minutes after I left the house.  I was a little early & in a great mood; looking forward to a night full of fellowship.  I parked myself on a bench to wait for the others to arrive and pulled out my phone, trolling facebook, twitter, & foursquare to kill some time.

After about 15 minutes I noticed it was really cold; I hadn't noticed it before (should have been my first clue, but it didn't register yet).  I walked out to my car to get a jacket and back into the restaurant.  Irritated that someone else was on the bench (another clue), I sat on another bench & began to play scrabble on my phone.  I was coming up with words left & right until my brain began to work more slowly & slowly.  Finally I was so irritated that I couldn't come up with even a 3-letter word that I switched games; one that didn't require thought.  I still hadn't put the irritation or the inability to concentrate together as a chemical reaction.  Then I started to get really cranky.  Had the girls change the location & not told me?  No, they wouldn't do that; others were meeting here too.  Did traffic suddenly get bad after I drove down?  Possible, I'll wait until 7:00 & see.  At 7:00, still no sign of them.  Now, I don't actually have anybody's phone number ... that would be too easy, wouldn't it?  So I sent an email from my phone.

As I walked back to my car I decided to run a quick errand while I'm on this side of town.  I noticed a faint head-ache and it started to come together -- there was something chemical in the restaurant to which I'm reacting!  No smells that I could identify, but chemicals don't always smell (smell is definitely NOT a good indicator).  My head felt a little spacey so I decided I'd just run my errand & head home.

I drove to the baby store (I was told by a local big bedding chain that their baby store carried kids bedding as well --- we are looking for bedding for littleA to move to a bid bed :D ), wandered around a little bewildered only to find out that they do not carry kids bedding; it is a baby store.  So I went next door to the big chain bedding store; they also do not carry kids bedding (once again they told me to go next door).  As I was blinded by the bright lights, I frustratingly walked to the car and couldn't find it.  There were only 4 cars in the parking lot.  It was right in front of me.  Full blown chemical attack in process!

As I started to drive I had trouble focusing my eyes.  Could I actually drive home like this?   I shook my head as if to clear the cobwebs & starting driving, but aside from my eyes focusing, my brain couldn't seem to stay on the road.  Other cars came out of nowhere!  I stopped and said a brief prayer for my safe drive home and headed that way; it's as if God took over as my co-pilot and before I knew it I was pulling into my driveway.

My car is a chemical free zone.  It's a 1999 that I've had for 9 years (bought used as a lease turned-in).  The leather seats are well-worn and rarely does anything offensive come in contact with it's interior.  Home is also a safe zone.  As soon as I walked in the door I was already starting to feel better, my headache eased up and I started to think more clearly.  I did eat & go straight to bed, but as I was falling asleep I did take notice that my brain fog was lifting.  Aaaaah.  Sweet relief.