Hey, 🔹🌟RainyCloud🌟🔹:
I like the bling you added to your screen name. Thanks for bumping this post, so I'd see it. I don't check the option to "Notify me of reply postings," so I have to rely on my flaky memory to go back and check posts.
Anyway, I appreciate your suggestion of an ozone machine. A price of $50 - $60 isn't bad, considering the many tens of thousands of dollars already spent. My hesitation, though, is whether or not mold is really my issue.
This is where things break down and I'm not sure what to do, because I'm not sure how to conclusively test if mold is what's affecting me. Something is definitely affecting me -- and, my sensitivities seem to be getting worse -- but there are many conditions that have the same symptoms.
If I had unlimited time and money, then perhaps I would undergo every type of testing available for my body and my apartment. But, even then, making sense of the data would be another issue.
As I've written in other posts, I've become quite skeptical about
the value of testing, because I think much of it is overstated. I don't believe we really know enough about
what should be tested, how it should be tested, what to do with the data, what's "normal," and other concerns. I'm generalizing, of course. Testing for a bacteria is one thing...testing for a vitamin is another. I think the former is likely more useful than the latter.
But, I could be wrong. I used to take lots of supplements on a regular basis and would have argued for their benefit and pointed to lab tests that "proved" the need for some. Either I was wrong then or I'm wrong now.
Regarding employment, thanks for keeping your ears
open for me. Another work-from-home opportunity would be great. I've always been far more productive at home than an office. As others have been writing in another thread, finding employment with a chronic illness is tough enough...but, being older adds another layer of complexity. Unfortunately, employers don't seem to value the wisdom and experience of older workers.
I've perused craigslist a few times, but, thus far, none of it has been anything in which I wish to be involved. As you can appreciate, I have to consider if the payoff is worth not only my time...but, more importantly, my physical and mental energy. Though I hope it won't be required, I have retirement savings I can access, if things get bad enough. That's a last resort and would only be used after I exhausted every other available option.
Other than reading the name in the title of a few posts, I know nothing about
Disulfiram. I just Googled it and read a blurb on it, but I'm not sure if that's the correct path for me. Again, it goes back to my previous comments about
trying to find certainty about
what's plaguing me, the reliability (or, lack thereof) of tests, etc. It's a Catch-22.
There's no magic bullet, as we know. If there were, no one would be sick. For those who report being symptom free, how the cure/remission happened is unlikely to ever be known for certain. Many of us try so many things -- often at the same time -- that knowing which element(s) actually made a difference (as opposed to our guessing what made a difference) is highly improbable. It's fine to speculate, but I think there should be more disclaimers about
what is *believed* versus what is *known* and can be validated. That's just my opinion.
The first few years of being unwell was the most difficult. Now, whether right or wrong, I've just sorta accepted that I'll probably never be able to return to many of the things I used to do. Going back to my comment on aging, that's brought its own set of challenges, independent of chronic illness. Adding them together has made me work more on my acceptance of things. While I want things to improve, I'm also trying to be okay with the fact that this may be as good as it gets. So long as it doesn't get worse. But, even if it does, it won't last forever.
It's a weird state of mind. Maybe I need some therapy.
As always, thank you for your concern, prayers, and good wishes! I wish health, happiness, and prosperity to you and all of our brothers and sisters on this planet.
Best wishes,
Dude