flying kurbmaster said:
well at this point it is an idea, it has to grow legs ....
However I still think that Toyota camper for space and accessories ready to go is a great option, if only you knew it would work for you, is there a way to test it? Is it just the upholstery that is a problem cause you could always rip that out, seems to me you could wash everything else down but what do I know, I don't even know what MCS stands for, that is how ignorant I am, I assume some kind of seriously badass allergies.
At this point the seller of the Toyota camper isn't even answering basic questions like whether or not a smoker has ever stayed in it, just says to check CL again in a few weeks when the listing should be back up.
I spoke with my parents today about their RV, it's a 19' low top that my little sis and brother-in-law have been living in while they fix up their house, probably another month or so. It doesn't have a shower, but they're agreeable to me borrowing it if tolerable to get a feel for how an RV might work out for me.
Unfortunately there's not really a test to see what works for me, beyond trying it and observing my reactions. I have methods of decontaminating that can potentially work, but usually involve some damage to the original thing, which means buying something before I'm certain it's tolerable. A lot of wall materials like wood or drywall or upholstery tend to absorb the chemicals in the air, so it really depends on what products were used and for how long. Air fresheners are just about the worst.
MCS stands for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. It often appears alongside environmental allergies, but is not itself an allergic reaction. Rather, the easiest way to explain it is an overall reduced threshold for processing toxins in general. E.g.
anyone will develop symptoms from inhaling too much ammonia in window washing fluid; I develop symptoms from only briefly inhaling the tiny mount still hanging around the air 2 days after. If you google MCS you'll get a lot of skepticism about its existence, saying it's just an oversensitive nose. My airways shut in response to most exposures and I have a doctor's note to the effect explaining about my mask and the necessity of it.
MCS usually develops in response to a massive chemical exposure; mine was a severe overdose of albuterol inhaler at age 13 when I was misdiagnosed with asthma; I was also on steroids and antibiotics for severe bronchitis and strong allergy meds at the time and getting less than 3 hours of sleep/night doing intense choreography with a singing tour. I went overnight from a kid who loved all sorts of hair/bath.skin products to one who got every ill around them, coughing up a storm and unable to breathe. But I did
not have asthma--that was unequivocally proven by a methacoline challenge, which failed to provoke an asthma attack but did cause a severe adverse reaction invoking the crash cart. But not an allergy. It's a common theme for me when it comes to medications.
My MCS because severe around age 17, when my health completely tanked. Clothing that's been fine for years was causing rashes, bedding was causing breathing problems, and I couldn't have books anywhere near me due to the ink. A few years went by and I ended up in a stripped down bathroom with nothing but a cushion on the floor. I lived in a bathroom 24/7 for 3 months straight with no computer, no reading materials, nothing to do. I couldn't breathe outside that room, and I still was having reactions daily despite all precautions taken. My parents spent my college fund to purchase what's called a "porcelain trailer", an airstream renovated for someone with severe MCS. Nearly all surfaces were enameled steel. That trailer saved my life; it was touch and go for a few years, then I started to improve.
I share this simply to mention that I'm actually not as bad as I was then. There were entire years I slept on bare wooden slats with only a sheet for "cushioning" because we couldn't find any foam or soft materials I could tolerate without my airways closing entirely shut while I slept. Now I have a few different options to choose from. I literally spent years without leaving that trailer for more than a few minutes; now I'm out and about in the world. So while it's still pretty severe in others' eyes, it's actually loads better than it used to be. My doctor feels I could continue improving and so do I--but I need to be able to reduce stress and exposures to rest in order to make way for that healing to take place.
masterplumber said:
I like the Bitty Build idea. It's quite a ways away still, but I plan to be there and would help. For some very good nontoxic build ideas look up this web site.
http://www.camperize.com/index.html
Not all of these ideas will work for you, but you will know better than us what triggers issues for you. I've done house builds for people with severe environmental allergies. It can be done, but it does take a lot of looking into what is actually in the products used. On a house it's a little easier as you don't have to factor in weight, but still doable in a van. If you were to go the route of having different people build different pieces ahaed of time, it would have to be made very clear what products can be used in those pieces - no substitutions. An empty cargo van would be the best place to start in this case, as there would be less toxins to start with.
Thank you, yes. I know of a lot of good products that I would do well with, I might not know all of the things needed for the build, but if someone could tell me what was needed I could get my hands on options ahead of time and test them out to see which ones could work.
I'd be hesitant to buy a rig until it's more established that this idea is moving forward. But whether or not it does, the intentions are certainly appreciated and very much warm my heart! :heart:
