Here is an email I received today from a new friend who is an Electromagnetic Hyper Sensitivity(EHS) fugitive and a chapter from her book FORCED TO DISCONNECT interviewing other EHS suffers - none of these people ever thought they would be in this condition either. She can only take short phone calls and short durations on the computer. Chapter 6 A hard life > > Can you imagine a life without the following: TV, radio, telephone, > > computer, record player, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, light bulbs? > > Only a wood stove for heating and candles for light? > > > Not likely. None of the people I interviewed could imagine this either > > before they were forced to live this way. One of the many barriers > that > > make the life of an EHS fugitive so hard is all the things he or she > has to do without. > > > Imagine not being able to walk around town or to go shopping, not even > > for groceries, or go to the recreation centre or play your favorite > sport. > > > Movies, concerts, libraries? Impossible. Even a doctors or dentists > office. > > > Trying on new clothes in a store is off limits too. Shopping by mail > order > or > > wearing others hand-me-downs becomes the norm. Get someone to do > > your shopping for you or, if you have no choice, write down a precise > list of what you need, rush into the store, pick out your items > quickly > before > > the dizziness and disorientation overwhelm you, and then get out of > there > > as quickly as you can. You can count on feeling sicker for a day or > more > > afterwards. > > > You cannot travel by public transit because of the ubiquitous use of > > electronics in trains, buses and cars. You may be able to travel in an > old > > car with basic electronics or maybe no car at all. Instead, youre > being > > involuntarily stuck in one place, and not able to visit your aging > parents or your children whenever they need you. > > > Maria: Its a real sorrow not having access to movies, concerts, > theatre, > > museums Not being able to go to doctors or dentists and stores. I can > > handle one store in this community, but I always feel worse > afterwards. > > I cant listen to music or the radio. Short phone calls are OK. > > > I can only use candles. The light is too soft for reading or sewing, > so I > dont > > do much of anything. > > > Mia: I moved here with my dog three years ago. It took a week to warm > > up the house. The first morning I woke up to +2 Celsius, the next > morning > > it was +4, and the third +6. You get used to it. I only have cold > water. > > I live alone and I dont have a phone. Despite this, it was a relief to > move > > > here. > > > The electricity is turned off, so I cant use any electrical > appliances. > > > Siv: What I miss the most is not being able to listen to music. > > I slipped a few times > > > Sometimes the forced isolation gets to them, and EHS fugitives do > Exactly the things they shouldnt do. > > > Inger: I slipped and went to a couple of concerts, and to a Christmas > > buffet at a hotel. I am concerned though, because I know what can > happen > > afterwards. Still I sometimes keep thinking, I dont care what happens, > Ill manage somehow. I need to meet people, be part of the world, > because > > its really important for my soul. I need to feel that I belong to this > society. > > > This excursion made me so much worse, that it will take a few months > or > > so to recuperate. Next time I get that impulse I will be more careful. > > > EHS fugitives can only fantasize about things that most of us take for > granted. > > > Klas: I want to go to Stockholm and just walk around. I love that > city. > > > The ongoing struggle > > > Since EHS fugitives have to give up so many of the modern comforts, > Daily chores are a constant challenge. Imagine that the only suitable > house > > youve found is dilapidated with mold in the basement, a leaky roof and > > sewage pipes that dont drain. You struggle daily to get out of bed, > and > > you live on very limited financial means. This is how my hosts Siv and > > Björn live. > > > Siv tells me about other EHS refugees they know: Some of us live in > > decrepit cabins, trailers, cars or tents. One man we know lives in a > goat > shack. > > > A reporter wanted to come to his place for an interview, but he > > cancelled it at the last minute. He was too embarrassed about his home > > and couldnt cope with the thought of having to show it. > > > People wonder what we do all day, how we get the time to pass. > > Living as a fugitive is a very BUSY life! Siv exclaims with her > affable > > sarcasm, something I really admire in her. > > > This is what I notice during my visits to Siv and Björns home: > > They bring in the firewood, rest from exhaustion, make a fire, pick up > The mail, prepare food, rest from exhaustion, haul in the water, > repair this > > > Or that, rest again, look for the papers they put somewhere to write > yet > > another letter to the authorities, rest , once again, try to repair > what > they > > failed to yesterday, discuss with a neighbour what to do about the > > mounting threats of wireless internet in their community, try to write > > another letter to the editor again For many days nothing at all can > be > > done, the days just disappear in a haze. > > > Siv: A couple of EHS fugitives lived here for a week before they could > > move into their own place. This took so much energy out of me that I > > practically counted every step I made. When this happens my only > thought > > is, I have to take just one more step > > > My sister called me a while ago and told me that she had been > diagnosed > > with cancer. My first thought was: It is so unfair. I would much > rather it > > had been me. I dont intend to commit suicide, but I long for the > relief. > > > My neighbor down the road considers this an alternative and has said, > I may have to resort to that if life becomes totally unbearable.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 03:02:13 +0000
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