Sherri Connell

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We Finally Have a Christmas Tree!

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christmas-tree-collage-2I am SO EXCITED about our new tree!!! Wayne surprised me and set it up yesterday!

We have only had two trees in 22 years of marriage. The first we had at our old house in the sun-room. The next we had here in the living room.

I have never really liked fake trees, but fresh are always so much work to get, decorate and keep watered. What’s worse, I had a bad reaction to the chemicals on the last one. Yes, chemicals on a fresh tree! We got it at a big box store and would not be surprised if it were sprayed with pesticides and probably even pine scented chemicals!

It’s true! Some places are spraying trees and flowers with scents these days. Our world is so inundated with strong, neuro-toxic chemical fragrances that people are losing their sense of smell, which leads to adding more toxic scents to everything from cleaning products to laundry to soaps, lotions, shampoos and deodorants. You don’t EVEN want me to elaborate on that! … But if you do, go to my blog.

Anyway … back to my story. We had been looking for several years, but I wanted something different than the average wide tree with lights and a green, plastic trunk. I wanted pine cones and berries! We walked into Hobby Lobby two years ago after Christmas and there it was! Wayne went to get an employee to help find the box, because there was only one left. So, I stood there and waited.

Another customer came up behind me and started to grab the tree! I turned to him and said, “Oh I am so sorry, but my husband and I are buying this tree. He just went to get the box.” He was quite upset, but thankfully he didn’t want to fight about it. The employee who helped us get the box, made a call and found the other customer another store where he could get the tree. So, it all worked out. But boy was that close!

Happy ending? Almost there. Hang on! Since fake trees are made of plastics, paints and glues, we really had no idea if I would even be able to have it in the house. What we did know, was that we would have to out-gas it for at least a year before we even tried. So, Wayne put it downstairs and didn’t bring it back up for almost two years.

After all of that, I am elated to say that he was able to set it up in our living room without any problems! Wahoo!

Long story short, when you live with debilitating illness and have to think twice about everything you buy, bring into the house, put on your body, wear or eat … the small things like finally having a Christmas Tree is an extra special blessing!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Let’s Rid Our Homes and Bodies of Neuro-Toxic Chemicals

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Sherri brings awareness to fragranced products - SherriConnell.com

MAY IS ENVIRONMENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS MONTH!

Many may not consider themselves to have an Environmental Illness, but everyone is affected by chemicals. Moreover, everyone is at risk and millions are affected, but not all make the connection.

When we think of exposures to chemicals, we often think of a hazmat situation or “sick building syndrome.” However, an Environmental Illness such as a Chemical Injury can occur through a large, sudden exposure or a small, gradual exposure to chemicals or mold.

We may be aware of the obvious offenders in our environment, such as smoke, exhaust, paint or even new carpets.  Nevertheless, we often don’t realize the Go Fragrance Free Please For Youaffects of every day cleaning products, as well as personal care products that contain synthetic fragrances made up of neuro-toxic chemicals.

For example, these are chemically fragranced products such as perfume, laundry detergent, fabric softener, air fresheners, deodorants, lotions, shampoo’s, etc.

In a 2010 study, in 25 standard products, an average of 17 VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) were emitted; many of which are “regulated as a toxic/hazardous chemical” under 1-7 laws.

About 15% of the population knowing lives with Chemical Sensitivities to the chemical fragrances in these products (1999 Study, Kreutzer). Some of the symptoms reported are difficulty breathing, vertigo, migraines, loss of consciousness, memory loss, seizures and more.

About 38% of the population reports some sort of “adverse health affect” when exposed to fragranced products (Exposure Assessment, Steinemann) and it is suspected that many more are experiencing symptoms, but have not made the connection. Sadly, for millions of people, mild to serious reactions can cause isolation from public, friends, family, special events and more.

Sherri MCS Isolated I have lived with Chemical Injury due to the use of everyday products such as perfume, air fresheners, body sprays and fragranced laundry products since 1996. I started out having vertigo and migraines from strong perfumes and exposure to the cleaning products isle in the store.

Unfortunately, I continued to use other products I didn’t think I was reacting to. Thus, I became more and more reactive to more products until I ended up isolated in my home, unable to attend church, family dinners or step into a store.

As if that were not bad enough, people cannot come to visit me unless they do not use any chemically fragranced products, nor do they have a newer car or have walked through a store. It has been devastating!

These neuro-toxic chemicals can affect us all, whether we notice immediate reactions or not. My story is not rare. So, I am here to warn people that this could happen to anyone!

Again, Environmental Illness often occurs through exposure and use of every day cleaning and personal products. Therefore, it is vital that we clear our homes and bodies of these offenders, before we develop reactions to them that are debilitating and cause a person to be isolated from the world and those they love.

As a result, I implore everyone to take a look at the products we use in our homes and on our bodies. We can start replacing these products with natural and fragrance free alternatives. After doing this, most experience a moderate or huge change in how they feel, whether they are healthy or whether they are dealing with illness.

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♡ Sherri

#mcs #chemicalsensitivities #chemicalinjury #awareness #fragrance #fragrancefree #perfume #scent #chemicals

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving with Family www.SherriConnell

We are so thankful to have spent the day with Wayne’s family! We had brunch with his dad, Russ and (step) mom, Eloise brother Wes and family and his (step) brother, Mark! Then we had dinner with his sister, Susan, 2 brothers, Daddy Comes Home www.SherriConnellWes and Rusty, spouses, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. The house was full of laughter and children running everywhere!

We missed Wayne’s brother Shawn and his family, because Shawn had to work. And we missed Wayne’s mom, Karen, who went to be with the Lord in September.

I am thankful to be in a house with lots of family again. There were many years, I could not be due to all the chemicals in fragrances. I believe people are no longer using strong fabric softeners and I have also been turning the clock back on these intolerances to chemicals.

Sherri is Thankful for Snickers www.SherriConnellI am not totally there yet, but making progress! And, of course, I still have Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Late-Chronic Lyme Disease and Traumatic Brain Injury. Nevertheless, I am SO grateful to be able to be around family again! Praise God!

We are also so thankful to still have Snickers with us, though she wasn’t supposed to make it past November 22nd. Snickers needs a pacemaker, but she wouldn’t survive the surgery. She has a fatal heart condition that is not treatable by medications. She also has seizures from either a brain injury or a tumor and probable cancer. She wasn’t supposed to make it to Thanksgiving. So, we are thankful she did!

 

 

 

 

Going Fragrance Free When Visiting a Loved One – Video Interview

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FF for Loved One Interview w Melanie ConnellLiving with Environmental Illness is a challenge that often brings about isolation from public, friends and family.

Many loved ones feel overwhelmed by the endeavor of going fragrance free. They don’t know where to start, where to buy products and often fear making someone ill by missing something. Thus, they often avoid the issue and in turn avoid the person living with chemical intolerance.

As I tell everyone I come in contact with, using fragrance free and natural products is health choice for everyone. In other words, it can be viewed as a positive change for all, rather than a sacrifice just for someone who has an issue.

For those who for whatever reason don’t want to change out all their soap, shampoo, deodorant, lotion and hair products, one suggestion I have for people is to keep a Fragrance Free Kit.

Of course, if they want their loved one to visit their home, it will probably need to not have any air fresheners, new carpet, paint, lots of candles, carpet shampoo, stains, harsh cleaners, smokers, regular perfume wearers, etc. On the other hand, if these are not an issues, often there can be some compromise.

First, if the loved one cannot tolerate fragranced laundry products, those will need to be changed long term. These do not wash out easily and linger for many months or longer even when washed multiple times.

Second, we can purchase fragrance free shampoo, soap and deodorant. We keep this under our cabinet and pull them out to use for several showers before visiting with our loved one. We can omit other hair products, lotions, sprays, etc or add fragrance free versions to our kit.


For more information on living with Environmental Illness, the Choose Friendships Over Fragrances Campaign, resources and more: Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign

Do you or a loved one live with debilitating illness or pain? Invisible Disabilities Association

Disclaimer: I am not an expert and this may or may not work for you and your loved one. Please ask your friend or family member what they can or cannot tolerate and what will work for them. Also note that most likely alternatives will not work if there are air fresheners, new carpets, paint, stains, carpet shampoo’s etc. in the home.

Thankful for 2012 Fragrance Free Holidays with Family

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I am so thankful for my family who made it possible for me to spend the weekend in their home for Thanksgiving. The weekend was filled with being surrounded by my amazing nephews and I was loving it!!

I enjoyed every moment of the kids running around, playing, wrestling and most of all for their giving and caring hearts! It was incredible to be there with my sister, brother in law, their kids and Wayne’s mom (Karen). I have not been there for a long time, because they had some remodeling done and it took a while for all the new paints and carpets to out-gas.

What’s more, they came and stayed at our house for two days after Christmas. And, we were able to spend Christmas Eve Day with Wayne’s dad, mom (Eloise) and more family. Yay!

Thank you all for switching to fragrance free laundry several many years ago (it takes a while to get out of clothes, so that is IMG_0514something that does need to be changed ahead of time) then using FF shampoo, soap and deodorant before we spent time together.
I hope that more families will see that it is possible and unleash us from isolation and back into the arms of those we love!
Watch my latest video interview, “Going Fragrance-Free When Visiting a Loved One. I interviewed my sister in law, Melanie and her son, Cole! Great tips and suggestions for bringing friends and family back together!

Amazing Hotel Accommodations for My Challenges

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I live with Multiple Sclerosis and Lyme Disease. I get extremely ill from chemicals in cleaning products and synthetic fragrances. This is not rare, as millions report mild to severe reactions to these (even more so with those living with chronic illness, asthma, allergies, chemical sensitivities, cancer, autism, PTSD, migraines, etc). Other than Disney hotels, I have been unable to stay in a hotel for over 10 years due to air fresheners, cleaners and sprays.

Just before Christmas, my brother passed away, so we needed to go to Grand Junction. From several previous failed attempts to find a place to stay anywhere in the area, we were quite scared to try again, but it was imperative that we find a place to stay.

We certainly did not need a hotel this fancy, but had exhausted all of the other options and chains. When I called the manager of this hotel (Jerome) and went through my very lengthy list of qualifications (no smoking, no air fresheners, no sprays, room can’t be near laundry, exhaust or outside smoking, etc), he didn’t even blink an eye. He was happy to answer my questions. Once we decided to make a reservation, he didn’t mind cleaning our room and linens in baking soda and vinegar!

The trip there was nerve-wracking as we had to go and we couldn’t just sleep in the car! We also had my mother with us who is battling lung cancer. When we arrived, my husband went in to check out the room and soon waved us in! We were greeted at the door by Joe and found our room to be fabulous!! The room was clean and comfortable and they had a very nice condolence card for our family signed by the staff.

Another great thing I would like to report is that the chefs were well versed in gluten sensitivities and were also able to accommodate our other food allergies.

HOWEVER! Although the room was absolutely fantastic, I do have to share the negatives and warnings about the things we did encounter for others who live with chemical sensitivities, toxic injury, asthma, allergies, etc.

1) They do have an automatic air freshener in the public restrooms off of the lobby (but none in the lobby, halls or rooms). They will be receiving a nice letter from my husband with information about the chemicals in these units, along with several alternatives based on the information found in this website, the Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign.

2) Even though they use a low chlorine type hot-tub, a slight to moderate chlorine smell is in the lobby and lower levels.

3) The neighbors in the winter use wood and pellet stoves; we did not detect this from inside the room, but could when going outside or opening the windows when it was cold outside.

4) This in is in the middle of vineyards, in which pesticides are used in the spring and summer (we went in the winter).

Even with these hurdles, we were able to secure ourselves in the room and get a good night sleep. None of the other hotels my husband tried stepping into in the area were even a slight possibility.

We cannon thank the Colorado Wine Country Inn enough for taking such great care of us!!

WARNING: I can’t guarantee how your experience will be at this hotel or any other. Please try ay hotel at your own risk after calling to ensure they do not use what you cannot tolerate, asking them to make accommodations and having a back-up plan in case it doesn’t work out! We went through all of the proper steps last summer, but still could not tolerate the room whatsoever.

TIDBITS: Nearly 38% of the population reports some sort of adverse health effect from chemicals in fragrances. Approximately 15% or more knowingly live with chemical sensitivities; it is suspected that many more do as well, but do not make the connection between their symptoms and the source. According to a 2010 study, of the 133 VOCs found in 25 everyday products, “24 are classified as toxic or hazardous under U.S. federal laws and each product emitted at least one of these compounds” (2010 Anne Steinemann, Ph.D).

Visit the Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign for more information about chemicals, fragrances and chemical sensitivities:  (a campaign of the Invisible Disabilities Association).

A Fun Day with the Giraffes

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Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE safari animals! Giraffes and elephants are my very favorite! I finally made it to the zoo where I could actually feed and pet the giraffes! This was amazing!

I have been wanting to go to this zoo for five years, where people can actually feed and pet the giraffes. It is less than an hour from my home, but it is a huge endeavor for me with my illness. Of course, I can’t walk around the zoo, so we took my scooter. I can’t tolerate heat or cold, so we had to go on an in between day. Also, I get extremely ill from perfumes, colognes, soaps, lotions, detergents, deodorants, etc, so we had to go on a non-busy day.

Even though there weren’t many people there, I couldn’t believe how many people were wearing strong fragrances! My brain swelled up, got a horrific migraine, vertigo, numbness in my face, arms, legs, etc. in addition to my normal pain, fatigue and flu-like symptoms head to toe.

I was miserable! But I flashed the smile for the camera and did my best to enjoy the amazing moment.

“Ahhhh….. the little things in life that make me smile! And I’m counting them all!” Sherri Connell

My MCS Posters Launched

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In 2009, I created a poster just for fun to place on my Facebook Page. It occurred to me that in the scheme of things, it all boiled down to friends and family choosing the relationship over the perfume, laundry detergent, soap or deodorant. All my friends living with chemical sensitivities went nuts! Even my friends who do not have MCS thought the whole idea and slogan were very thought provoking and cleaver. They all  loved it!

So, in 2011, the Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign decided to launch the Choose Friendships Over Fragrances project, with this poster and several variations. The posters are available to print at no cost and I do not receive any pay for these. However, it is priceless knowing many people are able to express their desire to preserve relationships that are often broken due to the fragrances that are prevalent in so many personal care products. In the end, I hope that people are not offended, but instead come to realize that their friend or family member’s health and inclusion in holidays, get-togethers and simple visits is much more important than a few fragranced products.

Check Out All of the Posters

May is Environmental Illness Awareness Month

Read More About My Environmental Illness

Watch All My Videos

For more information on the Choose Friendships Over Fragrances Project, go to the Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign.

The Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign was launched by the 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Invisible Disabilities Association. Due to the extent and severity of Sherri’s illness, she is not an employee nor board member of IDA. Sherri does not receive any royalties or compensation from IDA nor any other party.

MCS Can Be Lonely

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In 2010, I suddenly got an idea for a video, turned on the camera and made it. I have tons of ideas, but most of them are not possible for me to do without help … a lot of help. This one only required a few sticky notes, my webcam and a cute song.

Within a few minutes, “MCS Can Be Lonely” was born! I never thought it would take off like this! It has been getting passed around and I have received lots of great feedback. The Canary Report even featured it on the front page of their website! How fun!

For those of you who do not know much about MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities), we are not people who are going around complaining about smells! There are neuro-toxic chemicals in the ingredients that make up fragrances in perfumes and fragranced products. These chemicals have been found to attack the brain, organs, body and cells. With a large exposure or regular exposure over time, for millions of people, these chemicals become extremely harmful even at low levels.Canary Report

Recent studies “… found that nearly 38% of Americans report adverse effects when exposed to some kind of fragranced product” (Steinemann, Exposure Assessment). It is suspected that many more live with various adverse health effects, but do not make the correlation.

For a growing population, exposure to perfumes, colognes and other chemical fragrances can cause serious consequences. In 2003, a study revealed that 12.6% of the population reported a hypersensitivity to common chemicals in everyday products (2003, Adams). People living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (Chemical Injury, Environmental Illness, Toxic Encephalopathy) report such debilitating symptoms as migraines, pain, vertigo, memory loss, paralysis, seizures, unconsciousness and worsening of condition with each reaction.

Synthetic fragrances found in perfumes (as well as fragranced products such as laundry detergents, deodorants, lotions, hair sprays, soaps, etc) can create a barrier between those with MCS and their loved ones. Sadly, many with MCS often miss out on family gatherings, special events and even simple visits with friends and family, causing them to feel isolated and alone.

For more information on chemicals in fragrances and Environmental Illness, visit the Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign.

RESOURCES

(Steinemann) Steinemann, Anne C. Exposure Assessment – FAQ. Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Public Affairs. Washington University.

(2003 Press Release, Adams) Adams, Brandon (September 2003). “More than 12% of the Populations Reports Extreme Sensitivity to Low Levels of Common Chemicals.” Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). Article references 2003 Study, Caress.

My MCS Video Interview Featured

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In February of 2011, I did a short video interview with my incredible friend, Karyn Buxman when I had to have surgery out of town and needed a place to stay. Karyn is a nurse and National Hall of Fame Speaker.

I wanted to get a candid view of what a friend or family may feel, fear or think when I ask them to go fragrance-free so that we may visit.

This video, Choose Friendships Over Fragrances, was published by the Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign, Shortly thereafter, it was featured on the front page of The Canary Report, in the MCS America website and more. What a great way to help others living with adverse health effects from chemicals in fragrances share how vital their relationship with loved ones is to them.

Watch This Video, Choose Friendships Over Fragrances

Watch All  Of My Videos

Read Article, May is Environmental Illness Awareness Month

Read More About My Environmental Illness

Watch My Other Video, MCS Can Be Lonely

For more information on the Choose Friendships Over Fragrances Project, go to the Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign.

The Cleaner Indoor Air Campaign was launched by the 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Invisible Disabilities Association. Due to the extent and severity of Sherri’s illness, she is not an employee nor board member of IDA. Sherri does not receive any royalties or compensation from IDA nor any other party.

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