Sick in Alabama (Huntsville: rentals, house, homeschool)

[penelopelp]

Allergies can be very bad in Alabama. Spring is an especially bad time of year. An inhaler is a short-term solution, but you may want to find an allergist to help you with this problem long term.

It can be very depressing if you have to move to somewhere you don't want to be. I'm sure that it is extra hard that you didn't choose this situation. It's not that you wanted to move--you had to. My suggestion would be that you try to make the best of it while you are there. Huntsville has a lot to offer. There are a lot of really nice people there. You might want to find groups with other people who enjoy the same things that you enjoy. If you are a church-going person, that can be a good way to meet people.

[leavin_florida]

My allergies get worse every year. This is my first spring in Alabama and I can say it has been miserable. I have just returned from a visit to Montana where they had snow only a week ago - it was a nice respite. I have started wearing a face mask when I work in the garden and when my husband sees fit to open all the windows to "get some fresh air in". So far he hasn't gotten what I am trying to tell him: "Pollen 'fresh air' is not GOOD for me.

[SnowFlower]

Boy can I relate to that....
Leave the Alabama Fresh Air outside... please.....

I know that I have to wait it out.. .At least until Hubby gets a transfer or recieves another offer out west... but until then I will use this forum to vent as I have no where else to do it and I am not sure it would be taken all that well if I did do it elsewhere anyhow.

It isnt Boeings problem or business that I am sick... my husband made it thier business when telling them that I want to leave and the reasons why are: such and such... with my health....

I am attending a church here in Madison... Great people there.. Funny thing is they agree this is a horrid place for us to be with all of the health issues... and are praying for us to be able to recieve another offer or such... to move away, but my husband still insists that if I wouldnt consintrate on my health issues so much ... they wouldnt be so bad....


Yeah well I have one thing to say about that....I DONT THINK SO BUD!!!

I was born with extreme health issues and they arent all going to go away because I think about the trees and sky and not trampeling the pansies.....

[SIZE=4]He doesnt have the health issues so he doesnt understand... I can cope with that... but the minute I have him coming home from work with a bunch of engineers telling him to feed me honey and it will all go away... [/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]Makes me want to launch them and thier ideas somewhere in outerspace never to come back again.....[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]Anyway,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4] I appreciate all of the kindness on here.. as well as blunt and thruth comments or opinions... its a breath of fresh air... ( somthing I cant seem to get around here when attempting to take a breath anymore.)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]Thanks again [/SIZE]

[Charles]

Originally Posted by SnowFlower

I will use this forum to vent as I have no where else to do it ....

You could go to to the Children's Hospital or the VA Hospital to vent.

[SnowFlower]

Originally Posted by Charles

You could go to to the Children's Hospital or the VA Hospital to vent.

Your so funny .... I think I forgot to laugh...

Ah Forum... That would be a place that you use to talk about what you will... be it anything including venting....


Thanks again and have a great night...

All though I do have to say ... I wouldnt mind voluntering some of my time at the hospitals.... Do you know if they have something like that here in this area? Would they allow my kids to go in and Volunter their time as well?

[luksky]

Snowflower, I may be just reading between the lines but it sounds like to me that you are just miserable anywhere you are. And I think maybe some of your health issues may be manifesting from some of your negative thoughts. I certainly am no psychologist but you just sound to be really unhappy from the inside out. Granted, Alabama is full of humidity, mostly in July and August but it certainly has alot to offer for someone who is willing to see it's beauty. I am now living in Texas and love it....but Alabama is the beautiful......

[SnowFlower]

Nope... but I wont argue with you

I was very happy when we lived in New Mexico and I was happier still when we lived in the northern part of California ... we were only there for a matter of a few months, but still I was a very happy person.. So I know where I am happiest.. .And it is not here...

Regardless. God is good and I am certain he will get us out of here soon.
Thanks agian

[Threestep]

Originally Posted by SnowFlower

Nope... but I wont argue with you

I was very happy when we lived in New Mexico and I was happier still when we lived in the northern part of California ... we were only there for a matter of a few months, but still I was a very happy person.. So I know where I am happiest.. .And it is not here...

Regardless. God is good and I am certain he will get us out of here soon.
Thanks agian

You have been in AL all of about three weeks. These three weeks you spent on what you refer to as venting. Do you have any concern for your husband or your kids? He is also in a new environment, probably with a certain amount of tension due to the last minute job offer.

In an other forum you "vented" about prices in AL. Huntsville is a booming city not the hear say hick town of Hollywood. The principle of supply and demand of free enterprise applies. Try Birmingham but be prepared:>)

Lusky may be right. You will find a fly in your soup every day. Unfortunately.

Some of the brightest in the medical field practice in AL ands offer some of the most advanced treatments available. As you had your issues from birth you should be familiar with advancing methods of treatment. Skip the pitty party and look into solutions.

[MadHaus]

Hi SnowFlower,

I was also dragged to AL with the promise that we'd leave in 18 - 24 months if the kids and/or I were unhappy. Fast forward a decade, and we're still here. The first year was miserable, the second only slightly better. I admit that it's tough to determine how much was my attitude and how much was the people & circumstances we encountered, but some of each is probably the truth. A few years ago, we had several opportunities to move and chose to stay. Not everything is perfect, but no place is and we've decided that the good outweighs the bad by a significant margin. If that doesn't prove true for you soon enough, then I hope your husband can find a new job in a place where you'll be happy.

Meanwhile, if you own rather than rent your home, you might consider installing an AccuClean system by American Standard. It's amazing. We had AprilAire whole house filters in a previous home, but AccuClean is superior. We had UV lights installed, too. Also, ask your HVAC dealer about whole house humidity control. We had that in a house we custom built and it was very helpful. I plan to have our current home's systems upgraded as soon as we sell another house. Keeping the home's humidity around 40% works well for us. We have major allergy, respiratory problems and now immune system issues, so this is very important for our family. Meanwhile, I run a good dehumidifier in the basement of our new home since new houses tend to be "wet" for about the first year.

If you're renting, or don't want to make a large investment in a short term house, then I hope you have good air purifiers in each room. Zojirushi makes some good, reasonably priced, air purifiers with a small footprint. I have one that we take on trips to use in hotel rooms. A portable dehumidifier that can drain outside or into a tub/shower/laundry room drain may also help. You might also check your bathroom ventilation. I had to hire someone to install a vent fan by our master shower in our Madison house and to vent the existing fans out the roof instead of just into the attic, which is apparently common practice for some builders, if they provide exhaust vents at all. Getting that moisture out helps a lot. We also run the HVAC sys. far more than before the allergies were diagnosed and change allergen filters monthly. Maybe your husband needs to hear some straight talk from your doctor about whether the pollen sensitivity is real or not.

UAB Hospital/Kirklin Clinic in B'ham can provide excellent medical care, and is well worth the drive.

I realize you may already know all of this - just thought a little empathy might help. Good luck!

[SnowFlower]

Thanks for your input.

My husband knew that I felt this way before he even took the position. Heck.. he knew 16 years ago when we first got married that I was not willing to live out this way ever again...

I have lived in this neck of the USA before.. Not AL per say, but the there abouts and I swore to myself because of the health issues I went through then that I would never do it again... Now it isnt just me... My kids are going through the same things... I just had my son in urgent care the other night... You know what you may not understand the desperation I have in making sure my kids dont go through what I did growing up, but I will be darned if I lay down and let that happen...

Regardless... My husband knew this when we were married... so it is somthing he has got to take on by bringing us here... I dont vent outloud in the home to him... I just vent on here... It is a safe place to do it... regardless of the stupidity that may come from others who are to ignorant to understand the tirals of ths situation.

I do appreciate from others though the honesty as well as the genuine attempt for solutions to this weather it be emotionaly or physically.

It is funny though in an ironic sort of way... I think that if those that are responding by saying that I should basicaly get over it and used to it here.... had to live where they hated it totally.... I think they to would be "venting" about it each and every day as well.... So unless you have been there ... Well you know the rest.

Take care