A lovely lady named Ena Bowles sent me the following poem and asked me to post it on the site. The poem is in the form of a dialogue with her not so understanding doctor when she presented her symptoms of environmental illness.
Ena also sent me a fantastic account of her experience with multiple food and chemical sensitivities which was originally published in the magazine of the British Allergy Foundation (now Allergy UK). You can read the article
here.
On behalf of Ena and myself I hope you enjoy the poem. I'm sure the scenario will sound very familiar!
An Allergic's Struggle
Please doctor, I'm sure that something's quite wrong,
I really don't think I'm neurotic -
Of course not my dear, nobody thinks that,
Here, try this new antibiotic.
Honestly, really, it's headaches as well,
And I feel I can't bear them much longer -
Well just take these tablets, see how you go on
And I'm sure that you'll soon be much stronger.
I'm not actually weak, just lousy all over
And tired so much of the time -
Perhaps if you don't think about it so much
You'd then find you're soon feeling fine.
But doctor, why have I felt ill for so long,
And nauseous all this past year?
Maybe you're depressed and worry too much,
I'm certain there's nothing to fear.
I hate to insist - but I still feel so sick,
All the pills have helped little or none -
Do you feel a bit low? You look a bit low,
Let's try the first ones once again.
I don't feel a bit LOW, I feel a lot ILL,
And as grotty all over as hell!
Well give these first ones yet another short try,
And perhaps then you'll soon be quite well.
But the asthma's increased, and I feel much more ill
From inhalers and drugs, and each \"course\" -
WELL, if you are saying that what I prescribe
is actually making you WORSE.......
Ena Bowles<br /><br />Post edited by: Maff, at: 2008/08/20 12:21
