Wilkie Wages War: July 2006

Environmental Health Network leader Barbara Wilkie discovered in July 2005 that her chemical injury/multiple chemical sensitivities had suddenly manifested as stage 4 (later stage 5) kidney disease (kidney failure). Despite dire warnings of death within a year, she eschewed dialysis and Western Medicine drugs and took a route of alternative medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and strict dietary changes. She lived well for six years, far beyond the doctors’ predictions.  Barb died at home, surrounded by friends and family, on May 31, 2011.

During this time, Barb documented her journey. From diagnosis through June 2008, she created one huge website page packed with details, plus some side documents on diet and other topics.  We have divided these works into smaller pieces, by date or topic, to make it easier to read and find things.  For dates after June 2008, we have letters, online posts, and other documents.

Barb intended her work to be read and used. We hope this presentation will help you do just that.

Wilkie Wages War on Kidney Disease
(aka Renal Disease or Failure)

OR, AS I SEE IT: Life with yet another facet of living with MCS.
I want to live life while dying.

July 2006. . . Interesting experience today in my “usual” lab.

The phlebotomist wore a scented product. I realized quickly that I needed my respirator.
She turned her back to work at the computer and when she spun around to draw my
blood, she was decidedly shocked to see me in double cartridge respirator. I told her I
was sorry I had given her a fright, and she apologized to me for her startled reaction.

I tried to explain to her that her body’s visible shudder was what my body does
internally when forced to inhale the toxins in another person’s perfumed products.
She apologized for having used a scented product, telling me she really should not
have, but she forgot. I then told her she may wish to explore the toxins used to create
all of the modern synthetic scents and think twice about subjecting her own
body to those poisons . . . let alone the bodies of her patients. Maybe a change
will take place . . . ???