Saturday, May 5, 2012

A little static anyone?

Happy Saturday to you all today.  I've been thinking about something for a couple of days now... I'll be curious as to what you all think too.
    On Thursday we had a wind storm that knocked out our power for several hours.  When it went off, I immediately felt more at ease.  The quiet was wonderful.  I had so much less tension that I was actually smiling at the window as I watched the wind, rain, hail, and clouds. 
     Then I remembered how much calmer I was overall when my husband worked for a Recreational company and he took care of campgrounds.  We lived in one for three summers.  No electricity, but we did have water:)  Some of the time anyway.  He had to pump our septic water to the toilet about once a week.  Showers were a quick affair as 10 gallons of hot water goes away very fast.
     I loved it.  I walked a lot (I was much better then), and my favorite times were meeting all the wonderful people who passed our way, and picking up garbage in the campsites.  We had to pick up things small and large.  I used the "picker" and did the small stuff.  It was my time to relax, pray, think, and simply enjoy the world around me.  We were in a National Forest with fast running streams, dense woods, and waterfalls.  In fact the waterfall was so close to our campsite that it took some getting used to each summer.  The noise was loud:)  It seldom bothered me. 
     It was not perfect.  We were often without clean running water and some of our guests were not very nice folks.  The campground was robbed (the money box) and there were often folks who tried their best to be obnoxious:)  Some succeeded very nicely:)  We had constant worry about the fire situation, but never had one that required our evacuation.  I prayed a LOT about that.....
     We were together constantly as I did not like being in the campground alone.  Ours was very busy about 5 days a week, but often the other two-sometimes 3 days were slow and we were often empty.  I rode with him to all the campgrounds he covered and helped when I could.  I was often the peace maker :):):) 
     But to get back to the real point.  My pain, fatigue, brain fog, and everything was so much better there.  I had real pain from moving about, but the everyday symptoms were so much better.  I have read several times where electricity does affect some individuals.  I guess I may well be one of them. Have you ever heard of such a thing? 
     In the winter we lived in an RV Park and had electricity.  My static was so bad that I actually shorted out a hand held phone one day!  I picked it up and it blew right out of my hand!  Amazing.  I used dryer sheets in my shoes, fabric softener, and anything else I could do to combat it.  I'd kind of forgotten about all this living here at home and having so many things going on in the past few years.
     Do any of you notice any difference since getting sick with electricity?  I noticed that the noise of the fridge, etc really gets to me too.... In the RV on propane it makes no sound except to click on and off as it cycles...
     Sound crazy?  Maybe.  I'm about ready to pack it up and give it another try:)  We have friends who live off the grid both winter and summer in their RV.  They love it and are very healthy.  They do campgrounds in the summer and boondock in the winter.  Hmmmm sounding better to me all the time.

Blessings to you all and thanks for letting me rant today:)

Elaine

10 comments:

  1. Hi Elaine
    I sometimes think about this too...living off the grid. Everything is vibrating with electricity...the electrical magnetic fields are a big problem for me at times. I cannot hold a cell phone without getting current running up and down my arm causing tingling, etc. I can get nauseated if I am on the phone too long...cordless not cell phones. I do NOT talk on cells very often at all. Tonight, I would love to live up in the mountains somewhere in a dryer climate off the grid...just Joel and I....as empty nesters we seldom see our kids anyway.

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  2. Oh Renee,
    I am so glad to hear I'm not crazy! The electricity really bothers me.... I love my "stuff" but wish it didnt have to use all that electricity!!!

    I've been thinking about going back to the woods as I said in my post. I was certainly healthier:)

    Blessings my friend! Wrap up in your blanket and know that you are loved by the One who can make all things NEW!

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  3. Elaine, I just came across this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17952320 I can't get the link to go "live" but if you're interested it would copy and paste. It's not about electricity so much as about scientifically demonstrated benefits of more natural surroundings. I could easily see woods and a campground being incredibly helpful to CFS/FM, despite the difficulties. I can always do more activity out in nature than I can inside, or even in the garden, and the tiredness is more often a "good" tired.

    I don't seem to be sensitive to electricity, but am not surprised that others are. And goodness--the noise of electrical appliances drives me nuts sometimes! Even the hum of the TV set with the volume off gets under my skin!

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  4. Thanks Stacy. I will look that up.

    I know what you mean... I can "hear" sound that others don't..... the hums of things often make me crazy. I think that is why I often leave the TV on to drown out the "white" noise that so many folks find soothing.... It just irritates me:(

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  5. YES!!! Lights, the flourescent kind, are awful for me and many humans! They are a mixture of constant flickering motion our eyes see but our brains do not process as such... but we do sense the motion. Add to that the sound they produce that we 'feel' but don't 'hear'! OH they are awful. They add to everything 10 fold ... all of the lights and hums and buzzes... our nerves are feeling and sensing them all and we are on overload. Oh, and now with this heat I am forced to choose the horrid sound of our wall unit, or the wonderful relief it provides. UGH..... the sounds is deafening to me. I become very tense. You are not crazy at all I think you are spot on! When i was a kindergarten teacher I used to turn my lights off in my room when the 'agitated' feelings crept in... the kids would be 'buzzing' and cranky, and I would begin to feel edgy. I would turn off the lights and it was like a cool rain on a hot summer day... ahhhhhh so soothing. There is a lot of interesting research being done on this sort of thing, Elaine... you are very perceptive!

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    1. Thanks Donna. I appreciate your input. We have constant noise here and it drives me crazy. Love the warmer weather, but sure don't like the traffic noise....

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  6. Absolutely, Elaine, those emissions make a lot of people sick, and we pwc's especially feel it!

    And now I have a favor to ask... Will you please post a comment on my latest blog post about the "friend" who attacked me for having CFS? She is a follower of my blog and I want help getting a strong message to her.

    Anyone else who is reading this, please feel welcome to comment as well!

    Thank you!, Judy

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    1. Judy, I thought I did post something. If its not there, please let me know.

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  7. Do you think you may have been happier living the "simple life?" I know that you said living there had it's issues, but sometimes all of the extra bills and other things you have when living in a town or city can stress people out and they may just not be as happy. I myself am happier in the city/suburbs because I have to have my air conditioning. I have the biggest problems when I get too hot. As you know from my fibro blog I live in Houston and it's often hot here. Blessings and have a wonderful day!

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    1. Indeed, I was happier in many ways. I missed the conveniences of life as I know it at home, but sure didn't miss the stress that comes with it. I have been looking at very small houses and dreaming. Hubby is not convinced:( So much less to care for and feel guilty when I can't take care of things.

      Thanks so much for your help.

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