Priorities

I have been talking to a man who has serious chemical intolerance problems. He knows it. That is why he called me. However, he does not yet grasp the fact that he does not have a choice any more — his work place is injuring him, and it is most likely to the point of permanent injury.

If he continues to work where he is (and let's face it, making a living is not an option), then he will sooner or later get so sick from it that he cannot work in his occupation any more. He may get so sick that he cannot work at all, or even walk or talk or think normally. At that point, making a living may be completely impossible.

But that possibility is in the future, and earning money to eat and pay the mortgage is in the present. He has not yet come to the understanding that financial pain now may be needed to protect any future for him and his family. He needs accurate information about how his health is being impacted by the workplace chemicals so he can begin setting priorities.

Setting priorities means being able to see options and judging how they can help or hurt his situation. To see options, he needs information. I sent him to look at the web site for the Chemical Injury Information Network — ciin.org. It will give him a place to start to understand how his life has been changed. And it will help him see that he is not alone.

John