lystery iliness warns us all of hazardous chemicals Women primary victims of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity AT 27 years old, with high school graduation in sight, the future is supposed to hold endless possibilities, but for Miki Engelland, the future — until recently — looked like a bleak continuation of an iliness-ridden adolescence. Engelland is one of approxi- mately S00 Lower Mainland peo- ple who suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), which was once known as SCIDS — _ Somatic Chemically Induced Dysfunction Syndrome. Its primary victims are women who live in rural farm areas, al- though a number of males are ‘ also afflicted. It’s an iliness that, while still somewhat a mystery, goes a feng way to warning us about the possible effect of our society’s dependence on hazardous chemicals. Seven years ago, Engelland and her family moved to a new home in the Sumas Prairie, directly _across from comercial strawber- ry and raspberry fields. An active child, Engelland spent much of her time playing out- doors -- and wasn’t above nibbl- -figg on her neighbor’s berries, “which were often rid of insects by pesticides applied from overflying aircraft. When Engelland’s knees started aching after her nightly dance classes, her doctor told her she. Was over-exercising — but taking breaks from her favorite activity didn’t solve the problem. : Soon, aching knees were joined by fatigue, severe headaches, sleeplessness and ongoing bouts of fever. While orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Sweeting at the Fraser Valley Orthopaedic and Sports © Medicine Clinic made the connec- tion between Engelland’s condi- . ‘tion and the symptoms of several other teenage girls he had seen, there was little he could do to ease her pain except temporarily. A toxicologist noticed a correla- tion between Engelland’s school absences and her neighbor’s farm . activities — after a round of aerial ’ pesticide spraying, Engelland would feel too ill to attend classes. Great Selection of: ¢ ACCENT LIGHTING lj ° PATH/SPREAD LIGHTING F e SPOT LIGHTING ‘e¢ IN-GROUND LIGHTING ‘-- e ‘TREE LIGHTING 2 DECK LIGHTING Cogy Trendell Whittaker ECO INFO When Engelland’s blood was checked, it was found to contain 31 foreign chemicals, seemingly a result of exposure to commercial and perhaps even houschold pesticides — her mother had sprayed their house for fleas for weeks after they moved in. MCS — which can leave its vic- tims literally as limp as a rag doll — shares several symptoms with other illnesses such as Chronic Fa- tigue Syndrome. “We were getting frustrated with her because we didn’t under- stand what was happening, and she was frustrated that she wasn’t living up to her expectations for herself,’’ said mother Gladys Engelland of the long years prior to finding a diagnosis. Still, a diagnosis wasn’t a cure. ’ It wasn't until Engelland saw Vancouver psychologist Dr. Lee Pulos that she found the relief that is giving her hope for the future. Pulos, well known interna- tionally for his work in self-heal- ing and hypnosis, only had to spend a few minutes working with Engelland before her throbbing headache disappeared. Even better, he was able to teach her some simple mental and accupressure techniques that allow her to rid her body of pain as soon as it occurs. Sleeplessness has been replaced by sound slumber, and days spent lying on her bed are now spent talking with friends, and even camping. “Within the last month, I’ve just felt so positive,’’ said Engeliand.‘‘I’ve started to feel like a normal teenager.”’ Her mother also benefitted — she used Putos’ pain-control techniques after a recent knee operation, and was able to make an unusually quick recovery using no painkillers whatsoever. Unfortunately, Pulos has a limited amount of time to work ith individuals struggling with illness due to a hectic schedule that includes lecturing at his in- ternational workshops on topics such as self-healing and personal development, writing books, and taping his programs for people’s use at home. Much of his work has been with cancer patients, who respond well to his approach that teaches pow- erful visualization techniques used to combat the illness. . On Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24, Pulos is offering a self-healing workshop at the Ab- botsford Arts Centre, hosted by the MCS Society and emceed by Vancouver personality Red : Robinson. The workshop is appropriate for anyone dealing with illness, whether it be life-threatening or relatively minor, and teaches . techniques that can easily be in- , tegrated inte participants’ ongoing medical treatment. Hours for the two-part sym- posium are Friday, 7-10 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For information on tickets, $49, call Ticketmaster at 280-4444. To learn more about the workshop, " call 682-2168. FUTON BLOWOUT only © Sofabed Queen se Choice of Fabrics FACTORY FUTON reg: $800 259 East 1st St., N.Van. 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