By the time I was eight years old, I was already addicted to the chemical-laden products I consumed as a child, and had to rely on the chemical ones.
I had to go through three or four chemical baths a day for the rest of my life.
When I turned 15, I decided to quit.
I’d grown tired of the constant chemical smell and felt sick to my stomach.
I decided to go to a local hospital to get tested for COVID-19, but was shocked to find out that I was not infected.
I felt guilty, and thought I was doing the right thing.
I thought I would die, and would never get over the horrible smell.
So I started taking my clothes off and washing them in water instead.
The doctor told me it was the right choice.
But then, as I got older, I began to think, Why am I doing this?
I had no idea that I could get infected with COVID and die.
I also had no clue that this could be the beginning of my long and painful journey to understand what it means to be healthy.
After going through all that, I came to understand that it’s not the smell that counts, but the way you wash your clothes and the chemicals in the water that matters.
I started wearing my old clothes again and am now taking them back for another test.
The chemicals in them don’t have to be the same as the ones I used to wash them.
I started to think about my future, my future kids, and the future of the world.
I was so relieved to finally know that I wasn’t alone.
I have a daughter who is just three years old.
I hope to have grandchildren as well.
But I am not worried about them, and I am also not concerned about my health.
I don’t feel I have to worry about my safety.
I am happy to know that there is a way to live a healthy life, whether you are older or younger.
I am very confident in my ability to get through this whole thing.
And I know that my son is more likely to be able to see me at work and have a laugh with me when he gets home.