Ukungezwani Namakhemikhali Anhlobonhlobo—Isifo Esiyimpicabadala

Umuzi kaPam wawakhiwe endaweni ezungezwe amasimu kakotini. Izindiza zazivame ukuchela amasimu ngemithi yokubulala ukhula nezinambuzane; futhi ngokuvamile izinsalela zala makhemikhali zazihamba nomoya zidlulele emizini eseduze, ehlanganisa nomuzi kaPam.

UPAM waqala ukuphathwa ikhanda elinkenkethayo nesicanucanu, futhi impilo yakhe yawohloka. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umzimba wakhe waqala ukungezwani nemikhiqizo okwakubonakala ingahlobene nezibulala-zinambuzane: amakha, iziqeda-phunga, amafutha okugcoba, amakhemikhali okuhlanza, upende, ukhaphethi omusha, intuthu kagwayi, amakha asendlini neminye imikhiqizo. Lezi zimpawu ezazibonakala kuPam ziphakathi kwalezo eziwumphumela wesifo esixakayo okuthiwa ukungezwani namakhemikhali anhlobonhlobo [multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)].a

UPam wachazela i-Phaphama!: “Uma ngihogela amakhemikhali avamile, ngizizwa ngikhathele futhi ngididekile, ngiba nesiyezi kanye nesicanucanu. Ngiyaqumba, futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngiba nephika, ngishaywe uvalo bese ngikhala ngokungalawuleki, inhliziyo ishaye ngamandla, futhi amaphaphu ami agcwale amanzi. Lokhu kuye kwangibangela ngisho ne-pneumonia.”

Nakuba izimpawu eziwumphumela we-MCS zingase zihluke kumuntu ngamunye, zingase zihlanganise ubuhlungu bekhanda, ukukhathala kakhulu, izinhlungu ezicutshini zomzimba, izinhlungu emalungeni omzimba, utwayi, ukuqubuka komzimba, izimpawu ezifuze ezomkhuhlane, isifuba somoya, ukucinana kwamankanka, ukukhathazeka, ukucindezeleka, ukukhohlwa, ukungakwazi ukugxilisa ingqondo, ukuqwasha, ukungashayi kahle kwenhliziyo, ukuqumba, isicanucanu, ukuhlanza, ubuhlungu besisu nokuquleka. Yiqiniso, kungenzeka ukuthi iningi lalezi zimpawu libangelwa ezinye izifo.

I-MCS—Inkinga Eyandayo

Ukucwaninga okwenziwa e-United States emaqenjini abantu abahlukahlukene, kusikisela ukuthi baphakathi kwamaphesenti angu-15 nangu-37 abantu abazibheka njengabasheshayo ukuzwela noma abanemizimba engezwani namakhemikhali avamile nephunga lawo, njengentuthu yemoto, intuthu kagwayi, iphunga likapende omusha, ukhaphethi omusha namakha. Kodwa, bangamaphesenti amahlanu kuphela noma ngaphansi, kuye ngeminyaka yalelo qembu, abathi babethole ukuthi bane-MCS. Cishe ingxenye yesithathu kwakungabesifazane.

Abantu abaningi abaphethwe i-MCS bathi izibulala-zinambuzane namakhemikhali awuketshezi kuyimbangela yokugula kwabo. Yomibili le mikhiqizo, ikakhulukazi amakhemikhali awuketshezi, itholakala kabanzi. Amakhemikhali awuketshezi ayashesha ukuhwamuka futhi ancibilikisa eminye imikhiqizo. Ayisithako sikapende, ivanishi, izinto zokunamathelisa, izibulala-zinambuzane nezinto zokuhlanza.

Ezihlokweni ezilandelayo, sizohlolisisa i-MCS, sixoxe ngokuthi iluphi usizo olutholakalayo kulabo abanalesi sifo, futhi sibone ukuthi abaphethwe yilesi sifo bangabambisana kanjani nalabo abangenaso ukuze benze ukuphila kwabantu abane-MCS kujabulise.

[Umbhalo waphansi]