The snowpocalypse has meant I have spent an awful lot of time at home, which has given me an awful lot of time to stare at the mould creeping along my bathroom walls. Finally, I have had enough.
In the old days, pre-MS, I could paint the bathroom in half a day, whizzing around barely stopping for a breather. This time, I will need to approach the project with caution, precision and a battle plan.
So, the other day, I began. After trudging up to the doctor’s for my blood test, I trudged back to the paint shop. I had done my research, and I knew I needed an anti-mould solution, an interior seal damp and finally, paint, so I asked the guy for help finding them.
‘But why do you need all that stuff?’ he asked. Well, the bathroom is exploding with mould, it’s horrible. ‘It can’t be that bad, surely, how old is your house?’ Oh dear. Obviously women shouldn’t know anything about painting or preparing surfaces, yada yada yada. I gave him my best steely look, gritted my teeth and informed him the house is 160 years old, the window sills are over a foot thick and if the damp has gone in that far, I’ve got a serious problem.
He gave in, but got the last laugh, thrusting a couple of paint brochures into my hand before I left, saying ‘here, take these, they’ve got some lovely pretty colours in there.’ I stomped home in a mood. I don’t care if I paint the bathroom in ‘ocean ripple’, ‘chic shadow’ or ‘urban obsession’, as long as it gets done. If I had my way, I’d paint it all black so I’d never have to see the mould again.
Anyway, I am all set to go, but nothing has been done. Three reasons: my arms get tingly and numb if I hold them up for too long, my balance won’t be the best on step-ladders and I worry about suddenly get tired half-way through. The guy in the shop didn’t quite succeed in making me feel completely stupid and girly, but MS certainly has….
Dear Girl!
It sounded like he was trying to help you, not everyone is out to get you! There is nothing wrong with a bit of duck-egg Blue in the bathroom!
I sympathise with the arms thing I can’t even go shopping alone because of picking things off the racks does that to my arms.
And you are NOT stupid at all and as your name is now Alan not very girly either. (Not that there is anything wrong with being girly)
Can you get a little help from your builder friend perhaps? He seems like a good chap.
Anyway, good luck with it, I hope you manage to get the job done somehow.
Sue, x
Hi Sue,
You’re absolutely right – I’m so mega-sensitive these days, but honestly, he really is a grumpy old man!
I made a small but significant start last night – I removed some of the grotty silicone from round the bath, and, well, am feeling rather chuffed, lol.
As for the builder helping me, ha! It’s a case of the cobbler’s children I’m afraid. The last thing he wants to do after work is do more work, bless him. I almost had to kidnap him yesterday to get him to put two pictures up for me! He’s an absolute angel, and once did a 40 mile round trip to put my broadband back on, but as for picking up a paintbrush, forget it!
X
So I guess in his eyes your biggest disability is being “female” … Lol, like they say there is no cure for ignorance !!! Kudos for you for not totally losing it on him which it sounds like he totally deserved. it’s not bad enough that we deal with MS on a daily basis and all the stigma that comes with that , who needs to deal with the caveman mentality. Hang in there but I fear that guys like that are not going to you come extinct anytime soon !!! 🙂
Hey Scot!
Yup, daily sexism, eh?? He’s such a grumpy old man. Am having fun looking through all the pretty colours in the brochures though, lol. Should I go muted and sophisticated or loud and brash. Hmm. Probably loud and brash, knowing me!
X
Congrats on making inroads! Bathroom mold is a delight, isn’t it? I was so pleased with myself for scrubbing the revolting bathtub the other day. Not so much mold as, well, grainy BITS that I’d prefer not to think about too much. Anyway, it was exhausting and made me cranky, although the end result is nice!
Thanks!
I am losing a fighting battle with mould in this house – The Teenager’s bedroom is next. I swear it’s because he keeps his door firmly shut that there are now lovely patches of the stuff blooming from each corner. That’s a room I’m not looking forward to painting….
I am currently enjoying
trash tv and a bag of crispsstudying. Just printed off a 35-page guide to referencing -eek.X
Ha! If it helps you feel any better about dealing with mold and studying, I spent the better part of the morning on hold w/ my new health insurance provider, trying to get them to approve my *#%@%^ MS meds. I’ll probably spend the better part of the afternoon reading a trashy novel — scratch that. I meant to say: engaging in vigorous exercise and solving complex math problems.
Hey CrankyPants!
Blimey, sounds tough – guess we’re lucky here to have the good old NHS. Have heard some horror stories about accessing meds through insurance.
Enjoy the complex math problems – I can’t even help a 13 year old with his homework. I’ve given up on studying for now. Maybe tomorrow. Might just get back on MouldWatch (TM). Such an exciting life I lead.
X
Hi all , I just rwad the comments about insurance, & wanted to share this , I just off the phone this morn w/ my insurance, I was pur on rebif in Oct ,but it was stoppes per my Dr. in 1st wk of january, it took almost 2 months to get it started , because of red tape basiclly,anyqays I dont need it anymore so I tried to stop the monthly delivery & was told it would keep coming for as lonf as 3 morw months , they said to just dispose of it , the med cost $3900.00/mo !!! I just find it sad that there r MSer’s out there who’s livea could be changed by getting this med , but can’t becoz they dont have insurance & could never pay that muxh per month … It makes me so angry !!!
Hi Scot,
That is truly appalling. I am on a course of Alemtuzumab (Campath/Lemtrada) which isn’t even licensed for MS yet. God knows what it will cost when it is licensed. $3900 dollars a month is an incredible amount of money. We moan about the NHS in this country, but as far as I’m concerned, they have been amazing throughout my whole MS journey.
Possible guest blog post, hint hint??
X
That is such an awful waste. Maybe the National MS Society could help you with a way to get it to someone in need?
Lol , & yes I would love to do another blog , i’m going to take ur suggestion and write about my feeling w/ the new dx … 🙂 X
Woo-hoo! That would be fantastic. I look forward to it!! x
Hello Ms. CrankyPants , I did call them , & they said that they can’t take meds from anyone except a pharmacy , & they said they hear this story often … It really is ashame though . And by the qay I loved ur comments on the blog !!! 🙂
Thanks, Scot, re: comments (this cool blog can make the dullest among us look amusing)!
Glad you tried with the Rebif; that is a shame…