Is Avoidance Worth It?

In college, I felt like something was wrong with my body. It was interesting, because it was the same “something” that I had felt as a child…but in college it was worse. A health issue, but I didn’t know what. I have this distinct memory of walking across the railroad tracks on the way back to my dorm room after class. I was wondering, “would I turn out like my uncle, who had a horrific death from Multiple Sclerosis?” I felt like the answer was yes. 

I remember that walk vividly. I remember the trees, the smell of the ground after rain. 

But here’s the thing: That kind of talk with myself was not an isolated incident. In fact, I had that talk with myself many many times. Thousands of times, as I grew up. Something was wrong. I didn’t know what. How would it end for me. 

A human life is long. Maybe 70, 80, 90 years. A lot of great and important things happen during that lifespan… kids, grandkids, career achievements, ministry. In fact, God DESIGNED our lives to be full of blessings, service, and meaning. 

Most people on the outside looking in see chronic illness patients as just kind of “weird.” They say, “Oh, Bryan…he’s kind of weird. He has those weird health problems. It is just part of who he is.”

And then the illness patient him or herself starts thinking the same thing. “I am weird. I have weird health problems. I am limited. I won’t have a very good life.” 

The people around me, and me myself. We think that. We begin to accept that. It is just the way things are. The life that was supposed to be, is slowly lost. And everyone knows it and accepts it. Of course, the onlookers never really acknowledge the seriousness of it. They think it probably isn’t that big of a deal. “Oh, some people just don’t live full lives. That’s how it is.” But this truth NEVER feels normal to the patient him or herself. It is never normalized. Something is always terribly, horribly wrong, on a physical, spiritual and emotional level. 

So this is why mold avoidance makes no sense to onlookers. “Is all that trouble really worth it, just to feel better?”, they ask. “How is that worth it.” 

Meanwhile, these normal people still do EVERYTHING within their own power to preserve the value of THEIR OWN lives. I watch my friends and family do all the important things. Get their cancer checkups. Go to the dentist, so even their teeth will last into old age. 

And boy oh boy, God forbid one of the normal people get sick. It is off to the doctor, to find out what is wrong. It is taken seriously. Cancer, or something similar, causes a complete interruption in life…go to the doctor! Do the tests! Get the chemo! Take time off work! A life is at stake! Hustle, hustle, hustle! 

But…. Bryan is just different. He is just sick, and that’s how it is. If there is a chance for HIM to get better, and have a normal life… who would do that? It’s silly. (Sarcasm intended). 

Life is long. Human life is packed with value. We ALL deserve a chance at the most full life possible. And I don’t mean a materialistic life. I mean a life full of health, vitality and purpose. 

Most people who pursue mold avoidance don’t need to have the crazy disruptions of mold avoidance go on and on and last forever. From what I can see, most people return to a fairly normal life (with some restrictions of course) after something like, say, 5 years. More, or less, depending on how much mold avoidance they are able to practice, and how sick they were. 

It’s worth it. A few years of hard work and adjustments for a lifetime of health. But you don’t get to have an opinion, until your own life has been threatened and you have been through the decision-making crossroads yourself. Until then, you have no idea what you are talking about. And if you’ve been through that crossroads, tell me: did you do everything possible to save your life? That’s what I thought.