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The insane AC is really the only thing keeping me breathing right now, but I surely don't like it. The library where I work is kept so cold I wear a thick fleece all evening and the other day I had my sleeves pulled over my hands with just my fingertips poking out so I could type.
I am sorry to hear this, Pax! I know how much you were looking forward to your new life in Florida. BUT, health is #1, and then all the cultural things you've mentioned before are quite important too. Some places just aren't the right fit, and sometimes, it doesn't take all that long to figure that out.
We've been through this several times ourselves: our move to Belize, which we thought would last "forever" -- it soon became apparent that it was not the right fit for us, and we had some health issues as well (not as serious as yours, tho). Mexico, more recently -- we went into that with our eyes wide open after Belize, did not expect it to last forever, and when it started to become un-fun, we knew the time was right to move back to the US. We still love Mexico, and I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't try it again (but a different area) one day, but not right away. And long before either of these expat experiences, we briefly moved to Wisconsin and to Florida during our 31-year marriage. In both cases, my DH decided he was not happy (though I actually was, especially with our situation in Florida, because I loved my job), and we moved back to NC. And in those cases, that worked out well for us with work and everything else (friends, family, etc.)
In every case, we try to look at these experiences as things we learned from. They just added to the pool of life experiences and hopefully helped us to choose better the next time (though we are very slow learners, it appears!) In our case, I think we learned that we need variety, and that is why we are currently nomadic. We get bored and itchy staying in one place for too long. I suspect eventually we'll settle down, but we're in no hurry. I think your Florida experience taught you a lot as well; and I can certainly, completely relate to the desire to get away from winter -- that was one of the main drivers for us in both Belize and Mexico, and why we spent most of this past winter in Florida.
I wish you only the best -- in health and in life! Keep us posted!
Thanks, Emily. I knew you'd get it, you've been on this road of trying new places and being willing to walk if it was a poor fit. Today was a very bad day breathing wise, I've got a doc appt. on June 2nd so I'm hoping there's some magic pill available... if not we'll make the necessary arrangements to go home. And I will job hunt and seek out the things I loved about the place before; and when we quit working we can get that van and wander from that home base.
Yeah, for me without major health issues, that's the worst part of Florida in the warmer months. Even when it's 70° or cooler outside at night, you can't open the windows, or everything will turn to mold within hours. Not exaggerating - a visible coat of mold on furniture, shoes, books, leather garments, plasticized garments, doors, everything. And when it's that cool outside, the AC has to be cranked into the low 70s or even cooler to keep the humidity under 70%. All the more so when northerners who don't understand, move there in the winter and put in carpeting and curtains and wallpaper (guilty of replacing the carpet the Canadian previous owners put in our house :( ). All the more so when it's a library full of books, even if there's nothing else in there to absorb moisture.
Oak - I look at old pictures of this place, like back in the 1800's, and wonder how on earth they thrived here. It must have been abjectly miserable seven months of the year.
I had no idea that mold was such a problem there! I've been in southern Florida a couple of times and all I really remember are bugs. Really, really F*CKING GIGNORMOUS BUGS...ahem, please forgive the language.
Mold, endless pollen, freaking HUGE bugs, water restrictions, sink holes (from people who ignore water restrictions), tornadoes, and hurricanes... but BEACH!
Yup, that's when I found out I am allergic to mold. And what happens when you keep your closet doors shut (mold). Having the Orkin man once a week, so you don't find those huge palmetto bugs in your bread drawer. Rain every day 6+ months out of the year, and freaking horrible humidity.
This is so true. We have been so lucky in our spring travels to have mostly low to moderate humidity, even all over the south. All that just changed, and the humidity soared today. Even with temps around 72, we were DYING from the sultriness of it, since we haven't experienced that for so long. (Note: We are currently in Arkansas.) So, we turned on the air, since we have electric hookups at our current campground. We had to bump it to 68 to get it to stay on long enough to get the humidity down into the 50s, and then it was freezing! But better that than mold and mildew.Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
I thought I'd gotten used to humidity from living in Belize and Mexico, but I guess it's been long enough that I'd forgotten how ghastly it can feel. We enjoyed our winter in Florida but are very glad not to be there now.
I've heard stories about how settlers sometimes died of anemia just from mosquito bites. I don't know how true that is, but from how aggressive the mosquitoes are even with modern and early industrial (and environmentally destructive) control methods, I completely believe it. If I forget repellents, long pants and long sleeves, I'll often get five or ten bites in the time it takes to drag my trash cans the 25 feet from the garage to the curb.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
My favorite quote "life is what happens while we are busy making plans" Sorry to hear about the unexpected but happy to hear you all are flexible enough to go with a flow.
So, a frustrating visit to the allergist, I'm "presenting in an asymptomatic fashion" meaning my lungs are clear (not full of crap) but my smooth muscles are not working right. The verdict "lets get a chest xray and try these new drugs for a month and see how it goes, meanwhile, avoid your allergen triggers". arrrggghh
Sounds like what I was told... only it was called "non-specious" asthma, back in the 80s. My chest hurt like hell, but I wasn't wheezing. I took so many courses of Prednisone, no wonder I have osteoporosis. And that awful older drug, Theophylline. It felt like I was on speed. This was before all the drugs we have today were invented. I stopped seeing the pulmonologist at that point, and went to an allergist and restarted allergy shots for the 3d time in my life. I felt horrible after every shot, so eventually I quit that, too. As it turns out, a couple of years after I moved back to MA (which cured my asthma), I found out that the allergist who I went to in Tempe (his brother lives near here) was the principal inventor of Advair.
I wish you luck, Pax. I truly understand how you are feeling.
Thanks, Crankin. She told me today, if we're planning on moving home to Illinois in the next 1-4 years there's no point in starting them here in FL. I was happy to hear that as I was controlled just fine back in IL, no reason to inject me with a bunch of stuff for here.
Oh, man. Hope you can get some relief from the new meds.
I will say I got at least 80% relief from my cedar allergy within three or four shots. Way before I was even built up to full strength. So I don't know why they wouldn't want you to try that even if was "only" going to be a year or four.