Bitter & Sweet

Just like many things in life, molds are not created equally. Each, and their mycotoxins, have their own unique smells.

There is a sweet mold, or mycotoxin, which smells like perfume, but I know for a fact it's not. It's like a fancy casket to me. It's a light scent and easily dissipates with fresh air. Of all the toxic scents I encounter, it's the most common.

Another is what I call 'baby-powder mold.' It has thick smell very similar to the white substance. Sometimes I wonder if it's not mold but actually baby powder or some other beauty product. It's not as common as the perfume one, but I still smell it on a regular basis.

Finally: the nightmare mold.

An encounter with this is terrifying. It is bitter and thick. The first whiff alone makes me nauseous. It does not dissipate but lingers in pockets. It brings back terror from the first time I smelled it, which was in a nightmare. I thank God in His graciousness that it is the rarest of scents. I've only come across it three times in three and a half years.

Today was the was the most recent experience. A couple walked by on the road and stopped in front of the Bub to discuss something about our trailer's hitch. By the time they moved on and I hastily shut the door and vents, it was too late. AThe vile smell was trapped in the Bub.

The effort to stop thinking 'I'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodie,' and to tell myself 'This is not going to kill me,' was enormous. I had to repeat truthful sayings after Mom who was probably near panic herself.

The mind is a huge element of reactions to toxins, but I'm not fully convinced that my aching joints and sudden headache was caused completely by panic.

A half hour later, the Bub sealed up, the air purifier and the essential oil diffuser running, I don't smell the nightmare mold anymore, and I hope to never again.

Breathing easier with time,
Janelle