Indoor Pollution: Is it affecting you?

     Most people never think about the quality of the air insde their home until something happens to make them do so. Waliking in from outside and smelling yesterday's fried fish or noticing the aroma of a vase of fresh cut  flowers that your spouse put on the dining room table. In my case, it was when my doctor told me there was formaldehyde in my blood, and she wanted me to take a low dose medication as a precaution to protect my liver. This upset me,because I had managed to improve my health to the point I no longer took any medicines,
     The announcement on the news that Lumber Liquidators, a flooring retailer, was in troible because of laminate flooring they got from China having concentrations of formaldehyde many times the Federal limit was like an alarm bell sounding in my head.. My apartment is in a brand new building with laminate flooring in the kitchen and wall to wall carpeting throughout.  Some carpet adhesives also contain formaldehyde.  I had noticed as I worked in my kitchen that I developed a runny nose after being there for awhile. When I leave the kitchen, the problem stops. A little research showed that formaldehyde vapors attack the mucous membaranes, and, when I questioned my doctor, she said it has to be ingested to show in the blood.  Duh! Isn't breathing ingesting?
     I have not determined if the formaldehyde in my blood is caused by my apartment's environment, yet. But that is soon ro change. I spoke to an environmental testing company, and they said it would cost me $400 to have them do the test. Being on a fixed income and not having money to spare, I went online and found several home testing kits with huge price ranges. I found one I could afford and ordered it. I have, also, asked my doctor to order the same test for me that had discovered the problem originally. I want to have it done before my next visit that is two weeks away.
     Several other people of my acquaintance in the apartments where I live have expressed similar complaints about the way they feel while in their homes. It is easy to dismiss these as the complaints that old people always seem to have, but what if there is a valid reason for them that is going undiagnosed. I will see how the test tutns out in my case, and if it is negative, I shall persue it no further. However, if it is positive, I shall encourage those others to do the same test in their areas. Stay tuned for further developments.