The Remodel House Got Me
I've worked in enough old houses to know better, but somehow I always convince myself, "I'll be fine without a mask for a little while." Famous last words. The job was a remodel in an older house. You know the kind. Every time you move a board, open a wall, or step in the attic, a cloud of dust appears that probably hasn't seen daylight since the 1970s. There was old insulation falling from the ceiling, dirt packed into every corner, and enough mystery particles floating through the air to make you wonder if you're breathing house or oxygen. At first, I felt tough. "Who needs a mask?" I thought. A few hours later I was coughing every time I laughed, blowing my nose every ten minutes, and wondering why my head felt like someone was remodeling the inside of it too. By the time I got home, I had a headache that could have qualified as a demolition permit. My nose was running like it was training for a marathon. I looked in the mirror and realized I ha...
