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things you don't want to know can kill you
My mom had made an awesome fabric patchwork headboard back in the 1960s, and it had been hanging over their bed my entire life. I grew up jumping around on that bed, looking at all the wild patterns and psychedelic colors. It was one of the things I called “dibs” on when my parents died, and no one else wanted it. I had been using it in my studio as a back rest for when I sit on the floor, but lately the smell of it has been bothering me. Really bothering me. I have had a chronic sore throat ever since I had that URI / ear infection, and lately I've been sitting in my studio sewing, leaning against this headboard. And out of nowhere my throat will get inflamed and I feel like shit.
I had to move it out of my studio, and was planning to remove the patchwork from the cushion and wash the fabric, re-use it to make a purse or a tablecloth or a dress or something. But, it turns out this entire thing was saturated with mold. When I pulled the fabric off, the cushion underneath was all sorts of horrible nightmare colors, so that went out to the trash immediately. I soaked the fabric in the sink and covered it, intending to wash, then boil, then wash again, and try to salvage the fabric, but when I went to check on it later, the water was almost black and there were freaky chunks of something floating in there. I almost screamed and had to throw away the fabric as well.
I know it's just a “thing” but it was really a disappointment, and more than a little disturbing. That it was in my house, yes, that does not make me feel good at all. But more so, that this was hanging above my parents' bed for like, 50+ years. I'm sure it was not moldy the entire time, but still. My mom had severe sinus/ allergy problems, and eventually had to sleep with one of those c-pap machines. And my dad had MS, so I'm sure the mold could not help his condition. Why did they never think to try to wash this thing? I realize you had to dismantle it to wash it, take out the cover and rework it, but still...guess that's just part of the hoarder mentality. Set something down (or hang it on the wall) and don't ever move it for half a century.
I guess my parents had a mattress cover or something like that get moldy on them, and they had to get a new one, and now I wonder if it spread from this headboard? Probably. It's disturbing to me, and I'm a little angry at how stupid they were, but I feel stupid as well, because I just brought it into the house and started using it without a second thought.
It had this unique smell to it, but I always associated that smell with their bedroom. I used to hang out with my dad up there listening to music in the summer, and as a kid I would play up there while my mom did sewing or something like that. Now I have to admit that the smell I associated with my parents is toxic, disgusting, nasty, life-threatening mold. I used to find it pretty much comforting, but lately it's been smelling too much, and making me uneasy, and I just couldn't stand it anymore. And I'm glad because it was toxic.
My husband said he's proud that I could just throw it out like that, no issues. Well, I'm not going to even try to clean it up at this point. After all the MDF shelving in the basement went bad and we had to clear the basement of multi-colored mold, and my health hasn't been the same since, I am extremely paranoiac when it comes to mold, or anything that could potentially mold.
And yes, it's just a “thing” and I have lots of other things. Lots of other things to remember my parents by, even, but it was really depressing having to get rid of this one specific thing. As if I wasn't depressed enough already, and now I'm hyper-vigilant about the state of my house. I disinfected the sink and the area where it was sitting in my studio, but it's going to take me a little while to get over this.
12:34 PM - Monday, Dec. 23, 2019
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