Elizabeth Adolphi
Bio
As a child I had a flair for the dramatic; as an adult, the flair has turned into a subtle, yet continuous hum. I love to see the world through different scopes and to tell stories based on the takeaway. Cheers!
Stories (19/0)
Life as a Daughter of Agent Orange, Part 3
I was quite unsure of which path to take this story down after part two; there are so many memories that are scrambling in my head and the emotions of each memory paralyze the nerves in my hands, preventing me from typing this next part. There is a video on Facebook showing a father teaching his little girl the right way to express her emotions, especially when she is upset. Whilst watching the video, I came to realize, if I had been taught as she has now been taught, my life would be completely different. I would not have bottled up over a decade's worth of raw emotions only to have it expressed in harmful ways such as cutting or having suicidal thoughts. I would also like to think that, if my dad had never been exposed to Agent Orange, I would have had a more stable emotional development. Some parts of my story may be shocking.
By Elizabeth Adolphi6 years ago in Families
Life as a Daughter of Agent Orange, Part 2
There comes a time in any situation where one has to wonder if one is going crazy because of outside forces. Since middle school I have often wondered if living with this Agent Orange version of my dad has influenced a few weak moments where the outside world would perceive me as crazy. Once we found out what was causing the mood swings and the diabetes, it was as if we had entered a special club that nobody knows about and nobody wants to be invited in to. There is a specific chemical my dad reacts to called formaldehyde; the reactions vary from horrible mood swings to having his blood pressure skyrocket. We quickly learned about which products had formaldehyde in them. I could no longer paint my nails, wear perfume, buy shoes that had a smell similar to jelly sandals, and could not buy certain shampoos and conditioners that combined with my own chemical makeup brought upon his attacks.
By Elizabeth Adolphi6 years ago in Families
Life as a Daughter of Agent Orange, Pt. 1
I honestly do not know where to even begin telling my story. I remember growing up, at least to the age of 10, life was pretty normal and decent. Mom worked and Dad stayed home with my little sister and I. I recall my dad being strict, but that was nothing compared to what was about to start in late 1999.
By Elizabeth Adolphi6 years ago in Families
Endometriosis
Way back in 2001 when I was 11, I never dreamed the next 16 years of my life would be filled with the most excruciating pain month after month; I never imagined I would feel the judging glances in the pharmacy when I went to pick up my medication or at camp when I had to explain what the medication was used for because of the stigma of this particular type; I never thought I would miss a mass accumulation of days from work and school because my body was racked with numbing pain; I never thought there could be a name for what I would be suffering with for the next 16 years.
By Elizabeth Adolphi6 years ago in Viva