Thursday, September 8, 2011

Perfume? Headache!!!

Have you ever gone to a quilt class, all happy and ready to learn, you get your machine all set up and ready. You are all excited about your fun day you are about to have.  Only to have a very nice lady come set up right next to you and she is wearing a fragrance that blows you across the room? Instantly giving you a migraine, sets off your asthma, or both?  What can you say?  The lady is very sweet!  You don't want to hurt her feelings!  You can't hold your breath all day!  Well, this has been the situation so many times in our classroom.  The last thing we want to do is hurt someones feelings.  To her she smells like a pretty spring flower! 

There have been several times we have had to refund a student her money for the class because she just can't do it. I can't blame her.  I have the same problem.  Even at the movies or at the grocery store, someones perfume can just about knock me over.  However, there,we can always move away.  In the classroom situation there is no place to go. 

In our class policies,(the piece of paper that everyone gets when signing up for a class,) it is clearly stated, PLEASE DO NOT WERE  PERFUMES IN CLASS.  It's even in big letters.  So what else can we do?    Just something to think about.   HMMMMMM...........

3 comments:

Jenny said...

Oh...that's a tough one! Fun blog Carol!

Michele said...

I developed a fragrence allergy a couple of years ago. I have such a terrible time with perfumes, smoke, air freshners. I've had to move to the other side of the room in classes, but some times you can't move. Thank you for your policy of NO PERFUME in classes. I can't imagine sitting in close quarters with multiple offenders all around me. I would probably have to leave.

Sandi said...

Carrol, it is very difficult to deal with these sensivities and allergies. I can get a horrible headache or I will loose me voice.

We have a policy of no scents where I work with patients and if I feel my voice going I try and gently say to the patient/visitor/husband [they have some of the most offending colognes] "are you aware there is a no scent policy here? I'm afraid I'm one of the people who is sensitive. As you may notice I'm loosing my voice. I'm not sick but this is how I react to some perfumes. If you come back again could you please not wear any scents.

Most patients comply, sometimes not.

But maybe you could try and approach the lady the next time she is in the store and remind her of the policy?