Salt of the Earth

Clue #1: The Weird Mouth Taste
My mouth doesn't taste normal when it's just hanging out doing nothing. It's not a really bad taste, not even really metallic, as people often describe happening during chemo, but it's not a good taste either. So I've taken drinking more limeade, water, sucking on mints, lemon drops, etc.

Clue #2: Cheese
Colby Jack, after holding a special delicious place in my heart for the past year, seems to have lost its zing.

Clue #3: Sausage
I've been having a severe and persistent sausage craving that I mostly haven't been giving into.

Clue #4: Chicken Soup
Allison made me a simple chicken soup yesterday, that being what I felt like I should be eating after surgery. I was pretty excited about it, as "store broth" is a sodium-laden guilty pleasure of mine. The first bite was disappointingly bland, but I figured she must have splurged on the healthy, low-salt, happy chicken broth. So I added my own salt (it took a lot, and it still wasn't as satisfying as usual).

Clue #5: Tortilla Chips
I was eating tortilla chips with my sister today - Restaurant Style, Full-Fat, Full-Salt, the kind that make your mouth a little tingly. And I realized that they really didn't taste salty to me. My lips felt like they were salty. Allison told me they were salty. But they just weren't salty to me.

Conclusion: my salty tastebuds are mostly dead. Yet another one of those irritating things about having cancer/chemo that's not lifechanging, not dramatic, but, well, it leaves an unpleasant taste in your mouth. And I try not to dwell on the flavor, because thinking about it makes it worse, and while all the cancer books encourage you to indulge your every dietary craving when your tastes change, I try not to be too spoiled rotten about it.

Tonight we're making spring rolls in hopes that aminos in the dipping sauce will simulate salty (well, technically umame) enough to satisfy my cravings. Plus, I have a thing for spring rolls.

I would also note that I have still been able to enjoy food a lot. I almost always have an appetite, and most things taste pretty much like they should. I guess just a little less salty.


Generally, I'm feeling well today. A little like someone punched me in the shoulder where my new port is - sore, achy, not wanting to move my arm much - but when that's the worst of it, it's a good day.