Yes, Cancer Does Suck

What Smells or things literally make you sick?

It is really odd how a smell, certain consistency or a thing can trigger strange reactions and often affect us without us realizing it right away.

When I was a young whipper snapper, there was a night I clearly remember when I was sick. Full blown throwy uppy –heaving every 20 minutes kinda sick. In between the horking, I would lay down on the couch. My mother had the, get up to turn the dial, before VCRs, only 7 choices of stations, tv on and it was tuned into the movie Hello Dolly, it may have been the first time it was on tv.

A couple years later, Hello Dolly was on again. And I’m sorry Barbara, but soon as I saw it, I instantly got up, ran down the hall with my hand covering my mouth in case I didn’t make it to the bathroom, and uncontrollably blew it all. I didn’t realize that movie was a trigger until it happened a 3^rd time. That sick feeling of viewing that movie stuck with me into my 20’s ever since that first memory of seeing it. I’m over it now. I think.
I guess I really can’t be sure. When I run across it now, I change channels with my remote control to any of the other now 200 channels.

I’ve always been a good hand washer. But going through chemo treatments I diligently and obsessively washed my hands my hands near raw for fear of slipping and making myself sick - er. Halfway through, I found a soap that just smelled divine. Lavender. Quite refreshing. This past week has found me feeling progressively better then I’ve felt in over 6 months. Yesterday, I washed my hands with the lavender scented soap. I began to have a recall moment and developed that tin-y chemical taste in my mouth. I notice a few minutes later, my stomach didn’t feel so hot either. A couple of hours goes by and Sarah washes her hands with the same soap….. I immediately had that taste and stomach thing start again. Then I realized, I now absolutely and passionately hate that smell. I had to ask her to instantly dump that crap out before I blow.

I had a problem with lima beans too.

My daughter’s downfall was hotdogs and “slimy” fat noodles with chicken a-la-king (she was good if it was rice). She’s over it now, but that took about 4
years. When we’d go shopping and she got mad at me she’d start repeating, “lima beans, lima beans, lima beans, lima beans”. I’d fire back “hotdogs, hotdogs” and “slimy fat noodles with chicken a-la-king”. We’d both start
getting queasy then silently finish our shopping and get the heck out of the
store. .

I would love it if you’d share any stories you have where a thing or smell affects you in a strange way. (IceAngel, I’ll be willing to bet you have a couple!)