Still Life with Nostrils

Nasal polyps. I had em...been there, done that. In fact, i just had surgery to have them removed last week. It was the fourth time I've had them out. Yes, you read that right, four times I've had surgery to remove them FOUR times.

I'm told that this time its permanent, and I'm really trying to be optimistic. The surgery isn't exactly fun and it is expensive, too. I must say though, that this last time the surgery wasn't nearly as bad as the last three. In fact when I got home from the hospital I felt completely normal. No pain, no discomfort....usually it feels like someone punched you in the nose, but not this time. I got home and immediately ate a bowl of soup. Which I was able to taste. for the first time. In a very long while.

Today is actually 6 days since I had the surgery and I'm almost back to normal. No more blood when I blow my nose, and it doesn't feel all dry and goey anymore. I am no longer doing the saline wash a million times a day, more like once or twice. I dont mind the saline wash but it does mean you have to blow your nose a lot to get all of that vapor out.

Its really amazing how much being able to smell changes your daily routines. Like, used to be I didn't smell anything, so it really didnt matter if was ever gassy or not. Id let loose anytime anywhere when I was at home. Now I'm a little more cautious because believe me, when you can't smell for a long time and then all of a sudden you can - you are a little sensitive to odors.

But the upside is that I can smell my aftershave and I really quite like it. And this really great candle I bought at Williams Sonoma, its Evergreen scented or something, but it smells really really good. I get a rush of aromatic joy washing my hands in the sink with my evergreen soap or my lime soap. Silly to think that such a simple thing can perk you right up but it really does!

Now I'm trying not to try and eat everything in sight just to remember what it tastes like. This includes good foods as well as bad, and I'm finding that many times I am overeating which is not ideal. But it all just tastes so good! How did I make it so long without being able to smell and taste!?!?