Do you smell what I smell?

The sense of smell is an interesting phenomenon. If you have one. My sinus problems have diminished my ability to smell for many years. Most of the time, I wouldn't be able to smell gasoline if it were squirted up my nose. And then, after some medical intervention, I'm acutely aware of the odors around me, and for the most part it's sensory overload!

Most often, the difference-maker for me is steroids; a few days into a course of Prednisone and I can detect strong odors. A few days after that, the more subtle aromas become evident. Opening a container of coffee becomes a heavenly experience. Walking into Chuy's is almost more than I can abide. It's a whole new world.

Of course, there is a down side. Not all aromas are pleasant, but let's talk rather about the association between smell and taste. It is well established that smell is the larger part of the taste experience and significantly affects appetite. So I've always said, if I could smell, I would weigh 400 pounds. I wonder if that is why steroid users usually have significant weight gain. They can smell, or smell better than they could. What I find is that things taste differently to me when I'm able to "smell good." And interestingly, not all things taste better. It's what you are used to, I guess.

There's also the issue of lingering smells. Sometimes they linger because that's normal. I fried a slice of bacon the other morning (47 calories, okay?) to go with my scrambled eggs (120 calories). The house smelled of bacon the rest of the day! Good thing I wasn't trying to hide it. Jana commented the other day about the unmistakable aroma of an Allsups that clung so, she felt she would have to burn her jacket to get rid of it. And sometimes my "smeller" gets stuck on a particular odor. Just a short exposure can trigger a lingering smell that stays with me the rest of the day, no matter where I am after that.

I'm due for a second round of steroids soon, so I'm expecting my sense of smell to be elevated to a new level. Think I'll go to the Candle Factory. They may have to drag me out by my heels when I OD on aromas.