Coming to My Senses

Dear Liza,

I am rejoicing! After more than a week of nothing smelling or tasting like anything, I can smell again!

When Auntie Katie heard that my nose and tongue had checked out during my bout of Covid, she encouraged me to “keep smelling stuff! Keep a lemon by your bed!”

I didn’t have a lemon, but I did have this tiny bottle of Orange oil that we bought in New York ages ago. We had been walking all over lower Manhattan on a sweaty, dusty day, with no place to clean up properly before changing (in a restaurant lavatory) to go see The Lion King on Broadway. This bottle was my bow to feeling “lady-like”.

It worked then, and it has proved its worth again. This morning, after days of hoping, I smelt Orange! And not a moment too soon, because…

Bridgett’ s Aunt Linda sent us goodies! Kiss cookies, coconut blondies, wedding cookies, and, most heavenly of all, peanut buckeyes! For a long time, I just hovered over the containers and sniffed, almost drunk with the wonder of it. Then I chose one buckeye and ate it in tiny, grateful nibbles.

Now, don’t get me wrong. We aren’t through this yet. This evening I was able to taste a pot of chili (which I made), but I am still spending most of the day in bed, and I am still on Paxlovid.

BUT Life will go on, I will get better, and I will cook (and eat! And drink!) again.

Love,

Grandma Judy