Towards the beginning of September, I began chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s squamous T-cell Lymphoma. Needless to say, getting used to my body changing so drastically has been quite the ride .
Fortunately for me, the case is not nearly as bad as it is for some, and my side effects from treatment have been fairly manageable; I am very blessed to be in good enough condition to work at my job and enjoy most aspects of my life.
Having said that, there has been one aspect of it that shook me to my core: my taste buds don’t work the same! What I notice the most is that I don’t perceive salt at all. Potato chips just taste like potatoes, having lost their finger-lickingly addictive nature for me. Coca Cola currently tastes like a weird spiced carbonated tea, and all fast food is so bland that I don’t even bother wasting my time with it anymore. It’s obvious to me that not tasting salt would change how everything tastes, but it’s been crazy to see just how dramatic the difference has been.
Though it has been a massive roadblock to normality for me, I try to see it as a blessing in disguise as much as I can. It’s been easier for me to decide against heavily processed foods and lean more towards things made with whole ingredients. Quality has always been very important to me when it comes to food, but it has recently carried more weight than ever before.
At this point I’m just over halfway through my treatment plan and I can finally say I’ve gotten mostly used to the absence of salt flavor. I’ve made a conscious effort to focus on the flavors that I CAN taste rather than let my underperforming tongue get me down. I certainly appreciate the things that I taste a lot more now.
Have you ever heard of someone going through treatment and experiencing something like this? Reach out to me on Instagram or through email if you want to share your thoughts, I would love to hear about it!
Sam’s Food Blog 