The beginning of a new life

Here is the threat, take it as a warning!

To stop smoking was actually easier than expected. The use of Nicorette or other treatments was negligible.

Something had, however, happened to my sense of taste. Neither food nor drink tasted as they used to do, in fact they were loathsome.The situation worsened during the spring and the summer until almost anything tasted disgusting. Consulting physiances did not help.

During the summer I found the answer on the Web: I had been hit by dysgeusia, a rare form of taste distortion, as far as I could find out treated only by a few specialist clinics in the USA. I decided to consult the University Clinic in Connecticut and ordered air tickets. I judged the mere chance to regain the sense of taste worth the price.

Thus I seemed to have the diagnosis, but what was the cause? Could quitting smoking result in such drastic changes? I hoped to find the answer also to this question in the USA.

During the summer I had also suffered from an aching shoulder-blade. Not a dramatic pain, as a matter of fact I could continue playing golf, even better than normally...However, a medical examination was mandatory. X-ray treatment at the end of August gave the verdict: Lung cancer!

All of a sudden the situation had changed completely.The trip to the USA obviously had to be cancelled in favour of treatment to try to stop the growth of the tumour in the lung. Could it also be that the cancer was the real cause of my dysgeusia?

Operation of the tumour was not possible. After radiation in October I have now, early December started treatment with cytostaticas.The effect seems to be good and, after a trying fall, I am starting to feel like a human beeing again.

And the taste?!? Perhaps, perhaps on its way back. Hopefully in time for the Christmas buffet...

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