63. The joys of steroids

I gave steroids a bit of a bashing the other day so here’s to the benefits, beyond their main purpose, reducing the risk of chemo-nausea. In that respect, it is very successful and, in my case, possibly a life-saver. Today I woke at 7am. I rarely see this time of day. I have never functioned before 8.30 when the demands of my job took over the natural lethargy I experience in the mornings. Today, I woke alert. I felt refreshed by sleep (even though I had a nightmare, unusual for me) and ready for anything. Then I remembered I’d had a steroid drip yesterday.

I proof-read a report. Texted a friend and arranged to meet at noon - this is just like normal life. Woohoo (however you spell it). Knowing I had pizza waiting at home, I opted for the most deliciously moist lemon and lime cake and enjoyed every mouthful. I replaced my usual tea with a hot chocolate made with oat milk. Heavenly. I had a lovely chat with Maureen about everything from Theresa May to depression and forgot the time.

When I got home, I spent the next hour chatting with Dennis and cooked (yes, from scratch) more stewed apple. Haute cuisine and my saviour last week when everything else tasted of...salt. Then it was countdown to 4.20 and the end of the steroid boost. Turned out to be 4.21. I sagged. My mouth started feeling revolting. Time’s up for the week.

It got better though. Pizza is another thing that’s defied the chemo-induced tastelessness. I left it to Dennis as his culinary skills surpass mine by miles. I thought.

WTF

Pizza rock solid, only about one salvageable mouthful from the underside at the centre. How can a man with top grades in Physics, Chemistry and Maths not work out that, if the oven is already heated from his own pasta dish, cooking time needs to be reduced? He’s always taken cooking instructions literally: if it says cook for 20 minutes, that’s what he does. He doesn’t test it to see if it’s cooked or heated through. Just eats it - how he’s avoided food poisoning amazes me. But I thought I’d been training him on this lately and he’s been responding because he wants to ensure I can find no excuse not to eat what he gives me. Conclusion: Yellow pepper - tasted like salt. Salad leaves - tasteless. Cucumber - yes, I got a sense of what I remember cucumber tasting like, pretty tasteless but refreshing. So basically, I had cucumber for my meal :)  

Then I decided a dish of tasty stewed apple would help, cooked by me, just how I like it. Result: almost tasteless, with a slight hint of clove. Half a dish is still waiting to be consumed but it reminds me of the time I had to eat boiled marrow. Three mealtimes: lunch, taste and refusal; tea, repeated refusal; breakfast, determinedly repeated refusal. Dare Mum send me to school without breakfast? 

Yes, she did. But she never served me boiled marrow again. Maybe tomorrow it will taste better - the apple, not marrow.

So the day began more than well, peaked around 1pm and deteriorated from 4. Dare I try another of my stalwarts, Heinz vegetable soup? It has so many additives, something must taste and I’m hungry! With my luck, it will taste of salt.