Tuesday, March 21, 2006

I sense something missing

DS-7 finally had a chance to play with his friend yesterday and they had a splendid time. His mother and I are both scrapers (I am much more enthusiastic than his mother is, but then again, I am much more enthusiastic than most people). So we set up a photo shoot the second we had the kids together in the same room. I caught some great photos and I am sharing them here.

I have recently lost my sense of smell ~ recently being a relative term, because I’m not exactly sure when it happened. I noticed it in November when I was lighting scented candles and everyone remarked how nice the house smelled. I couldn’t smell it.

I asked the dentist if it could be related to the work he has done on my teeth and he said it wasn’t likely. He also recommended I talk to my doctor about it. This now has me wondering what terrible disease or ailment I might have.
But that’s not the point. This loss of my sense of smell (unlike my ability to smell, because I am sure I still stink mightily, I just don’t know it anymore) has left me to ponder all of my senses.

My sister was born with nerve deafness. She can hear somewhat with the use of a hearing aid, but there are many sounds she simply misses. There are so many sounds offering comfort to my life, I can’t imagine being without them. So I have been thinking about my top favorite sounds:
~ A purring cat
~ A train whistle cutting through the night
~ My washing machine and dish washer going about the business of doing my work
~ The hum of the furnace fan kicking in, banishing the cold
~ A crackling fire
~ My children talking, laughing and playing together
~ My husband’s heartbeat
~ The cry of a newborn baby
~ Crickets or frogs on a warm summer’s night
~ The click, pop fizzzzz of a can of pop being opened and poured into a glass
~ Being told “I love you.”

My photo a day challenge has also made me more aware of the world around me, as I see things I might not otherwise notice.
I am now seeing details, lines, patterns, shadows, and reflections in the world around me.
When I was a child I never understood why my Mother was so stressed about all the work she had to do. Most of it was self-imposed chores like laundry and weeding the garden. But now I know what it is like to have so many things that need doing and so many things you want to do you just don’t know where to start.
It is almost impossible to keep up with the demands. I must make stew for the church party, take the children to the dentist, mopping the bathroom floor (it probably stinks, even though I can’t smell it) and do research on long term effects of Settlement Canyon pollution on our water. I forget to notice the sound of robins singing in spring and the daffodils trying to poke their heads up through snow.
Sometimes I wonder how long I went without the sense of smell before I noticed it was missing. How sad it is I didn’t appreciate it until it was gone.


Happy birthday (yesterday) ReNae.
I tried to call but you didn’t answer your phone. I talked to mom this morning and she said you have been having problems with your phone.
I’m going to make you a card and layout like I did for Lisa. It won’t be the same card and layout, of course, but I’ll post it when I get it done and bring it up with me at Easter.

8 comments:

horseygal said...

Great photos and journaling!!

Hatter J said...

You are not alone. Shortly after moving to FL, I lost my sense of smell. I can only smell things that are in close proximity to me.

The only time that I can pick up ambient odors is when I have a cold and my nose is running.....

figure that one out...LOL!!!

Melissa Reid said...

My mom lost her sense of smell also. Now her favorite perfumes smell chemically instead of pretty. I can't imagine what it must be like since so much of your ability to taste is related to your sense of smell...

Nice pictures... portrait shoots are challenging (at least to me) you did well!

Anonymous said...

I've had anosmia for decades and it has worsened over the years. It's rare that I can smell anything with only a few exceptions... apple flavored candles, coffee, burned chocolate. I don't smell skunk, poopy diapers, or gas (human or petro), which is why Doug says that I stay married to him! It did come back after all of the meds that I took during my pnuemonia a year ago, but only lasted a few months. I think of all the senses to lose, it's the one that is most simple to live with. Enough on that.... GREAT pix! GREAT. PIX!

Have a great day!

Sophia

Anonymous said...

Since I bailed Alfalfa for aroung ten years my smeller dosen't smell that well but last night I could sure smell G and M's... Ah... air poops. Nice photos of the kids, cute girl!

Monica said...

Great pics... I am soo jealous of your ability and your camera!!! Those kids are gorgeos.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures. The portrait of the girl is really nice. I agree with the above opinions about smell, I hope it does have the side effect of causing less eating. At least you will have the compensation of being thin. I seem to have lost the ability to swallow. I spent about an hour last night choaking and gagging up the chicken caught in my throat. Not chicken bones mind you, just nice tender juicy chicken breast. My throat is as sore today as if I had taken a grater to it. I hope I won't have to have my throat stretched like poor Paul did.

Elisa K said...

OMG those photos are amazing!!!