scent and beauty

One of the lovely parts of getting a cold or dealing with allergies . . . is to partially lose ones hearing and/or sense of smell.

I had the novelty to lose my sense of smell COMPLETELY, although, very thankfully, temporarily.

I had changed the filter on my CPAP machine.  I noticed with the first use, that there seemed to be an odd scent.  Since it was a brand new "sterile" filter, I thought it might perhaps just be a cold coming on.

At the same time, I would occasionally think I smelled gas . . .
In only one location in the entire Condo . . .
On the middle of the couch in the living room . . .
Only when the furnace came on.

The closed furnace room smelled fine and I was unable to follow the scent.  Mother and the dogs were of NO help.

The next day I asked Mom's cleaning gal if she smelled it.
"No, well maybe . . . like something burning . . . no . . . it does smell a little like gas."

I called Edison.  He finally traced it to a small pilot line to the gas fireplace.  The furnace air vents on either side caused air flow so I could smell it in that one particular spot.

Good thing, because by the time I called him I NO longer possessed ANY sense of smell.

NONE, ZIP, GONE

All signs pointed to a Major allergic reaction to MOLD.  I immediately removed the offending filter, cleaned the machine to the best of my ability, mean while knowing I will be unable to use it any time soon since I already had probable Mold spores shot up high into my sinuses.

I won't amuse you with the copious and varied secretions and expectorations that followed, but it soon became obvious that the allergies had allowed a virus in too.

Nasal passages clogged, ears popping or refusing to clear, choking on muck, etc.

Hearing often muffled.

Sense of Smell . . . nada.  

Not even a faint hint.

I didn't really notice at first that it was completely gone. 

Breathing seemed such a priority.

But, one day when my nasal passages were clear to breathe, I noticed that I could smell nothing, not Vicks, not the dill pickles in their jar, vinegar, coffee, nothing.

I started to worry.  
My house is all gas . . . 

stove, oven, furnace, hot water . . .

if my dog tangles with a skunk, how will I know?

After a week, I was out running errands, nasal passages clear, I inhaled the cold crisp clean air . . . nope, still can't smell anything.

I returned to my anatomy books and reviewed the location of our smell sensory apparatus.  Very top of the sinuses closest to the brain.  So it means if I can't smell, then I have to unpack ALL that muck before it becomes cemented in.

Netti pot time.  It may be gross-but, DANG IT- it works!  Warm distilled water, (lets not introduce the possibility of new microbes with tap water), and - tah-dah, one day later I can smell and hear AND use my CPAP again.