Hi, James! Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

[re nerves which are apparently confused]

It itches, I instinctively rub the affected area,
and then I notice the moisture on my fingers.

That sounds logical, Pavlov. <G+D>

Yes, that's exactly the problem! Salivation is normal & I need all the saliva I can get in the right place at the right time when only half of my mouth can put it here. I don't know how to turn it off selectively... (sigh).

The problem occurs almost invariably while I'm
eating, and most commonly a few days either side
of a new moon or full moon. I suppose if the
moon influences the tides it can influence the
balance of moisture in our bodies as well. :-)

Curiouser... Not *when* the moon is waxing and
waning, but when it's *about* to do either. More
accurately, when it *starts* doing either. And,
curiouser....

I should have said "within a few days either side". I use whatever calendar in the household... usually a freebie from some local business... has the phases of the moon on it. I figure the reckoning might be out by a day if the new moon or full moon occurs near midnight & the calendar was printed back east. But for this research project a 24-hour window is close enough.... :-)

[RE: MD's a keeper too! P-)

actually enjoys working with weird people like us...
[chuckle].

Can I bother you for his number? <L>

Unfortunately, he's in Vancouver & you're not.... ;-)

What tipped my scale, was a provincial fund raiser
slogan that moved to, "Fighting breast cancer is
hard. Walking isn't." Now, I can't speak to the first
assertion, but the second....

Ah. Dallas & I both objected to this same slogan. We wrote to the organization explaining our point of view. They made conciliatory noises, but essentially the campaign was bringing in lots of $$$ and they weren't about to change it. Fighting leukemia is hard. When one of Nora's teachers had breast cancer she said "Now I know what Nora went through!" I'm not unsympathetic to people (BTW... men also get breast cancer) who have breast cancer. However, I don't feel this particular organization has much sympathy for people who can't walk very easily. As if that weren't enough... when Nora's rehab aide offered to join the walk they told her the event was so popular they wouldn't consider letting anyone participate who didn't have at least $2,000 in pledges. I will gladly help people with cancer, but I will not support this organization. :-(

Remember how I grilled you if this was an appreciation
echo for a song? "Survivor" was what I was looking for!
The term might rub me the wrong way, but the moniker is
almost foolproof.

Often imitated, never duplicated... [chuckle].

Maybe we can't make a silk purse out of a sow's
ear... but maybe we can make a nice pigskin wallet,
which would suit my style better anyway. :-))

Huh... Pig leather has more bumps, unless they stamp a
football with them. It would be harder to pick-pocket.

I hadn't thought of that! Okay, pigskin is fine with me... [grin].




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)

Hi, James! Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

[re post-op adventures & my dentist's explanation]

Suffice it to say I have no conscious control over what
these nerves do, at least not yet... [wry grin].

This "wetness" feeling is *inside* your mouth?

It's on the outside surface of the skin covering what (if anything) remains of the salivary gland. That's why I thought I must have saliva oozing through the skin... but she assures me it's sweat! It itches, I instinctively rub the affected area, and then I notice the moisture on my fingers.

maybe menstruation instead of moon gravity is having an
influence on the timing of the nerve activity?

I think that's a good question, because women's menstrual cycles do seem to coincide with the phases of the moon in a lot of cases! But as far as I can tell the wetness factor has nothing to do with the state of my hormones. The problem occurs almost invariably while I'm eating, and most commonly a few days either side of a new moon or full moon. I suppose if the moon influences the tides it can influence the balance of moisture in our bodies as well. :-)

Of course your MD knows all about this?

I haven't seen him since my appointment with the dentist. Now that you mention it, though, he'd probably be interested even if he can't offer any solutions. He actually enjoys working with weird people like us... [chuckle].

I fly the same flag, but it's upside-down.

Not everybody comes to us the same way. If I "wave the flag" a bit too much at times it's because many people still regard cancer... particularly inoperable cancer... as an automatic death sentence. I want them to know they needn't just give up & start planning the funeral unless that's what they want to do. However, I also understand that surgery can create as many problems as it solves. Either way some very similar issues may have to be deal with. :-)

On a physical level, you're finding creative ways of
adapting your surroundings to suit your individual
needs. On a mental/emotional level, you're questioning
many things you were taught in the past & examining
them in a new light. I'd say you understand intuitively
what this echo is about. ;-)

Silk purse out of a sows' ear... <Cha-G>

Maybe we can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear... but maybe we can make a nice pigskin wallet, which would suit my style better anyway. :-))

It's not pretty, and it stinks, but swallowing it is
tantamount to "survival". Expecting someone not to gag
when it passes the gullet, is unrealistic.

On a physical level this sounds very much like what we went through with Nora's chemo. And as Bernie Siegel says, many people would rather send a man to the moon than take a good look around inside their own heads! But what his research shows is that the cancer patients who manage to beat the odds are those who do the latter. If somebody needs to talk I'm willing to listen. As one who spent six weeks in a pediatric cancer ward I think I can handle it. I certainly wouldn't expect it to be all sweetness & light, at any rate.... :-)

Now, if I can get a silk-lined, sows ear purse into the
hands of Paris Hilton, I might have a product to sell.

Could be. I just keep doing my own thing, regardless of whether or not it's in fashion at the moment, but you have a point there... [grin].




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)