Re: APRIL COVER STORY: THE VENT LIFE
BLANE BECKWITH (blane.beckwith(AT)vidgame.com)
Fri, 24 May 1996 01:25:58 -0700 (PDT)
Jim,
-> >
-> >"You can't taste or smell when you have a
-> >trach because the air isn't passing through
-> >the nose," Bach explains. "Eighty percent of
-> >taste is smell. If you close your nose, you
-> >can't tell the difference between bananas
-> >and mustard."
I can't understand this statement at all! My sense of taste is
perfectly intact. My sense of smell is also quite good. Sometimes, in
order to try to smell something (incense, food, perfume, etc.) I have to
force myself to sniff.
I have a cuffless trach now, which allows me to draw some air
through my nose. I'm sure that makes some difference. Years ago, I use
to have a cuffed trach which sealed my throat, thus preventing me from
speaking. The doctors didn't bother to tell me about using a cuffless
trach because they didn't think it would work. They didn't tell me this
because they wanted to spare me the disappointment! How's that for
condescending paternalism? When will they spare us this insult?
I use a passe-mere valve for a couple of hours a day while I'm
getting bathed and dressed. I'm on my vent the rest of the time.
See ya!
Sincerely,
Blane Beckwith