this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2023
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This hits really hard for someone that experienced multiple years of anosmia.
Somebody would say something smells bad, and it really bothered me that I couldn't smell it.
Then when I started regaining a sense of smeel (post surgery) the smells I was able to pick up were always bad. The first time I could smell nice things like cooking, or perfume, I was elated.
Going from, I ate meat that was off because I couldn't smell it was off or really taste it, to being able to smell cooking was amazing. I will never take the sense of smell for granted ever again.
That sounds really distressing, I'm glad that you got to experience things coming back.
I struggled during COVID because of how my sense of smell changed. I could still smell stuff, but some things were different. My body odour, for example, smelled different. At first I thought that illness was causing funky swear smell, and then I thought it was poor hygiene for an extended period making me smell extra funky (my best friend died, I was a grief blob for a while), but eventually I realised that it was a perception issue, not a sweat issue (onions also smelled bad).
I hated it because for months afterwards, it felt like I was being haunted by COVID. I can also relate to what you describe, a sort of "epistemological anxiety", where being aware that your perceptions are not to be trusted throws you off balance in many ways.
What's your favourite smell?
Sorry to hear about your experience and the loss of your friend. That sounds like a pretty rough time.
It's amazing how much we repend on the sense of smell, but when it isn't working it throws everything off.
My favourite smell was being able to once again smell the perfume my wife always wears, Inish. All the memories of how we first met and made a life together just flooded into my brain immediately.