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

[re post-op adventures & my dentist's explanation]
AH>  Suffice it to say I have no conscious control over what
AH>  these nerves do, at least not yet... [wry grin].

JB>  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.



JB>  maybe menstruation instead of moon gravity is having an
JB>  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.  :-)



JB>  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].



JB>  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.  :-)



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

JB>  Silk purse out of a sows' ear... 


           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.
 :-))



JB>  It's not pretty, and it stinks, but swallowing it is
JB>  tantamount to "survival". Expecting someone not to gag
JB>  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....  :-)



JB>  Now, if I can get a silk-lined, sows ear purse into the
JB>  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+