Hi all, this week’s topic is:
What would be the hardest thing for you to give up?
Well, for me that’s easy. I would be in dire straits if the water supply was contaminated. This is because my salivary glands are shot through from undergoing extensive radiotherapy back in 2017, and I have to sip water at regular intervals throughout the day or suffer with a terribly dry mouth.
Those of you who have perfectly working salivary glands – be thankful and don’t take them for granted. Without them it’s impossible to talk properly or eat anything (I have to eat and sip water at the same time). I have a bottle of water with me wherever I go, as I dislike intensely any fruit squashes, cola or anything sweet. I only ever drink water or green tea/lemon and ginger tea, but as the latter two are made with water then I’d have to endure not having anything to drink at all. I could drink the odd whisky and ginger, but only the one as I have to be in control of my senses at all times!
I’m not whinging or whining here – I’m happy to be alive after surviving stage 4 advanced thyroid cancer, but the treatment of this type of cancer has unfortunate side-effects. One of them is dry and sore eyes, and the other one is that you have to get used to having no saliva.
Hey ho, I’m used to it now. Just don’t take away my bottle of water…
The other thing that would be hard for me to give up is my caravan on the Isle of Wight. It’s my holiday home and the place where I love to be. It’s all drained down for winter now and the park is closed for lockdown, but I’ll be back as soon as ever I can…
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Stevie Turner 
Side effects from that dreaded disease, I know well about as my husband suffers left over damage from maximum radiation that seems to get worse every year in the last ten. Ahh yes, the Van, so jealous! 🙂 xx
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Yes, my side effects will be lifelong. It took me a long time to accept that and just get on with it.
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❤
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Pingback: Doing without #Wednesday Words – My Corner
Thanks for linking up, Abbie.
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I know you have this uncomfortable issue with your saliva glands, Stevie. I suppose you do adjust because you have too and at least your cancer is in remission. Your caravan really is looking lovely, how lucky you are to have such a nice place to visit.
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Yes I am lucky. It’s a beautiful island and still quite unspoilt. Thanks for your comment, Robbie.
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Reblogged this on aurorawatcherak.
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Thanks Lela for the re-blog.
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That would be so hard. Interior Alaska is Arizona dry in the winter, so my family always have water bottles — or big mugs of tea in the evenings. Otherwise you end up with a dry throat, cracked lips, and my husband gets bloody noses. We all have saliva. It’s just the air sucks up any moisture you produce almost as soon as you produce it. I can’t imagine living without saliva.
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You get used to it. It’s been nearly 4 years now, and I’ve adapted. It’s the price I have to pay to see my 5 grandchildren grow up.
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I typically like to read more about how they write as opposed to what they write. The hardest thing to give up would be the freedom to travel as you might detect in my blogs. Stay well.
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Thanks for your comment. I liked to travel when younger, but now have no desire to.
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I’ve never though about not having saliva. Do the sprays they make for dry mouth help?
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No, they make me retch! The only thing I can tolerate is water.
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Pingback: Open Book Blog Hop (wb 9 November 2020) – Mister Bump
Thanks for linking up.
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and, how do you comment on a pingback?
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I just clicked on the link.
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I can imagine to a small degree what that is like as the tablets I take cause a dry mouth. It’s okay as long as I don’t talk or open my mouth on a windy day. I panic if I don’t have my water bottle with me and meet someone and start talking!
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Yes, without water I cannot talk at all. I’m used to it now, and like you always have a bottle of water with me at all times.
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