Burmese Food, Good Friends, and Beer

Chemo is known for its myriad side effects, and I am thankful mine have been few. I do have pretty bad neuropathy, particularly in my left foot, but I’ve been able to live with it. And after the first round or two, I’ve been able to eat well. Unlike a number of my friends, food still tastes good and I enjoy it immensely. Except for one side effect that had come on in the last week or so— a metallic taste in my mouth. It is pretty much always there. Even after a sip of water it is present and it’s unpleasant. I discovered the other day that iced tea does a pretty good job of masking the metallic tastes. I wonder if it is the tannins that kind of bind my tongue, which of course, made me think I should drink more Italian red wines... but I digress. Last night was a farewell dinner for a friend moving back to her native California. I totally get going home. She found a great job and will be closer to her family and numerous friends. A group of us met at a favorite Burmese restaurant in Silver Spring. I spent the day looking forward to Noodles Number 6. The restaurant does not take reservations, and being Mother’s Day, it was unusually crowded. So we hung out in the bar and waited. It was a great chance to visit with people I wish I saw more often, and once s chemo monkey is off my back I will make that happen. I should say I am not a beer drinker. If I have half a dozen a year that’s a lot, and I rarely finish one. But I thought about iced tea effect and wondered if beer would work similarly. So I ordered one. And it worked. And I drank the whole thing! I’m not saying I’m going to become a beer aficionado. I don’t know when I might have another. But it really helped me enjoy a delicious dinner and I’ve added it to my arsenal of things that help this whole experience be a bit more pleasant.