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Super Smellers – Skunks and Beyond

February 7, 2018 By Don Doman

“Can’t you smell that?” For years my wife as astounded me with some of the things she says and asks. “uhhh, No,” I usually respond if I respond at all. She could be talking about the kitchen garbage container . . . or something outside . . . or even as we are driving somewhere. “Maybe there’s a skunk,” she’ll say. I shrug my shoulders. Sometimes she make me get up out of bed, go to the window and look around. Of course I see, hear, and smell nothing.

As I drove down the driveway, my headlights picked up an animal under the hedge. It was a skunk.

A few months ago I came home after dark. As I drove down the driveway, my headlights picked up an animal under the hedge. It scurried off across the yard. It was a skunk. I owed my wife an apology . . . several. I should have known. Women smell better than men.

Most of us have heard about dogs sniffing out drugs in smuggling attempts.

Most of us have heard about dogs sniffing out drugs in smuggling attempts. And K-9 corps for our service personnel can smell out explosives and the enemy. I had also heard about dogs being able to detect cancer in individuals. Apparently, this uncanny ability is not just a doggy ability.

Joy managed to smell a correct diagnosis (they thought) in 11 of 12 cases of Parkinson’s.

” . . .a 65-year-old retired Scottish nurse named Joy Milne created a media frenzy when she was seemingly able to diagnose Parkinson’s disease using her sense of smell even earlier than scientists could diagnose it with regular medical technology. Milne’s gift apparently manifested several years ago, when she started smelling a strange, musky odor coming from her husband, which she initially dismissed as the normal stench of an overworked man. But after doctors diagnosed Milne’s husband with Parkinson’s disease years later and she started to attend meetings with Parkinson’s patients, she noticed the same odor wafting off of others afflicted with the disease. When she mentioned her observation in passing to a cadre of scientists, they decided to put her ability to the test, giving Milne six shirts worn by Parkinson’s patients and six by healthy individuals. Amazingly, she managed to smell a correct diagnosis (they thought) in 11 of 12 cases—though even the one false positive she’d made came from a man who manifested Parkinson’s eight months after the small-scale test.” – www.good.is/articles/smell-diagnosis-supersmellers-disease-parkinsons-joy-milne

I returned home with a bottle of Chanel No. 5. I was a hero.

I think Peg’s sense of smell has changed. Years ago on my one trip to New York City I returned home with a bottle of Chanel No. 5 for her. I was a hero. But over the years I think she got more sensitive. She has asthma and allergies. Smells and scents had to go. She gave up perfume and I had to stop using aftershave lotion. We also use unscented soap and shampoo. I can’t give her flowers or even candles. So, I’m left taking out the garbage when she complains and yelling “boo” out the window when she smells a skunk. I do what I can, but I worry about the day she starts sniffing around me and suggest I go in for good check up.

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Related

About Don Doman

Don Doman: Professional writer and author. Ideas and Training - Human Resources/business training products for modern business. PublicDoman - Video production, internet video, website construction and online marketing and social media. NW Adventures - Fun places to visit in the Pacific Northwest: Great Restaurants, Lodging, and People. The Doman Directories - Business directory listings for many categories in Tacoma, Pierce County, and Washington State. FindItWashington - Local search engine for Washington State.

Comments

  1. Joseph Boyle says

    February 8, 2018 at 7:04 am

    Mr. Doman,

    As always you selected an interesting unique topic to write about. In my household, I am the one with the super sniffer.

    When I was a police officer my sergeant use to send me into the brush to sniff out escaping runaway criminals, if K-9 was not available.

    Note to scientists: My second paragraph above is an often repeated exaggeration, but I do have an amazing sense of smell.

    Joseph Boyle

    • Don Doman says

      February 8, 2018 at 8:03 am

      Joe,
      Didn’t choke collar bother you?
      Don

    • JAMES NICHOLS III says

      February 8, 2018 at 12:13 pm

      SGT Joe, Retired

      I agree a very unique and learned story about smells from Mr. Doman…and U have quite the humor Urself.

      I will have to hire U to find my car/truck keys around the house. Sorry there’s not much criminal action, but there is a nose for it.

      Thank U,
      From UR CLC member,
      James H Nichols III
      SFC Retired
      US Navy Vietnam Vet
      US Army Afghanistan Vet

      • Don Doman says

        February 8, 2018 at 4:28 pm

        James,
        Thank you for reading AND for writing. We love comments. Please, share with your friends.
        Thanks, again for reading and commenting.
        Don

  2. Susanne Bacon says

    February 8, 2018 at 11:08 am

    That was a really interesting article – thank you! Apart from that, my husband and I also smell skunk every once in a while. And though some people told me there were no skunks around here, I still think there are. the odor is too typical. 🙂

    • Don Doman says

      February 8, 2018 at 4:31 pm

      Susanne,
      As a child, we used to see roadkill skunks out in the valley. I didn’t think we had them in town, but my wife proved me wrong.
      Thanks for reading and commenting. We love reader input.
      Don

  3. Roberta Marsh says

    February 10, 2018 at 1:39 pm

    Thank you Don! My daughter has always had a very sensitive sense of smell. Now it is a good thing!

    • Don Doman says

      February 11, 2018 at 4:28 pm

      Roberta,
      Thanks for reading and commenting. Sometimes it drives me crazy, but overall it works tells us if there is a skunk around. However, I don’t know who many times Peg has asked me to see if there is something burning . . . and it’s a neighbor’s fireplace from the next road over!
      Give you daughter a hug next time she smell something unusual . . .
      Keep reading and commenting.
      Don

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