Marilyn Rushing wondered if she'd lost her taste buds.

Since starting chemotherapy in April to treat early stage breast cancer, the Sylacauga woman has experienced fatigue, weakness, nausea and weight loss. ''I feel like I have the flu and can't get over it,'' she says.

On top of all that, nothing she ate seemed to taste good, if she could detect any flavor at all. One day recently, while undergoing chemotherapy at Dr. Luis Pineda's Vestavia Hills clinic, she decided to sample a couple of food items her doctor had prepared for his patients.