Liz

"Phobia" is too strong a word IMO, instead it sounds to be like garden variety "conditioned aversion" and "stimulus generalization". It's well documented in many studies, mainly in food aversions for radiation patients. In plain english, your brain has now associated the obdurator with the entire cancer ordeal which shows up in the physical response of vomiting.

While I can not offer up a solution (outside of getting a covered container for the soaking obdurator so you don't see it), I though it would be comforting to you to know that you are not experiencing some major mental issue but an all too common aftereffect. It happened to us. My RO was a big booster of Burt's Bee Balm to put on my face and lips. My caregiver wife pulled off my Viglilon hydrogel dressing with sticky rotting Eribtux dead skin in bloody patches twice a day while I reeked of it. Yet after the TX was over , the slightest smell of Burt's bee balm would make her nauseous and ill. She had associated it with all the terrible pain. Even now, almost 5 years later, she can't tolerate it.

Amazing how our brains work.
Charm