Count me as another one who absolutely hated the mask at first. Ativan helped (though I almost always took just half a pill because they really wiped me out), but I never ttoally got used to that mask even so. Especially when I was so nauseated every day from the amifostine I was always scared I'd vomit in it (but I only once had to signal for them to let me out of it so I could vomit--the rest of the time I managed to avoid that though I'd often vomit as soon as I sat up to get off the bed).

I had this little imagery/metaphor thing I did where I'd imagine the mask was like the helmet of a suit of armor and served as my protection as I went into fight the battle against the cancer. I still think it's a pretty good metaphor--and if you've ever seen masks from old suits of armour, they look like they were pretty nasty things to wear too!

Nelie