I guess I’m nearing that time of life when I can be doing nothing at all, sitting in an air conditioned room when all of a sudden I’m dripping with sweat and feel like I’m in the middle of a furnace. Yes, early menopause, along with hot flashes, mood swings and other unmentionable female issues.
Night time is the absolute worst. I’m drenched half the time and have to change pajamas in the middle of the night. I already have trouble sleeping because of the chronic pain I have so this is just added reason to mess up my sleep. But who’s complaining?
The moodiness is unreal. I’m happy and laughing one second and then I’m snapping my husband’s head off the next. I did talk to my doctor about this because I thought I was losing it for sure, but after doing an assessment, he assured me that I’m as semi-normal as I was before.
As for the hot flashes besides not wearing flannel pajamas and keeping the blankets off, at night, dressing in layers so I can remove a light jacket over my shirt, and avoiding heavy clothing especially UGG boots and leather jackets can help me handle them a little better. I really can’t take any supplements or prescription medications unless things get totally out of hand.
I’m just learning to deal with it. So if you see a half dressed woman, with a battery powered fan in the freezer section of Publix, mumbling to herself about how hot it is, cut her some slack, k?
I’ve started taking my camera with me where ever I go. It fits nicely into my purse and it’s not heavy. I’ve been taking photos more often and finding that it’s another way for me to use my creativity and reduce stress.
I’m learning slowly how to use my camera the correct way. There’s stil some setttings I don’t know how to use yet. But in time it will come. I can’t figure out how to take photos at night or action photos. The instruction booklet is more of a book so it’s a one day at a time thing.
I’ll be needing a micro sd or maybe two since I go take so many photos trying to get the settings just right.
The good thing is I’m not getting upset over not understanding instead I’m enjoying myself. I may be taking lots of photos but as I do I’m learning from my mistakes. I have some pretty good photos to boot!
I’ve had to go for weekly blood tests since being diagnosed with Gitelman’s Syndrome. Not only are my veins having a tough time of it, my wallet is too. Usually I have no problem with blood tests. I go in the Phlebotomist does her stuff and I’m outta there. Lately though they can’t find a vein to work. I’ve been poked and prodded so much that my arms are bruised.
Then there’s the financial part of it all. It’s bad enough that if we didn’t have good health insurance we’d meet our credit card limit. Thank goodness my husband’s insurance covers most of this. Plus I go once a month for another kidney blood test, once every two months for a CBC and once every three months for blood work for the Rhuematology issues I have.
I just got a card from the blood lab so I don’t have to show my Driver’s License and Insurance Cards any more, kind of like a frequent blood letter card!
It’s hard for me to accept small changes like moving things on my desk, changing my personal schedule or doing my chores in a different manner. But when you’re sick like me you have to learn to go with the flow. Your life is full of unexpected surprises and some of them are not good.
I can feel fine one day and the next end up being unable to do a thing. I can go to the doctor for a checkup thinking everything is fine to find out that my bloodwork showed problems.
When you have a chronic illness that’s how life goes. Some people end up with a lot of hospitalizations. In that case I’m blessed now (not so about 2 years ago). Some people have a lot of flare ups, include me there. These kind of things throw me for a loop still. I hate the uncertainty, the unknown. I’m still working on learning how to accept change, but I think I’ll be working for a long time.
I am an overcomer. I don’t feel like it most of the time, but I am. I get hit by new diagnoses, bad news and tons of health crud. Sometimes I want to crawl under my bed (unfortunately I can’t!), run away, maybe to visit some las vegas hotels or yell and scream.
But with God’s mercy and grace I overcome. I feel God’s love. I feel my family and friend’s love and can rely on their support. I know that God doesn’t give me more than I can handle.
Being chronically ill means that I spend too much time thinking about me. I’m on the verge of becoming a narcissist especially with this new round of medical problems.
When I find myself ranting too much, holding my own pity parties, wanting to set up my home theater lighting and stage a solo show and decide that I need to be the center of attraction it’s time to get a handle on the things.
I need to get over it! Put on my big girl panties. Start living my life to the fullest. Here I come!
I am an overcomer. I don’t feel like it most of the time, but I am. I get hit by new diagnoses, bad news and tons of health crud. Sometimes I want to crawl under my bed (unfortunately I can’t!), run away, maybe to visit some 
