I can’t belive the hot flashes that I’ve been having lately. They hit me at all times of the day. The worst time is at night.

I’ve been sleeping with a washcloth on my head and face to try to cool down but it does very little. To make matters worse is that heat makes Myasthenia Gravis worse. I am going to have to bite the bullet and go to my doctor to talk about this as it is causing other illnesses including Fibromyalgia to worsen.

I feel weak and shaky during them and for about an hour or so after. Add this to the heat of Florida! I’ve taken to keeping a small battery fan with me.  I feel like a tourist in my own home state! I’m thinking of all kind of hot flash jokes too. Do you have any to share with me to make this time in my life go by a bit easier?

It’s good to laugh, especially when it’s laughing at something that is pretty ridiculous but is probably making someone a lot of money. What would you think if you saw someone wearing a bandana mask like this from FluFashion? They are real respirator masks but “decorated” to look hip and gangsta. Did I just write that?

I’m sure we’ll be seeing them on planes and trains since VP Joe Biden made his famous statement a few weeks ago. Or maybe not.

Trying to find a hobby that I am able to do that allows me to relax, alleviate stress and enjoy my time is something that I’ve been working on since my diagnosis. I enjoy blogging of course, but my enticement with the outdoors has grown more each day.

When it is not too hot I try to set up some time to do some bird watching. I’ve wanted to start a small vegetable garden for a while now. My husband did this when he was young and is also wanting to give it a try. But with the heat, we need to find a solution. The garage doesn’t stay cool enough even with a fan. We’ve looked into garden sheds which we could wire with electricity. We could get a small air conditioning unit and I can get the plants started out there in pots. What a joy that would be!

We’ve seen different types of sheds. These are a big trend now as people are using them for storage and workshops. We know that aluminum ones would only attract the heat. Plastic ones would probably do the same. I’m not too sure about wooden sheds yet but will have to research them. They probably would not be a good choice in Florida because of termites. But I sure do like the look of them.

Maybe one day this dream will become a reality. For now, I’ll stick to watching the birds and keeping my indoor plants.

I’m in one of my moods right now. I’ve been in one for quite a while actually and I need to “Snap out of it” ala Cher in Moonstruck. When you read what’s been going on maybe you’ll commiserate with me, or maybe not.

You know that I had to go for the special mammogram and ultrasound. That’s done and it wasn’t that bad, but waiting to hear the results is annoying.

I also went to a neuro-opthamologist about the eye pain that I am getting during migraines. I’ve been through this before so I figured that it would be no big deal. But of course the doctor found some “unusual looking veins” in my left eye. So I had to go for an MRI. The funniest thing is the way the doctor told me about what possibilities he’s looking for. He just rambled them off in a list without taking a breath, a brain tumor, an embolism, a tumor on my sinuses, etc. He was very nice and the way he said it made me laugh. That is until I went for the MRI. Then I started wondering…what could this be?

I went to see the counselor for the first time this week. She’s someone I’ve been to before. She’s going to let me vent and get some emotional comforting there. I sure can use that. She thinks this is just a phase that I’m going through and that I will get back to my old self with just some new tools she’ll give me to work with. So far, I’m writing down 5 things I want to accomplish each day, including small things like take a shower, and checking off what I’ve done. That’s helped me realize that I’m doing more than I imagined.

OK, so I guess you can just tell me to “Cut it out” now.

Image courtesy of The Song That Never Ends.

Today was my annual mammogram. I absolutely hate having this test done. I can handle pain, since I live with it on a constant basis. IV’s, no big deal anymore. Pain injections into my joints, hah! But since I’ve had my thymectomy, which is just like open heart surgery, well my chest was cracked and opened and I have a huge zipper scar, going through a mammogram has been torture.

I was told that because it takes a long time for the scar and the muscles to fully heal, the positioning and pulling of a mammogram can be very painful. The first one after the surgery was the worst. I was actually crying, not from my boobs being squashed, but from the chest wall muscles being pushed and pulled. Each year after it was just a little bit better.

Today was the first year it didn’t hurt. When I told the technician, she said that I’d probably have to go through it again. She figured she didn’t “compress” me enough. But after waiting a few minutes, I was told the films were fine. I was done for another year!

Tis the season to eat. And I’ve been doing my share. Way too much though and it’s all been things that aren’t good for me. Cookies, chocolate, cake and all kinds of Christmas yummies like fudge are surrounding me.

I know it’s not healthy to eat these kind of things, but I try to eat a little bit and not overdo. I think we all need to have a something tasty and sweet once in a while. If I ate all the goodies that are in my house now and the ones soon to come I’ll be needing the best diet pill. Thank goodness for my my willpower.

Photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography