Heat Waves

Sorry, no, I'm not talking weather here.

If you are not interested in the issues of a menopausal woman, then click to the next blog 'cause that is my topic for today! Or you could just stick around, because in my usual manner I'll wander around the topic before I get to the point, and yes, I'll keep it G-rated.

Remember to stop by for my Weighty Wednesday blog!

Let's back-track a wee bit here. For the majority of my life, I've been cold. I'm cold in the summer and cold in the winter. I get chilled easily. I think I always have. The worst is when I'd become adjusted to the summer heat, whether walking or riding my horse (many years ago), and then walk into a 65 degree restaurant, store, or whatever and instantly freeze to death. Eventually I'd be able to tolerate the cold and go about my business. The worst place by far is the freezer section of a grocery store in the summer. Talk about butt-a$$ cold. . . brrrr. Wearing shorts, sandals and a tank or sleeveless shirt and then assaulted by the chill just isn't cool.

--erm, 'cool' as in the slang of "all right", not temperature cool.

All said and done, and my point being, I tend to be cold all the time. My favorite thing to do is stick my cold nose on a loved one's neck . . . and no, it's usually not wet like the dog's nose.

Well, all this changed in the last few months. Periodically, I will go from freezing cold to my personal heat wave. A while back one of my favorite people, Karen Watts, told me her term for it, she calls it her "personal summer".

Ain't that the truth!

Unsuspecting females will be minding their own business (listening to a lecture, shopping, watching TV--and heaven help us--sleeping), and WHAM!, instant heat wave.

The scientific part of my mind finds this fascinating, while the normal part of me finds this excessively irritating. How can one's body simply go from zero to a hundred-twenty degrees in less than a second? Amazing! And the tingly nerving endings are just the icing on the cake.

*word of warning--never piss off a menopausal woman during a hot flash. It can be hazardous to your health.*

Originally, I had planned to take the HRT (hormonal replacement therapy) route, and did for about a year, then my doc changed me to an all-in-one transdermal patch. Things went zippingly along for a few months, and then I experienced skin reactions. Itching reactions under the patch that took 7-10 days to disappear. So I called my doc. He provided me with three options 1) daily pills and creams, 2) continue with the patch and get used to the rough, red, ugly welts on my abdomen or, 3) lump it (my words not his).

Considering the cost of HRT, I chose option 3, which is why I'm a hot-flashing insomniac.

Welcome to the world of menopause.

Actually, I don't think I have it too bad, considering some things-Oh, there are other things that I'm not mentioning on this blog, with the exception of the hot flashes and nightly insomnia, because they aren't anyone's business but mine.

I have no idea how many times I flash throughout the day, but they don't last too long, so that's a good thing. I just wish the timing could be better sometimes. How about a hot flash in a freezing cold restaurant? Or when I'm shopping in the freezer section of a grocery story? Nope, I have to flash while my kid is swimming in the 85 degree 100% humidity of the natatorium. Or when I'm sound asleep under my blankies. Or when I'm driving in heavy traffic--talk about road rage.

So, here I am, early Monday morning, freezing at my desk with the heater on full blast because a cold front blew through and it's below freezing outside. You would think a hot flash would come in handy right now, but nope, nada, nothing. My fingers are frozen. My nose is frozen. And my hot coffee is gone.

I guess it's time to sign off for the day so I can get a second cuppa joe and warm up.

--and you know what's going to happen when I finally warm up?

Yep, I'll be riding a heat wave!

Later, Peeps!