The reality of good health

I had quite an eye opening experience this summer. What started as a small red spot on my breast turned into a large and painful spot in just a few days time. It was diagnosed as an abscess and cellulitis. My word of wisdom is that if you have any type of change in breast tissue you should get it checked out immediately.
In my case, I was busy with home and family just like always. It was not painful or worrisome at first. It seemed like something that would heal and go away on it's own. By the time it became apparent that I would need medical care my doctor was on vacation and I delayed a couple of additional days so that I could see my regular doctor. My husband and I went to her office for my appointment expecting perhaps to have it lanced and to come home with an antibiotic. We were very surprised to have her emphatically state that I would be admitted to the hospital immediately.

In the end I ended up having it taken care of surgically. It was painful and caused me to spend several days in the hospital. I also discovered that I have diabetes. It was a disheartening few days of medications and life changes as well as a big change in my frame of mind.  Turns out that it could have been a very big threat to my health and well being had the infection been of a more serious type. Who knew? Well, now I do. So I've made it my business to remind people that breast health is important for both women and men.

A plus of having my diabetes diagnosed is that I found out why I had not been able to lose weight. For months I had been exercising and watching what I ate. I have fibromyalgia so many of the symptoms I was having were simply blamed on the fibro. Plus, being right around early menopause, hot flashes were not exactly something that anybody thought was a big deal. Well, with the meds for the diabetes I have not only found it easier to lose weight but have found exercise easier and the hot flashes have disappeared. I admit that I am much more motivated also because diabetes does run in the family and I am quite cautious. Over all I am enjoying improved health and I am relieved and happy to have more energy.

Not to be preachy but it is often easy for women as the caretakers of so many in our lives to neglect ourselves. This is especially true in the area of good health. The truth is that it has taken me this long to learn that I am a much better person, mom, sister, daughter, friend if I feel good and healthy. It is something that I wish I had learned a long time ago. I hope that I pass along to my daughters to be good to themselves. I also hope that I inspire you to be good to yourself. Go ahead. You deserve it. 

A new box of crayons....

Getting ready for back to school. It happens this coming Tuesday. I was commiserating with my sister, whose youngest is going to be a senior this year, about how time flies. I remember the day we put our rising senior on that bus for her first day of kindergarten. ((sigh)) Yes, time certainly does fly.
My husband and I enjoyed some of the freedom afforded having the elementary school "upperclassmen". At school orientation we were allowed to simply go our own way. We met the teachers, picked up our packet of parent homework (sheesh, such a load of paperwork to fill out every year) and purchased our new tie dyed school t-shirts. We are set. No need to make that appearance to the gym for that long dreary and dragged out version of orientation. Whew!
And so our girls are growing up. They will be in third and fifth grade this year.  I've had my melancholy moments of missing the time when they were babies but something stopped me the other evening. I realized that I loved the time when they were babies. I also loved last year. And I will love this year. So I've gone back to the drawing board. I've opened my new box of crayons. I've decided to draw myself a new frame of mind. Instead of wishing for days gone by, I will look forward to the days ahead  and be happy. I will share with my girls the joy of blossoming womanhood.
I was quite amused the other day to hear my ten year old announce to her sister that she is not a child but "practically a young woman." Amused, but sobered, by the knowledge that this is indeed true. She is growing quickly into a young woman and I intend to be there with her to enjoy the time and guide them both every step of the way.

Does somebody have some explaining to do?

Virginia has been a regular mecca of disaster these past few days. Okay, actually longer than a few days. First the Great Dismal Swamp has been burning. Each night on the news we hear that there are smoke advisories for areas not that far away from where we live. We have not been able to detect the smoke in our area but the video on television shows that some areas have a tremendous amount of smoke.
Yesterday we had an earthquake. An earthquake! In Virginia. What is most interesting about it is that the epicenter of said earthquake was quite near the North Anna nuclear power plant. Swell. Earthquake and nuclear are two words that should never be paired together. It doesn't exactly give you the warm fuzzies.
The day before the earthquake I was coming home from running errands and noticed the constant whirring sound of cicadas. Yep, I verified the sound on you tube. Definitely cidada.
Now we are waiting for the arrival of hurricane Irene which may cause the evacuation of the coast which will in turn cause traffic to be routed all four lanes in our direction. Chaos!
I am not going to pretend to be able to predict anything or hook it up with some prophecy or another. What I am going to say is what I have known all along and that is that life is delicate and fleeting. 

ASPCA Commercials

Maybe it's the time of year but there seems to be a lot of the commercials with the heart rending country song in the background and the sad, abused, and neglected animals on the television screen. It is often enough to make me want to wave a white flag and beg for mercy in what is no less than emotional blackmail. I'm human and I certainly feel for the animals shown in those commercials however I often doubt the organizations that use so much emotionalism to stimulate donations. Just a little bit of research will make it very clear that the money is not always all given to further the causes of homeless animals. Rather, one can expect to have their dollars and sense be used in things like legislation, lobbying, and breed discrimination. Not exactly what they are portraying in those commercials, is it?
Word to the wise. If you are donating to help homeless animals then stick to local breed rescues or shelters where you can meet those involved in the work as well as volunteer to lend your own hand for a first hand look at how the money is spent. National organizations have a tendency to not allow the funds to trickle down to where they are most needed.

Favorites from 2009

This morning I am sitting at my computer listening to Susan Boyle sing from her newly released CD. She has brought Les Miserables "I Dreamed A Dream" into the consciousness of a whole group of people who would have perhaps not have heard the music or enjoyed it in quite the way we have enjoyed it with Miss Boyle singing it.

Most important is that I consider Susan Boyle to be one of my favored people for 2009. She marched out on a stage as a 40 something woman with frizzy hair and in regular clothing for a performance in front of thousands. She blew them away. Within hours the image of her singing was hitting the internet and found it's way into my email inbox. I am inspired and continue to be each time I hear her sing.

It was a wonderful moment to see the smirking faces of the non-believers change to utter disbelief and pleasure as she began to sing. So hooray to Miss Boyle! Thanks very much from another 40 something woman who doesn't look like a supermodel either but has dreams all the same. You go girl!!

Ready for Christmas

Lo and behold, I am not at all ready for Christmas. I have presents for the babies and for my mother. That leaves my own children as well as my sibling whose name I have drawn. Assorted others. I guess I will have to buckle down this coming week and get this show on the road. The good news is that I did manage to get the living room reasonably clean today. Hooray!

Stress?

I quit working outside the home years ago in the quest to reduce the amount of stress that I dealt with on a day to day basis. Little did I know that as I cut our income and added children to our family that I was increasing stress in another way.

I often think it is funny that when women who are in the throes of career along with maintaining a marriage and raising a family are expected to happy peppy people all the time. We go to doctors and are often diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Surprise! Hey, in the last couple of months I have had days and days of heavy rainfall so that dogs and children are cooped up in the house, missing chickens (either chicken napped or they have been stalked by the local hawk), a leaky roof, water under the house, a flooded yard, mud approximately ankle deep that is constantly being tracked into the house, a broken washing machine that ruined my newly laid kitchen floor, a broken oven, a broken computer mouse, broken hot water heater, a reduction down to one vehicle for our family, moving the entire household around so that each child has their own room.......as well as the everyday stress and hustle and bustle of a busy family and a husband that works many hours in overtime. Of course I feel anxious and sometimes depressed! So while I certainly don't knock anybody for taking medication that they need I suggest that we all just give ourselves a break. There isn't a thing wrong with just closing your bedroom door from time to time and having a good cry. Not a thing wrong with taking several minutes to pray and ask for prayer and strength to make it through the day. We are all human and we all have problems. The point is that we deal with our problems and move on.