Hot Time in the Summertime...

Most of my family and friends can tell you that I'm usually the one in a group that thinks she is freezing cold. My fingernail beds are frequently a purple-ish color (instead of pink), and it seems that my hands and feet are almost always cold. Sometimes, my nose is even cold! This happens big time in the Winter, but even in the Summer. . . with air conditioning set higher (lower?) than is comfortable for me, I've generally just learned to cope with it and carry a sweater everywhere.

It's been like this for as long as I can remember. . . especially since I was a teen. When I lived in Maryland (circa 1988-1990), I was sent to a cardiologist because one doctor was so concerned about my purple finger tips! The cardiologist decided that I have something called "Raynaud's Syndrome" (NOT full blown Raynaud's Disease). It's basically just a case of not-so-great circulation. He told me that it was not a problem and nothing really to treat or worry about -- to simply keep an eye on it over the years. He told me that if I started to notice my fingernail beds being more of a blue or white -- THEN I would need to get some sort of treatment. But, that has never happened and I'm not even remotely concerned about it. I just get razzed by some family or friends about my cold hands and that my fingernails match my sweater (Purple being my favorite color).

Meanwhile, time marches on. A few months ago, one of my friends was telling me about her "Menopause Room," where the window-unit, air conditioner is ALWAYS on. This enables her and her friends to have a place to go when a hot flash hits and get through it with minimal discomfort! We laugh about it, but it's just one more creative thing some have to do while navigating menopause and peri-menopause. For those who don't already know -- "peri-menopause" is the time "around" menopause. . . just before it actually hits. It's the time of subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) changes gals experience before actual menopause. Of course menopause is a kind of. . . a retroactive thing, because it has to have been a full 12 months without one's menstrual cycle. Going 10 months or 11 months doesn't count. . . you'd have to start counting all over again. Menopause is only really menopause when the 12 full months have passed without the period. In the meantime, life can be interesting, but doesn't have to be massively uncomfortable. Lot's of books abound to help gals navigate through it. I've even recommended two or three of them.

So. . . over the last few months, I've been noticing that I'm not AS cold as I usual. I've joked with my mom about how very blessed I am. Perhaps instead of "hot flashes," I will only have "comfortable flashes," where I won't be freezing and purple! haha. So far this Summer season, that has been the case (for the most part). Who knew? Any actual "hot flashing" I have experienced has been more a matter of moments where I feel my frustration rise and my temper is very difficult to hold back. I hate the way that feels!!! It's an awful feeling, like some alien just took over your brain and you are fighting to get it back! Ick!
~~BUT. . . I found a few web sites, bulletin boards & articles (one on Geocites, another called "power-surge," another called "menopause-metamorphosis," and another about "psychosynthesis," just to name a few!) where women who have also been experiencing similar things post and communicate with each other. They offer up their experiences and share things that have helped them and other gals they know. And even some articles about changes and coping. I only list a few of them! I took comfort in not being alone in the spooky way it felt.

I found these because I had seen a brief preview for a program on. . . I don't remember which it was, either "20/20," or "60 Minutes" one of those type of tv programs (or as I call them collectively "20 Minutes or 60/60" hehe) heck, maybe it was Oprah?. . . Anyway the preview spoke of "Menopausal Rage" and how nobody wants to talk about it because it feels so embarrassing! AMEN TO THAT! So I "Googled" that phrase (Menopausal Rage) and I found an amazing number of sites. If you have experienced it - don't feel alone, because you are NOT alone in it!! And if there are circumstances in your life that are added stressors, well then-- you MUST read some of those sites.

Since my discovery of these various and strange new happenings and my search to minimize the negative effects in my life, I have found a terrific Doctor of Oriental Medicine who has been providing me with acupuncture. THAT seems to be helping me a great deal. It seems to be a matter of balancing energies. No real surprise to me there. She is also having me try some Chinese herbal preparations. Those also seem to be helping me. Reading up on this stuff is also arming me with a much better understanding of the various ways and angles from which to view it. That in turn, gives me multiple ways to approach my solutions. From what I understand, it's a little different for each woman, but we seem to have a few commonalities. . . enough anyway to help each other with shared information and experiences. So this is me, sharing with you (whomever you might be) my little experiences and what I've found helpful.
So keep cool, if ya can. And be well!
~Paulena

Another Very Good Book. . .

Just a quick recommendation. My mom recently read a book that she thoroughly enjoyed and felt certain that I must own and read. She told me that as she read it, she kept recognizing things I had related to her about the way I think and process information. She told me (paraphrased), "I really think that reading this book will help validate your processes. And I think it will help you to feel understood and see that your ways of thinking and doing things have much more value than some people have lead you to believe." The name of the book she got for me is: "The New Feminine Brain: Developing Your Intuitive Genius" by Mona Lisa Schulz, MD, PhD.

I've only just started reading it, but it seems very good. The forward of the book is written by none other than Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD! They have worked together for some time now.
Anyway. . . I just wanted to toss that out there to anyone who might be interested.

Be well!!
~Paulena

Time Happens. . .

Wow! What crazy few weeks! But then, I suppose anymore, they are all that way to some degree or another. I've heard it said that, "Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once." And yet, somehow - some months feel like THAT is what is happening (everything happening all at once). Oh well. Just gotta keep on getting done what ya can. I'm learning to "let go of perfect," -- as suggested by one of my (currently) favorite authors, Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD. She has written a few very good books. . . One called "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" and another one I have is called, "The Wisdom of Menopause." I'm currently only getting familiar with the "peri-menopausal" process, but her books are giving me such great guidance, that I cannot even adequately express just how helpful she has been. Some of it is stuff I kind of already knew, but maybe wasn't really using to best potential. And some of the other stuff I read are new concepts that I'm learning to utilize. I'm learning that some of the things that come up in the process can cause one to feel as though they might be loosing their mind (to put it nicely). Yet there are very reasonable ways to work through these less than stellar moments! I'm learning that a lot of the "symptoms" are not written in stone. That is to say, that there are ways to ease them. . . many without medication. Things like: Simple diet shifts, herbal and vitamin support, setting limits with people (not taking on the woes of the world -- ya just can't fix everything and everyone!), and making SURE you get out and move around. . . go for a walk at the least! These things can make a HUGE difference. As an herbalist, I already knew much of this. But she also brings up some very helpful suggestions (many from examples of real people she has known) on how to get to the bottom of what may be plaguing you. Bottom line - Remember, it is a natural life process, NOT a disease. Far too many medical people are treating it as if it were a disease. That's nuts!

Anyway, I'm just wanting to pop in here and make a quick entry to share some great finds of late (the afore-mentioned books) and assure any who might have wondered. . . that yes, I am alive and well. I'm just working on getting through a stack of books!!! It's a nice cool activity for spare time in the Summer. Not that I have much of that at the moment, as I'm working in my yard a lot. I'm also hot on the job-search trail. It's time for a change and who knows what that will bring! Time will tell. (there is that word again!)

And to my friends out there who may be reading. . . I know some of you are going through a tough time right now with big things happening, big changes happening and for some, big decisions to make, and some difficult things with which to grapple. . . Just know that I'm thinking of you and sending you Light.

Be Well!
~Paulena