Love This Weather!

I may be the only person in Western Pennsylvania who is truly enjoying our May weather right now. It has been on the cool side, and that's exactly how I like it!
I don't even mind that it's been a bit rainy. I have an umbrella.

Tom and our eldest daughter are always complaining that this weather 'stinks' and I embrace it. I am not looking forward to 80 degree weather and higher. I hate being hot and detest sweating. It's even worse when the humidity is high.

Of course my attitude may change if I discover that the cool weather and rain start having an effect on my arthritis. It's a new diagnosis for me and right now my knees bother me no matter what the weather.

My menopausal monster friend Mrs. Hyde seems to disappear when the pain flares but she magically reappears when the house is stuffy and all the windows and doors are closed because our husband deems it too cold. She will turn on the vacuum sweeper to muffle the sound of her opening the living room window just enough to let some fresh air in. I don't think she's fooling Tom though, because when I call it the end of my work day and sit down to relax and watch TV, I notice the curtains have been moved and one or two of the window blinds are not laying right, which means Tom has closed the window. Mrs. Hyde didn't mess up the curtain or blinds. I know this because it drives her crazy when they are out of place. I'm glad I'm not as fussy as she is.
I would hate to think I might have a touch of OCD too.

A few days ago Tom and I were driving to Family Dollar to pick up a 'few' things to take on vacation. He had all the windows in the car shut and the day was pleasant, not hot but the sun was blazing through the windshield making the inside of the car feel like a sauna. I tried to open my window a couple inches but the button was locked. The driver controls this. Of course. I asked Tom to please unlock the window so I could open it and he said no. A few weeks back the back passenger window was wound down and then wouldn't wind back up. It cost $100 to have that fixed. He is paranoid now about the windows
but did let me turn on the AC on low. That helped, but what I really wanted was some 'fresh air'. I notice I'm beginning to turn into my mother. My mom always wanted fresh air too, she felt like she was suffocating if a window or door wasn't open. She was on oxygen. So I knew she was getting air. Even if her AC was on in her apartment, she'd have to have the sliding glass door open at least a foot. That used to drive me crazy, she was letting the cool air 'out'. But now that I've been having some idiosyncrasies of my own, I'm truly beginning to understand a few of the things mom was going through.

I wish I had been a more understanding daughter. I see my own daughters looking at me on more than one ocassion like I'm 'losing it'.
They think I don't see that 'knowing look' that passes between them, or the rolled eyes. What mom always said ' what goes around comes around' is really coming true.

It's Been A While

It's been awhile since I posted. I've been pretty busy with my crafting and trying to advertise my websites.

I'm still experiencing hot flashes, they never seem to go away completely. I get so frustrated when it's 65 degrees outdoors, which is heaven for me, but Tom will close all the doors and windows in the house to 'keep the heat in'. WTH!!! I don't want heat....I want COOL.
It's a never ending battle with us.

I was recently diagnosed with DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease aka Osteoarthritis) after having experienced severe leg pain for several months now. I thought it was my sciatic nerve, but the Dr. thought my pain was coming from my back and ordered X-rays. The results showed that I have DJD. I'm taking 400 mg of Etodolac for the inflammation and I filled a script for Diazepam ( Valium) but don't want to take that unless I absolutely have to.

I was very close to it last night. The backs of my knees were really bothering me yesterday and were worse by bedtime. I felt once I fell asleep I'd wake up feeling better. I dreamt that I had taken a long walk to keep my limbs limber and when I returned home both of my legs were swollen and very painful. My left leg was broken between the knee and ankle and my right leg was bleeding. In the dream, Tom lifted my pants leg to find that my leg from the knee down was slashed open, bleeding and oozing pus. He took me to the ER and there were no wheelchairs available so I had to walk on my injured legs which was excruciating. I literally woke up from the pain, which was real.
I had to check to make sure my leg really wasn't broken that's how bad I hurt. It was 4 am when I woke and I hobbled out to the kitchen to take another Etodolac. I probably should have taken the Diazepam but I don't want to have to rely on that to get me through the pain.

I did manage to fall back asleep and for awhile I felt pain free. When I woke at 8:30 the pain was back but bearable.

What's that saying.........today is the first day of the rest of my life.

Oh that stinks.