This blog is not for the faint of heart. For the most part, it probably isn't for any of the gentlemen in the room. However........it is something that all of the ladies in the "over 50" club can relate to!
I'm talking hot flashes. Not the "I'm standing too close to the oven" hot flash. Not the "you don't start a bonfire with gasoline" hot flash. I'm talking about the one where you feel your own body heating up, from the inside out. Before you know it, you're sweating and wanting to not have on half as many clothes.
Now, if we could control these flashes, they would be wonderful! Imagine if you were outside on a cold winters day. The snow is falling sideways. The wind is burrowing into your hat, coat and mittens. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a hot flash right then? You'd warm right up!
Or, what it you were talking your first swim of the year on Memorial Day weekend? The water feels cold enough that you should see ice cubes floating on the ripples. Yet you could activate that magic hot flash and enjoy your swim.
While those are wonderful pipe dreams, they are certainly NOT the reality we women face on a daily basis.
For myself, I can pretty much go all day long without one of my personal trips to the tropics. But just wait until around dinner time. You know, when you're standing over the stove, cooking dinner, in a nice warm kitchen? Or how about when it's evening and you're trying to relax after a busy day? Perhaps you're curled up on the couch, warm blanket on your lap, hot cocoa in hand and BAM...suddenly you feel like you're about to spontaneously combust! The blanket goes flying, the cocoa is immediately replaced with a large glass of ice water and, heaven forbid, anyone is sitting near you. (That includes two-leggeds and four leggeds!) While we each find our ways of dealing with these flashes during the day, night time is the bane of my existence. We keep our bedroom windows open almost year round. It may be only an inch open, but, open nonetheless. This year? I'll probably be shoveling snow from my side of the bed. Rick said the other night that maybe I should close my window down some. (It's full open). I'm pleased to say that he's still alive. I can crawl in bed, in a wonderfully cool bedroom and snuggle right under all the covers. (A note here.....we heat our home with a woodstove, so our bedroom is quite cool this time of year) But, no sooner do I get all comfy, then BAM....here comes the heat!! Now, the quilt is sent flying, the bedspread's gone, the sheet is off and I'm literally hanging over the side of the bed, trying to absorb any of the outside air coming through my window. If there is no breeze, I've even been known to turn on my window fan to pull in the 30 degree air. The major problem with that is not the fear of falling out of bed. Nor is it the chance of frostbite. No...it's the fact that the dog then thinks that I should get out of bed and entertain her. She lets me know by licking my arm, my leg, or whatever part is hanging off the bed. On most nights, she and I get up. I go grab that giant glass of ice water. Some nights, I let her outside for a few minutes while I stand on the porch absorbing the wonderfully cool air. A good nights sleep is merely a dream.
I know that these hot flashes will eventually end. Like everything else in life, it's cyclical. Yet it gives you reason to wonder why the Lord graced us with these "blessings".
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