Health Hassles

The irony in life seemingly never stops, and today was quite the test, quite the example. It was doctor time, check up time, wellness physical and all that. Last year was the slippery slope of the the thyroid drama. This year was all new challenges.

The weight thing I've accepted will just always be a struggle. While I no longer carry the self-hatred and self-loathing I once did, and I am avidly working on loving my body more mindfully, technically I am overweight. I don't feel it much, if at all, but by American body mass index standards, yes I am overweight.

So first thing in the door they stick me on that scale. I knew it was coming. I didn't enjoy the number, but it also wasn't a complete surprise. I wish I could say "yeah because all I do is eat." I wish I could say, "Too many desserts" or "too many days of skipping workouts." It's none of that.

Ironically enough, this is the most sober I've been since I was 18. Compared to this time last year I'm drinking a fraction of what I was. I went from drinking a couple nights a week to only weekends to now, two drinks once or twice a month. I went out recently and had A beer. Just one beer. Yeah I'm growing up and adulting. It's happening.

I've curbed the bread stuff too although pumpkin loaves are necessary. It's fall. Mostly though, I have no one to impress but myself. I'm not even partial to what hubby thinks. Judge not lest ye be judged, or whatever.

After that was the blood work part. The good news was my natural thyroid supplement from Amazon is doing it's job. I'm actually stoked about this. The bad news was within two new categories. Before I divulge the bad news, this isn't like "life-threatening" or "life altering" but when you're 34 you just want to hear "You're fine, maybe exercise more."

The new blood panel was too much of the bad cholesterol and not enough of the good cholesterol. Also my liver levels made mention as, we'll see what happens next year but they are "off" but better than last year. I'm not sure any of that was encouraging.

If I'm being completely honest and candid, I'm just waiting for the day I walk in and they say "cancer." Is that morbid and horrible? Sure. Is it kind of realistic anymore? Maybe. I had my appendix removed when I was 17 which has been my only surgery. I've had a sprained ankle but never anything broken. My hospital experiences with my daughter made me regret not having a home birth, especially when it comes to breastfeeding.

I'm not exactly the biggest fan of western medicine. I know it works wonders. I know there are some people who receive excellent care, but if I didn't have to go to the doctor, I doubt I ever would. I feel like they never tell you good news, but almost only bad news. Or maybe that is just me.

Mostly I feel like health stuff is mostly a hassle. Everyone has their own ideas and own experiences with it but what I have experienced in the medical fields have been mostly negative. 

So here is my ray of hope or my positive outlook in the murky midst of adulting: I'm glad I got a supplement from Amazon that doesn't break the bank that is actually helping my thyroid stay okay. I'm glad I have a cholesterol excuse to force my husband to make me more salmon and halibut and such. My liver? Well, I'm not drinking  much so suck it up buttercup.

I work out often. I'm mindful about what I eat. I'm not going to let some number on a scale and some blood work translator scare me into wasting my life away missing out on a great pumpkin beer, or go low carb. Bread is life. Even Jesus said that. I will, however, stay aware.

My body tells me a lot. My body can tell when things are off and I'm going to "stay woke" as the cool kids say. In this world with health advances and opportunities, I plan on staying as un-medicated as possible but as present as I can with what information I'm given.

I had a moment where I thought this could negatively affect my vacation and I just thought, no thanks. If ever there were a reason to eat and enjoy what I like, this would be it. I haven't binged on potato chips for a good car ride in ages. There will be full breakfasts each morning. While I'm glad I'm "in the know" about my body, part of my loving that body and loving myself, is to live my life to the fullest, which goes for my stomach too. After all, there are pumpkin coffees, pumpkin loaves and wedding catering at stake! Did you say steak?!?

Home Projects And Making The Best Of What You Have

I would never call anything in my house besides maybe a paint color, "decor" or how I would choose to "decorate." I work with what I have. Carefully and repeatedly. I am the queen of reuse and re-purpose, time and again.

I wouldn't say we do a great deal of "home projects," per say, but I would say that I clean and rearrange things often. I always feel like a small little lift or change can bring new life to an old set-up. In a perfect world I would have disposable income to go to Ikea or Rooms To Go and buy whatever my heart desires. This is not my reality.

This past month has been a lot of humbling realizations. When shopping for a wedding I stopped stressing about what I didn't have and decided to work with what I did. This weekend was another lesson in that.

My husband had repaired and changed out our bathroom fan last year and since then we've had a bit of a moisture issue in our attached closet. I got the little dehumidifier, I use DampRid often, it gave me a great excuse for a purge and I use Febreeze a lot as well. Eventually we need a better fan but this year, every time I think we can go drop the $150 on it, something else comes up. 

There began to be a mold problem...on the shoes. To be clear, I don't have nice things. Most of what I own can be easily washed so, there's that, but there are a couple pairs of boots and nice shoes that I couldn't just watch become yucky.

I have a cube shelf I built from Target like 3 or 4 years ago that has been used for everything. We've had it in the kitchen, the closet, the living room and so on and it has lasted most in my closet for my clothes and shoes. The other day when I was cleaning it came to me, the decorative vision. Whoa.

If I moved the shelf into the entryway and added another rack to hang things it could be a make-shift mud room entrance thing and keep ALL the shoes in the front. No shoes in rooms, just in the shoe station. With extra hangers we would have space for gym bags, hats purses, oh my. I wonder if the husband would go for it.

I gave my husband the play by play. I would use a toy bin in the closet, toys would go in baskets on shelf, shoes would all live in the shoe bins in the front of the house. He went for it. We moved around some other things too, including a chore board for the kiddo. It didn't even take that long, nor was it much of a pain. I was happy enough with the result to share immediately on Instagram.

The whole success of the day got me thinking about how much we lack using the resources we have, and how we are so quick to buy or obtain some kind of other solution than using what's in front of us. How many times do we get upset and overwhelmed, or should I ask, how many times do I get upset and overwhelmed over not being able to "afford" things, when I have the tools and resources around me?

This can go a long way. You can get something used. You could ask a friend or Facebook or Instagram grouping if they have something to be rid of you need or know of anyone purging things you may need. Use what is in front of you! Make the best of what you have! Also, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

We get caught up a lot in commercials and social ideas of how things should look so we start to get down on our own set ups. Do you know what a coat of paint can do? It can completely transform a space or piece of furniture, and quickly. 

I've gone through phases of loving home projects and hating them all the same, but I think, much as with everything, everything has a season. With Florida Fall in full swing I saw this seasonal change in more ways than one. Friday night my daughter asked to be taken to Third Friday, which is a monthly event in our town with food, vendors and music. We hadn't been, maybe in a year.

Why? My daughter would complain about walking the strip. She would want treats and would need to stop to pet every dog. She wouldn't listen and it would always end up in meltdown. This year I fed her dinner and said, "One treat." She didn't complain about walking and she made very good compromises and listened well. She did pet all the dogs and hugged all her school friends. She had a blast and I felt happy that she did so well. This is her season of showing me she's grown and being able to do more.

Maybe I'm in a season where I can see the beginnings and ends of fair, doable projects. Maybe I'm in the season where they don't bum me out or overwhelm me because I have people in my way or someone telling me I can't. Maybe this is becoming my time to do more. 

I work hard to make sure that I make the very best of what I have. I remind my husband often that we are lucky to have what we do and we should stay grateful. My daughter has been talking about missing our old rental house and I just try and respond kindly reminding her that we made great memories there but we now have our own space to do anything we want with and needed a bigger better home. She's getting there I think.

Life is difficult. Life is stressful and exhausting. We put a lot of "extra" on ourselves. Perhaps this can be a season of less being more. I for one am exploring this idea to the fullest and can't wait to see where it takes us!