Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Ever want to write a book?

I've wanted to write many books throughout my life.

All pertaining to the Lord and whatever I was going through at the moment.

Kevin Leman has a book titled, "Making Children Mind without Losing Yours".
And all the parents said, AMEN!

How about: "God Uses Cracked Pots" by: Patsy Clairmont. She also wrote:
"Normal is Just a Dryer Setting". I have used that little saying since I can't remember when.

But today, I thought I would write a book on Peri-Menopause or Menopause. Yes, it deserves a capital letter, because it speaks so loud at this time in my life.

I've always joked about writing a book pertaining to my Christian walk and trying to survive Peri-Menopause. How about this title? " Walking in the Spirit Moment by Moment and wanting to Choke Someone to Death in the Same Breath". , "Whose in Control, Jesus or your Hormones?" "Is This Hell or another Hot Flash?" I honestly don't want to sound disrespectful to the Lord at all; just being real. As a disclaimer: I try to love the Lord with all of my heart and soul, but in all reality, it's not easy dealing with change. Whether a chemical change, geographical, emotional, whatever the case may be, it's difficult.

Aren't you happy that we live in this time frame? Where we have freedom of speech, AND blogs to post whatever we're feeling. For many years I belonged to a church where we had to watch our p's and q's. Cross every T and dot every I. This reminds me of my new found friend here in Blogland, Susie. Her blog is named: recoveringchurchlady.blogspot.com. It's worth a peek or two.

Well anyhow, I was always taught that emotional change or chemistry change are overused terms and basically we just need MORE prayer and studying of God's word. Of course, prayer and studying are wonderfully good (breaking the grammar rules) and much needed in our lives. But, I have seen lives wrecked because of chemical deficiencies and lack of medical attention. Not only, physically, but that belief can produce an emotional and spiritual basket case.

Back to the hormones. I'm 50 years old and I have been experiencing peri-menopause symptoms now for about 2 years. They have recently become full blown symptoms, such as, wanting to cry when the cashier is talking to me in the grocery store, hot flashes, (about 8 times a day, especially at night) overwhelming anger and a short temper. Now, I am normally very even keeled. I homeschooled my children for a little over 16 years, certainly that would produce some level of patience in my life, but not at this time. If anything, it has made me spend more time on my knees in constant prayer trying to walk in the spirit to overcome these wicked symptoms.

And then one day.....

the light went on. Dear Jesus, I'm calling my doctor for help. Which was the best thing to do for me, my family and my customers. After I made the call to my doctor, she put me on a bio-identical hormone, which has TRANSFORMED my life back to the "Normal dryer setting".

It also made me realize that some people REALLY do need to get intervention medicine for depression, etc... It has made me more sensitive to the imbalances that people suffer with on day to day basis.

I understand that HRT therapy isn't for everyone, due to family history of breast cancer, etc...
I happen to be in the low-risk category, so I took the plunge and did it.

I am even more sensitive towards my 81 year old mother who is STILL on HRT. Before hand, I couldn't understand why this woman who has been finished with menopause for almost 30 years still begged doctors for them.

And I've made my mind up, if anyone tries to take my HRT away from me, I'll be kicking and screaming to find someone to give them to me too. I'd probably have to be admitted in a rehab for former HRT users. That's how much they've helped.

~ Kelly



Monday, November 1, 2010

In a split second...

Our lives can change......today as I was driving into town I was profoundly reminded of that truth.

Monday is my only day off during the week, so this morning I took my time getting ready. After drinking a pot of coffee and having a well needed quiet time with the Lord, I got dressed and headed towards Bluffton to spend the afternoon with my youngest daughter. Before heading towards the car, I remember generically praying, "Father, you know what I will face today, I ask that I can handle anything that is sent my way." After praying that out loud, the thought ran through my head, "that was gloomy." Not another thought about that, I proceeded toward town with my youngest daughter side by side in another car. Of course, we did the talk back and forth sign language and all that stupid stuff you do with people you know driving along at 60 miles an hour.
Cally somehow got two cars in front of me and we slow down for a stop light. The whole time she is observing a motorcycle in her side mirror that is weaving in between traffic traveling at a high speed. She sees that it cuts in front of a truck right behind me and doesn't see that I have come to a stop for the light in front of us. The guy on the motorcycle plows into the back of my car. I wasn't paying attention to the motorcycle weaving in and out of traffic, I never knew he was behind me. After the sudden impact to my car, I looked up in my rearview mirror and didn't see anything at all. ( I thought I was having a peri-menopause moment, imagining things) Then looked in my right side mirror and I saw a motorcycle laying on the ground. As the adrenaline rush took over, I knew I had to get out of the car and check on this person; afraid of what I was going to find, I headed towards the back of my car. To my amazement the man was getting up. When his body flew into the back of my car, it left a huge dent, along with facial fluids on the back windshield. The man seemed to be o.k., but later decided that he would go to the emergency room. No doubt, he wasn't feeling very well.

The car that this man cut in front of before plowing into the back of my car, happened to be an undercover police, navy blue, suburban truck. Immediately the lights come on and he takes control.

I'm thankful, that this man was o.k. My husband and I ride a motorcycle and it made things a little bit more sobering to think about what could have happened.

Also, when I look back at how the Lord spared me today, I am thankful that I didn't even know that man was behind me or I would have seen him fly into my car and my last memory would have been his face in my rearview.

After all, it wasn't a gloomy prayer at all, it was answered!