Getting Old Ain't for Sissies

That's Grandpa Bahr always said and I agree.  Since my parents are here visiting I took the opportunity to make some much needed doctor appointments and with each one was not good news.  I feel like I am falling apart and I am only 34!  First off my eyes.  I've noticed my eyesight has been getting more blurry.  It got really bad during allergy season so I thought it was just a reaction to my severe allergies this year and didn't do anything about it.  Come to find out I have an astigmatism in both eyes, which is easily corrected with more expensive contacts and new glasses.  I also needed a stronger prescription.  I hadn't been to the eye doctor in 3 years.  This is the year I am going to get hearing aids.  Each year my hearing has worsened and we finally put the money aside to get them just waiting until December to make sure no major medical bills come up.  I'm a little nervous about getting them.  I just feel like I'm too young.  I haven't decided if I'll get the behind the ear ones or in the ear ones.

The biggest diagnosis was that of hypothyroidism. Nothing too alarming and an easy fix with a hormone replacement but the effects of it have been awful.  After researching it last night I am so full of hope that I'll be back to normal.  I have no idea how long I've suffered from this but  I'll admit that the last two years, especially this last one have been the hardest.  I have not been myself and have wondered what was wrong with me and thought I should go to the doctor but I hate going and I was able to validate all of my symptoms.  The first one has been extreme fatigue.  I take a nap almost everyday and still have not had the enery to do anything.  I've been able take care of the necessary items like cooking and a little cleaning but it's really been hard.  I kept wondering if I was depressed because I just couldn't do anything but I couldn't figure out what I was depressed about.  Life has been great.  I just figured it was because I had 4 kids I was running everywhere and I've just always needed a lot of sleep.  I've mentioned that I've had 3 miscarriages the last year and another symptom is an increase in risk of miscarriage.  When I kept having them I thought maybe I have cancer or something.  I have also had the heaviest periods for over a year whereas I usually had medium to light ones.  I have also had a lot of joint pain in my knees.  I just chalked that one up to maybe having arthritis like my mom.  Constipation. . . story of my life.  Another symptom is unexplained weight gain.  Now this has been pretty emotional for me.  After having kids I've usually weighed between 120 and 125 without exercising but this last year and a half I got up to 145, the heaviest I've ever weighed even being pregnant.  I just thought it was because my metabolism had really slowed down with getting older.  This year I decided to do something about it and began exercising diligently 5 days a week.  I've been consistent for 8 months and have only been able to keep off 5 pounds.  It's just been so disheartening because I've really cut out the sweets and we only eat out once or twice a month on average.  I even began waking up at 5:45 to go jog with a friend from 6-6:35.  We got to where we could jog 3.5 miles in 35 minutes.  It killed me getting up that early but I really wanted to lose this weight.  It's gotten too dark in the morming to jog that early anymore because my friend suffers from night blindness.  Any way now I am taking a hormone pill and should start to feel better in 2 weeks.  I can't wait.  I was a little upset about having to take a pill now for the rest of my life but there are no side effects so I am okay with that especially if it helps me to have more energy.  I can't wait to feel normal again, whatever that is.  Crazy how one little hormone being out of whack can totally change your life.