Where Can I Find a Snowflake Like You

Today was my second day working out at the Y. I specifically picked the Y to workout in because of its family orientation and its rowers.  Since I knew that I would be by myself most of the time, I figured I wouldn't have to deal with agressive men hitting on me. To be honest, with my recent weight gain I can't imagine anyone voluntary hitting on me, especially in my spandex.  I mean look at the picture. That's how I went to the gym! Rolled out of bed, put on my clothes and headband. My daughter even asked if I was going out like this. My response: Yes, I'm going to workout, not participate in a fashion show!

I arrived at the Y around 9am. There were several seniors taking classes and working out. There were also a few stay at home moms and two teens. I proceeded to the rower, took off my sweatshirt and commenced rowing. I row in five minute sets with increasing pull. I also row/workout with my headphones in. I'm really not there to socialize,  I'm there to workout. I'll take out my headphones to say hi, or answer a question, but I like to keep things moving.

The rowers aren't used much. A grey haired man in his late 70's informed me of this as I was setting the timer and tension. He also informed me I might get some questions because of this. He welcomed me to the Y and thanked me for brighting up the place. Very nice and appropriate! I made it to the second set before a middle aged African American man started to ask if the rower gives you a good workout. I explained how it worked and major muscle groups worked. Said happy new year and have a nice day. I figured that would be the end of it and he was just being friendly.

When I finished my third set the man came back and started with the following:

Guy: You from around here?

Me: Not originally. I'm from New England.

Guy: What brings a pretty thing like you all the way down here.

Me: I'm the new assistant principal at Mitchell County High.

Its at this point I realize this man was being a little bit more than friendly and attempting to hit on me. I started to walk away, but he followed me to the weight machines.

Guy: You married?

Me: Yes, happily for ten years and five kids.

Now, the fact that I have my wedding band on should of been his first clue I'm not available. Telling him I was an assistant principal should of been his second clue I was not available. I'm busy with work. When told that I'm happily married with five kids, that's strike three. Dude,  I'm not interested and you're out. Take it to the house and go away! No such luck!

I went to the weight machines and put my headphones back in. I hoped that was the end of it, but when I was done with the stomach machines he was back.

Guy: So, let me ask you something personal.

Before I could say no he continued,

Guy: Where can I find a snowflake like you? I've been looking for a long time for a woman like you!"

What the hell?! I was thinking is this guy serious? Who does this? Is this normal?  Can I cuss him out at the Y? Instead I responded the best I could under the circumstances. 

Me: You could try church or I hear there are plenty of single moms out at the kiddie fields. Gotta go!

Guy: I'm sure going to like watching you leave.

Ohhh Yuck! I assure you I haven't moved that fast in a long time! The next time I go I'm taking one of the kids, preferably a rather loud, obnoxious one. If that doesn't work, I'm going to suggest to my husband getting me a bigger wedding ring to ward off such foolishness! I attached a second picture of my child who has volunteered to be my main man at the Y!

Waffle Maker Irritation

This post is a little different than the my running and illness posts. Such situations like today happen on occasion and are entertaining to others (I hope). I am an easily irritated person when it comes to simple things that aren't so simple, like finding a waffle maker. One would think this quick after Christmas that there would be plenty of waffle makers in stock. I can't imagine that its a high demand item, but apparently I'm wrong.

I started my journey at Wal-Mart, where you should be able to find everything and get an oil change! Yeah, not so much! Not only were the waffle makers not with the small appliances, there was only one out of box $40.00 waffle maker. It was torn up. When I asked the sales associate for some assistance she told me to go to IHOP or Waffle House. Crazy says what?

I then drove across town to Target. It looked liked a place that had been picked over by a horde of elves. There were few associates to help, but I was able to find three waffle makers and only one was under $40.00. I left with a $20.00 waffle maker, but not before the cashier wondered why I just didn't go to Waffle House. Really?

I really had no idea that waffle makers were in such high demand. If I was a conspiracy type person I'd think that Wal-Mart, Target, IHOP, and Waffle House were all in the waffle maker shortage together! That would be as irritating as the waffle maker search today!

Too Much

Some days are just too much! Some diseases' side effects are too much and some days life in general is too much! One of the great side effect of Hashimoto's is weight gain. A second side effect is depression. When the two meet at 5:30 in the morning its too much!

I have a favorite dress fron LL Bean's. Its plaid and flannel and comfortable. I had bought large tights to wear with my favorite dress since it is finally cold enough in South Georgia to wear it. I was prepared for it to be a little tighter than last winter, but when I couldn't even pull it down over my chest and then I had to ask my husband to get the dress off. It was a struggle!  I was near tears!

As if that wasn't enough indignity, the new tights I bought wouldn't even go up over my calves. That was too much! I was fighting back tears, looking for something to wear that was professional looking and I could fit in! There wasn't much to choose from which depressed me further.
Since I've never heard of anyone calling in sick because they got stuck in their favorite dress and were dissolving into tears, I resolved myself to the fact that it was going to be a fat day and there wasn't much I was going to do about it. Hopefully,  my coworkers wouldn't notice and since they've never seen my favorite dress I figured I could suck it up and carry on.

When one of my coworkers told me I looked liked Mary Poppins it was too much. I wanted to go home sick. Today Hashimoto's side effects were too much today. Hopefully I'll have better luck starting my day tomorrow.  I hear elastic waist pants accommodate too much so, I might start there!

How You Know You're Rasing a Running Junkie

I try to raise my kids with the end in mind, meaning that they will be haapy, well adjusted, productive members of society.  I think I might be raising some running junkies instead.  Here are the tell tale signs.
1. Your kid can tell the difference between a tech tee and a cotton tee.
2. Your kid owns more tech tees than cotton tees.
3. Your kid knows how to use the stick after a race.
4. Your kid knows what a foam roller is for and its not for play.
5. After running around in the yard, they tell you their calves are a little tight.
6. They want their own running belt with bib clips because they don't want to risk chaffing.
7. They don't own "cheap" running shoes.
8. Child not only can tell you what over pronation is, they can identify three people at the race who do it.
9. They know exactly how many miles are in a 5K 10K and 15K.
10. When asked to sleep over a friend's house they say they can't because they have a race in the morning.
11. A family vacation always involves some type of running event.
12. Child owns arm sleeves and or compression sleeves.
13. They know their mother's pr in the 5K, 10K and half marathon.
14. They tell people its ONLY three miles when asked about the distance of a race.
15. They know where to go in a starting corrall without being told.
16. They clap, high five and say thank you to every volunteer on the course.
17. They recognize the beep from a watch means an interval is starting or stopping.
18. They can drink a cup of water, while running without spilling it everywhere.
19. They know how to look up their times from the most recent race on the website.
20. Understand the value of a nap after the long run!

Running Not Happy

Despite what my headband says, my first run in almost three weeks was not happy! The leader of my running group texted me to see how I was. I wanted to text back I'm fat, fatigued and weak so I guess I just suck! That's not what anyone wants to hear (or read). A long involved text on adjusting to having Hashimoto disease and its annoying side effects isn't what anyone wants to read either. So today, partially motivated by guilt for missing the last three running dates and partiality motivated by the pictures and posts of my little sister's weight loss, I went for a run when I got home from work. It was a little demoralizing to be honest.

I only ran for 15 minutes. I went with my nine year old who ran with a bottle of water and a bag of chips. The tech shirt from a 2012 half marathon that used to be a little big held my stomach snuggly so it wouldn't jiggle. My muscles fatigue quickly due to the Hashimoto's. After the first minute, my legs felt like fifty pound weights each. The nine year old chomped on chips and chatted the entire way. My fingers and feet swelled to twice their normal size. After 1.2 miles I was sweaty and ready to go to bed for the night! Definitely not the definition of Run Happy.

So, what's changed from a month ago of happily running ten miles on a Saturday to wanting to sit on the curb and cry until someone comes to pick me up? Currently I weigh 160 pounds. This is down from my heaviest of 164. One of the great side effects of Hashimoto disease is unexplained weight gain. I walk on average three miles a day at work. Even after training for my fall half marathon and eating only 1800 calories a day, I gained ten pounds. The doctor and my husband have both told me it is the Hashimoto and not me. Nice of them to say, but they're not looking at my fat face and tight clothes. (The fat face is also a side effect of the Hashimoto.) The joint swelling and muscle fatigue are also part of the Hashimoto's. Fun times when your body attacks itself, fun times.

Depression is a side effect too. Who knew your thyroid controlled so much of your life? I'm not real good with controlling people or diseases apparently. I'd like to rip my thyroid out and just get to regulating it so I can feel like myself, but the doctor says its better to let it go on a long run slowly,  very slowly.  I spent the rest of the night pouting and being more disagreeable than a toddler at bed time. My poor husband tried on numerous occasions to cheer me up to no avail. Everyone should get a day or two to waller, but now I'm done. Running has saved my life before and I owe it more than Hashimoto. 

I have taken some positive steps to manage the side effects and should start seeing results soon. I took the picture to help document the process for the next time I think I suck! What proactive steps have i taken? Glad tou asked! I replaced two cokes a day with water. I replaced my chocolate mouse at lunch with a sugar free version. I'm taking my perscribed vitiams and I'm walking or running after work, despite feeling like napping would be much more productive to my health. My husband refuses to buy a scale so I can check my weight as he feels I might get obsessive about the numbers, instead of my health. Still working on that, but Saturdays I can step on the scale at the grocery store. I'll keep you posted and hopefully I'll be running happy again soon!

The Big Reveal

Wouldn't it be nice if doctors revealed your diagnosis like they do on the television?  Just think, friends and family surround you as you return from your fully paid for spa vacation. You arrive at the doctors in some fancy car that has a driver and the doctor meets you at the door ready to reveal (and hopefully fix) what's been making you feel like crap forever! I think it would be better than the anticlimactic way we do it now! At least I'd feel like I got my copays worth.

None of that happened of course when I went to the endocrinologist.  We waited thirty minutes in the waiting room. Then we had to tell the nurse that she was missing two test. The nurse was friendly and told us that some of my blood work looked good and some did not. Like I wasn't nervous enough. My sweet husband then waited with me another fifteen minutes for the doctor to come in. With little fan fare the doctor asked me if any of my symptoms had changed (which they had not but muscle fatigue) and then announced that I had Hashimoto disease. My thyroid could last ten years or ten weeks. I can plan on having bouts/flare ups until the doctor decides my thyroid is ineffective.  That was the anticlimactic reveal of why I've been feeling like crap the last couple months! It took me the rest of the day to learn to say the new disease the right way. I still slip and call it Qusimodo disease.

There were some other instructions too. Every couple months I have to get my thyroid levels tested frequently and take some vitiams that my body has trouble processing due to my thyroid. My lovely husband gets to watch for swelling of my face and depression. He also gets to tell me when I'm getting fat and over tired. Poor man didn't sign on for babysitting a grown woman, but he does! I've included a picture of my wonderful hubby who loves and supports me!