Yesterday, I had my yearly gyn appointment.  Actually, it had been over a year since I went for a yearly, but I had so many appointments after my surgery last year that I figured I could get a way with a few extra months.  This appointment started out a little differently from those previous.  The first questions my doctor asked were, “Any hot flashes or night sweats?”

The answer is “no.”  I’m definitely not menopausal yet, but I suppose those days are not in the distant future.  I also have to have a “baseline mammogram.”  So there you go.  Life marches on and leaves it’s foot prints on my body.  There’s not a whole lot I can do about it, but as my father says, “It’s better than the alternative.”

The doc also thinks I’m headed for a hysterectomy sometime in the near future as I’m experiencing the same difficulties that have lead to three d & c’s and two failed ablations in the last 10 years.  At one point, this would have saddened me as it means a definite end to my “child bearing years.”  However, I’m now so tired of dealing with all this stuff that I’m quite willing to have the surgery, put it all behind me and get on with my life without having to carry “protection” everywhere I go.  I have two beautiful, inquisitive and creative children who bless me every day.  I am thankful for those blessings I have and confident that I have been given just what I need.  My uterus, with all its attendant finicky-ness, feels like excess baggage at this point.

And on to less serious changes…my exercise routine has changed of late.  I used to be an early morning walker.  I really enjoy walking in the morning.  Unfortunately, a police officer was shot not one mile from where I walk at exactly the same time I go out every morning.  I no longer felt safe, even at an early hour when I thought all the bad guys would be in bed.  The morning walk was abandoned for a couple of weeks.

I was somewhat shocked at the effect it had on me.  The absence of my morning constitutional left me feeling tired, draggy and even a little teary eyed some days.  I suppose I really needed those endorphins.  Last weekend, we went to the local thrift shop to exchange David’s old bike for a new one since he was ready to go training wheel free.  The shop happened to have a decent mountain bike.  And…all bikes were 50% off.  Thus, we came home with two bikes instead of one.  Jim felt that I’d be somewhat safer on a bike as I’d be harder to catch (ha!).  The bike was taken to a bike shop for a tune up and I’ve ridden it the last couple of mornings….I’m taking this morning off as my knees are a little achey and I don’t want to overdo.  I’ve felt an immediate difference in my mood.  It’s simply amazing.

I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to ride the bike, since it had been so long since I’d been on one.  But, whaddya know, the wise council of “they” was right again.  You just get right on and go!

David, while initially afraid to try to ride without training wheels, is now zooming around like a champ.  I wish I had a picture of his face the first time (and he balanced on the bike perfectly on the first try).  The joy reflected there was as bright as sunlight!  David actually thought I would let him get away with “trying tomorrow.”  I knew, however, that he could do it as he’s been balancing on the two wheeled scooter his aunt and uncle gave him for Christmas for months now.  The sweetest part of it all was that one day prior to his first time out without training wheels, David had drawn a picture of himself riding a bike without training wheels with me standing behind him, my hands in the air and a big smile on my face.  When he made that first trip I said, “David, you made your picture come true.”

“Yeah,” he said, almost bashful, “I did.”

He needs to nail down starting and stopping, but he’ll get there.

Jim has been using the bike for running errands to biekable distances.  I’ll probably take it to a meeting at church in the morning.  Saving gas money is a good thing these days.  We’ll all (including the earth) be healthier for it.

It’s all good!  God bless!