Reviving some older posts from former blog

I was looking over my old blog (that really never got off the ground) and decided to transfer some of it over here where I'm making more progress towards a daily commentary! I thought this report was right on since so many of us are dealing with insomnia throughout our menopause experience.

Insomnia keeping you awake?
While new moms and pregnant women are suffering, they are not suffering the most. Yes, more pregnant and post partum women experience insomnia a few nights each week than other age groups but when it comes to sleep disorders, such as snoring, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea, a condition characterized by difficulty breathing, post-menopausal women are having the hardest time. 50% of post-menopausal women, more than any other women’s age group, said they experienced a sleep disorder, according to the poll. Six out of ten women in this group said they battled insomnia. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/03/06/couricandco/entry2540168.shtml

What kind of things do you take to help you? I've had some women write me and say they have to use sleeping pills like Ambien or Lunesta (both of these are linked to a free trial offer) and others use things like SleepyTime tea (definitely my favorite). It's more important than we initially realize to get a good night's sleep because it affects every part of our life if we don't.

Please take care of yourself and do what you have to do to get as much restful sleep as you can manage, ok?

Let me know what kind of problems you're having with sleep. I found something new that I'll be bringing to you in the near future called Dreamerz. I'll let you know in a few weeks if it's something that might help a lot of us!

Press Release for New Book!

Menopause, you can let it get you down or you can find something in it to laugh about.

That’s what Dee Adams, creator of the one of the top web sites on menopause has done with the release of her first book, “Laughing Your Way Through Menopause.”

The book offers many of the most popular cartoons featuring the character Adams created 10 years ago, Minnie Pauz, who’s adventures with hot and cold flashes, hormonal changes and general craziness caused by menopause, have appeared on http://www.minniepauz.com/, a web site that offers humor, information and the chance for menopausal women to interact.

In addition to the cartoons, the book is liberally sprinkled with humorous stories, and anecdotes contributed by Minnie Pauz fans. “I call these stories Minnie Moments.,” Adams said. “They’re sort of like senior moments, but we don’t like to use the S word.”

Adams created the minniepauz website because “I wanted to help women get a giggle out of what we are going through in midlife. When I first showed women the cartoons, everybody said they had not seen anything like them out there. My website was the first site where women could come together and talk about menopause.” Adams and her website have been featured in Time magazine, CNN, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Forbes magazine, More magazine and numerous other media outlets, including a PBS special on women's health.

“People have been after me to do a book for 10 years,” Adams said. “I think I have a lot of readers who will like having something to hold in their hands instead of having to go to the computer to enjoy the cartoons. Women tell me that on those days when they feel blah, they need a dose of Minnie Pauz cartoons. This book gives it to them.”

“Laughing Your Way Through Menopause.” is currently available on http://www.lulu.com/content/965290 and will be later sold in bookstores and through Amazon.com.

Menopause and UTI's

I came across some info today about bladder infections (or UTI's ) and wanted to share it with you. Most of us go back to the old "cranberry juice" solution, but it's what's IN the cranberries that helps, not the sweet juice.

Here's what Dr. Mercola says: "A naturally-occurring sugar, D-Mannose is absorbed eight times slower than glucose, and is not converted to glycogen or stored in the liver*. It goes directly to the blood stream from the upper GI tract, so it's mostly filtered through the kidneys and routed to the bladder*.

Cranberry juice is NOT a good choice for promoting urinary tract health because it is high in fructose that can lead to greater health issues. The D-Mannose found in cranberries, however, is exceptional for promoting a healthy urinary tract* - and is now available in a high-quality form you can read about below!

The bladder lining is comprised of polysaccharide molecules. D-Mannose is so remarkable that its chemical structure causes it to adhere to unfriendly bacteria even more stubbornly than such bacteria sticks to human cells*.

Thus, the unfriendly bacteria preferentially attach to D-Mannose molecules, forming a compound that is expelled with urine. It's amazingly effective and many preliminary D-Mannose studies support this*.

When mannose is taken, the body redirects it to the urine, where it will start to show concentrations in the urine within 30 minutes. Once it is passed into the urine, it goes to work immediately*.

Because D-Mannose is a nutritional food substance, it is safe to use with antibiotics and will not interfere with antibiotic treatment. If you do use an antibiotic, always remember to take a high-quality, high-potency probiotic to help replace the beneficial bacteria that the antibiotic may kill.

Bird Watching time!

I'm so excited because the hummingbirds are back to Michigan, plus the Baltimore Orioles returned again this year! They won't stay all summer and I'm sure the hummingbirds won't mind because the Orioles like to feed on the h. feeders even though I have the larger o. feeder out there. This first picture is the way it's supposed to be! :) The second photo is the problem:



















I can tell you one thing though. It wasn't easy to get these photos!! My office window looks out over the my small yard so I can turn my head when I hear a unique bird call and see them on the feeders, BUT if I make a move to get closer with the camera, they take off and then it seems to take hours before they come back. Here's one of the first times I saw a hummingbird standing STILL!

Here's another photo I'll share....the best rainbow I ever saw!

Whew! I still haven't figured out how to get this all laid out the way I want, but at least it's somewhat presentable. :) I didn't mean to wait so long before posting again, but I seem to forget about the blog with all the other things I'm doing (website, newsletter, etc)

Have a great Mother's Day weekend. I'll be sending my Mother an e-card and probably a phone call, then both sons will call sometime during the day. I may have brunch with my daughter and granddaughter. It gets complicated when everyone in the family is a Mother!! :)

How to approach a birthday!

Every year I hear the same thing from friends and family....they start talking about their upcoming birthday like it was something that had never happened before! My Mother is the worst and she's 77 as of April 3! I keep wondering, has she forgotten that she says the same thing every year? "I'm not having anymore damn birthdays!!" At least she doesn't say she's "39 and holding". I get kind of tired of that one too. I think my daughter has taught her daughter to say "29 and holding". She's going to be 34 in September.

Fortunately, most of the people that I talk to are between 50 and 63 and strangely enough, they're not moaning and groaning about their age! I know it's the way our generation (the babyboomers) have taken on every segment of their lives that has prevented them from falling in that "deny your birthday, deny your existance, deny your mortality" frame of mind. All we really want to do is celebrate our one special day of the year and would really love to have our friends and family feel cheery WITH us, but NOOOOOOOO....if we mention our birthday, it sends most people off to their deep, dark thoughts about their OWN dreaded unhappy day. :(

I like it when women throw themselves a birthday party!! How cool is that and since they're in charge they can kick out anyone who is not acting like the proper 4 year old at their party! I would also kick out anyone who did not bring a gift!! That seems to be the biggest disappoint when MY birthday rolls around (coming April 27, by the way...heheheh)....how can people who KNOW it's your birthday, NOT buy you a gift???? But they do it (or DON'T do it). I can't remember the last birthday gift I received. It might have been a pair of gold earrings from my cousin, Sharon...yep, I think that was it because I said, "ahhhhh, you didn't have to do that, especially since I never even remember YOUR birthday!" I have to say though, Sharon is not one of the age appropriate ones I mentioned who are taking their birthdays gracefully...no, she's more like my Mother in that she would rather not even mention the horrible day!

This year I'm going to let it all slide....the comments, the e-cards (instead of real cards), no cake, no presents from the kids (and they're all old enough and make more money than I do, so there's no excuse), and anything else that makes April 27 seem like just another day. That's because this year I'm turning 59. You see what I'm getting at, right?

Oh, but I pity the person who doesn't make SOME kind of special effort next year!! I'll be working on becoming healthy and good looking again!!
:) No more excuses about forgetting, Sister! No more 6pm phone call from the kids saying "Happy Birthday".....and I mean literally, that's it! I have had more heartfelt greetings from my minniepauz.com subscribers who I've never even met!

So this year, from 4/27/07 to 4/27/08, I'm going to be working on myself and secretly working on everyone around me to help me make my 60th birthday the best one ever!! So that's my advice on how to approach a birthday!

1. Start a year early!

2. Tell everyone you know!

3. Write out a birthday wish list (just like a Christmas list)

4. Plan your own party (so they HAVE to show up and are obligated to bring a gift! :)

5. Let your inner kid come out!

And for those of you who have been single for a long time, even if you haven't met anyone in the last 10 years, find yourself a date for that night! Either get someone to do you a favor (like the 28 year old neighbor-with a sense of humor) or spend a few bucks to rent an escort! What better way to say, "hey, I'm still celebrating life!!"

What are some of your suggestions for making birthdays fun again?

The Secret

Well, what do you think? I totally believe it is already working in my life! There will be lots of controversy about it, but I believe anything that helps people create abundance in their life is a worthwhile effort. Why do I care if people make lots of money off the book and other merchandise? http://what-is-the-secret.blogspot.com/

I have a lot of reading to do and it's hard because I get drowsy when I read. Uh oh...I'm attracting drowsiness!! See, it's working already! :)

Let's tell real stories about how The Secret has worked for you!

Mixing menopause and business...

There are so many babyboomer women who are running their own businesses these days, so I thought it was high time for us to talk about the challenges we come up against and how we deal with them. They are certainly different than what men deal with (and many times they, the men, have a rougher time than we do), but I believe it's different than younger women starting businesses too.

I kind of "fell into" my business over 12 years ago. You can hear my story here. I didn't know diddly about running a business (and I'm not sure I know NOW by the way that my taxes look!) back then, it all "just happened". What I'm saying is, it wasn't a concious effort to start a business. I was blessed with this crazy idea for a cartoon character who suffers with every single symptom of menopause and I had at least a tiny bit of hope that maybe I could make something out of it.

10 years is a long learning curve, don't you think? People keep telling me I should be proud of what I've done, but I keep thinking I should be MUCH further along in the game. I look at other women who have started businesses at the same age and within the same niche, with the same target market and they're going gang busters! Look at the Red Hat Society or Menopause the Musical! They're HUGE and able to capitalize on their talents and on this time in their lives. I can't help but wonder what I've done wrong to not reach the same level of success.

We've all had our handicaps, like doing all that we do at a time when our bodies seem to be working against us! Just like millions of other women, we have to figure out what is best for us individually so we can cope with the stresses and complications of running a business. I feel part of the reason we are able to do it is knowing we can do anything....that's one of the benefits of being middle-aged, we gain a lot more confidence in our abilities, plus we know what we want.

One of the unexpected issues that came up after I had been in business with Minnie Pauz Enterprises for about 2 years was the competitive nature of many of these other women. At times when I thought we could help each other by partnering on projects, I saw a lot of pulling back and mistrust between business owners. It even got to the point where I quit offering to give free publicity and advertising because the other party wasn't living up to their side of the bargain. There's a lot of talk about what women can accomplish together, but in business the "sisterhood" doesn't really hold much water.

If you have a business related to women, menopause, babyboomers, let us know how you're doing it in the midst of the hot flashes, insomnia and depression. Are you going it alone or do you have a partner? Do you prefer how you're doing it? How's business? :)

Why March 18 is etched in my memory...

When everyone else is celebrating St. Patrick's day on March 17 every year, I find myself counting back how many years I would have been married to my first husband. I don't know WHY I do it, I've never regretted divorcing him, but there's always that "what if" factor. So every March 18, I figure out how many years it's been since 1967 and I say, sometimes just in my head and sometimes to one of the kids, "Today would be our 40th anniversary"!

I just looked it up and it's the "Ruby" anniversary....hmmm, that would have been nice. Ok, here's the kicker. We've been divorced since 1977, he's been remarried for 30 years (I think), has 2 more kids, and for the past 10 years I've been living 10 min. from them (the ex and his wife). I've spent Easter and Christmas at their house, even went to a local Women's Conference with his wife and of course, we all sit together at the grandkids' school plays, etc. I know, you've heard about these kind of divorces, right? I don't know how rare or common they are these days, but I suppose I prefer it this way rather than not ever communicating.

But I still can't help thinking that if I had stayed married to him, our kids wouldn't have had to experience the divorce and all that insued after that. Also, I wouldn't be sitting here in a mobile home, almost 60 years old with no health insurance, looking into the future all by myself. Wow, does THAT sound sad, huh? hahahahah....I'm just being honest because this comes up EVERY March 18!! The reality of it is that I couldn't have stayed married to him because I was not getting what I needed from him emotionally. He just wasn't able to express his feelings or constantly reassure me how much he loved me. He's also an alcoholic and even though he's what you would call a functioning alcoholic, I never would have made it through the years of him falling asleep drunk with beer every night like his current wife has done.

And now that I've been able to see what my life "would" have been, I'm even more certain that it never would have lasted. He's a good man and a good father/provider and all that, but I never was materialistic so even though I sometimes envy what they have now (the cabin up north, the big house on 5 acres, new cars, etc), I know I would not have been happy. That really is good to know at this age! So even though I might sound like I'm regretting the past, I know it would not have been a good trade off. I AM considering asking him if he wants to become a poligamist since I found out he's taking a job that will move them to Hawaii!

Maybe I should concentrate on regretting my second divorce instead! hahahah...I have until November 22 to start thinking about that one! :)

Let me know if you are sorry about the decisions you made "back then".

Defending my sense of humor

In 10 years I think I have only had one or two negative emails or comments about what I'm trying to do with Minnie Pauz, so I was kind of blown away when I read connie f's post on my March 5 blog post. You can read my response there too, but I don't feel like I said all that I wanted to say, so I was going to say more right now....but....

When I read my title, I realized that I don't have to defend myself except in a court of law, and since no one has sued me for laughing at myself (yet) or for causing them to wet their pants while reading my cartoons, I will hold off on hiring a defense attorney and just keep doing what I've been doing for 10 years...providing Humor Replacement Therapy!!

It's amazing though, how quickly we want to explain our point of view when even one person out of millions (yes, I've had millions of visitors to the website in the last 10 years) complains. We just don't want anyone to not like us or be mad at us. Is that just being a woman or is that from being co-dependant? I'm sure there are many of you that are NOT co-dependant, but how did you get that way? PLEASE tell me how!! I'm reading "Co-dependant No More" by Melody Beattie, so at least I'm aware of the problem, but this issue has brought up a lot of the insecurities I deal with on a daily basis and I want to concentrate on how to overcome the flaws that are holding me back from being all I know I can be! Sounds like I'm wanting to join the Army, doesn't it?

I have had enough positive feedback over the years that should confirm that I'm doing a good thing. You can read lots of it here. That's why I can't understand why one negative post can make me question the value of what I'm doing. (that is connie f's post, btw)

Ok...now that I've talked myself out of defending my sense of humor, what will today's post be about? How about this crazy daylight savings time thing? :)

Does Laura Bush smoke?

In yesterday's Minnie Pauz newsletter, I mentioned that I was not impressed with how our First Lady is promoting women's heart health when she has not been able to kick the smoking habit herself. I got a couple of emails from subscribers who were shocked that she smokes, but one (from Christine) said:

"I do not know who told you about the First lady being a smoker It IS NOT true."

I sent her this response:

Christine, here is where I got my information.....
She says here that she used to smoke.....
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/07/30/laura.bush.interview.cnna/

In this report it says she still sneaks a cigarette with her friends:
http://www.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/kessler200604032246.asp
Laura occasionally sneaks a cigarette with friends. In 1994 and 1995, she totally quit a lifelong smoking habit. When asked by the media, she would honestly say that it was "difficult" to quit. But after 1995, Laura went back to bumming cigarettes from friends, though never in front of George or her staff. At the White House, she might step outside on the Truman Balcony to take a few puffs. At the ranch, she might occasionally light up on the porch.
"She is a stress smoker," said her friend Anne Stewart. "She still bums a cigarette."
"If she is sitting around with some friends and they are smoking, she may smoke," longtime Bush friend Dr. Charles Younger, an orthopedic surgeon, said. "She wouldn't tell you she never does it, but it's not an image she would like to promote as a healthy habit from the First Lady who is supposed to be perfect."

And this exerpt from a book by Ronald Kessler: An Intimate Portrait of the First Lady: Laura Bush:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/05/earlyshow/leisure/books/main1474223.shtml
Even Laura Bush has her vices, such as a smoking habit she can't quite shake. Kessler says the first lady bums a cigarette once in a while: "She goes out on the balcony and smokes a little bit every now and then."

I certainly understand the problem with being addicted to cigarettes, as I mentioned in the newsletter that I'm celebrating 2 years of no smoking, since I smoked at least a pack a day for over 40 years. I was not a national role model and I was able to quit, so I think Laura Bush should completely give it up. THEN she can really put herself out there to tell women how to protect themselves from health problems.

"Mrs. Laura Bush visited Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) on Wednesday, Feb. 15 to raise awareness about heart disease - the number one cause of death of women in America. Mrs. Bush's visit also included meeting patients treated at Carolinas Heart Institute, speaking with doctors and a public presentation in which she outlined simple steps for reducing the risk of heart disease through healthy lifestyles, proper diet, proper exercise and no smoking."

I suppose most of the blame should go to the organizations who are inviting her to speak on women's health. They should choose someone who has beaten the habit and can truly be an inspiration to others (who really do want to quit). Even someone who has survived cancer could give better reasons to stop smoking than someone who just hides their continuing habit. I have no hard feelings for Mrs. Bush, but I don't feel she should be held up as an example in this case.

I try very hard not to preach about smoking since the worst thing in the world (according to smokers) is a reformed smoker. I talk about my success in quitting and about some of the things that helped me quit. It's truly a different world when you're free of this addiction and I encourage everyone (including Laura Bush) to really give it some thought. I have been adding information to this page for two years now. I hope you will find something helpful there!

So let's hear what YOU think!

A sense of humor is "frivolous"?

Here's a bit of interesting news....last month there was a short article in Forbes magazine that mentioned several of the funny businesses that have cropped up because of all the interest in menopause. Yes, of course Minnie Pauz was mentioned, as well as Menopause the Musical and HotFlash the board game, but the main thing that jumped out at me was a comment by Marie Lugano, the founder of the American Menopause Foundation. She said, "....... it's ridiculous and offensive to market such frivolous products, and that the money would be much better spent on menopause research." And...."It's ridiculous. It's offensive. What's next? Prostate Cancer the Musical? A board game about erectile dysfunction? Menopause is a serious health issue. We don't need a musical and a board game, we need more research." What is she hoping to discover, a CURE for a natural process that women go through? In my opinion, we need more research to cure cancer, something that is KILLING women. Of course, HER menopause may be much more severe because she has no sense of humor. Here's a little prayer for Marie and others who think my efforts are useless and "frivolous":

Give us a sense of humor, Lord,
Give us the grace to see a joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And pass it on to other folk.



What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with Marie? Leave your comments.....

Dear Minnie Pauz Fans,
Ahhh yes, the month of LOVE! I think I remember what that's all about. Those of you with spouses or sweethearts can really appreciate the upcoming holiday, but I really think those of us who are not in a relationship should consider February 14, GIRLFRIEND'S DAY!! Actually the card companies have designated August 1 for that day, but we all know that at this age NOBODY can tell us what to do, right? So, August 1 is not big enough. Not to worry, we'll just hijack Valentine's Day for our own purposes! It's already got most of the elements that women love anyway, right? There's red and pink decorations everywhere, cuddly little teddy bears that say I love You (or anything you like...just contact me), LOTS of chocolate, cards that express so much of what we want to say to our gal pals....I'm so glad we can hug and kiss our girlfriends and tell them how much they mean to us without worrying about what people say! So now that we've redefined a national holiday, let's seriously appreciate each other!

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together and wipe out heart disease. Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the country, the color red and the red dress have become linked with the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.

By joining the Go Red For Women movement, you become part of the fight against heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women in America. Your involvement can help save lives of mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, grandmothers, best friends, and other women just like you! Join today and get a free red dress pin. Most of all, do what you can to bring awareness of heart disease.

Still not getting here daily.

I must really have a mental block against posting each day. I'm still struggling with the definition of what I'm doing here....is it a journal? To me that means PRIVATE, so this cannot be a journal for me. I kept a daily journal for 22 years, but when I go back and read them (notebooks), I realize that I was depressed the entire time. Whoa!! That's really sad, but it was true. I stopped writing in my journal when I started reaching outside myself. I've tried to get back into it, but I have the same problem that I have with posting here daily. Very strange.


Ok, so what's going on this week? I can't resist mentioning that a writer from Forbes magazine contacted me on Friday (then a "fact checker" called today to verify the info). He said it's a very small article about how people (women?) are making money from menopause related businesses. I sure hope it does better for me (traffic wise) than the TIME article did last year! I got NOTHING from that because they didn't even use the interview and didn't put the web address in the side bar next to my picture. It still irritates me. That could have been such a great opportunity...I'm sure it was for the ones that made it into the article. Let's all just hope the Forbes piece does better.



The other news is that I'm in the countdown for getting my new dentures. Tomorrow is step 2 of a 5 step plan to finalize the making of the dentures, which includes bottom ones that attach to the implants I got nearly 6 months ago. This has been such a long process and sometimes I still can't believe that I have no teeth! (That always reminds me of what guys used to say was their "dream girl"...hahahah.....can't imagine why! Oops, got off track there.) Then I finally found the humor in my "condition" and was able to make a cartoon (for my dentist) out of it.



Well, that's not bad for today! :) If I can get here tomorrow (after my dentist appt.), that will be an accomplishment. There's still a lot I need to figure out on using this. I'd love to hear from anyone who has dentures in their 50's and early 60's. I've got all kinds of concerns...like how do you get back into dating???? Oh My!!!

Take a deep breath and go public!!

Today, I'm going to announce that my blog is open for comments. With all the publicity and exposure I've had over the last 10 years, WHY is this so hard for me???? I think I said it before, but it's like giving a party and no one shows up, but you've got to send out the invitations, for crying out loud! :)

I've been experimenting (this is my second attempt to get a blog going) for a couple of years. I can't seem to decide what kind of voice I want to use....100% me or Minnie Pauz?

The website is all about menopause, nothing really personal there. The message board/forum is mostly about menopause and supporting each other, but there are areas where we talk about everything BUT menopause and there seems to be a need for that too. On the forum, everyone can start a conversation on a topic they're interested in, but here I have to choose the topic and everyone else responds. Hmmmm.....I just don't know.

A little voice in my head is saying to just "be yourself" and talk about whatever is on your mind at the time. Ok, that's what I'll do and then I'll ask others to join me here with their opinions.
Let's do it!! :)

Ready to go "live"?

I still haven't had the nerve to tell anyone about this spot. Silly, I guess, especially after all the attention I've had about Minnie Pauz and menopause. I just feel like this is the closest I've gotten to being the real me and do I want to put the real me out there for all to see/judge/criticize? I'm not quite sure.....

I've been the "real me" on the message board, but somehow that's different. On there I don't have to post every day and conversations go on without my input. On here, I have to decide what each day will be about and then hope that someone will respond.

I'm getting closer though....I might even give the address to the ladies on the forum and ask which format they prefer. That's a good way to tiptoe into the spotlight although I'm still not sure if the conversations should be all about menopause or just about babyboomers in general. The confusion is overwhelming at the moment!

Class reunions

I suppose the 10th and even 20th could be fun, but the 40th????? I don't think so! I can barely show my photo to people I've never met before (like in the personals), but I'm REALLY against showing it to people who knew me when I was young, thin and gorgeous! If I had stayed around town and grown older WITH them, it would be different, but it's too much of a shocker to have them see this

after knowing me like this Oh, I know I'm being silly, all of them have aged too, just some better than others. :) A bigger problem is that I had 3 reunions to go to and I didn't make it to any of them! Germany, Colorado and Missouri...I went to high school at all of them. Didn't really keep in touch with anyone though, so it's not like it would be "old home week" for me.

I do envy people who have the memories and have stayed in touch all these years. That's something I've never had because of moving around so much. Then again, there's a LOT of "normal" stuff that I can't claim in my past. I spend most of my time now trying to make new memories and help my kids overcome the bumps and scratches of their childhood---not quite as bad as mine, but still not completely stable. It's amazing how family histories repeat themselves.

I'm trying very hard to live in the present and keep expecting positive things to happen and keep striving for a level of serenity and happiness. I wish the same for you!

Menopause and dental care

Well, the implant surgery is over (3 weeks now) and I'm able to chew again. I did lose 12.5 lbs so far and if I can manage not to blow it, I will lose at least another 10. Need to start walking and then I'm sure I could lose 20! Not going to promise anything at this point, just try to eat right.

I don't know how many of you have dentures or have been told you NEED dentures, but I would say the dental implants are the way to go IF you can afford it. I really didn't think I could, but when I was told that wearing dentures would make my gums and bone deteriorate faster, I decided to make the investment in me. It's bad enough having dentures before I'm even 60 (in 1 1/2 years), so I wanted the stability of the implants, which will help protect my gums and bone.

We have to remember that as we lose estrogen, our bones are not as dense as before and that includes the bone in our jaw. Teeth can become loose and disease can set in. I have a great article on my site by a dentist. You can read it here

I had to have all my teeth pulled, so I had to get full dentures and man, has that been a trip getting used to. I knew I would get bottom implants because bottom dentures rarely fit well. The way the dentist described it to me is if your natural teeth are 100%, then dentures are at 10% and dentures with implants are 90%. This means stability and comfort for chewing, talking, whatever. Here's a good site to get an overall picture about dental implants. And here's some photos of what they look like.

Since I have no insurance, my surgeon offered his services at half price if I went to the dental college to have it done (he would still be doing the surgery, but the students would be observing). I agreed to do it and then he decided to do it in his plush office and have the student there to observe. Great for me! Instead of $1200 each, I paid $600 each and had 4 done. It was $280 for the anesthesia, so altogether I paid $2680. That's JUST for the surgery and the implants, not the rest of the hardware and the dentures. That's another $4000 unless I can get my other dentist to give me a hefty discount.

Please let me know if you have any questions...there's lots of stuff I haven't mentioned.

When your kids aren't kids anymore.

I just had a visit from one of my "kids"....he's in his mid 30's and still hasn't figured out how to make his life work. It is SO hard not to enable him and this visit was no different. He needed money, so I compromised (with myself)I gave him half of what he asked for and I told him I can't keep doing this, that I'm short on $$ myself. He says he'll pay me back, but I've come to know that he basically a "black hole" when it comes to money.

Tough, very tough to not help your kids, but I KNOW that little bit of money is not going to help. I hide the fact that I did it from everyone because I know I should have had the courage to say no.

This is a part of middle age I could do without. I've got my own parent problems....with my Mother and I don't want the same kind of relationship between me and my kids. But it doesn't help make my life easier to not be able to say how I feel.

This is not about "menopause", but definitely something our age group has to deal with. How do YOU do it?

On being a babyboomer

I used to think it was cool being a babyboomer, but after my visit to a doctor yesterday, I'm not so sure. Menopause is one thing, but the rest of this stuff that goes along with aging? I wish it would just pass me by!! I'm ONLY 58! That's the new 38, right? ha, ha, ha! Hey, Margot Kidder is 58 this year and she was Lois Lane to Christopher Reeve's Superman, so that should count for something!

I'd take the hot flashes of menopause any day over arthritis! At least the hot flashes usually go away at some point. Now THAT should be encouraging to those of you who are right in the middle of all of it. I've been post menopausal since I was 42 and I really believe that 16 years without estrogen has taken it's toll, but being without insurance means that I have to wait until something is really bothering me before going to the doctor and by then it could be too late to prevent things.....like osteoporosis.

Oh well, guess I'd better take the advice that I give everyone else....accept what is and think positive thoughts! Kind of like "Minnie" does in this cartoon:

Summer blahs...

I don't know if it's related to menopause or not, but the hot sunny weather really slows me down! I'm one of those people who prefers cool, cloudy, even rainy days to the hot, bright, sunny days. A lot of it IS the heat factor. Even though I don't get major hot flashes anymore, I do heat up pretty fast once the temperature rises and my body seems to hold the heat longer, making it difficult to cool down and feel comfortable.

Once I get heated up, I start SWELLING up and then I'm REALLY uncomfortable! It affects all parts of my life whether I'm trying to work and can't get cooled off enough to concentrate, or if I have my grandkids over and I'm somewhat crabby. I try not to let how I'm feeling affect them, but when I have no energy, feel generally crappy, have swollen ankles or didn't sleep well, it tends to lower the quality of the visit. That's when I start feeling guilty and then over-indulge them to make up for it.

I managed to do pretty well yesterday when my two oldest grandsons came over. They've been asking for weeks if they could come and spend the night, so I finally said ok for last night. I told their mom to drop them off around 4pm yesterday and I cooked hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill. It was pretty muggy yesterday, plus I had a visit to the dentist earlier (to check on when I can get my dental implants), so I was a bit irritable by the time they got here.

It started raining so we were forced to stay inside and the first thing they said was "it's COLD in here!" Well, let's look at the facts....it's summer, it's muggy, and Grandma is menopausal. Of COURSE it's cold in here!! That's the only thing that's going to allow you both to live through the night! Ok, so I probably wouldn't kill them, but I could make their lives miserable for 24 hours! I gave them each a sweatshirt to wear and settled down to watch a movie. Naturally, they wanted snacks so we made kool-aid popsicles and while they were freezing, we went and got ice cream! The last thing I need is ice cream, but ..... oh well!

After the rain, Zach found something to keep busy with! (hmmm...not sure why, but I cannot post a picture!)

I downloaded two movies for them on pay-for-view...at $3.99 each that's a lot cheaper than taking them to the theater! :) I also let them play on the computer for an hour (each) while I watched a couple of my shows last night.

Today I told them that since it's a workday they wouldn't be able to use the computer because I use it all day long. You should have seen the long faces and the slump on the couch and the "I'm bored" comments!! I fully suspect that since I'm the only grandma with an internet connection, that's the main reason they love to come here. :) It's my fault though, I start all of them using the computer at 3, so by the time they're 5 they can play age-appropriate games and create wonderful art pieces that always get hung on my fridge.

They were just picked up a few minutes ago and now I'm back to my menopausal madness, but without an excuse....the kids are gone, it's quiet around here and it's totally clouded over and cooled off about 10 degrees. Guess I'll try to make the most of the day.