2009 Redux

The third big event of 2009 occurred in the area of health. This was the year that I discovered that I have spinal osteoporosis. I felt devastated for quite a while after the diagnosis, like roll me into that nursing home. But, unlike my grandmother who up and quit when she broke her hip, I wanted to do what I could to get better.

I hit the gym. Weight bearing exercises are good for the bones, so I went three to four times a week. Then, once spring arrived, I walked in the morning and worked out after Andrew went to bed. I started to feel great and the weight fell off. From January to August, I dropped 30 pounds. That might be my proudest accomplishment.

I can't quite maintain that schedule now that I am back to work. I get to the gym twice a week and I try to exercise a little at home. I still have to worry about my back, especially now that winter is here; I can't risk falling on the ice. It's still a drag to have this old ladies' condition. Now, if I can just hold off the need for bifocals, I can maintain the illusion of youth.

This sucks

I am 41 years old. I have never been one of those women who thinks that shaving a few years off her age is as natural as shaving her legs. Unfortunately, my body is much older than 41.

About 14 years ago, my cycle was very erratic. To be honest, I was living a rather...rambunctious lifestyle. Every time I missed a period, or it was late, I feared that I was about to become a single mother. I was also just starting my teaching career and experiencing high levels of stress. I mentioned my concerns to a friend who told me to get to the doctor because I could have cancer. I hadn't really considered cancer, so I immediately sought medical advice.

Well, I was poked, prodded, and pricked. I went to see my doctor one day and got a biopsy I wasn't expecting. Finally, at the ripe old age of 32, it was determined that I had started menopause. No babies for me. I was utterly bereft. I'll never forget just losing it in front of a group of fairly wild ninth graders I was teaching. I had just had the biopsy and I simply couldn't handle their incessant chatter. I broke down and cried in front of the students. They were stunned and many of my Student Council babies came to my room to help me get through the rest of the day.

I'm pretty much over the fact that I have never been pregnant. Adopting the world's cutest and smartest boy helped alleviate those anguished feelings. The only reason I have felt the need to relive all of this is a diagnosis I received from my doctor today. Based on a bone density scan, it appears that I have developed osteoporosis of the spine. While I certainly won't die from this condition, it can lead to complications, as I get much older, that could kill me. It can also lead to me getting a lot shorter or to that humped over look that some elderly people have.

If I am anything like my relatives, I figure that I've got another 40 years or so, all of it while managing this condition. I'm horrified at the thought of being all hunched over. My doctor would like to run one more test, to see if the reading is accurate. She said that sometimes conditions like scoliosis (which I have) cause a false reading. I hope that she's right.