Smokin'!

I have this song stuck in my head: 

"It's gettin' hot in here; so take off all your clothes".  Do you know the one I'm talking about?  Or, "The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire.  We don't need no water...".  Well, you likely know the rest.

So, basically...I'm hot!  I blow dry my hair...my forhead sweats.  I go to the tropical bird conservatory...I turn as red as a beet.  I sit in the hot tub...my legs turn to jelly and I see white spots.  I looked it up and apparently, this is what's going on:

"As people with MS, we have lesions on our nerves where demyelination has taken place. This slows the ability of the nerves to function, and heat further slows down nerve impulse transmission in demylinated regions. Even a very slight increase of as little as one-quarter to one-half a degree in the body’s core temperature is enough to cause symptoms of heat intolerance."

Blah, blah, blah.  My hair is getting flat!



Now, I'm going to embarrass my Mom but, this is the best reference I can think of.  When I was living at home in Ontario, I would sometimes wake up in the dead of night FREEZING cold.  I'd get up, look outside and see falling snow through the built-up ice on the outside of the window.  I'd feel the heat vent and, all seemed fine but, why were my teeth chattering?! 

I'd make my way out into the hallway, tiptoe quietly along and from under my mother's bedroom door...a cold draft.  Hmmmm?  I'd open the door slowly and.........whoosh!  An Arctic freaking cold front would hit me in the face from her wide-open window.  I'd look over to Mom laying spread out on top of the duvet with the icy wind ruffling her hair, dead asleep and a big smile on her face.

What the hell you ask?  And my answer to you is:  Menopause.

Yes, that's right.  I have feared The Change ever since those freezing cold nights back in Niagara.  Well, I fear it no longer because I'm already experiencing the make-up-sliding-off, burning-bra feeling, sweat mustache effects of it now!  What the heck is a girl to do?  How do you beat the heat?

Well, from the Menopause Files I bring you the following suggestions.  A couple of years ago I bought my Mom a Chillow for xmas and I'm thinking I should be getting one too.  See here if you want one: http://www.chillowstore.com/om/  FYI, they also make them for dogs because apparently pups get really hot too.

Swimming is always a good idea; it is recommended that you wear a hat if you're swimming outside (good excuse to go shopping for cute head wear!).  There are even outdoor air conditioners.  Seriously.  They`re called Misting Fans; check it out... http://www.cool-off.com/.  So, we're not alone by a long shot and there are several options out there to keep the heat at bay and still enjoy the summer.

Hey, if all else fails, I can look at it like a test-run for later on and start compiling the above items.  And to  the M.S. guys out there, you can be more sympathetic to your wives while gaining insight into those dreaded hot flashes.  If anyone is wondering what to get me for my birthday this year, I would like to request one of those little mini fans and perhaps a new blender.  I figure cold Margaritas will work just as well as anything else and if I drink enough, I won`t care how flat my hair is.

UPDATE:  My Aunt Peggy just sent me this information on cooling neck ties (made in Canada) - thanks Peggy xoxoxo   http://www.practicaldesign.ca/ties.php