Hormone Replacement Therapy

It's a hot topic, I know.  If you are in menopause or have a hysterectomy you have to decide whether you are going to do HRT or not. 

If you are in menopause its  not as big of a question because you still have all your female parts and there are still manufacturing  some hormones just not as many as before. Now can you live on the lowered level, and are the risks worth taking the HRT to make things better? A loot depends on how much better the HRT would make your life.

If you had a hysterectomy then it depends more on whether they removed your ovaries or not. If you still have two, good function ovaries, then will will most likely have no need for HRT, which is great.  If you only have one ovary left, then it will depend on if that one can supply the whole body with enough hormones.  Of course is you are like me and the took everything out, the suitcase the scarf and the cute balls attached to the scarf, then you definitely need HRT.

My hysterectomy was three and a half years ago. The took everything because of issues in my uterus and my ovaries.  Then the dr asked me to wait six months and see how my body did on it's own before trying HRT. That was the start of a long hard struggle and journey. At six months it as awful,  so they tried a hormone, upped it as high as it would go, and then try to me that they don't know what to do and send me off to find another doctor.   That dr tried a specialized blend of nutrient and hormone supplements, but that didn't work, so now on to another doctor.

Tomorrow I start pellet HRT.  In pellet therapy, they run a lot o blood work before the therapy starts to analyze why we need as much of each hormone and create a special bled for each patient. Then the pellets and injected subdermally, just under the skin, so that they will slowly release the same amount of medicine at the same day and they last three to four months!  I am really hopeful for the pellet HRT, one because we have never done it yet, but nervous at the same time. I just want this to work.

I am tired of feeling like I am living in someone else's life. I want to make the decisions and enjoy my life. Continue to enjoy my kids and not be so tired and lost all the time.

I will continue to post, comments and keep you updated on how things go.

Annual Church Turkey Dinner

Every year our church puts on a huge Turkey Dinner. This is a big fundraiser for the church and everyone in the church gets involved.

The kids in the youth group will be busing tables all night. Some people will be in the kitchen, others serving food and others cleaning up. Along with the food with be handmade items from the ladies of the church for sale and other trinkets.

Since the first year that we have attended St. Paul UMC and been part of the Turkey Dinner, it has felt like the warmest and most comforting place to be. Each year, no matter how bad I feel, I look forward to this day. Tonight I know I will eat good food, cooked by loving hands of the women of the church, and sit among those that care the most about me and share the meal and the fellowship and the time together.

I am blessed that our church has this tradition.  Last year my son was in the Youth Group and bused tables, and although he complained on the way there, I know he had a good time and enjoyed some of the older people of the church that you don't see as often.  This year he will again bus tables, but my daughter will join him. She has a servants heart and I know she will enjoy this and talk with all the older people she can during her time.

In the hustle of our lives these days we forget to take the time to serve others and to remember to honor those who came before, our elders. I am blessed to have a church that takes the time to remember those things and helps me to teach those lessons to my children.

Off to eat turkey and clean the kitchen!