Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Peri-Menopausal Moments - Running hot and cold

I am hypothyroid; as a result (in theory, anyway) I should feel cooler than most people. In practice what this really means for me is that my normal temperature is not 98.6 degrees, but around 97 degrees. The joys of a slow metabolism.

Hot flashes, however, create enough heat to make Congress consider fining me for contributing to global warming. I've not felt cool in over a year. The University mandated seventy-two degree setting on the thermostat made this past winter a nightmare for me; opening the window and running a fan still did not cool the office to a comfortable temperature. Aside from the physical discomfort, my mind simply does not work as well when I am warm.

Switch to summer, the need for air conditioning, and the apparent lack of the same in my office. I finally called facilities to check on things; it seems they had closed the a/c vents in my office at some point in the past (doubtless when I wasn't around). I was literally not getting any air.

Now the vents are open, allowing air to circulate.

I am absolutely freezing.

I don't plan to call for an adjustment to the vents. The big old warm green sweater I used to keep in the office (back when I didn't carry an internal blast furnace around with me) will be making a reappearance. So will the packets of hot chocolate mix.

This, too, will pass.

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