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Feb 8, 2009

Insulation Rumination

It's interesting to realize how much insulation fat provides. I had an extra 222 lbs of insulation that I carried around me all the time.

It didn't matter what, I was always hot. It took very little for me to sweat. I used to think that I was just one of those people that had very active sweat glands or ducCheck Spellingts. When I wore hearing aids, back before my cochlear implants, I would ruin a hearing aid every year through sweat. They'd send it in to be fixed because it was always under warranty, only to find that they had to replace it instead.

When joking with my friends, about the subject of menopause, I would tell them that when I enter menopause, I wouldn't know I was having a "hot flash if it hit me in the face", since I was always so hot! One of my friends (Diane) was always cold. Her joke was, if she enters menopause and gets a hot flash, she'd pull up a chair and get warm! :)

Well, here I am, 222 lbs lighter and I can't remember what it was like to be hot all the time, nor to sweat so easily and constantly due to all the heat. I'd sweat at the least little thing. I didn't have to exercise to sweat. I could just stand for a few minutes and down it would fall. Now, when I work out, I have a hard time getting it to be hard enough to get some sweat going.

I have a part time job on the weekend keying mail for the post office. We key mail in this large building that has one giant open room with rows and rows of computer terminals and people keying. It is probably at least the size of a football field or more. I imagine it's a challenge to heat the thing properly, what with all the people and computers. I never used to notice the temperature though. NEVER. I would just wear a blouse and slacks while I worked.

It's a whole different story now. I can't believe the steps I have to take to stay warm while I'm keying. It started with beginning to layer my clothes, even in the summer. Then I noticed I was still freezing. I started to layer with heavier clothes, turtle necks, sweaters and even added light hooded jackets.

I recently started to wear long johns! Can you believe. I had to do something more! So here I am today, for example, wearing long johns, a turtleneck, sweater, and a winter jacket (outdoor coat) ALL DAY as I sat there keying mail. Another problem I've had is keeping my hands warm. I now key the mail wearing gloves on top of that. Yesterday I dressed similarly. After adding long johns and the winter coat to my attire, this weekend, I felt content that I was finally warm enough! The weirdest thing is to get off work, and find that you already have everything already on to go outdoor and head home!

Despite the difficulties, I wouldn't take the 222 lbs back and revert to just a blouse and slacks attire for anything! The funny thing is to realize I would now pull up my chair and join my friend Diane as we try to get warm, if only we could get a hot flash!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

This "article" is your best so far! I love it. Finally, there is someone else who understands how I feel during the winter and in over air-conditioned buildings. I'd write more, but I think I feel one coming on.
Diane

Cami said...

very interesting....grateful to be cold!!!

Leigh is pressing here cheek agianst my computer screen putting it next to your face while I type and then giving it a kiss. How sweet!

Ann said...

Awwwwwww.....how sweet! I love that! Wish I was there to hold her and play with her! I just love the little ones! :)

NariceatL4 said...

That was a great post! And yes, although I do like it cold, we really don't know cold here in southern California (I'm sure I would hate, say, a Wisconsin winter). But, you can have my hot flashes any time! (Hot flashes not only make me ridiculously hot, they make me ridiculously edgy! "Don't talk to me--I'm HOT!")

NariceatL4 said...

By the way.... what is 'keying' at the post office?

NariceatL4 said...

PS--before I lost 40 pounds, I couldn't hardly walk up a flight of stairs, let alone walk around the block. It's nice to be able to walk again :)

Ann said...

Temperatures this winter, when I am commuting two and from work have been mostly in the 20's, but sometimes in the teens! So it's way colder than southern California. I would love to live in your kind of climate! It sounds heavenly to me. Never realized a hot flash would make a person edgy! Hmmmm, wonder if I would have to reconsider pulling up a chair to get warm.

At the post office facility I work in, we get pictures of mail on our computer screen from postal facilities all over the country. The mail that shows up on our computer screen is the mail that was unreadable by the computer. So we have to read the mail and key in what it is the computer needs in order to mail it. That's what it means to be keying at the post office.

Congratulations on your 40 lbs loss! That's awesome! You're right, it's great to be able to walk again! :)

NariceatL4 said...

Thanks for the answer! Yes, I am spoiled living in So Cal--sometimes we even go to the beach in the winter! (Which is my favorite--and people are dressed modestly then too)

Ann said...

Ahhhhh....I'm jealous! I'd love to be able to go to the beach, period! However, to go to the beach in the winter sounds like nirvana! :)

Anonymous said...

What a contrast! Amazing how our bodies react. I would also take cold anyday.