Lexapro, Menopause and Me

January 12, 2018January 11, 20183 Comments

IT’S BEEN almost five years since I took the plunge into menopause. I was 48 years old. One month I was fine. The next month I was on a roller coaster of emotions. Hot flashes, memory loss, anger and sadness. It was crazy, and I was crazy.

The lab work showed positively menopausal. My doctor prescribed Effexor for the mood swings and the hot flashes. Hormone Replacement was not an option because of my family history of breast cancer. The drug helped all of my symptoms, but I was now an insomniac. Lack of sleep made me lose focus and I was less efficient and productive. And perhaps less sane. The doctor switched me to Lexapro. It worked too but without the insomnia. The most upsetting side effect was weight gain. I also felt like I was treading water. I was moving but not going anywhere. 37994E18-5629-4976-B0EE-D55B7E597BB5

Now that I’ve weathered the depths of menopause, my doctor has advised me to taper off the Lexapro. She is worried about the effect of the weight gain on my health. Hot flashes won’t kill me but diabetes will.

It must be done slowly since I’ve taken it so long. I’ll begin this process in February. I’m hoping for post-menopausal calmness and a bikini body!

2018 Planning Party

December 18, 2017December 18, 20171 Comment

At the beginning of 2017, I had two goals. I was going to finish two quilts from the Savor Each Stitch Book Bee (the emphasis chapter and the texture chapter). I finished Mod Drunk, the emphasis chapter quilt.

I hand quilted it and finished it in June. The design and the quilting show a real advancement in my design and quilting skills. I entered it in QuiltCon 2018 in the modern traditionalism category, and it was accepted.

I finished the top for the Texture quilt. As usual I got sidetracked with multiple other projects and didn’t finish it. I did manage to make the backing and baste it. I’m hand quilting it too.

I won’t finish it this year so this Quilt is on my quilts-to-finish list for 2018. And it’s the only thing on the list. Once it’s done, I will have made a quilt for each of the design element chapters from Carolyn Friedlander’s book, Savor Each Stitch. I hope to do that in 2018. Savor.

I have travel plans. My husband and I are going to Pasedena for QuiltCon in February. I’m going to the Virginia Quilters Consortium retreat in April. I hope to return to Slow Stitching Retreat in Maine in August.

I will continue my work with the Emerge Circle of do good stitches.

I will participate in the Central Virginia Modern Quilt Guild’s programs and events.

I know I’ll get involved in something unplanned and that is the best part of having plans. I can always change them.

I’m linking up with Quilting Jetgirl’s 2018 Planning Party.

Cloud Eclipse reveal

December 10, 20174 Comments

Making this quilt with the Emerge Circle of do.good stitches was so much fun. I liked seeing what each member created. They have great taste. The fabric choices were perfect. I blogged about the inspiration in this post.

I hand quilted it. I used quarter circles, beginning at each corner. I like the texture and interest it gives to the linear strips. I added a small section of yellow fabric in the binding (Christa Watson’s Modern Marks) to represent the sun.

I’m donating the quilt to The Doorways. They provide lodging and support for patients and their loved ones who need to be near the hospital. They say the place feels like home. I hope this handmade quilt will give them the feeling of home. Every home needs a quilt.