LUE: Yet Another List Thing

1. Game night! Much fun and laughter. There was pizza (good pizza, which is not easy to find). There were plenty of drinks, most non-alcoholic, though there was beer for those who wanted it (and no one overdid it). And there was Munchkin. There were five of us: Peter and Regev (Eyal's coworkers), Esti (Regev's girlfriend), and Eyal and I. Only Peter and I had previously played Munchkin, but everyone got into it quickly. We agreed at the end of the evening that yes, it would happen again. Yay!

2. Chanukah is currently ongoing. It's pretty low-key in Israel. We don't do presents, just traditional food (latkes, sufganiyot, and dairy foods - the latter a Sephardic custom I've adopted since moving to Israel). Candles, of course. And songs. But that's it. We had planned to go to Tel Aviv last Thursday night and do Chanukah with Alon, Sarah, and the boys. However, Sarah texted me that afternoon to let me know that the boys were sick, so it would be better if we stayed home. Sad face.

3. This week is Eyal's birthday week. Tomorrow night: a comedy show in Tel Aviv and dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Wednesday is his actual birthday. He has to go into the office, but I'll be sending him in with his birthday cake. Saturday night we'll head up to Modi'in for the family party at Orit's.

4. A week from tomorrow I have my cardiologist appointment. And the day after, I start my teacher training. Goodbye, social life.

Medical Stuff: After 40, It All Goes Downhill

I hate venting about all the ways my body is dysfunctional, but hey, that's what blogging is for.

In addition to impatiently awaiting my cardiologist appointment to find out just how much I'm screwed when it comes to my cardiac issues, I'm really hoping the doctor clears me for exercise and refers me to a nutritionist. I am not terribly keen on losing weight, though I'm not not keen on losing weight. Honestly, I just want to keep myself together, and eating better and exercising are the way to do that. So is quitting smoking, which I'm also doing. Yeah, that's a thing. I am finishing out my (not inconsiderable) stash, which could take another month or so. After that I'll go on the patch, which has helped me in the past.

So, the cardiac issues: I still tire easily. I still lack energy. It bleeds into my psychiatric stuff. Am I depressed because of bipolar disorder? Reeling emotionally because I had a fucking heart attack aged only 44? Does it matter, as long as I do something about it?

There are other issues, too. I'm very much perimenopausal. I've managed to get the hair loss managed. But I still get hot flashes. And again, am I cranky because I'm hormonal? Is it bipolar disorder? Again, does it matter, as long as I manage it?

I still have seizures occasionally. Eyal manages them well. And migraines. Fun stuff. Not to mention recurrent digestive issues, which are the perennial side effect of psych meds.

Topping all this off, I just don't recover from even minor injuries as quickly as I did. I banged my back against the kitchen island almost a week ago. Only today have I been able to go without ibuprofen. It still aches, but I can live with it.

And that's enough for now.