# News - sleep, menopause, mum and horses!



## jq (Nov 14, 2006)

Hi,

I have gone from contributing to most posts on this board to being away for a little while. I needed to get some sleep! I have been known to log on last thing "just to check" after I finish working late and end up engrossed in the posts and writing replies into the small hours.  (I do my part time freelance work in the evening so I have more daytime to ride, not good if I don't get enough sleep before I have to go to the office for the regular p/t daytime job!)

I expect to post a bit less for a while at least but I am not dissapearing altogether! I will continue to post if I have something to contribute, will try and be briefer!  No doubt there will be some "me" posts too as my brother's wife is expecting the first child out of my siblings right when my body is going through yet another hormone change that can make me tearful! Yes, I think I am entering menopause (not an early one) which is definitely a different challenge. It is interferring with sleep - hot flushes. (Please don't recommend HRT - enough hormones with the pill and IF tx thanks!  ) 

Guess what? (MM especially!) Mum is not very supportive! What a surprise! She asked how I was and I said I was not sleeping well because of hot flushes and thought menopause was starting. She said "Oh, I never had hot flushes and I think people make too much fuss! Now J and P have got something to worry about - they need to sell the flat so she doesn't have to climb the stairs while she's pg......blah, blah...." OK, she just wanted me to reply, "fine thanks" before getting on to what really interests her.  

Having said all that, I am feeling OK about menopause on the whole.  I am going to alter my diet, look into herbal supplements and drink lots of water!

Just a bit more news for those who know me. Florin (young horse) has gone and damaged a check ligament so is lame and on stable rest. Just at the time of year when you expect to leave them out in the field day and night and so have none of the stable chores and all of the fun. Instead it is all chores, worry and no fun! (For her as well as me!) Summer competitions all cancelled, and just when my instructor put me on her website as "Client of the Month" for "guts, determination and progress!" (That's the good news!) Oh, there is more - 4 different people have offered me their precious horses so I can continue with my lessons! I will learn different things from each horse, so that is great. One person's eyes nearly popped out of her head when I was offered the ride on Bip - a pretty advanced horse that the owner does not usually let other people ride! So even when I get bad news, there's sometimes good people around who do what they can to cheer me up! 

You lot among them,  

Love 

Jq xxx


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## flipper (Jul 7, 2004)

Hi there JQ, welcome back!  Drat to the menopause, double drat to the pg siblings and bravo to those who've let you use their horse!


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## Maggie Mae (Mar 2, 2006)

Hi hunny, 


Glad to hear you're OK and I'm glad you're not going to be posting at 2am; a time traditionally set aside by **** sapiens for sleep!!! 

I'm sorry to hear about your Mum; what the heck is it with the world's obsessive frantic pronatalism? Maybe we should hold a special workshop for 'dealing with mothers / mothers-in-law'? Pants in their general direction my love, concentrate on people who do rate you as important - of which there are many!

I've had a crazy couple of weeks and a busy enough day today, so this is just a quick check in to say 'you're fab' and you give so much, don't worry about establishing a 'no posts past midnight' boundary!

Love, 

MM xxx


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## emcee (Apr 3, 2005)

Hello sweetie!

Sorry to hear about Florin - not what either of you wanted as the long evenings and summertime draw closer is it? Great to hear you will be learning tons with other horses though - and glad you can do this!

I'm also sorry you're going through the throes of the menopause and wish I had some ideas of what you could do to help alleviate the symptoms. Not that I'd ever suggest HRT! I meant in a natural way of course!

Your mum - argh - what is it with mums and mother in laws? My MIL is a nightmare and I've had many an arguement with her about our lifestyle choices - she couldn't believe we bought the house we live in now as its 'too small' - she thought we should buy a 3 bedroomed house so we could have a bedroom for us, a bedroom for the pc and a bedroom for a baby - knowing full well I can't have kids, apparently she thought a baby was going to appear out of thin air?! Pah! Silly woman!

Hope you are getting plenty of rest and recuperation and taking care of yourself, you lead such a busy life hon!

Love and a huge squishy (((hug)))
Emcee xxx


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## VT (Aug 5, 2005)

Hi Jq,

Glad to see you back.

I am really sorry about your horse. Isn't it strange that when one really horrid thing happens something else comes your way to balance it out. It's a great opportunity to work with the other horses and build your skills and experience, I guess you wouldn't get that chance if your horse was well.

I am afraid I don't have any words of wisdom about the menopause, just be kind to yourself and what ever it takes to get through it is ok.

I am really lucky my MIL is great, but my own Mum can be an absolute nightmare too. What is it with them? I think it is that generation of women, they all seem to be a bit bonkers and their sensitivity button has been switched off! Anyway don't get me started or I'll be here ranting all day. Just wanted to say I am totally with you on this one. Thank goodness for friends - they keep you sane!

Take care

Love

Vicki
x


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## Myownangel (Aug 24, 2005)

Dear Jq,
First of all - you have your own horse!!! I'm so JEALOUS Hope Florin is soon on the mend. As for the menopause - I think you are right to look into herbal supplements etc I have heard that there is a lot you can do with diet and supplements. HAve also heard that a toy boy does wonders too 
Bernie x


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## flipper (Jul 7, 2004)

I've been researching natural supplements and alternatives myself to try to minimize the dreaded hot flushes JQ and following your comment Bernie, I've decided to focus on the toy boy solution.

The good news is that my initial trials are going well. On one level it's a shame, I've got quite fond of dh over the last 20 years but I'm prepared to make this sacrifice in the interest of good science and the sisterhood.

MM, if it works out, this could be a _really_ interesting subject for a workshop!


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## Maggie Mae (Mar 2, 2006)

Flip, LMAO - again! We just knock em up inot the air and you hit em right out of the park! Love, MM xx


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## Guest (May 26, 2007)

Hi Jq,

I also am a horsey person, so just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear of your horsey being on bed rest   and as you mentioned at the worst time of year! Any idea how they did the injury?

Great news about riding other horse's wonderful for your riding experiance, however as I know not really the same as getting on and riding your own  

I have a very handsome Cleveland Bay x TB called Ross, I used to ride, compete and have my own ponies till that age of 16, then had years out. Can honestly say that IF has done one good thing for me and that is realise my love for horses and bring it all back to me.....I needed to be a fur baby mommy! I now know that there is no way I will ever be without a beloved four legged friend!  

Sadly I had a really bad fall when I first started back and ended up in hospital with memory loss and it took me three months to recover, however I think this is testiment to my love and enjoyment of it all as that was almost a year ago now and I am now considering doing cross country and hunter trials later in the year   So quite pleased with myself for overcoming that one  

Anyway, better not bore everyone else with horses   Soz!

As for your mom, I have one like that too   Its like they can't quite deal with your pain so the best way is to change the subject sharp! Great one  

Take care, love to all Jode


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## solitaire (Mar 26, 2007)

Hi jq,

Sleep and menopause - two topics close to my heart at the moment!

Sleep - definitely not enough of it at the mo. I have just had a week of night shifts - never ever done them before (emergency call outs rather than at work) and it is sooooo hard. Big respect to people who do shift work. I found I couldn't sleep because I was so worried I wouldn't hear the phone (which has a loud ring tone and was right by my bed!) and also because I was permanently on edge, not knowing if there would be any emergencies! Due to staff shortages, I was on call yesterday and am now scheduled to be on call over the weekend and all next week on nights again. Thank heavens for shift payments!

Menopause - I am in the throes of perimenopause. Or "teetering on the brink" as I prefer to call it. I discussed it with my GP and he was great - he suggested evening primrose oil, black cohosh and red clover as herbal remedies which many women have found helpful. A friend of mine swears by starflower oil. I have tried them all, and found the latter to be the best, but it very much depends on you and your symptoms. My worst ones are hot flushes and night sweats, oh and very random periods. Ain't life grand?!

Mum - some people will just never understand, and it is so hard when it is one of the people closest to you. My mum never got the IF issues - even though she had been through it. I found that hurtful for a very long time.

Horses - I can understand why you love your horse, but I like to admire them from a safe distance! I hope Florin is recovering well, and that you are managing to get out and about on other horses. Hope Florin doesn't get jealous!

I hope you are OK and let me know if you find any good menopause fixes!

Lots of love,
Solitaire
xxx


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## jq (Nov 14, 2006)

Hi everyone.

Jodie Bogie, have you ever heard the American Indian saying "Horses make the landscape more beautiful" ? Greatest respect to you for overcoming your fall! Do you know what? I think surviving all that IF/TX involves can make us braver people! We have learnt that there are some dreams we just can't make happen and if we can survive that knowledge and come out the otherside with some optimism intact we become absolutely determined to achieve the dreams we can work on! 

Solitaire, thanks for the herbal tips. I am trying black cohosh, not really working (though I will give it time) and I heard a scare re kidney problems, so I may try the starflower next.

MOA and Flipper - I am too tired for a toyboy! The only one I fancy is gay anyway! Will just make do with the old man who is doing Reiki on me and Florin and so is a hero to us both!

Thanks for all those who sympathised with the continuing Mum saga. I haven't heard from her since.  "Am I bovered? Does this face look bovered?" Well, not as much as I once was! Thanks mostly to sharing on this board in the past and wonderful support from MM, Emcee and Flipper especially! Keep coming all you new posters, this board really works! VT, I guess you have alreay discovered that? Good to have you around.

Love Jq xxx


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