Personal Musings

Jhada Addams

01 Feb 2025 — 1 min read

This was posted on my Substack back on January 15th 2025.

Negotiating aging is a journey fraught with much inner distress. Watching my body change is both intriguing and discomfiting. Both of my shoulders are locked up so I have to find new ways of putting on shirts, bras and jackets. Because my brain reactions still seem to be behaving as though they think this body is still thirty years old, I’ll reach too quickly for something and strain a muscle. It’s not fun, but - I’m doing my best to approach it as a challenge to become the healthiest I can possibly be in this aging flesh vehicle.

I hit menopause officially last april. So far, vaginal dryness has popped up here and there, but hasn’t been rampant. I also didn’t really have to go through horrific night sweats as many of my menopausal friends have - FOR WHICH I AM IMMENSELY THANKFUL.

I’ve recently started reading Dr. Sharon Blackie’s Hagitude and realizing that I need to get back to reading Dr. Jen Gunter’s The Menopause Manifesto as well.

Seeing wrinkles and sags is… troubling, I think mostly because a part of me thought I’d look around thirty forever. Time, however, has other ideas. I’m navigating as best I can.

What I’m REALLY enjoying is the freedom from the expectations that most folks have for younger people. Three years from 60 and I’m given a little more leeway when I move slowly because of pain or infirmity. As somebody who has dealt with chronic pain for quite awhile, it’s nice to have that pressure ease.

Physical therapy is slowly helping with the shoulders, for which I am thankful.

What a long, strange trip it’s been - and it’s only getting started. :)

There is a medieval style text ribbon behind a goat that has a red glowing heart floating just above its hands - the text reads, "I will commit the sin of Empthy."

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