OstomyMan

First off my disclaimer, I’m sure you’ve heard me mention my wife and that I’m married, so this is not a post about infidelity or how to “get ones kicks” while married. It’s just a simple observation of a change since I am feeling better. It has actually led to me being more attracted to my wife than detracting from it.

Over the past couple of days, I’ve noticed that I notice women more. This is not a slight against my wife in the least. I definitely love her. But in the past I have been so sick and uninterested in most things female (much to my wife’s dismay) that the most beautiful woman in the world could have come up to me and it wouldn’t have caused any kind of reaction. Being “good looking” or “cute” just didn’t warrant any attention with how low I was feeling. But now I’m feeling better and better and noticing how many good looking women there are in the world (my wife and one-year-old daughter included, though I guess I’m biased on that one!).

And this isn’t some kind of sexist thing. Nor some kind of weird ogling thing. It is what it is: a renewed admiration of women. I know I would appreciate a second look from some lady if I took the time to work out or look nice, so shouldn’t they get the same “respect” (re- Latin for again + specere Latin for to look).

Anyway, it’s just nice to be feeling well enough again to have enough attention and energy to notice and care about the outside world again.

I know it’s weird for a twenty-five year old male to have hot flashes. But a couple of weeks ago (about two months after my surgery), I started having these periods where I would just have to stop and wait for a minute while whatever mental thing it was passed. When it first started, these “episodes” were preceeded by my skin getting all read and hot. I thought they were quite weird but got used to them enough that I didn’t have to stop and wait them out. But they had me a bit concerned.

So the next time my mom and I were talking on the phone and she asked how I was, I said that I was doing well except for these little spells. I didn’t figure she would have any input, but she said “oh, that’s a hot flash”. I was sure it wasn’t, but the more I explained the symptoms, the more she said “that’s a hot flash”. So I guess I have more in common with middle aged woman than I thought.

Luckily the hot flashes only lasted about three days before whatever hormones were at work balanced out again. My hormones must have been (and still are) in a major state of flux since coming off the Prednisone and whatever else I was taking as well as just being so depleted.