Featured 'Mid-Life Mama' ~ Colleen F
Today I am so excited to introduce Colleen, our first official Featured Mid-life Mama! Please give her a very warm welcome!"
Here is my Q & A Interview with Colleen...
What is your name: Colleen F
What age group are you in Biologically: 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s? I am in my 50's
What age do you feel? Ahhh
I asked my mom this exact question when she was in her 70's. I was
very surprised by her reply. She said that she felt like she was 18
years old trapped in a body that wouldn't let her do what she wanted to
do. She still thought the same and felt the way she did in her youth!
I've pondered that lately and have to agree. I feel like I am in my
20's. My body is making it difficult for me to do many of the things I
did in my youth...arthritis and other issues with aging! But I feel
young at heart and want to do what I've always done and continue to seek
out more and more adventures.
Do you have an Empty-Nest or is there still a birdie waiting to take flight? I have what I call a Quiet Nest....My 2 son's have left the nest.
Are you a grandparent? YES!!
~ If yes, What are the ages of your grandkids? My
oldest son & DIL have 2 children...Aaron who is 3 yr 7 mo and Joy
who is 7 months. My youngest son is in a PHD program and has a
wonderful girlfriend who is also in a PHD program. But I don't think
they are focused on anything else but their PHD programs at the moment.
I am very lucky that I am able to see and be with my grandkids monthly
for a couple weeks at a time! I live in Alaska and live in 2
cities...Homer and Anchorage. My oldest son lives in Anchorage.
~ If yes, How is being a grandparent different from being a parent? Aside
from the fact that they sleep at night in their house....I still worry
much about them. Aaron was a difficult baby and I lived with my son
& DIL for a few weeks after his birth. He's very attached to his
grandma....calling me mommy when he was younger, grand-mommy or grandma
now. He was more than colicky...and he was tested for allergies when
he was just a couple months old and they found him allergic to corn
(which is in everything), dairy, beef, pork and chicken!! So my DIL
had to eat vegan so she could nurse him. He continues at this age to
be very allergic to dairy and he has asthma....so they have to carry an
epi pen with them. Both my sons had asthma from very young and this
feels like I am a mommy all over again. My DIL is not familiar with
any of these issues so she lets me, when I am in Anchorage, take over.
My son, having asthma, is very familiar and knows what to do and how to
use the inhalers for my grandson. But, when he is working, my DIL is a
bit scared of it all. So helping her get use to this....and cooking
vegan has been a tender road to walk for me. Learning when to be
grandma...and when to be more assertive....and less assertive. It's
been very nerve wracking for me. I'll simply say the pediatrician they
have tends not to treat things aggressively, our pediatrician did...so
I see the kids suffer longer periods of time and I get very frustrated
and have to hold my tongue! Now with our granddaughter...Joy...it's
been much easier for my DIL since Joy seems to be allergy free, asthma
free and easy going little girl. I feel more responsible for Aaron
than Joy...but I suppose that is because I have been so involved in
Aaron's life since he was born. I was holding my DIL leg during
delivery for Aaron. For Joy's birth...I wasn't present, I was taking
care of Aaron. It is still such a new experience for me being a
grandparent! I am more intimately involved than I prefer...I am
trying to say no more....and have free time to myself while I am in
Anchorage instead of always babysitting. I love taking care of them
and being with them but I don't want to feel like I am a mommy....they
exhaust me
. So I go back to Homer to gather more physical and
emotional strength and do it all over again when I come back up to
Anchorage. Finding the balance between my life and being grandma is
something I am still working on.
. So I go back to Homer to gather more physical and
emotional strength and do it all over again when I come back up to
Anchorage. Finding the balance between my life and being grandma is
something I am still working on. Are you Single, Engaged, Married, Divorced, Widowed? I am married to my high school love...married 39 years!!
Are you Retired, Semi-Retired, Still working but planning to retire soon, or Don’t see retirement in my near future? We
moved to Alaska 10 years ago....I worked up until our move. I am an
RN. I had every intent to continue working after a year off but my
husband decided to work in both Anchorage and Homer....so that changed
my plans. I thought and told him how can I get a float job when your
hours are never consistently set! He said well I guess you'll just
have to quit work then....which was a shock to me! I had never
contemplated not working at that age. And I had never considered he
would be ok with me just not working. I've been keeping my license up
but this year I think I will let it lapse...maybe.... In my mind I'm
retired now. Can't seem me going back to work but hate to give up my
license in case something were to happen to my husband......well maybe
I'll renew the license again this year.
What stage of ‘the Change’ are you currently in? (Peri-Menopause or post Post Menopause) Post
Menopause...which I was thrown into due to an emergency surgical
hysterectomy in 1998. I took hormones for the first couple years but
my mom had breast cancer which was estrogen receptive positive....so I
stopped taking hormones after a couple years and had a rough time. I
had hot flashes galore....and would have to stand out in the snow to
cool down. Tried progesterone cream which didn't do anything... herbal
oral supplements which helped and then I began taking more soy
products which seemed to help the most. I still have flashes on
occasion!
~ On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being the worst) how well did you manage your Peri-Menopausal symptoms? Well the hormones I took did the trick obviously immediately post surgery. After 2 years when I decided to quit, due to family history of breast cancer, I had a rough time. I'd say it was 5. I say that because I didn't soak my bed with sweat at night like I know some do....standing outside naked worked. And I didn't have to use a fan running at night.
~ Did you use HRT? (hormone replacement therapy) If yes, are you still using HRT? Yes..I started with that because surgical menopause (hysterectomy) throws you into menopause right away. NO I am not using any hormones after the first 2 years on them.
~ Which did you find most helpful in managing your Peri-menopause symptoms: Synthetic HRT, Bio-Identical HRT, or Alternative, Natural therapies? Synthetic vs natural hormones worked the same....I chose to use natural because I couldn't stand the idea of using something made from horses pee. I'm not sure what Bio-Identical HRT is. At the time I had my hysterectomy....I wasn't into alternative or natural remedies. But now I am...very open to that. My symptoms are not bad now but if they were I would consider doing either Alternative or Natural remedies. I did try natural supplements which seemed to help hot flashes....and tried progesterone cream which helped my sister but did nothing for me.
~ Do you still have Menopause symptoms? Only the occasional hot flash. BUT I consider weight gain a problem of Menopause and I've not yet been able to get a handle on that. So I am seeing a Naturopathic Doctor this week. I will let you know how that goes!
~ What one piece of Wise Wisdom would you like to share with us Peri-Mama’s still making the transition? Alcohol makes the symptoms worse. Read alternative methods to use and try them...they can't hurt. For some symptoms are much worse and others barely get them...so its very hard to give advice. Don't be afraid to try what's out there to see if it works on your PHYSICAL symptoms. It really is a wonderful life when you come out the other side!
When you were in your 20s, what did you think Mid-Life was going to be like? Did it turn out to be like that? When
I was in my 20's I thought mid-life would be a time you went crazy. I
saw my mom have horrid mood swings. I also thought married life was
over.... I was very scared when I knew I had to have a hysterectomy.
Physically it took me 2 years to recoup from surgery as my body was so
weak. I felt emotionally labile ....but after the 2 years it has been
much easier than I thought! Marriage is better than ever.....and I do
NOT feel old. I do find I have a very difficult time with weight, and
weight around my middle section. Whether it is due to the
hysterectomy or menopause? Who knows. But before the hysterectomy I
know I use to have a waist!! This is something I am going to address
this week with a new Naturopath Doctor. It seems like western medicine
just hasn't been able to offer help.
Tell us what being a ‘Mid-Life Mama’ means to you. Being
past all the hormone fluctuations.....love not having to worry about
that time of the month! AND it is a time of self discovery..I believe
having a family, I sort of lost my individuality...so for me it has been
a time to rediscover myself and also discover life with no limitations
now.
If you have a personal blog that you would like to share, what is the name and URL address of your blog? I just began blogging in September.... my blog is http://www.colleensbooknook.com
I began it as a way to highlight Usborne Children's Books which I
promote and do book reviews and giveaways. I got into that when Aaron
just started wanting books to be read constantly! I just loved those
books and he seemed to favor them over other books. But since then I
wish I would have named it something else because my direction is
evolving to include...my life and Alaskan life, my Vegan journey and
giving back by supporting fun giveaways! I hope you will stop by and share your comments.
Is there anything else about yourself that you would like to share with our other Mid-Life Mama readers? I wrote on the "Empty Nest" and if you like, you can see my thoughts on my blog at colleensbooknook.com/category/guest-posts/ Pretty well sums it up for me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I want to thank Colleen for allowing me to Feature her as a "Mid-life Mama."
Colleen and I welcome any comments. Did any of her answers resonate with you? Did her answers make you think of a question that you would love to ask? Do you have some suggestions that you would like to share? Or would you just like to say 'Hello!' Please introduce yourself!
If YOU would like to be a 'Featured Mid-life Mama'
too, just send me an email at anna@mid-lifemama.com with: "Feature Me"
in the subject line. I will send you my complete list of interview
questions. I would love to feature YOU!
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**Be sure to subscribe via email so you will never miss another 'Featured Mid-Life Mama' post or any of our posts! An easy sign up box is in the upper right-side column.
Posted by Anna at Mid-Life Mama at 12/28/2011 7:00 AM 
Categories: Featured Mid-Life Mama
Tags: Featured Mid-Life Mama Menopause Retirement Grandparenting
Categories: Featured Mid-Life Mama
Tags: Featured Mid-Life Mama Menopause Retirement Grandparenting
Hi
Anna and Colleen. I enjoyed reading your interview and I love your blog featuring this Anna. Subscribing to your blog posts
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Thank you Grace...I am hoping you will let me interview You too
~Anna
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