When I transitioned into motherhood in my thirties, I proceeded to have four children in five years. I always joke with people that “I don’t recommend that breeding plan to most people.” I’m only 50% kidding about that.
The truth is baby carrying is hard on the female body. After having my children my body let out a silent cry of “what on earth have you done woman?” It was only 50% kidding too.
I had my last baby at 35 and survived that challenging first year…for the fourth and final time. I decided to schedule some personal doctors appointments at that point….because after 6 hard years things just didn’t seem the same with my body.
The dentist informed me that years of consecutive minimal sleep had caused me to become a tooth grinder. Fun……don’t worry some light dental surgery we can fix that issue with a few crowns. My dentist was basically the Oprah of teeth “you get a crown, you get a crown, and so it went.”
Um….thank you?
The endocrinologist informed me all the back to back babies had done a number on my hormones, and my thyroid was no longer functioning as it should… and as a fun side note also a tiny assassin trying to snuff me out. Some scary screenings, testing and biopsy’s later….it’s all was good….don’t worry just take this artificial hormone they told me.
Well….okay then.
The gynecologist informed me some of the supporting muscles that had been tasked to keep my insides….well inside….had apparently gotten a union leader and gone on strike. The insides made no promises about whether they would or would not remain….inside. Fun….don’t worry there’s a surgery for that we can do in a few years. In the mean time make sure your abs are strong and supportive, and that you can bounce a quarter off your backside….and it will buy you some time.
Im sorry, what now??
The rheumatologist informed me struggles with my eyes, weight, and energy were at the hand of not one but two other conditions namely a white blood cell hyper production, and the extra fun bonus Lupus.
What….was…..happening???
Are you loving this fast ride straight into the arms of 40 as much as I was???
My thirty seventh year of life was a cruel mistress as I encountered revelation after revelation. Every thing was falling apart. I was falling apart. I had choices. I had hard choices to make.
I changed behaviors. I changed my diet. I changed my fitness plan (which for the record was zero before). I changed my depth of friendships. I changed my participation in my marriage. I changed my outlook.
I could see forty ahead of me and I was coming for it. The thirties had been sacrifice and they had taken a great deal from me and of me. The forties would be a season of thriving!
Forty did come (despite my efforts to dodge it), and it was brutiful. It was a challenging year as mother, but it was a positive year as a woman.
I was surrounded by those I cared for most. I was pursuing dreams with my blog and book. I was encouraged because all the things on the medical list above had been rather successfully addressed. I was not only feeling good with where I was as I entered a new life stage…..but I was feeling great about my new decade.
To say the words I look and feel my best at forty….is rather bold, but I 100% meant it.
The hard choices paid off.
Forty brought a whole new series of doctor appointments and I was crushing them…..um that is until this summer’s dermatologist appointment. The attached photo is about to make more sense. I know you were thinking….what am I seeing?!?!
What you are seeing is me wearing compression stockings on a 90 degree day in July. I have never felt older than when I walked into the medical supply store to purchase support hosiery yesterday.
People!!! The 35 inch inseam legs of your beloved cheetah mom are basically national treasures. Medical grade stockings are a serious buzz kill to my general spirit of sexy, but these treasures must be preserved. It’s a public service really.
The entire time in the store I had my eyes rolled up so far in my head I could barely handle it. They measure you for these fashion gems. Oh yes they do, because no one likes lack luster or ill fitting compression apparently.
You have options they told me. I mumbled “whatever…..I don’t care…just give me something.”
In hind sight perhaps I should have been a tad more engaged in the moment, but I was just annoyed.
My veins had joined the rebellion of the other regions of my body. This was unacceptable!
Well the stockings are on….and don’t worry there’s a surgery for this one too because isn’t there always.
The moral of this harrowing tale. Motherhood is sacrifice. Would I do it again…..totally…..well probably totally. Ok I would.
And just think….once my body decides to simmer on this whole rebellion situation, I’m going to have literally rebuilt myself into the 6 million dollar woman!
Basically I’m becoming a bionic 40 year old female before your very eyes….. and who can’t find the fun in that? Well I’m trying with all my Summery cheetah energy….I’m sure going to try.
Here’s to thriving! #thisis40
Summer Smith is a speaker, writer, and motherhood blogger. She and her family are currently navigating the suburbs of Northern Virginia. As the mother to four young children, Summer maintains her sanity thanks to her sense of humor, copious amounts of coffee, and Amazon Prime. Maya Angelou once said, when reflecting on her childhood, that her mother left an impression like technicolor stars in the midnight sky. Influenced by these words, Summer blogs at her website Motherhood in Technicolor, and can also be found on her Motherhood in Technicolor Facebook page.