I have been really tired recently, taking long afternoon naps and falling asleep in our family room before making it upstairs to bed in the evenings. I chalked it up to getting older and adding jiu-jitsu into my workout mix. That makes sense, although working out has always given me more energy, not less. My husband and jiu-jitsu coach both suggested I may be over-training…maybe? But I didn’t want to believe that, or stop training, because I felt like I would lose all my momentum.
I had a doctor’s appointment on my calendar with my general physician recently, an annual exam which I sometimes feel is a waste of time for the doctor and for me, since I’m generally healthy. I mentioned I’ve been a little more tired to my doctor, and told her it was probably due to my training schedule and keeping up with our family. She thought I looked good but ordered lab work to check a few things.
When my lab work came back, it explained SO much…why I’ve been hitting snooze more, struggling to stay awake throughout the day, even becoming more forgetful. The tests showed I have Vitamin B12 deficiency as well as anemia, and my doctor started me on B12 injections immediately. Wow. After just one injection, I feel like my old self (that’s a good thing!). I had no idea how bad I was feeling until I felt better. I looked up the symptoms of B12 deficiency – there could have been a picture of me right next to it. I’m so happy I had that appointment on my calendar, and mentioned my tiredness to my doctor, even though I didn’t think it was a big deal. I’m even happier she listened to me and added those extra labs in, and didn’t assume it was just something that happens as you age.
The tagline for this blog is ‘Momentum in Midlife’. That phrase encompasses my mission with this platform, to encourage women, particularly those of us in our midlife years, to stay active and healthy. So many people told me when I turned 40, everything would be downhill from there. Maybe I’m being rebellious, but I don’t think God is finished with me yet. I want to take care of myself so I can be my best for my family, for those around me, for whatever God has in store for my life. And I hope I can encourage you to find momentum, too, whether you are in midlife, approaching midlife, or even beyond.
CINDY DIEHL 