Thursday, August 6, 2009

Fat and Happy

I am a large woman. Not stretch-pants-at-KMart large, but large, nonetheless. When I was diagnosed those dozen years ago, my doctor warned me that lithium tends to cause thyroid problems, and that I would probably have to struggle with weight.

Will the lithium work, I asked. Because I don't care about fat if it works.

The lithium has worked, and I am a good 50 pounds larger now than I was twelve years ago. I've finally started exercising regularly - may not make me smaller but I'm hoping it will keep me from being bigger.

Either way, I'm ahead of the game, because I'm alive and doing well. Without lithium, I'd have been dead long ago.

There was a joke, long ago - it might have been a "Sylvia" cartoon - that asked what the world would be like without men. "No wars," the answer went, "and lots of fat, happy women."

The men can stay, I guess. But I'll keep my lithium, thank you, and be fat and happy.

No comments:

Post a Comment