One of the side effects of the stroke is that it’s apparently destroyed my body’s ability to regulate temperature. I used to be something of a polar bear. Cold never bothered me. Now I get so cold so easily that if I’m sucking on an ice cube, I start getting the shivers.
Yesterday my inability to handle cold meant I couldn’t go to a parade that Kathleen and Caroline were marching in as part of Caroline’s girl scout troop. I drove them over to it and just the act of getting into and out of the car in the 30-ish degree weather was enough to reduce me to chills. So the prospect of standing outside for the duration of a parade simply wasn’t possible.
I hate my body.
PAD
• 
Don’t hate your body, realise it handled a crisis that could’ve ended much worse. It can be frustrating as you miss things so valuable as the parade but don’t let it get to you. You can curse all you like, it’s valid, but let it be as an escape not a way of living. See around you and enjoy the things you’re alowed to live now that you have a second chance. Don’t mean to patronize, condescend or judge your feelings for I certainly don’t know how you feel but loved ones of mine have gone through what you’re living and it affects everybody around you. Negative feelings don’t help your body, transform them to good energy and feed on it. Best wishes
My Aunt had similar issues. She found she was better able to manage it with layering and the creative use of those hand warmer packs, as well as trying to make the temperature change as gradual as possible.
Are you having the same issue with heat? Issue for her as well, she had to be careful to avoid overheating.
A friend of mine has recently (past 12 months or so) had surgery to remove something deemed “not important” by the medical profession (brain slip on what the part actually was, but it’s one of those “we have it and we don;t know why” pieces). He too now suffers with temperature as much as it sounds like you do, PAD. It’s one of those things we don’t think about until its gone.
However; having said that, I’d like to kinda echo ‘ipm’ at the top there. It could have gone *so* much worse, and I am sure I am not the only fan glad to have you still with us. Even if it means wrapping you up in more layers when needed.
Caroline will know you were with her in spirit, even if not capable of being there in body, this time. And let’s face it, its still relatively early days… you’re still (pardon the pun) acclimatizing. You are an incredibly creative and intelligent guy. You’ll find work-arounds and coping mechanisms, and this won’t hold you down forever.
I had 3 TIA events in the past 2 years, I’m 40, but having had lupus for quite some time, painkillers and imuno suppessants+chemo, has completely fried my inner thermostat.
I don’t feel my lower leg, and it’s like certain parts of my body just refuse to have circulation… I didn’t know you had a stroke, and being the earth-2, Legacy, Golden Apple and Meltdown rat that I am, I have to say, I’m sorry if that’s rude, cause I hate my body as well. But you have made an impact on people’s minds, I know it’s not just mine. You are my favorite writer, really, I still wait impatiently for X-factor hardcovers. Sometimes the price of genius is a bit steep, if you get this and need to vent, I’m all ears and bedridden, so rant away…
Much Love
I was wondering why you hadn’t posted about handling the Spider-Man balloon this year. My sympathies.
I’m 51, and I can’t handle cold any more, either, and I haven’t had a stroke. I did lose a bunch of weight so as to avoid diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. But now I’m incredibly sensitive to cold. I live in Florida, and I take a jacket everywhere because air conditioning makes me miserable.
Are you on any blood thinners? My cold resistance was considered at super power levels by my family, but the first time I was on Plavix for a year, and now that I’m on it again after a 2nd stent (stupid genetics) I freeze all the time. It wasn’t just the stenting, or the weight loss afterwards, becuase I was back to being a walking furnace in the interval I was off the medicine. Something similar happened to my Dad when he had to take that kind of medication.
I’ll echo what others said. Layers, and thankfullness that while your body doesn’t make heat as well, it did keep you alive.
Good luck
Jeff
This may seem extreme, but have you considered to a warmer place, like California, New Mexico, or Arizona? While they are certainly different from New York, they also have plenty of heat — I have friends who moved out there for health reasons and felt a lot better — and no one has ever said “If the cold bothers you, you’ll love living in New York!” Just a thought. (The south also has lots of warm states — I live in NC and we’re one of the few areas not being hit by the big chill — but I think the southwest has more consistent warmth.)
I’m sorry that you hurt. But I’m glad that you’re still around, even if you’re having issues.