SWEATER WEATHER

Growing up we all have certain things about ourselves that we're not necessarily comfortable with. Some are things that we can change while others are out of our control - so so it would seem.

I can remember the smallest things would get me sweating. Wrestling with my brother in the basement. I can remember him laughing at me and commenting on how I must be tired because I was sweating so much. I remember saying even back then that I wasn't tired, I just sweat a lot. Apparently I didn't think it was going to be a very big problem.

When I went away to university I bought a new bag to carry my books. It was a side satchel / man purse / etc. Whatever you want to call it. All that mattered to me was that I would have something that wouldn't hug my armpits and cause huge pit stains by the time I made it to school.

So many of my shirts over the years have been wrecked because of sweating. I've wrecked some good shirts because I just can't stop sweating. I have some really comfy shirts in my closet that I will only wear around the house because they are pretty badly stained and it's too embarrassing to wear them out.

Looking at photos of people, or even seeing them in person, raising their arms after being out for a while with no sweat stains made me incredibly jealous and made me feel pretty self conscious. In recent years I haven't been able to make it to work without starting to sweat through my shirts - let alone making it to the end of a party!

When I was in high school we would all make fun of the librarian because he sat in a highly air conditioned library and would sweat through his shirts like nothing else. As a kid it didn't make any sense, and I certainly didn't equate my sweating issues with his. Well, over the years my sweating got worse and now I was no longer laughing. I had become the guy who would sweat through his shirts in an air conditioned room. Great.

Over the last while I was reading about different options to help stop the sweating - or at least to greatly reduce it. Normal antiperspirants do nothing for me - sometimes I feel as though they just make me sweat more, lol. I read about stronger things to buy, people who have surgery and some people who get botox. I was even at the point where I wanted to try the botox, but you know, it's expensive and only lasts for part of a year. So I went to the drug store and picked up a product called Drysol.

Drysol is my new favorite thing. Ever.

It was actually great timing that I made the purchase this week because we had some of the hottest weather in Toronto this week - hot and humid. A great way to test how things were going.

Now, for comparison, before I used Drysol I would walk to the bus and it would take me all the way to work. Often by the time I got to the bus I was starting to sweat through my shirt (any/all shirts) regardless of the weather. By the time I arrived at work I would shuffle into the washroom to dab my underarms with paper towel to try to help things out. I would try to lift my arms up throughout the day to help air things out, lol. Really, by lunch time I had usually sweat right through my shirt. It wasn't always visible, depending on the shirt, but I could feel it, and it made me feel like crap.

For the last three days (while using the Drysol) I wore long sleeve shirts - actually things I would normally wear in the fall, but I wore them on the hottest days we've had so far. And you know what - I made it to work - Dry. I would head to the washroom midday - Dry. I would pretend to scratch myself later in the day - Dry. I would make it home at the end of the work day - DRY!!! I still sweat, but now I do it like a normal person.

For anyone who doesn't have a sweating problem this must seem silly. But to have gone all of my life sweating through clothing and dealing with ruining shirts, embarrassment from visible pit stains, etc. Even sitting at home in a cool room in front of a fan and having the sweating start for no reason. This is a dream come true. I'm so happy - I can't even explain it. It makes me want to but some new shirts that I wouldn't have bought before for fear of sweating through them, lol.

I always had a sweating problem. My body also runs warm on average as well. I like to cuddle and I'm pretty furry. I would always joke that if I was an article of clothing I would be a sweater. It was my way to make light of the situation.

If you were to ask me now? I'd be a hoodie. Or maybe a windbreaker. But that's another thing all together. ;) j/k. hehe.

Later all... ;)