Ok, life has taken an unexpected, bizarre, and downright painful turn. I don't know why it was unexpected - I know menopause is a reality. I've heard about it all my life, heard horror stories of the hot flashes, the irritability, the...gasp...migraines...and the...ick...night sweats (!!!), but I had no idea what that really meant. Well, now I know. And let me tell you...it is NOT pretty, or fashionable!
I'm only 49 years old. Last week I felt like a 35 year old. This week I feel 90. I think menopause hit overnight. Not a very festive subject, but since it's suddenly all I can think about, I want to warn you younger women now - this is no cake walk! Almost overnight I started breaking out in soaking sweats, day and night, sticking to my covers and then freezing when the cold air hits my soaked skin. YUCK! Plus, I've had two migraines! I've never had headaches before in my life, and now I've had two of the most painful migraines I could imagine. I thought my brain was going to burst. It made me cry! This is not cool. Why do we have to go through this? It's a terrible joke! A terrible irony!
So after waiting about five (no, six..wait maybe seven) years for my "precocious" teenage daughter to grow up and mature a little (and actually be on the brink of moving out), and after dealing with a decade of pretty debilitating back pain that started in my late 30's - I get to start menopause. The way I see it, women have it rough in this world - we have to deal with the social issues, the body issues, the periods every 3 1/2 weeks for our entire lives almost, the PMS, the cramps, the pregnancies, the BIRTHS, the breastfeeding, raising and rearing of children, and then just when we ought to be getting our medals for valor, and a life-time supply of free pedicures for our heroic, tireless efforts, we get slammed again. Forget old age - menopause is not for sissies! But let me tell you no woman is a sissy by the time she is old enough for menopause. We are definitely NOT the weaker sex. After all that we have to go through in life, we are hardened warriors, full of the wisdom of experience.
I must be getting so much character from this "experience". Or wisdom. Or enlightenment. I mean, this one is so tough I feel I'll become a shaman or something by the end of it. Like when Gandalf the Grey became Gandalf the White. I will surely, certainly, without a doubt become Diane-the-white by the end of it. Every hair! And god forbid I should grow a white beard, too, which at this point would not surprise me.
HAPPILY THOUGH... I do think I've found something that is just starting to help me... a little. But it makes me hopeful because I just started taking it and maybe it's just warming up, and will work even better once I have more of it in my system. It's called "Remifemin", and it's an all-natural supplement made from the "Black Cohosh" herb, used for centuries to treat menopausal symptoms. My mom used it and said it was the only thing that worked for her. She had hot flashes for ten years!!! Heaven help me, please let that skip a generation. (sorry Cora). So there is that helpful hint to end this rather depressing post on, stay tuned for an update as to the longer-term results.
Enough with the middle-age issues! Happy Tuesday!!! xoxoxo DR
Comments