I Have Arrived!

Well, it's been a year this month since my 'Aunt Flow came to town. You know... since I had to call in a 'code red'. I mean since I was visited by 'the curse'... I mean the 'crimson tide', um, the 'M' word... errm, my 'monthly visitor'. There are so many euphemisms for menstruating no wonder people get squirmy when you talk about it. Did you ever call in sick to a male boss with 'menstrual cramps'? Works like a charm. No questions asked!

Cartoon comes from Dee Adams at www.minniepauz.com

Anyway, back to the point of the story... I guess, at the tender age of 49, I'm officially in Menopause! No more peri-menopause, no more 'I'm experiencing 'the change'... the eagle has landed (if the definitions I have read are accurate).

I don't know whether to laugh or cry (so I guess the emotional jags will continue). I know it's not over yet but the nights sweats seem to have abated and the mood swings have evened out (I tell myself that anyway).  I hear that they can rear up again any time so I'll brace myself. The memory thing (what do they call it?) still seems to be a challenge but I'm finally going to throw out that little blue box in the bathroom cupboard that I've been saving 'just in case'.

I keep telling myself I'm too young for this but then again my mind hasn't caught up to my chronological age yet. I still see myself in my mid-thirties :) I did start peri-menopause early (43) and when I went to the doctor to have my hormones tested she said everything was normal so it hadn't started yet. I asked if she could explain my raging mood swings (I was having horrible night sweats too but for a long time I just chalked it up to living in the Middle East where the temperatures can hit 50 celsius). She suggested I was experiencing the typical stress of expat living and suggested I 'talk to someone' or consider an anti-depressant. I decided to 'talk' to my girlfriends over a glass of wine! I highly recommend that as a treatment when things get to be too much. I also wrote Mental Pause, which was very cathartic for me but not everyone has the time nor the inclination to do that.

I'm continuing by writing this blog so I hope you'll join me for a rant now and again and we'll all commiserate and realize that it's not so bad after all (until the next wave hits)!