The hot flashes are unbearable some days. Like combustion blistering deep within, ripping my clothes off is never out of the question. Call the fire department – Beth is going down in flames! And the night sweats and lack of sleep? I’ll take those any day over the hot flashes although no one wants to feel like a zombie. Yes, ladies, menopause is for real!
Are you in your 20s and 30s? Enjoy those ages and please do not complain about your menstrual cycle. Appreciate that you have one as that signifies some sense of normalcy.
I certainly did not ask for early menopause – it just came with the diagnosis of reproductive cancer. Not all hysterectomies are alike of course. Approximately 600,000 are performed each year and ovaries are removed in half of those surgeries. When the ovaries cease producing estrogen or in my case they are eliminated, you enter into menopause. If it is a natural transition the onset of symptoms is gradual. Mine, however, began 48 hours after surgery – are you kidding me? And the hits keep coming!
As if reproductive surgery was not enough, the additional blow with menopause has provided its challenges. But, if there is any silver lining, my bathroom cabinet gained quite a bit of room the other day after clearing out all the feminine products (kindly donating them to BFF).
And the scars? Well those are my battle wounds slowly improving with each day in part to Vitamin E. The surgery itself minus the “c” word was rather fascinating. Robotic assisted, five arms hovered over me while the doctor played PacMan (or Minecraft) in my body. Add to that the carbon dioxide explosion that filled my abdomen and did not dissipate for several weeks, the only word to describe the surgery was “bizarre!”
Time does heal all wounds but the memories and the menopause remain. Benjamin Franklin coined a phrase many years ago – “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” It is more than apparent that a man originated that statement. For had it been a woman, she most certainly would have added “menopause” to it!