It was a warm Saturday evening and I had to attend the wedding of a young employee from my company. I dressed in my best black cocktail dress and heels and was feeling fairly pleased with myself when Joe, my husband, and I headed over to the festivities.
It can be every bit as good as or sometimes even better than it was 30 years ago.
This October will mark the six year anniversary of my hysterectomy and I have no complaints about life without a period.
Most of the women I work with are still dealing with the inconvenience and discomfort caused by menstruation but it doesn’t come up in conversation much so I am blissfully unaware. Read the rest of this entry »
I woke up this morning and looked in the mirror. There were two zits on my face. Really? Is that necessary?
Then it dawned on me. Earlier that week my hormone mixture had been adjusted slightly. Very slightly. But that was enough to cause the breakout. It’s amazing how just a minor hormonal alteration can cause such a discernable impact on the body. And that’s only the part that’s physically evident. That lead me to think.
My business partner approached me a little over a year ago (we own a Marketing/Advertising firm). She said that I was a great resource for women entering menopause because I’d been through it and I wasn’t afraid to offer helpful information in a painless manner. Hell I could even make these women laugh. She reminded me that menopause is a huge avoidance category and that even the most intelligent women wait too long before educating themselves on some critical issues.
Yesterday was a tough day. I received some information that upset and unnerved me. I was a little freaked out and totally stressed.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve experienced night sweats. I’ve never had them on a regular basis and they’ve never been all that severe in my case. Last night they were brutal. I woke up several times feeling soaked and needing to be toweled off. I’ve never had a night like that before.
Dear Mom,
I want you to know how very fortunate I feel to have had you with me for all these years – 54 and counting. Especially since you lost your own parents before your 30th birthday. That also means that you didn’t have a hands-on role model in dealing with an adult daughter. I think you’ve struck an excellent balance in your role as my friend, teacher, mentor and yes even sometimes tormentor.
Those words strike fear into the hearts of the masses. But why? Do we see menopausal women wandering the countryside attacking villagers? Are we reading about mass murders perpetrated by the 50-something female? No.
Then why? I know many women who’ve gone through, and many who are going through, menopause. I’ve been through it myself. The majority of these women have appeared to behave no differently than anyone else I’ve observed. Even when angry. So why the bum rap?
Reaching your 50’s and experiencing menopause marks a natural juncture in your life. You begin to question what you’ve done and whether or not you’re poised to attain your life’s goals.
And that can be sobering. How many of your dreams have been reached at this point? As you move through your own reflections consider one very important factor: would you really want the best of your life to be behind you at this stage?
When I’m in the zone, losing weight and I’ve nearly reached my “right weight” I’m frequently asked “Will you know when to stop so you don’t lose too much”?
And in my case the answer is “yes”.
I’ve been asked that by my doctor as well as my neighbor (who thought I already looked too thin bless her heart). I can’t actually tell you exactly where my optimum weight will end up being. I have a general idea but as we age things start to shift and what was a perfect weight for me 5 years ago might actually be too thin for me now (don’t roll your eyes it has absolutely happened to me!). That means each time you embark on a weight loss program of any sort you have to watch for your own personal body weight indicators. And for me that’s when my curves start to disappear.
