When I first started telling people that I would be blogging about menopause a few of them were persistent in suggesting that I write about, “What my Mother never told me.” And as I sit down to write that’s not as easy as it sounds. I’ve never looked at this whole experience thinking, “Wow Mom, you could have saved me a lot of hassle if you’d just come clean years ago.” In fact, she tries really hard to help me and she’s definitely supportive – almost to a fault – but in reality, this has mostly been a very solitary journey for me. And now that I think about it, I’m not exactly sure why. Read the rest of this entry »

As a young woman you don’t give much thought to menopause except to cringe at the dire warnings. You know its coming but you don’t know exactly how or when and it’s not like you can stop it. There’s a vague concern that you might be one of THOSE women who have to undergo a hysterectomy. But why fret over the distant future – just keep your head down and hope for the best. That’s what most of us do. Read the rest of this entry »

Menopause is another great example of how marketing and communication can take a difficult situation and make it far worse. From the time that we first begin to learn what being a woman is all about we also begin to learn that, whatever else it entails, menopause signals its death. Yes, as death is the end of life, menopause is the end of womanhood – right? Oh wait, is there female life after menopause? Sort of if you listen to those wimpy, sappy, old women arthritis and osteoporosis ads that patronize and condescend their way through telling you that life can still be good (and your gray hair can be perky) while you bounce your grandchildren on your knee – but how many of us are there yet – or want to be? What comes in between? Frankly, numerous articles written on menopause are really no better than those “let’s all be grandma’s” ads – they’re either painfully devoid of hope or nauseatingly patronizing. Read the rest of this entry »