Metamorphosis

"Turning fifty is the best thing to happen to me in years," I said to my best friend. It was our once a week phone chat.
"Let me guess. Has it got to do with your weight loss and your new job, or both?"
"Oh, that too. The big news is. Are you ready? I did it. I've gone the full year with no period! Post menopausal!" I shouted with glee.
"To be so lucky," Diane said with a sigh. "Congrats."
Yes I must agree, lucky indeed.
I heard so much about the "dreaded change" from women at my workplace Warnings of hot flashes causing spontaneous combustion. Night sweats leading to divorce.
If that wasn't bad enough, the television was saturated with horrors and jokes about THE CHANGE.
At age thirty-nine, I tried convincing my male doctor that my body felt different. Little things like, irregular periods, tender breast, menstrual cramps as I had as a teenager.
"Could this be the change?" I asked.
"Heavens no," he explained with authority. "You're way too young for that."
"Well what then?" I wanted to know.
"Are you under stress at work or at home? Stress will do all sorts of funny things to a body," said the Doc.
I left his office thinking, he should know, he's the authority on such matters. Then three months later my period flowed continuously for two months with no sign of stopping. The gynecologist, who gave me a D and C, had a different view of things then my family physician.
"Definitely hormonal changes," he told me.
"Is this the change?" I asked.
"Yup," he said and walked away.
That was eleven years ago. One of my friends kept telling me how I had it so easy. Like a breeze, she always referred to my menopause. She's eight years my junior and is only now showing signs of beginning her metamorphosis.
My Mother always referred to me has her, change of life baby. "Never had a period after I had you," she told me. "When I hear women talking about night sweats and hot flashes, I can't relate. I had nothing like that."
When I asked my sisters how their change affected them they had no tales of woe either. This helped to ease my anxious state. One of my sisters had a hysterectomy and said she never had a menopause to speak of. The other two admitted to the occasional night sweat and hot flashes. I wondered if my experience would be different.
It wasn't. I spoke to a female doctor who gave me literature to read on menopause. Then we discussed possible hormonal replacement. After gathering all the knowledge I could I opted not to use hormones. Not that I wouldn't have used them if I felt I couldn't manage.
For my cramps and bloating I did purchase Midol. This took the edge of my monthly symptoms. A couple of nights I awoke with my pillow drenched. Night sweats! Sleeping in the nude seemed to eliminate that problem. Also drinking cold water before bedtime kept the sweats at bay. A few hot flashes caught me off guard, always when someone was there to witness my discomfort. I did learn red wine helped turn up my thermostat. But, I never combusted. Then on three occasions I recall falling into the blackest moods for a day at a time. I told myself it was hormones and this too shall pass, and it did pass.
My husband never left me, my dog didn't run away and I came through a stronger person. If I learned one thing through those years it was I have changed. I've evolved into a more confident, more patient, mature woman. A woman who can stand up and say, "I like who I am." I've learned to listen to my body. I have come to realize that there are times I need to be alone. My relationship with God has grown big time.
I hope and pray that both my daughters experience a similar menopause to mine. They already know that knowledge is the key to destroying myths.
A year ago I left my long time career as a caregiver to the elderly to take on a position as a Nanny to an eight-month-old. I love it. Since then, I dropped thirty-nine pounds, dyed my hair and have energy to burn.
Life is good!

Carol Burgess Romance