Today I have bright eyes and a bushy tail.
Being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed is far from my norm and when it occurs, I am thrilled. In celebration, I ate a small chocolate croissant – un pain au chocolat. Pains au chocolat are my favourite mainly due to their chocolate stripe, and I save them for occasions like today. Feeling good is rare these days and needs to be marked, so I have croissant days, except when I diet and have carrot days.
I am often productive on days like today and like to learn something, do something or eat something. I decided that today would be a learning day and that I would learn about the menopause. I would become a student of me.
I often think about how remarkable – and verging on weird – it is that we each have a body and yet know so little about it.
Unless you are a doctor, of course. Then you do.
Or a nurse. Nurses do, too.
As for the menopause, it is something I have wanted to explore for some time now. However, with the sheer overwhelm of life (which is how it can feel even when there is nothing very overwhelming about it), it has never come to pass.
Until today that is – my look-and-learn day. A little looking and a little learning.
And I will make it bite-sized, with bullets too (I adore bullets).
Bite-sized portions, in bullet-point form – what more could a menopausal woman ask for?
Bullet 1
- Perimenopause – This is the time leading up to your menopause and is thought of as the first stage in the menopausal process. It tends to come with some very tricky symptoms which are caused by changes in your hormone levels. Oestrogen has a lot to answer for.
Bullet 2
- Menopause – This marks the end of your reproductive years. It’s the point when you haven’t had a period for twelve months (at least). That’s when you’re truly menopausal. The symptoms are similar to the perimenopause but are mostly less frequent and less strong. Thankfully.
Bullet 3
- Postmenopause – This is the stage after your menopause. And there can still be symptoms. Annoyingly.
In my desire to keep things as straightforward as possible, I shall be referring to all parts of the menopause as the menopause – no peri and no post.
This requires less effort on my part, plus I like to keep things simple for my brain.
For yours, too.
These days, I like plain and simple.
Very plain and very simple.
J x
(Shared from my old diaries)
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