Most of you know I was unfortunately diagnosed with Parkinson’s almost three years ago. Having an incurable brain disease has a way of overshadowing other health issues. Mammograms and cholesterol testing suddenly take a backseat, and PD moves to center stage.
This month I finally decided to address some non-PD health concerns. On Tuesday, I found myself sitting in an unfamiliar exam room. As I sat there and patiently waited for the doctor to enter, I suddenly smiled when I noticed a poster of a uterus. Most of the exam rooms I’ve been in over the past two years, are decorated with images of the brain. I was thrilled to see fallopian tubes, instead of the substantia nigra, a small section of the brain where my dopamine producing cells have gone on strike.
Topic of discussion for this appointment?……..hot flashes.
Recently I traded in my dainty 6″ girly girl fan, for a mega macho manly man fan. This high-powered industrial strength wind making machine can blow my overweight border collie across the room. It’s appropriately named the ”The Turbo Tornado”, and it provides wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour. Truly a hot flashes worst nightmare . As lovable Tim on the old sitcom Home Improvement would have said , ”It’s a top of the line heavy-duty horse powered honey.” Well, after realizing that a fan strong enough to cool down The Staple Center, still wasn’t doing the trick, I admitted it was time to seek some advice.
Was this particular visit to my new gyn doc pleasant?….no. Was it highly informative?…..yes. Don’t get me wrong, this fast thinking doc was delightful, personable, and unmistakably brilliant. I suppose it was that darn ”M” word that caught me off guard. No not the word “Madam”…that one can feel like Tyson’s right hook, especially if you still look over your shoulder when someone refers to you as “Miss”. For those of you who immediately thought the word was “mother-in-law”, good guess. (for the record my recently passed mom in law, was a rare entity…an angel disguised in a smiling 4′ 10″ tall body)
The “M” word that motivated me to look within, was menopause. Wow, seems like yesterday I was doing the Electric Slide at The Hot Rod Cafe. The only thing electric in my life now, is a toothbrush.
After a couple of days of digesting my delightfully direct doctor’s words, I have come to this heartfelt realization:
Menopause is a sacred and important stage of womanhood. It should be lovingly embraced……not endured, ignored, or denied. It is an opportunity to develop a greater sense of grace, and a time for relaxed moments of deep reflection. It is when you should be encouraged to honor your journey and bask in your growth. It is a time for new exploration, and to listen to your heart whispers that have been patiently waiting to be heard. It is the time to make your long-awaited dreams come true, and know deep in your heart that you deserve the bliss that comes with this. This passage arrives in a lifetime of soulful moments, proudly created by you. This is the time to wear your medal of honor which you earned through courage shown on the front lines of life. It is a time of self acceptance and love. It is also the time to give yourself permission to say “yes, no, or I need time to think about it”. It’s when you know that changing your mind is a gift you give yourself, and it never needs explaining. This is the time when you truly understand that less is more, and more is never enough. It’s when you can laugh from your toes, instead of your belly, and a bad haircut becomes material for a fun story instead of a crisis. When menopause arrives, you are fully marinated. You have arrived. You are the guest of honor, you are the reason to celebrate. You are rich with complexity, and you shine from the inside out. You glow with the knowingness that comes with womanhood, and you radiate a sense of peace and comfort to those you hold dear.
As I pondered the “M” word…I realized I hadn’t truly understood it’s meaning until now. I looked up the word “menopause” in my worn-out Webster, and the definition read ”permanent cessation of menstruation.” sigh…Webster must of been a dude
I vote we change the definition of menopause to the following:
men’ o pause n. a passage of life that can deepen one’s character and enhance one’s soul if properly embraced.
M~Monumental E~ Enlightened N~Noble O~ Outstanding P~ Perceptive
A~ Artistic U~Unique S~Spiritual E~Exceptional
