Note To Men: Menopause Is Real

This past weekend was bad.  My Menopause fog was in full effect on Saturday.  I couldn’t remember crap and my patience was running very thin.

It started at McDonald’s.  I was a little irritated because they were busy and no one acknowledged that I was standing there.  I understand that they are busy, but I also expected one of the three women behind the counter to say, “I’ll be with you in just a moment.”  Common courtesy.

Later on that afternoon my husband wanted me to move the truck and lawn mower trailer so he could cut the grass.  This is something I have never done before and I really didn’t want to do it.  Long story short — the truck was kinda stuck so I kept gunning it and I put a 3 foot long rut into the lawn of my brother in laws campsite.  I was informed I needed to put the truck into a different gear.  How was I suppose to know if no one tells me?

After that, while we were frying supper (brats, pork chops, hamburger and potatoes, corn and asparagus wrapped in foil) over the bonfire, I tried to get the anti-gravity chair open and failed.  I expected the chair to open right away and when it didn’t I was ready to throw it and sit on the steps of my brother’s deck.

My brother in law patiently talked through getting my chair open.

My brother started to make a menopause joke.

I shut him up before he could finish.  “Menopause isn’t a joke.  It’s real.  It isn’t easy and it sucks.”

Silence.  They looked at me like I was a crazy woman and I feel like an ass because I let my menopause symptoms get the best of me, but sometimes I can’t help it. The impatience comes out of nowhere.  Boom!  It’s right there with no warning and me (and everyone else around me) has to deal with it.

I was embarrassed because I didn’t want everyone to see what a hot mess I felt like on the inside.  The forgetfulness is one one thing, but then add in impatience and anger. Look out.   Most of the time I try to keep my menopausal symptoms to myself, but sometimes, no matter how tightly the box is closed, they escape and there really isn’t anything I can do about it.  My menopausal symptoms are real.  I’m not making things up to get attention or to get treated like a princess.  There are a lot of things happening in my body and I’m trying to make the best of it.

I’m lucky.  I have a husband I can talk to about my symptoms.  He listens and is there for me.  He gives me the time and space I need.  He jokes around and makes me laugh.  If I say “I’m stupid today” he know I need help with things because I can’t remember anything.  My mind is just a fog and I have to wait until it clears to function normally again.

Usually acupuncture takes care of my menopausal symptoms, but my acupuncture appointment on Friday was cancelled due to road construction.  I didn’t think it would be a problem, but it was.  I needed acupuncture and I needed it bad!

Some days I wish he made house calls.