Am I Losing My Mind?

Who is That Person in the Photo and What Did She Do with MY BODY?

(A somewhat humorous look at the time period around menopause)

Introduction:

Have you noticed that it’s never looking in the mirror where we get shocked into realizing we have become someone else (read as OLD), but in a photograph?  Just like that, we just go from thinking “I look really good for someone my age” to “WHOA! Who is that? Do I REALLY look that (Select the word that fits) FAT, WRINKLED, LUMPY, MIDDLE AGED”?   UGH! Who is that old bat? Could it be me? No it must be a bad picture. Oh geeze, I look like that in all of the pictures. Oh dear, I had no idea I was so matronly. I may never be seen in public again. HELP!!!!!!!!!!! Why is this happening to me?

When we look in the mirror we see what we expect to see. When we see ourselves in a photo, at first glance we see how we really look. While these massive changes occur during menopause, the preceding years are fraught with bodily changes that may sometimes be subtle, but more often are full frontal assaults. That time period is referred to as perimenopause.

My goal is to answer those questions that no one ever seems to discuss.(This is where the disclaimer comes in that I am absolutely nobody and these observations are ones I have made as part of the aging process, so take them with a grain of salt). So why don’t women talk about what really happens as part of THE CHANGE?  I guess if you talk about it then it must happen, so better  keep it mum. Instead, let’s just let a woman think she is LOSING HER MIND as well as control over her body. What a relief to find someone who is of a certain age who responds to your cry for help with  “ You must be going through perimenopause!  Why honey ALL women are awake at 2am when they reach your/our age! Next time you are awake in the middle of the night feel free to call any of your friends. They will be wide awake and happy to chat.

No you are NOT NUTS. Repeat after me “I am not nuts. My body is not betraying me”. (Well yes it is, but  it’s all part of a natural cycle). This is why God is a man.” (Oh sorry, that slipped in there – you do not have to repeat that part)

Coming Next: Let’s take a trip down boo boo memory lane.