Para Las Mujeres: El Menopause

Melinda Palacio

Women’s History month is in full swing and I am shining a spotlight on menopause, that tricky life change that happens to women of a certain age. As I reach that age, that is middle age or half of life under the belt, I am in the middle of a new era for me, menopause. 

As if adolescence wasn't enough what with pimples and menstrual pains, menopause also brings pimples and body aches as hormones go awry and attack the host body, me. Mood swings, weight gain, hot flashes, joint aches, anxiety, trouble sleeping, hair loss or gain are just a few symptoms. 

I used to chalk up symptoms of depression and weight gain to the pandemic and lock down and having to watch people die of the plague. The whole world experienced Covid, changing how we interact with each other. A new normal of social distance and life on zoom ensued. All because some of us refused to wear some kind of face covering. The news and politics during the first two years of the pandemic didn’t help either.

However, much more was going on within my aging body. Not having access to my doctor, who didn't want to see patients unless it was absolutely necessary, didn’t help either. I figured I would take a page from Sedano's book, time to aguantarme, bear it and move on. 

Reaching a certain age meant finally being comfortable in my own body, until my body started to betray me with night sweats and anxiety, making it impossible to get a good night sleep. There's nothing like waking up in a coffin of your own sweat, thank you memory foam mattress. 

I used to sleep soundly the minute my head or arm found a pillow. Now, I count backwards, tell myself to concentrate on tensing and then loosening a body part until I've gone through each limb and toe. 

Then there's the daytime sweats. Those come on with a vengeance. Having ice water at restaurants helps. You can dab an ice cube on your forehead. It's a new kind of discomfort to meet a friend for coffee and then feel as if you have to disrobe or fan yourself; better hope no one sees you sweat. The term for the sudden change in temperature is a hot flash and it is no picnic. I always ran cold, was the girl that carried a little sweater in my purse or car because I knew I would get cold, especially at restaurants.

 Now, I'm the woman that needs a personal fan, resorts to fanning herself with a coaster. A bandana or handkerchief helps with the sudden breakout of sweat, a tip I learned from my friends in New Orleans. Men and women in the South carry a handkerchief to help with the summertime heat. 

I will be returning to this neglected topic. I am not a doctor. I leave medicine to my sister. I'm a poet, a writer, whose had menopause pause on my well-being, and writing. I've added vitamins, more greens to my diet, and anti-inflammatory foods. I'm started to feel better, as if awakening from a bad dream that has lasted more than a year. My body may be trying to kill me, but I will survive and be much stronger for it.