There Is Nothing Musical About Menopause – Is There?
Sharing a glass or two of champagne with two girl friends after seeing the stage show 'Menopause', we laughed as we reminded each other of some of the funny though 'true to life' situations the show had presented.
It was about then that our picture of ourselves (50ish) clearly came into view and the discussion turned dark. We were comparing notes about how and what life at 50ish was about and how it had affected each of us individually.
Yeegads!...our stories were so similar. Suddenly we found ourselves acknowledging, similar feelings, situations and a common and much maligned enemy ...’standing in front of the mirror’.
We all agreed that this one seemingly insignificant action, unmercifully and with all the love and warm affection of a record temperature raging hot flash .....could plunge us into a 'mind numbing state of 'Eisoptrophobia' (fear of mirrors).
Along with not being prepared (with any real clarity) for puberty, menstruation, sex, childbirth, childrearing or menopause....it was now apparent that neither of us had any idea about how to care for a woman our age.
For instance, each of us had been somewhere between a Size 6 and Size 8 for some 40+ years now. We had also been successfully dressing, feeding, grooming, exercising and generally taking care of ourselves without any problems for just as long....until recently!!!
After one or two more glasses of bubbly while comparing our individual experiences, we managed to come up with the following - agreeing that each of us had suddenly found ourselves living with and being responsible for a woman we knew little about.
Dressing her:
- she complains and says everything looks awful on her, is too tight and just plain uncomfortable
- her family and some friends do not approve of what has been chosen for her to wear either
- she wont wear anything sleeveless claiming she no longer has under arms – she now has wing spans
Shopping for her:
- is getting harder and harder - everything is too ‘young’ for her
- even trying on swimsuits can scare her into next week. Nowadays her boobs are busting their chops to get up close and comfortable with her ankles and anything without proper and sensible support is not worth considering
Putting her make-up on:
- she and everyone else complains her eyeliner is crooked and that there is too much mascara on her lower lids, hence giving the term 'panda eyes' a really bad look
- she complains her lipstick is bleeding into the corners of her mouth and is perhaps the wrong colour anyway
- her family and friends say that she and her makeup are definitely at odds with one another
Feeding her:
- the things she used to love eating now give her heartburn, gas, hives etc
- she complains that her food is too heavy/ too spicy
- everything she eats congregates at hip level
Exercising her:
- it was only last year that she could do 50 minutes on the cross trainer
- she gets tired more quickly and its not the buzz it used to be
- if she manages a good session, she is laid up for two days
- she is starting to look like her mother in her gym gear
After all this, and now on a positive note, Bethany mentioned that she had recently read some articles about medical science doing much to ensure that people our age have plenty to smile about. One such example:
- it seems we are able to now keep our natural teeth longer. Wonderful!
So along with a mouthful of teeth, apparently science has also been gleefully pointing out that ‘our brains in fact change and adapt with age’. Well if that is supposed to be a good thing, why is it that they suggest ‘the most common problem people face as they age, is remembering things’.
They go on to say that we should:
- remember that our memory is fallible
- not rely on our memory when it comes to medication, driving directions or other things with specific details
- write down important stuff to remember on a pad or use an electronic device like a PDA
and, our absolute favourite of these was:
- practice doing things – for example visit somewhere new in advance.
Aaha! we concluded – So this must be the often cryptically referred to "change of life" that our mothers used to talk about!
In closing I will leave you with this thought - Millions of women are entering the second half of their lives and what they really need is not what many people think.
It’s not about our greying hair, sagging boobs, work in progress wing spans, a few wrinkles or even being on the serious side of the big 50….
After selecting the champagne to toast our ‘new lives’-
Simply! ‘It’s being fully prepared for dealing with ‘the new us’ and knowing how to do it with style’.
If you enjoy having a bloody good laugh at ageing, then take a look at this Video below it is a scream -
Celebrate Life at Every Age
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- The change: it's not what it used to be (guardian.co.uk)
use routines if we need to remember something – for example taking our medication with a particular meal and, keeping our keys, bags and wallets in the same place
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Although I am a man, it is always difficult to accept the passing of years, and the physical changes with which we have to deal. Some times our body is not the same, and even our mind can play us a trick
Peter…honey you are not alone and don’t feel it unusual to miss what used to be…just enjoy the moment!!
Thanks for your valued opinion, comment and visit!!
Celebrate Life and All Its Changes!!
Lorrette
Menopause the musical is hysterical for those of us going through it. The symptoms are always funny though. If you are going through it, join us at http://www.menopauseremedies.net to read more information about natural remedies for menopause and herbal supplement that can help. Free samples of herbal supplements.
Kay Cambell´s last blog ..Menopause Remedy – Jump For Soy
Hi Kay
Thank heavens I am over mine – but thank you for your invitation, I am sure our DSU readers who are going through it will take you up on it. I remember being so over it I tried everything I could. Good luck with your site and thank you for letting us know about it.
Cheers
Lorrette
Menopause is like an enjoyment to me and my friends.
Very very revealing article, but don’t you think such situation is faced by woman at every age, when her start changing at puberty its really hard to accept but she eventually come on terms with it, when she bears a child she faces all, growing tummy, mood swings, harmonal changes but again evetually she comes on terms with it, then comes menopausal stage again she struggle and eventually accept it, but accepting it gracefully is the key,finding new hobbies and giving your personality a new extension is the key. doing something you always wanted to do, learning something you always wanted to learn, don’t make age a bar…celebrate it! You are more wise, more intelligent and a you are a new improved you! cheers!
Thank you, your comment raises some valid and interesting points. I do agree as women we face so very many body/physical changes throughout our lives that we have to come to terms with – and I love your point about after all these changes have occurred we are simply better than we have ever been.
Celebrate Life ….. at every stage!
Lorrette
I have heard great things about this play and plan to see it.
Something you wrote got me thinking – why didn’t our mothers talk about menopause? My Mom didn’t know how obviously off she was – she went a little crazy – she became obsessed with Bill Clinton and not in a good way:(
My sisters and I were all looking at each other like wow – what’s up with Mom, and then she finally moved on but I miss the spunky brightness of who she used to be. She lost a lot when she lost her estrogen, maybe that is why I am so committed to replacement. And I like the fact that I can remember what I am saying most of the time:)
Thanks
Elizabeth
Elizabeth @ Bioidentical Hormone Replacement´s last blog ..About Us
Hi There Elizabeth
Thank you for your bright and interesting response. You know I think there are an awful lot of us that ask exactly that question – ‘why didn’t our mothers talk about it?’ – I hope that just as many of us nowadays do not permanently loose, as you put it, ‘our spunky brightness’. Somehow women of today seem to handle menopause so much better, is it because there is so much more information and support that helps us to get through it without our causing too much damage to ourselves or others.
Hopefully once we are over the ‘menopausal madness period’ that spark finds its way back into what may be left of our perhaps tainted and tattered personalities.
I loved your comment, it not only made me giggle but it also reminded me of the reasons why I chose to support and recommend the benefits of replacement.
Celebrate Life
Lorrette
Hi Lorette,
Thank you for your response. I am excited to tell you that although my mother missed the estrogen boat my sister who is 18 months younger than I is starting her bio identical hormone replacement therapy. After listening to her complaints of many of the same symptoms I was experiencing I suggested she start investigating and she has … so – yes talking about it is the key to helping ourselves and the women we love. Keep up the good work on you blog as will I!
Elizabeth
Hi again Elizabeth
Great to hear that your sister is going for the bio identical hormone replacement therapy. Thanks for your encouragement and it was great hearing from you again.
Take care
Lorrette
My friends and I also enjoyed “Menopause”. And we too thought about all the negatives of menopause you wrote about, but there’s one positive: we don’t need to worry about getting pregnant!
Hear, Hear!!
I always like productions that find a way to make light of an otherwise unpleasant situation. I have heard nothing but rave reviews of this production from everyone I know who has seen it thus far.