Saturday, July 12, 2008

Beware of Menopausal Woman

Thursday was just one of those days. I definitely had the blues. By the evening I was in a full-blown ready to cry, don’t talk to me, don’t want to do anything meltdown. Why? Who knows—certainly nothing major or tragic happened to me that day, and I feel like a whiner even bringing it up.

You would think I would have been in a good mood; I’d just spent several hours with Beckie including some shopping for plant bargains. But apparently it wasn’t enough. Just a combination of little things added up –my computer was acting up all day Wednesday just when I had a free afternoon to work on a photo project for my parents’ anniversary coming up soon. There were some financial paperwork issues to deal with. A minor family squabble. The Japanese beetles were eating my roses and hollyhocks faster than I could catch the little #@!*. The weeds were taking over my vegetable garden, and it was too darned hot during the day and too mosquito-infested at night to work in it. My son and daughter-in-law asked me to go with them to Disney World—fun, huh? It should be, except I worried I would wind up being the full-time babysitter, plus I didn’t think I could take a whole week off at that time. Then I felt guilty for turning them down.

I told you I was whining! But probably the worst thing of all was that I ran out of my HRT meds, and my prescription apparently got lost. So for three days I warned my family that they’d better watch out—they were living with a severely estrogen-deprived (depraved??) woman!

Whatever the reason (and I’m betting on the lack of estrogen), Thursday night was a bust, and I couldn’t even bring myself to reading blogs. That tells you how bad things were!

I tried various forms of therapy Thursday night to get over it. Sleep didn’t come, so I finally started going through the family pictures for my project. This is one of my favorite childhood pictures of my Dad reading me a story.

I tried my favorite form of therapy. . . chocolate.

These Hershey’s dark chocolate nuggets with truffle filling are to die for! Each piece has only 50 calories, but of course, my mood required a several-hundred-calorie dose. Finally, I thought sleep might come, so I watched an old episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond” and finally drifted off to sleep.

Friday morning was a little better; at least I had the desire once again to read some blogs, and that always cheers me up. I went outside with my coffee and found the hated Japanese beetles. Not having a jug of soapy water handy, I tried an alternate eradication method. Grabbing them and throwing them quickly to the ground, then stomping on the little buggers works quite well, I've discovered. I decided, too, some little accomplishment would help, so I planted a bleeding heart and some coleus that I had purchased the day before.

Beckie and I vowed on Thursday we would buy no more plants this year . . .then amended that to “no more annuals this year.” Ok, that should work, especially since we spent part of our lunch time drooling over the spring bulbs in a new catalog.

While I was planting, a baby toad hopped away from his nearby hiding place. Of course, I didn’t have my camera with me, but he did give me a few words of encouragement, and I felt so much better.

I had my yearly physical scheduled for Friday, as well, and I wasn’t looking forward to that. The doctor didn’t give me a lecture about my weight, thank goodness; I’m sure the extra 10 pounds I’ve put on since last year is just water weight from all the water I’ve been drinking. All in all, I’m in pretty good shape she said.
With a clean bill of health and fresh hormones now flowing through my bloodstream, I was definitely in a better mood. I ran a few errands and bought a chocolate milkshake as a treat for being such a good girl at the doctor’s. (And I wonder where those ten pounds came from!) My final stop was at the bookstore, a favorite shopping haunt, where I purchased a new book.


I don’t buy many gardening books, but this one was featured in our local paper last week and looked very helpful. I’ll write a review of it for you when I’ve finished reading it.

By the time I got home, life was looking much brighter. I reminded myself of the people starving in the world, those whose homes and fields have been flooded out this summer, the soldiers in Iraq, and those who have lost loved ones recently. I scolded myself for letting little things get to me: “Chin up, Rose!”

Thanks for putting up with my pitiful venting.


Life is good once again.

26 comments:

  1. We all have those periods of time that we aren't as we could be Rose. So glad that by the end of your post you were doing better. Nothing like a little garden work, lots of chocolate and a talking toad to bring you out of the Wendy Whiner Syndrome.

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  2. Hi Rose.....It is I am sure just a dose of the blues....and we all get those.....the thing is you make it into such a funny story....

    I love the photograph of you with your father....so very tender...fond memories eh

    Everytime I go to the garden centre...I say no more plants....doesn't work....best not to go!!

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  3. Having a tight head and a a mind of light stress, l thought a moment of blog reading was in order! type search 'menopausal woman' and up comes your 'beware...' post, and lifted my mood considerably, chocolate is on hand....
    thanks for the lift!!! I would like to add you to my blog!!


    sara x

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  4. Rose, I'm chuckling, because I think my last few posts have been a bit whiney, too:) Maybe I'm joining your "club"! Anyway, thanks for the humorous post about your coping strategies.

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  5. Vent away! Next time you run out of HRT & can't get a quick refill, eat yams & soy. They both have natural estrogen type chemicals in them. Don't you just love tiny toads? They're so darn cute. Glad you're feeling better.

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  7. I always love reading your posts Rose. Your moods often mirror mine. I'm glad you've come through this one and feel better. I know we can always think of people much more worse off than ourselves but when you're down it's hard to look at life like that.
    That photo of you with your dad is lovely, I can see why it is one of your favourites.
    :)

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  8. I'm not at menopause yet, but from what my friends tell me, mood swings are completely normal--and so is whining about them! ;-) Chocolate never hurts, either.
    ~ Monica

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  9. Lisa, I'll have to remember the Wendy Whiner Syndrome! I am doing much better now; thanks.

    Cheryl, My dad has always been a role model in my life; some day I may do a post about each of my parents --maybe winter when nothing is blooming. I'm fortunate that I still have both of them and that they are doing well.
    Beckie and I were thinking of starting a group called Plant Addicts Anonymous. Care to join? :)

    Sazfab, Thanks for stopping by. Oh dear, I didn't realize such a title would come up in a search engine! I usually write about gardening, though occasionally I go a little nutty. You're welcome to visit any time:)

    Joyce, Some days nothing goes right, does it? Venting is actually my best strategy for coping--usually it's to one of my friends, but now I have blogging friends to vent to! And I've always been open to listening to others vent:)

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  10. MMD, I used to take an herbal with soy and yams for the "peri" stage. I'm trying to wean myself off the HRT, but so far it's not working!
    What a funny e-mail address:) Thanks so much; I'd love to have some suggestions for places to visit.

    Suburbia, I knew you'd understand. You're right--you can tell yourself that other people are much worse off, but it doesn't always help. As I said earlier, venting seems to be my best coping strategy!

    Garden Faerie, Yes, mood swings can be pretty common. But chocolate helps, and it's good for your heart, too! Or at least that's what I tell myself.

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  11. Rose, glad you got over your blues relatively quickly.

    I hate it when I feel like that and so little seems to really help and I usually don't feel like doing the things that I know might help (eating better, exercise, working in the garden, playing games or reading with the kids).

    I'm a new reader and can tell I am going to like your blog! :-)

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  12. Mmmmm, venting and truffles. You should be feeling much better by now.

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  13. I guess every Rose has a few thorns, right? And sometimes roses lose their flowers and it takes a few days for new buds and flowers to appear. For those few days, it might not be the prettiest plant in the garden, but you know the rose will flower again, with some shopping therapy, lots of chocolate, a bit of Everybody Loves Raymond (one of my favorite shows) some gardening, some new plants, and a new gardening book. Toss in some reminiscing and before you know it... the rose blooms again!

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  14. Your Dad favors Dennis Quiad! That is a great picture.
    We all have those days when anything that can go wrong, does.
    Just chalk it up to one of those days and know that we also have good days, when everything is in our favor. And now I am reminded that I want to make a plan for my fall bulbs. It is just almost to hot to think about it though.
    Love your blog.

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  15. Hi Rose....I think I will join your group....I need help....where are the meetings Illinois??

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  16. New to your blog, Rosie, and love it. I send my condolences about the menopause. I lived through it (my doctor took me off hormones) and surprisingly I did NOT kill anyone, although with the Big M, I think it technically would be justifiable homicide.

    I'm still teaching though, and here in Arizona we start on Aug.11th. That means it is too hot for the kids to go out for recess until nearly October. (And you retired??)

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  17. Debbie, Thankfully these moods are usually short-lived. Thanks for stopping by!

    Tina, Yes, my two favorite coping strategies:)

    Carol, That's a very poetic analysis of the situation! Hope you've solved the mystery of the giant spoons--I can't wait to find out the surprise ending.

    Eve, Wow, I'm sure my Dad would think that's quite a compliment! Of course, I'm not sure if he knows who Dennis Quaid is:) It does seem early to think about fall bulbs, doesn't it? But I've vowed not to buy any more plants this summer, so bulbs fill my plant shopping addiction.

    Cheryl, We haven't set a meeting time yet. Maybe we need to have some type of Web meeting instead of a face-to-face meeting so anyone can attend:)
    (For the rest of you wondering about this, we're thinking of starting a PAA group--Plant Addicts Anonymous.)

    Liz, I always dreaded the last week before school started--Aug. 11 is early! And our school was not air-conditioned until I retired! This last year was wonderful--I'd sit on my front porch and watched as the school buses went by while I was in my pj's with a cup of coffee . Hang in there!

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  18. Oh dear Rose, I am glad you vented. I sooooo identify with you. I am "stretching" my HRT patch because my ob-gyn has cancelled my last 2 appointments and the pharmacy has filled 2 prescriptions without a renewal.

    And I am wearing my last patch and stretching it to last until my next appointment!! Help!

    I am scheduled to go this Thursday, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that my ob-gyn doesn't cancel a third time!! I need my hormones!!!!

    So I totally understand mood swings and not enough HRT.
    And chocolate and plants and, and, and....

    Glad things are back on track.

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  19. Oh Rose, thank goodness you are feeling better about the world now. I love your little friend, the chocolate bar, he is my friend too. But those days are behind me now, or else I have just learned to not notice the hot and cold changes. What was wrong with that heat and air unit????

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  20. Rose,

    Would you accept a cyberhug (()) It sounds to me like you did what you needed to do to get to the other side of the day! I personally think that dashing the JB to the ground and stomping on them is therapeutic and this is coming from a therapist...so much better than holding it all in. So dash and stomp!

    I do love the photo of you and your dad! Will it be part of the photo project?

    Gail

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  21. Wendy, Hope that doctor doesn't cancel on you again:)

    Frances, I'll use any excuse for chocolate. I thought those days were about behind me, too, but our thermostat doesn't seem to be working either:)

    Gail, Thanks for the hug:) Yes, it was quite therapeutic to stomp those little devils. I was up earlier than usual this morning and discovered why you should pick Japanese beetles off the plants in the AM--they're still sleeping and aren't conscious enough to fly away!

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  22. Sometimes venting helps. Most of us have been there, felt that. It's comforting to know that next time I go on a rant, you (and a lot of others) will understand perfectly.

    Indulge in whatever makes you feel better;)
    Marnie

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  23. The trouble is that when you feel like that all the thinking about others who are worse off doesn't help at all! But I'm glad you're coming up out of it now. Hormones sound the most likely culprit to me too.

    How lovely to have had a father who read to you!

    Oh and I do think that chocolate that is medicinally eaten doesn't have any calories at all.

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  24. Dear Rose,

    Stomping is good! My snails and your Japanese beetles are performing an excellent remedial task in their shortened lives ;-)
    Glad you are back to serenity again.

    BTW, burning question: why does word verification NEVER make any sense?

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  25. Rose, I'm with ya sister. We all have times like you just described. Sometimes I sit here and wonder how can I do it all with smile? No can do.

    Hey, an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond can lift me from the worst mood. :o)

    I wish I had time to read blogs as they cheer me so much. Unfortunately, the months of June-July-August are very difficult. I wish to retire! NOW! LOL!

    I dread my physical - I always do...It's been a long time since I had one. Congrats on a good bill of health.

    Keep those Coneflowers blooming. I'm trying...

    Mary

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  26. I'm glad you're feeling better Rose.

    I know exactly how you feel. There are times I still need to remind myself of the cause. Menopause is like pms on steroids. I honestly don't remember if I made that up or read it somewhere, but it's the truth either way.

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