The best thing about bein' a woman...

I read an article the other day concerning periods.

A woman was writing about how some doctors recommend that women on the pill now throw away the 7 day sugar pill and stay on the real thing every day, all their lives and thus avoid ever having a period. The lady writing about this was appalled, as I was, that we could be so naive as to think we can so mess with our hormones, completely STOP something our bodies were CREATED to do....and expect we won't reap the consequences (breast cancer anyone?) in the future. It is terrible, I agree.

However...this wise woman then proceeded to say that rather than view a period as messy, inconvenient, or gross, she loves, loves, loves it. She feels utterly connected to all women everywhere when she has her period. In fact, she refuses to use anything disposable because she finds it too special to treat it as something to be covered up, soaked up, wrapped in a tissue, and discarded. She sews her own pads (out of colorful, happy materials no less) and washes and reuses them...oh the joy. While dealing with her wonderful flow of blood she prefers to stay at home, wear no 'protection,' and simply spread a towel on the couch and "let 'er go." In fact, her preferred solution is to sit outside on the ground and allow her blood to flow back into Mother Earth and feel connected to the cycle of life. ....wha...what?

Call me a pessimist, but I am never that excited when "aunt mary" comes to visit. Last night I woke myself up groaning at 1am, got up, took medicine and tried to sleep. By 2:30 after tossing and groaning and making Justin and I both miserable, I got up for my monthly midnight bath.

You know I've never looked forward to this 28 day ritual, but it used to be alright. I'd fill up the tub all the way with the hottest water I could stand, prop myself up and sleep for an hour or more. However, where we now live, we have a one man (tiny little pygmy man actually) water tank and it only fills the tub 4 inches. So instead of propping up and going to sleep; I lay all the way down wishing the water was deep enough to cover my poor aching abdomen. Instead I have ears full of water and my belly is sticking out and goose pimply. After 45 minutes of dosing i wake up to find the water freezing around my stiff body and I check to see if there's just a tiny bit of hot water again. There is so I add everything I can and now there's just enough water to cover me but its only lukewarm.

Its horrible, by the time i crawl back into bed 2 hours later, wet hair, absolutely freezing, I can't even feel my cramps anymore because I'm shaking so violently.

I do feel connected to all other women, but I think its because misery loves company. And as much as I hate this I still don't want to take a pill to stop it entirely but will somebody please pass the extra strength Advil?