Girls, Only 1.1.2008

This post is directed for the females out there. Of course, guys, if you're interested in what's happening in my menstrual world...

Remember that my tumor was hormone receptors positive?? And that I have been taking birth control pills for about 30 years? I've had a few breaks with varying lengths of time off of it, but my periods have always been heavy, since I started at age 13. Cramps, clots, 7, 8, 9 days of it at average 32 day intervals. And one of the wonderful effects of oral contraceptives for me is that I don't hardly bleed. A little spotting, panty liner worthy. The last time I was without chemical control was the summer Dan and I met. My flow was doing ok for several months--I was hoping to become menopausal without much difficulty--and Dan and I had decided we wanted to go forward together, get married. Then one night I woke up in a puddle. Oh No. I will not be waking my new husband to get up out of bed in the middle of the night to change the sheets, and the mattress pad, because I've bled through everything. So I called the Doctor and had my pills restarted. And everything was fine. Not hardly as much as a bit of pink on the tissue: "Oh, I must be on my period" Tra la.

Then I'm diagnosed with this hormone receptors positive tumor, which means the cancer cells feed on the hormones in my body. And I can't take my magic pills any more. And you know what happened this week??? Yup. Bloody panties, bleeding through tampons and over the edges of the peri pads. Four days so far, and I am about tired of it.

The good news?? Chemotherapy, radiation, and the follow up hormone suppression for 5 years will STOP that messy event. (so they say...)

For that result, I say bring it on. And how fitting this should be my last period.

Period.