Miserable and Ok at the same time…

. . . .is the only way I can describe how I feel at least one to two weeks out of the month. And, YES, I am talking about that specific time when Aunt Flo decides to visit. Such a bittersweet thing. 

I once read this article written by a man who had to take hormone supplements as part of his cancer killing regimen. The side effects of these hormones mimicked what women feel before, during, and after the big M.  He wrote that it was the biggest eye opening experience. It made him reflect on what his wife goes through…. especially when they were both waking up in the middle of the night with hot flashes. Or when he got intense cravings for food and chocolate and ended up gaining 20 pounds as a result.

Imagine. . . when your wife, sister, mother, girlfriend, WHOEVER  . . . says that she has a headache, is bloated, tired, cranky, crampy, or whatever .. .  that she may actually be telling the truth!

Now I know there are some posers out there and yes I do admit to using the “crampy and bloated” excuse to get out of doing something at one time or another, but the majority of the time? I’m telling the truth. We’re telling the truth.

Please, MEN, do not be fooled. While we can swim, and laugh, and play, and joke during “that” time of the month we are also feeling like crap. Back aches, head aches, cramps, five pounds of extra water hanging around our midsection. Eye on the clock 24 hours so that we can “freshen up”. Fear that we may leak or what have you. Fear that there may not be a bathroom in sight in case of emergencies. 

I love you men. I seriously do. But you have no freaking clue what we women go through on a monthly basis. NO CLUE. And if you did get the chance? You’d be in the fetal position with a heating pad on your midsection for days.  There would be no laughing or playing for you.

I recognize that this simple fact is very hard for men to grasp simply because they’ve never actually had the pleasure of personally experiencing Aunt Flo. 

But next time your loved one is being visited? Please take just one second to realize YOU HAVE NO CLUE.