After I made this post live, a friend strongly recommended I take it down. I haven’t had a chance to talk with her, to hear what she thinks, so I have it on hold until I can. If you’re curious enough that you’re willing to contact me to read it, please do.
This entry isn’t about travel. It’s part health (GDTRx), part grief (Wish You Were There), with photos from my family scanning project. If you’re looking for regular travel posts, go back a bit.
Tiny planes – I think the saying ‘god grant me the confidence of a middle aged white man’. I actually tell myself that often to put things in perspective and to try things I’m unsure of.
I’m constantly boggled and dismayed by the sheer lack of understanding of menopause in the medical profession. It’s a huge transformative change that can damage lives and certainly screws around with 50% of all humans at some point in their lives and yet they didn’t even used to touch on it in medical schools. The majority of doctors don’t know much about it and some could care less. Even the women are often largely ignorant. Can you imagine if men went through it too? Things would be quite different. And women have been socialised to not talk about it, or it’s in whispers, because what, we’re supposed to be embarrassed about it? I think only now is it coming out into the open and the doctors are starting (but only starting) to give it some thought. I get quite het up about the sheer disrespect shown to the experiences of fully HALF the humans who have ever been alive – and I know this is peanuts compared to other stuff that happens only to women. Maybe it’s just the lack of interest and casual dismissal of really quite distressing symptoms that really gets me. Not active malevolence, just complete disinterest. I’m now going to ride my high horse off into the sunset 😁
Yes and yes. I was going to say the same, but this post was going in so many directions I decided to limit it to attempt to be succinct. Ha!
Your sweet mom—I love that she found her zest for life again. My mom misses my dad so much and often tells me she wishes she could be with him.
I’m 54 and am in menopause now. My perimenopause was really rough—five years of intense symptoms and feeling incredibly alone. Reading your words made me feel so seen. Lately, I’ve noticed more social media posts about menopause, and it seems like Gen X is finally speaking out about it. But during my own journey from 2015 to 2020, I felt very isolated. I’ve written about it on my blog, so feel free to check it out if you have time.
It’s tough when you’ve lost family members and have no one to ask about their experiences with menopause. I’m always up for a conversation about it—nothing is too personal to share. Ask/chat away. 😘❤️
Ah, Kari, I’m so sorry your mom is in the worst of grief right now. You know that analogy of grief being like a ball in a box, right? That one really works for me. I hope your mom talks with a therapist and you about how she feels, often.
I can’t imagine going through perimenopause earlier! I belong to an online support group and do talk with friends, but there’s something about the hormone changes or *something* that makes it an isolating experience no matter what. I will poke around your blog for sure; I always enjoy your frank, seemingly effortless and beautiful writing.
Thanks also for offering to chat! That’s generous. I’m here to talk as well: shelly at beerboy dot com.
I’m so grateful we’re so close and can openly share how we’re feeling with each other.
I think the generation before us just didn’t talk about these things. And the generation before them was the Silent Generation, so… it makes sense. I think that’s why I was so shocked when I reached that stage of life—it felt like I wasn’t prepared for what was happening.
And don’t even get me started on our healthcare system. It’s outrageous that we don’t have better treatments for menopause.
My email is gracefullkari at yahoo dot com. I am happy to chat any time. As you can see, I have a lot to say about it. 🤣
Thank you for sharing this intimate portrait of your family though photographs. The one of your mom with the horse ribbons is my favorite. 💕
Grief can be overwhelming, both emotionally and physically. It takes its toll.
Menopause? I don’t even recognize myself anymore, the changes are that dramatic. Men have no idea. None.
I think women have no idea, too! Not until you’re in the middle of it and look around and think, WTF? It’s wild that you change physically over the years, gradually, whereas this is happening all in one year for me, like an alien is occupying my body. I hope we both come out of this soon and see ourselves once again!
It’s been nine hellish years and counting for me.
😫
No wonder you drink.
LMAO!
Not sure why she suggested you take the post down, but I certainly am enjoying the pictures.
I should give you the writing assignment to populate this entry with a story that fits both the images and the comments. That’s a big assignment, but I bet you could be quite funny.
Ooh…I like that idea.
You have plenty of your own topics to write on, but you’d be welcome to have fun with this one. (Not that you would cross this line, but the only caveat would be not to diss my family. That’s my job!)
Thank you for sharing. It is deep and personal. Thank you for the reminder to do our best and take good care of ourselves.
Thanks for seeing the best of this messy, dark post!
Well, heck. Looks like the post I published (pre-editing, since I spot problems only after I publish) is still live via my Jetpack reader doohickey. This tells me that I really should edit posts *before* I press publish, and that nothing’s ever truly deleted once it’s gone on the Internet. Duh.