Do You Remember?

 Do you remember your first period? I remember when I had my first period. I was twelve, actually closer to thirteen. It was in September, my birthday is in October. I wasn't feeling well at my grandmother's funeral, and when we got home, I notified my mother that something was different. I knew what to do because she we discussed the inevitable frequently. 

I got sick, I mean real sick. I was sick to the point that everything on my body ached especially my lower abdomen and back. I had diarrhea where I ran to the bathroom frequently, headaches, hot and cold flashes, and most of all I vomited to the point where it was just bile coming up. Not to mention a week/two weeks before I started my period, I would experience PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). My mood swings were/are sometimes dangerous. 

I remember dreading my period coming up because of how it made me feel; still to this day I usually have the same feeling. My period warranted me the option of staying home from school on the first day of my period because I got sick. If I started while I was at school, I typically would find myself in the nurse's office laying down on the cot until the cramps subsided or until she told me to go back to class. The headaches that would occur would cause me to take the braids out of my hair to release tension off of my head. I was left looking like Einstein, Reverend Al Sharpton, or someone that stuck their hand in a socket and was electrocuted. 

As I got older and begun to be more active, sometimes the monthly bout of cramping was not as bad. I still had some cramps, however, a lot of the other symptoms that came with had subsided. So I continued to stay active in Winter, Fall and Spring sports in school. 

When I was in high school, my mom took me to the doctor to find out why my menstrual cycle was being so hard on me and if there was anything that they could do. I was prescribed a muscle relaxer, and was told to take it a couple days before my cycle was scheduled to begin and I should not have any problems with my menstrual cycle. I begin taking the pill and it helped! Occasionally, I would get some of the symptoms but for the most part, I began to feel better monthly. 

I was never really into having to take pills. I have found that there are always other natural medicines that can assist in your health and well-being. Thus, I have in the past and currently will only take pills if I desperately need them. When I was younger I had to hide them in applesauce or pudding in order for me to take them. As I got older, it is still difficult for me to take pills and I would definitely rather take an alternate route if there is one available. 

Although, I have experienced difficult menstrual cycles, it is a fact that all women are different and does not experience the same symptoms when on their cycle. Throughout my life of having a menstrual cycle, I have noticed that there are some women that don't even cramp at all. Some women that don't cramp at all cannot fathom the reality that there are women that does cramp or get sick when on their cycle. I have encountered many women that have told me to "get over it," "you cannot be cramping that bad," or just dismiss the the fact that my monthly cycle sometimes makes me sick. I would not wish the way I feel monthly or anyone, yet, I do wish that more people would recognize and/or understand that not all women are equal in general but specifically when it comes to their monthly cycle. Sometimes my cramps are debilitating, which makes it hard to achieve anything including activities of daily living. Maybe one day, I will be blessed with children and the horrible cramps would subside forever.