“The Menstrual Cycle Is a Vital Sign”

I was recently reminded of a great online resource for women and girls, about menstrual health, called Rachel’s Well.  The organization, a nonprofit 501 C3, was developed around the core knowledge that “menstruation is a unique indicator of a woman’s overall emotional and physical health”.  Its mission is to improve women’s health care by focusing its efforts in the area of menstrual health and ovarian insufficiency.  The Rachel’s Well board includes a multi-disciplined group of physicians, clinicians and researchers who receives funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for projects to support education and the study of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). 

The reason I am blogging about this now is that I read recently that periods don’t have any function, since we don’t get pregnant and give birth every year.  My perspective is that discounting the importance of periods to our overall health is a very naive way of looking at our physiology.  (Whenever I begin talking about an anatomy and physiology topic, like what are the ovaries and why are they important, I feel like I should be dressed in my nursing uniform, have a pointer in my hand and be standing next to a plastic model of a uterus with ovaries and vagina attached.  Picture me that way please.) 

What are the ovaries? A simple definition from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is that the ovaries are two small glands, located on either side of the uterus, that contain the eggs produced at ovulation as well as produce the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. 

Why are the ovaries important to our overall health?  Since estrogen and progesterone control the development of female body characteristics, such as the breasts, body shape, and body hair and because the ovaries also regulate the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, the ovaries are important to our health and wellbeing.

How does my period relate to my health and indicate the health of my ovaries?  According to Paula Hillard, M.D., Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Stanford University, “It can indicate the status of emotional health, hormonal health, bone health, ovarian health, as well as long-term fertility. Therefore, in the absence of hormonal contraception, if a woman is not having her period, it may be the first sign that something else could be going on.” 

Also from the Rachel’s Well site:  “There are long- and short-term health effects of irregular or interrupted periods (amenorrhea). The clear message of Rachel’s Well is the importance of the relationship between women and their menstrual cycles. Regular and effective health screenings and an open dialogue between women and their health care providers are critical to their overall health. If a woman’s menstrual cycle is not functioning normally, this should be considered a reason for a specific evaluation by a health care provider.” 

One reason, outside of the use of birth control pills, for having an irregular period, or not having one at all is Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI).  Below is a link to the Rachel’s well site content about POI. http://www.rachelswell.org/

Also on the site are statistics (POI is more common than you might think), as well as content that address myths or misperceptions that some women may have when their periods halt before the age of 45.  For example, she may think she is in early menopause, but that is probably incorrect, as she may actually have POI.

What are some symptoms of POI?  Some symptoms that may occur are:  missed or irregular periods, hot flashes/night sweats, inability to concentrate, loss of memory, insomnia, depression, loss of energy, irritability/mood swings, sexual dysfunction, vaginal dryness, infertility.  Note that the symptoms are very close to what we have come to expect from menopause.  Point here is that menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 to 60 years.  

What do I do with this information?  Clearly, if you are younger than 45 years old and you no longer have a period, schedule an appointment with your health care provider to discuss your symptoms and concerns. This is important; because a delay in diagnosis and treatment can lead to health problems, such as low bone density, sleep difficulties and emotional issues.  The good news is that there are treatment options that can help.

Most of us lead very busy lives and want to be at our optimum to do the things we need to as well as select to do.   I strongly believe that we should all work to be at the best health possible.  Part of that is taking action, when needed, to make that happen.   Hope that all reading this will do that and find the answers they deserve. 

I Know A Secret!!!

Don’t you just hate when someone taunts you with that phrase.  I do!  While I am the kind of person who loves surprises, if I know that one is coming, I will go to all kind of lengths to find out what the surprise is all about.  While there are good and fun secrets, such as those that are necessary for planning for anniversary or birthday surprises or unanticipated friend visits, there are secrets that can be painful or hurtful if not kept private. 

The Mirriam-Webster official definition of a secret that is most appropriate to this is: kept from knowledge or view (hidden).   Let me begin with my ending statement about secrets and that is:  Some secrets need to stay that way forever out of respect to the person asking that it be kept and other secrets need to be shared no matter the reason for asking that it not be shared. 

Why I am I now blogging about secrets??  There are two reasons, actually.  The first is because a friend recently told me something very private about her health.  She and I talk on occasion about her issue.  To be clear, I am not her NURSE friend, but a very close friend who is also a nurse.  I had not told a soul what she confided, as I respect her reason for not sharing her private stuff.  Recently I had several couples over for dinner and she shared about her illness with another woman present.  She was at first surprised that the other friend of mine wasn’t aware of what she had gone through.  I told her that what she was experiencing was only hers to share.  

To anyone who knows me personally, I AM A SECRET KEEPER…now and forever!!  You can confide in me.  Have you ever heard of the Yiddish word YENTA?  If so, you know it means someone who tells all to all.  A major repercussion of sharing a confidence is that you destroy the trust between yourself and the person who confided to you.  You can try all you want and you may never get that trust back.  What a loss.  You may also get a reputation as some who is a YENTA.  I can assure you that being called a YENTA, or gossipmonger, is not a pretty way to be described. 

There is a featured article on beinggirl.com about secrets.

http://www.beinggirl.com/article/keeping-a-secret/?utm_source=blogger&utm_medium=NurseElaine&utm_content=link20111011&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

It includes a paragraph on how to keep a secret, as well as a description of the difference between a good and bad secret.  In the article, it states that: “A bad secret might concern a friend or family member who is in trouble and risking her health and safety. Whether it’s drug-related or bad-crowd-related, those secrets that make anyone feel scared, uncomfortable, sad, or angry should be shared.”  I will add that it should be shared with someone who can help ensure that the person gets the support that they may desperately need.

There is an interesting statistic in the beinggirl.com article:
“A recent study of 3000 women in England found that four in ten women had trouble keeping a secret, no matter how personal or confidential the news was. And two-thirds ended up feeling guilty after spilling the beans.”

Let me tell you about my guilt inducing behavior:  One time, a group of my “girl” friends and I were sitting around drinking some vino and complaining about work stuff and people.  I listened and then added a comment about something someone at work had said about someone else.  One of my friends personalized it, even though it wasn’t about her.  Whew, did I kick myself in the butt for telling the group what I should not have.  I mention the wine because it may have loosened my tongue.  But, I tell you all from the bottom of my heart, I am personally responsible for causing an additional rift in an already fragile relationship.  I felt terrible about that for the longest time, and still do.  Now though, you would have to stick pins in my fingernails to get me to share something that was said in confidence.  I learned a painful lesson.  It seems that we are never too old and crotchety to learn life’s lessons, as I continually do for sure! 

Hate that I may be sounding preachy, but wanted to talk about secrets and the difference between good and bad secrets, as well as secrets that should be shared and those that should never come out of our mouths.   What l I hope readers take away from this post is that we all should think very carefully before we blurt out what we shouldn’t and consider sharing what we should, no matter how difficult, when it can help someone.  

P.S.  While you can feel free to share, as this post is not secret, I hope none of the “girls” reads this and remembers what I said that was so upsetting and STUPID!  If you do, forgive me please, as it won’t happen again!
  

Love At The Time of WWII

I have posted several blogs about a vacation we recently took to France and Spain.  In one of the posts, I mentioned a romantic story that I would tell later.  Now is later so here is the story:  

My mother-in-law, Carol was born in 1916 to a middle-class family who had property and a small farm in Minnesota.  Her family valued education and encouraged her to attend college after high school.   She graduated from the University of Minnesota, with a degree in education in the late 1930s.  Think about the time and how rare it was for women to attend college.  But Carol was feisty and that is what she did despite some of the biases women had to deal with, at that time, when they didn’t marry right out of high school.  

Carol is a petite woman, and has been her whole life.  She is still attractive despite her age of 95.  Her eyes are always sparkling and she has a self-confident air about her.  She absolutely loves kids and still remains emotionally watchful of her 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.   That she truly enjoys kids is evident in how she treated my 3 grandchildren when I took them to visit her in August. 

Considering how much energy my 5-year old twin granddaughters and 3-year grandson can have, especially after having been cooped up in the car for 90 minutes they were totally well-behaved and gentle with Carol.  While they came bounding into Carol’s room to greet her with hugs, they were not forceful and sensed her fragility.  After that, they began exploring all of her knick-knacks with the joy of being given permission by her to touch and carry.  They would bring items up to her and she, who can’t hear very well, has a somewhat failing memory and doesn’t always feel in very good health, smiled patiently and told them little stories about each item.  She truly engaged their short attention spans in a sweet and fun way.  

Now the love story:  Carol had a high school love, Bud, who graduated college around the same time as she did.   They dated for several years after that.  He became a 2nd Lieutenant in the army and she began teaching school.   They did together the kinds of things young lovers do at that time, such as go to dances, enjoy friends, picnic, cheer their home team at sporting events and celebrate holidays.  Hanging over their heads constantly, was the possibility that Bud would have to ship out to Europe.  As time went on, Bud was called on to be part of the U.S. forces in Germany and France.   Before he left for his overseas mission, Bud and Carol got married.   They had a short time together as husband and wife before he had to depart.  Bud went willingly and with pride that he would be able to fight for what our country believed.  Bud’s parents loved Carol and took her under their wing as they awaited news from Bud. 

As you might have guessed, Bud didn’t make it home.  Three months after their marriage, Carol learned that Bud was killed, as the allies made their way through Europe.   He was buried in France.  Sadly, while Carol was given Bud’s personal items, she never saw his gravesite – not even a photo.  

No doubt Carol mourned her first love greatly.  However, she didn’t sit around feeling sorry for herself.  She began volunteering, as a first aide assistant, working with wounded soldiers who returned home after suffering some type of serious injury.  While doing that, she met a sweetheart of a man, my husband’s father, Len.  While she was helping to care for his injuries, he began to care for her too.  His injuries began to heal, as did her heart.    Some time after, they married and had four wonderful children. 

Unfortunately, Len died at the age of 72 and I didn’t meet my husband, Allan, until many years after.  Therefore, I never had the pleasure of knowing his father.  While Len was obviously Carol’s love, she never forgot Bud.  Len, being the loving secure man that he was, agreed to name his youngest son after Bud.  After all, if Bud hadn’t given his life for our country, he would never have been able to marry the love of his life.  A bittersweet thought, to say the least! 

My husband Allan has always had an interest in military history.  He began questioning his mother more about Bud and his service, including when and where his death occurred. Carol is in kidney failure.  She is getting weaker and her cognitive functioning is deteriorating, but she remembers Bud and still tears up when thinking about him.  She expressed her profound sadness about not seeing where he is buried.  Allan thought it might be meaningful for Carol to at least see a photo of his gravesite.  After doing research, Allan learned that Bud is buried at the Lorraine American cemetery in Saint-Avold, France. 

Of course, our first stop, after landing in Frankfurt, Germany, was the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold France.  The Cemetery is pristinely maintained by the U.S. Government and looks like a miniature Arlington National Cemetery.  The official information states that: “the Cemetery covers 113.5 acres and contains the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II in Europe, a total of 10,489. Their headstones are arranged in nine plots in a generally elliptical design extending over the beautiful rolling terrain of eastern Lorraine and culminating in a prominent overlook feature. Most of the dead here were killed while driving the German forces from the fortress city of Metz toward the Siegfried Line and the Rhine River. Initially, there were over 16,000 Americans interred in the St. Avold region, mostly from the U.S. Seventh Army's Infantry and Armored Divisions and its Cavalry Groups.  Saint-Avold served as a vital communications center for the vast network of enemy defenses guarding the western border of the Third Reich.”

We arrived at around 4:30 P.M. on a dark and misty day and were the only visitors to the Cemetery at that time.  The military officer who manages the Cemetery greeted us and used his computer to locate Bud’s grave.   Allan and I walked sadly to Bud’s grave in the light rain.  While neither of us knew him personally, we were grief-stricken to see the rows and rows of Crosses and Stars of David’s that rolled across the grounds, as well as Bud’s grave.   Here at his grave, this young man so loved by Allan’s mother came to life for me. 

The officer, showing us the grave, used sand from the beaches of Normandy to highlight the words on Bud’s cross so they would be visible for photos.  He also placed an American Flag in the ground in front of the cross for us to take back to Carol.  It so happened that when we arrived at Bud’s grave, it was time for the flag lowering and for taps to play over the loud speaker.  My usually stoic Allan began crying and I started and then we were both hugging each other and sobbing for the losses of life due to war and for Carol’s heartache.  Then Allan, still sniffling, said that if Bud hadn’t died he might not have been born.  Who knows, but for some reason that made me again think that everything happens for a reason.  We stopped crying. 

Allan just returned home after showing his mother the photo of the grave and the packet of information that we were given while at the Lorraine Cemetery that was specific to Bud.  No doubt she will treasure that along with her memories of Bud and Len.  

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if our energies were all directed to peaceful enterprises rather than wars that need to be fought.  Perhaps, some day!

Did you know that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month?

I have been writing about vacations and fun, but want to address a far more serious and important topic, domestic violence.

According to Women Helping Women of Hamilton County*, domestic violence is the use of physical, sexual, threatening or emotional force to frighten, intimidate and control an intimate partner. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior that occurs over time. This abuse often escalates and may become worse with time.

Abusive partners use combinations of behavior to control a survivor. Even if you have never experienced physical harm by a partner, but are afraid and controlled by your partner’s actions (shouting, throwing things or threats), you are being abused.

This type of violence can occur among heterosexual or same-sex couples and does not require sexual intimacy.

Are you aware that:
1 in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.
1.3 million women are survivors of domestic violence each year.
85% of domestic violence survivors are women.
Sexual assault or forced sex occurs in approximately 40-45% of abusive relationships.

Those are really harsh statistics.  Because of the frequency of its occurrence, you may know someone who is currently in an abusive relationship, or it may be you.  If so and you want to know more about abusive relationships, visit Beinggirl.com.  The site has a series of articles about abuse that will be helpful no matter what your age. Having information will help you or someone you care about either escape or avoid that type of very unhealthy relationship.

http://www.beinggirl.com/search/?searchterm=abusive+relationships&page=1

Important to know in all of this is that it is not YOUR FAULT
Below is some further information from the Women Helping Women website that I found incredibly helpful in educating about domestic violence:

 “Abused” describes what has happened to you – not who you are. This term tends to imply that someone in an abusive relationship is a victim, weak or helpless. The truth is that many people in abusive relationships have great inner strength and are often there for others, including children. No matter what a controlling or abusive partner tells you (“If you had done this right, I would not have hurt you”), being abused is not your fault- the abuser is responsible. Partner violence is not acceptable and it is not something you have to deal with alone. Whether you have limited finances, no family or friends to whom you can turn to for help, are afraid for your safety or simply think you could never make it “on your own,” there are agencies in your community who can help you.” 

If you don’t know who those agencies are or where close help is, you can visit the website of the National Domestic Violence Hotline to get assistance in identifying an agency in your community:  http://www.thehotline.org/  They also have a toll-free phone number should your computer be monitored: 1−800−799−SAFE(7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224.

If you are not certain about your relationship and want to know more, Women Helping Women has a Domestic Violence quiz for you to take.  If you answer yes to more then one answer, you may be in an abusive relationship. 
http://www.womenhelpingwomen.org/home/quizzes/domestic-violence-quiz/

I was a past president of the Board and a board member of Women Helping Women for 12 years and still have a strong commitment to that cause. Optimistically, we always hope that there will not be a need for organizations like Women Helping Women.  Until then, thank goodness for organizations like Women Helping Women and sites like beinggirl.com, where there is key information and support for those who may need it. 


*Women Helping Women serves Southwestern Ohio as a unique provider of crisis intervention and support services for direct and indirect survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking and takes a leading role in educating the community to promote awareness and help prevent these types of abuse. http://www.womenhelpingwomen.org/