Perimenopause and Menopause Archive

Gals I Adore

I’m fascinated by things our amazing bodies can do and what to do to help them when things aren’t going too well. Luckily, I get paid to do this: I work in HIV education/ prevention. There are some folks I visit online on a regular basis online, and I sing their praises for their generous and provocative thoughts, questions and observations.

Do You Avoid the Doctor?

I have a friend who refused to get her first mammogram until she was 48. She has young kids, and said she just couldn’t handle the stress if something was found. Her partner and I would present our “better to be diagnosed early IF it’s even an issue, which it won’t be” argument, but she didn’t buy it.

Your Friend the Pap

Love them or hate them, they offer invaluable information. Of course I’m talking about the Pap test. Pap smears test for irregular cells on the cervix, which indicate the possibility of cervical cancer.

Relationships that Count

I had the best afternoon last week. I was in a room full of soon-to-be doctors, nurses, social workers, pharmacists and counselors to talk about sexual health, specifically HIV, and what’s so different for women. Patients, clients, whatever they’re going to call them- it’s the relationships that count.

30 Years of AIDS and Ignorance Reigns

Serious title of a serious post, yes. But today’s a big day: it’s the 30th anniversary of the first identified cases of what would eventually be called AIDS. The cases puzzled the doctors- seemingly healthy young men suddenly developing pneumonia and dying. What was going on? More cases appeared, and in 1984, the human immunodeficiency [...]

“Hello Down There”- You’re Beautiful

The stat was shocking, but the info that followed inspired. In a group surveyed, 89% of women don’t like the look of their genitals, and more than half think their genitals are an improper size. What does this type of self-despair mean in the bedroom?

(Unwelcome) Hotness: Humility at Work

Love these days of perimenopause when I need a third breakfast now, or can’t remember what was I doing before a coworker asked me a question. Thankfully I work with women who can relate to hormones. Some are years away from anticipating this rollercoaster, others are past it, but at least they can laugh. And [...]

From the Ground Up

Last year I posted about my newly discovered “barefoot” shoes. That sounds better than my daughter’s name for them- Monkey Shoes. She’s getting used to me wearing them, and by now I’m well accustomed to staring, pointing, snorts of laughter and the occasional question when people feel brave enough to approach me. It’s worth it [...]

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