September 24th, 2016

The P Word

by Terri Libenson

Perimenopause isn’t funny.

Oh wait, actually it is.

As the saying goes, if you can’t cry, you laugh.  That’s why I’ve been writing about autism, dementia, my #$@% blood disease, and now this. First of all, it’s cathartic. Secondly, it feels good to laugh about something that essentially sucks. Thirdly, it helps to connect with others that may be going through something similar. And since half the population is female, I’m guessing most of them would relate to this topic at some point.

Fourthly — and this is a big one — I do think menopause and perimenopause are traditionally stigmatized subjects, and we really need to destigmatize them (is that a word?). So I’m taking it upon myself to open up the perimenopausal conversation on the funny pages (Yes! Look at me on my high horse!). Or vent about it, anyway.

I’ve started dealing with this crap life change in the past few years. After all, I’m fortycoughsomething, so it comes with the territory. Top it off with a blood disorder that shares some of the same symptoms, and you get one confusing hormonal stew.

What boggles my mind is this is just starting to happen. I haven’t even come close to being menopausal yet. I cannot even imagine the comedic gold that will materialize then — if I’m not too busy crying into my bed sheets to write.

In any case, if you read the strip, you know I don’t shy away from this stuff. And this stuff is funny. It really is. Night sweats (or leg sweats, stomach sweats, butt sweats…sometimes it’s weirdly specific), chin hairs (I plead the fifth on this one), and fatigue (I almost took a nap on a fallen log during one of my runs)…these are things that are so ridiculous, they’re hilarious. Well, to me anyway.

I hope you agree. ‘Cause being a woman is goddam hard.

So we might as well laugh about it.