The Period Talk

I was 11 years old when I got my first periods, it was not a big deal for me. I was lucky, I had no period cramps, no weakness, no nausea or anything that was painted in the magazines or TV talk shows. In my college days, I started getting period cramps but it was just on my first day and I kept thinking, “Why do women create such a commotion about periods?  It is not that bad!” I could dance, shout, jump and even run during my periods and literally forgetting about the blood leaking.

I saw women weeping with stomach pain and lower backaches. They used to laugh and then suddenly cry. Eat more than their appetite, even hog on carbs. Why do women crib so much for attention? I had no guts to ask this to any of my female friends; because ‘FEMINISM’.

Slowly the hormones in my body took some turns and my life turned upside down. Suddenly, I was facing everything that I read about or watched on the TV. I started eating a lot of chocolate during periods, I started complaining about backaches and stomach pains. I could not stand for a long time during the first 2 days of period and my mensuration would go on for a week-long. Not only this, my skin started deteriorating, I get pimples on my face before I get periods- just like a sign.

Yesterday, I had a terrible headache due to lack of sleep and I could not concentrate on anything, I was burning chapati, I did not remember if I added salt to the curry, I did not fold the laundry, I did not even comb my hair and I even slept throughout the whole afternoon. When my husband was back from work, I told him about my headache, he also knew about my periods. He suggested me to go to bed early. To this, my son replied, “If you sleep early then how will grandma do all the work alone?” Hearing this I just burst into tears, “All you care about is your grandma, have you ever asked me if I am ever tired doing all the household chores?” I cried and outraged at my kid, I just walked away in the kitchen and started making dinner. He walked in and tried to hug me, I told him to go away. After some time, I was laughing at how I reacted to my kid. I finished all my work and went to sleep without eating dinner because I was bloated.

Today when he woke up, I was in the kitchen, making breakfast; he walked to me and asked me, “How are you feeling now? Did you eat anything? I know you slept yesterday without eating anything.” I felt terrible, I hugged him and apologised for my behaviour. I have decided, I am not going to rage on my kid for my PMS. He will have his dose when he gets a girlfriend or a wife…let me spare him for now.