BV and Peri/Pre-menopause: It's not for the Faint of Heart

****Please note: this article contains medical/feminine issues and terms. If this stuff makes you queasy, then, feel free to move right along, and I won't be offended!****

I hate BV. I hate Peri/premenopause. They both are not very fun. I have posted about Peri/Pre-menopause before. You can read about it here; I have also written about BV here. Feel free to read those in order to "catch up".

I have had BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) on and off for years (if you don't know what it is, look it up). It is an infection (essentially) in the Vagina, and isI will have it for awhile, then it will go away. I have tried a few different things; antibiotics, which have only worked for a week or so, and then it comes back. I have also tried Gynalac vaginal gel, which helps, but when I am done with the treatment (which is also very expensive), it comes back after a day or two. I had tried drinking cranberry juice, and taking garlic pills, but they really didn't help much. About a couple of months ago, I decided to try taking the acedopholis every day, and although I forget it (I also don't take it with me when I go somewhere overnight), I have generally been taking it every day, and it seems to help with the smell some. I have been pretty consistent at taking the acedopholis lately; 1-2 a day, and i think that is what has kept it from getting bad again. It depends on my cycle; sometimes, it won't bother me for a few weeks, and other times, it is horrible! Right now, it has been not too bad; and i think i attribute it to taking the supplements! The pads also help with the smell, and to keep things dry, and the medication helps to tackle it if/when it gets really bad! I probably should try to omit sugar and probably yeast, but i just am not that disciplined! 

Then, there is the peri/pre menopause! This can be YEARS in the "making!! I am not even making this up! There is the spotting, the early arrival, the late arrival. The starting, the stopping. The heaviness (though, to be fair, I have had this all my life...#thankspcos), the lightness. The length of said period (no matter what the amount)! Then, there is being hot/cold, weird hormones (I will let you interepet that as you will!), weird food cravings, the being hungry when you shouldn't be hungry! THAT CRAP IS REAL! THE STRUGGLE IS REAL!!! This can last until you are in your 60s! I hope it doesn't last that long for me! I don't know if I can handle it!

The moral of the story is...be kind..someone you saw today is probably going through peri/pre-menopause!

Grieving, Healing, and Picking up After Job Loss

Let's face it: No one likes to lose their job, no matter how trying the job is! I have had a few job losses in my time; whether it was a lay off, let go, etc. It is stressful, hard, and even a bit sad. You didn't just lose your job; you have lost part of your identity; your friends; your community. I was thinking about this the other day, and I thought I would post a few tips that I have used regarding what I have through with job loss. Please know that I am no expert; I am not a counsellor, or a therapist...I just give tips based on experiences.

1) Allow yourself to grieve. Cry, be sad, angry, eat too much junk food, sleep. Do #allthethings. What you have been through is hard, and it is normal to have an array of feelings. You can be upset with yourself, with them, etc. Maybe you are even happy that you aren't there anymore (see #10). Just remember not to bash/badmouth your last employer....especially on Social media...that is never a good idea!!! Besides, you don't ever want to burn your bridges!!

2) Allow yourself go over things (what happened? What went wrong?, etc). If losing your job was your "fault", ask yourself; what could I do better, etc? It is ok to acknowledge your "faults". It will help for your next time.I know this might be hard, but it will probably help for your next job. This is something that I have done before (a few times). However, don't spend too much time obsessing about it, ether. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on.

4) Have some down time; have a pity pity, but only for awhile. No one likes hanging out with a pity party for one. Not even the person holding said party. However, I feel that it is ok to have one, as long as it doesn't last for long (a few weeks is more than enough, IMHO). Two weeks might be enough :) But hey, if it lasts longer, that is ok, too! Just don't invite others :)

5) Pick up and move on. Learn from what happened (if it was your "fault"), and move on. Try not to let too many days/weeks go by before starting your new job search. As T.Swift says, "shake it off"!

6) Turn to Scripture/Prayer. Yes, I know this sounds cliche, but it really does work. Honest. Find a Bible plan on job loss; a devotional book, anything that will encourage your soul.

7) Find someone to talk to. I have talked to a few people about my recent job loss, and they have been nothing but helpful, insightful, and supportive. I have talked a lot with "my" teacher, and it is interesting to get her side of things. I know she is going to miss me, but she agrees (along with me), that there are lots of areas for me to grow in! I also have talked to my brother and SIL about it, and it they have both been extremely helpful.

8) But don't talk to too many people about it. I have learned to not say too much about my work/career to everyone in my life. It is too exhausting, and they don't need to know. Sometimes, they don't even understand, so I try not to bore them with it, plus #boundaries!

9) Decide how you want to tell people. No matter if it was your "fault" that you were let go, or if it was due to $, Covid, etc; you can tell people your own reason that you were let go. No one will be the wiser.

10) You can/you might even be (even just a bit!) happy! Maybe you are just exhausted, or you weren't really enjoying your job anymore. As with most places, there are probably things that you didn't like about it (or about the place itself...people, politics). Let yourself enjoy a) not being at work, and b), not working! Again, as with #4 and #5, don't let too many days and weeks go by without AT LEAST starting on your resume/looking for work!

11) It is ok to not know what to do next in/for your career. I honestly have days where I don't know what I want to do for/as my next job! It can be mentally draining trying to figure out what you want to do next. This last job has me wondering if I should do something similar, or something completely different, and that is ok!

12) You might not want to be social (though no one "should" be having gatherings, anyway!). That is totally ok!!! Essentially, you "broke up" with your job; which really, is an extension of yourself. Don't worry about feeling that you HAVE to go out/be with people!

I hope these tips you (or someone you know) help in guiding you to the next phase of your (job/work search) life!