Hi there!
First, a little background: I grew up in rural northwest (Lower Peninsula) Michigan; riding bikes and building forts in the woods with my older sister. It was just us two girls, searching for the newest litter of kittens or helping mom and dad with household chores and the garden. It was a meek, but wonderful childhood! I graduated high school in 1989 with 16 other kids in my graduating class (I told you I was from a rural area!). Everyone knew everyone. I started college in the fall of ’89 and managed to pull a 3.5 gpa while working 40+ hours per week at a family-owned bait and tackle shop. It was there (the bait and tackle shop) that I met the person who I would marry and have 4 children with. After 24 years of marriage I filed for divorce in 2016, essentially leaving in the dark of night. After too many years of getting the silent treatment (literally for months on end), being told to ‘F- off’ in front of the kids, and having the bed to myself every night for years (etc.), I decided “This is it. It’s not getting better. And I’m not getting any younger.” (There’s a LOT more to this… in fact, there may be a book in my future.) And funny how things work out, because I met the man of my dreams in early 2018. We each took paths through life that led us to our meeting at exactly the right time. He proposed to me September 25th of 2020 on the Indian Head formation of the Pictured Rocks in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We married in July of 2021 in my parents’ back yard. It was a dream wedding – a perfect day! About 8 years ago (2015-ish) I was diagnosed with PMDD (pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder). Something I never knew even existed until my diagnosis. This was the sudden and harsh reality that I was now experiencing peri-menopause. Oh joy! (Wait, this is something my mother never talked to us girls about!) I talked frequently with my doctor and began finding a medication that helped control my moods, and more importantly, my anger that, while at one time only came during visits by Aunt Flo, was now a steady and active negative force in my life. This PMDD thing was very literally, ruining relationships, endangering my career, and making me really not like myself at all! I began having anxiety/panic attacks, which led to IBS. I ruminated on mole hills and made them into hellish mountains. I was a complete hot mess! This diagnosis eventually took it’s toll and – after a whirlwind of HR department changes at the company I worked for for over 14 years, I was terminated. And unfortunately, their reasoning was racked up to ‘my attitude’. (Keep watch for a blog post about this.) My current efforts: So I’ve been diving in to job hunting, unemployment (not fun!), flower gardening, crocheting baby blankets, etc. But more importantly, building an online presence to be a resource for other midlife (peri-)menopausal women going through this crazy time of life. I’d love for you to join me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and here on my website! You can leave a comment in our private Facebook Group to get the conversation started. Can't wait to meet you! |
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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” - Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” - Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”
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