OK, ladies -- so I experienced my first hot flashes this weekend. Which really surprised me since I won't even turn 44 until March this year.

The only way I could react to this surprise was though humor and I wrote a haiku poem that I included in a blog post.

"Insolent hot flash!
Nocturnal, uninvited
I am hot and cold."

Well, it's funny to *me* anyway. The entire post is at

Her Circle Ezine

Take care,
Diane

Welcome to the joys of menopause, wordscribe. You've joined a very elite bunch and we're all in it together!

Thank you, Lady Jane!

I was kind of taken aback by this. I have an appointment with my doc in February. Do you know what I should expect, will I get tests taken for hormone levels?

Diane

My aunt would visit
Throw open our window
Saying “Isn’t it hot?”

We did not do this
Our family were
Quiet… reserved

I thought how odd
Not understanding
Storing away the scene

I stand at my window
Flap my nightdress
Remembering my aunt
Mountain ash

Beautiful poem, Mountain Ash!

It's interesting how we understand people and their behaviors more as we get older...

Take care,
Diane

Woohoo! That's funny!

This is fun...

Diane

I had my first hot flash (power surge) at 50. Ten years later I'm still having them. I work outside and it was in the 60s yesterday when I started to feel bad and pulled off clothes while my male partner (for the work day) laughed.

This afternoon I got dizzy while at my computer just before a hot flash. Anyone else had this experience?

One night I sat down at the supper table butt naked, not a single stich of clothing on...my husband walked in, stopped dead in his tracks and a huge grin stretched across his face. "Calm, down", I told him nonchalantly..."I'm expecting a hot flash any second and thought I'd be prepared."

Lying in bed; legs straight up in the air,
Spinning my hot divot around;
I turn the blanket to find the cool side,
Back and forth, to and fro, up side down!

Agh! It’s hot! I’m sweaty yucky,and cranky,
When I hear Hubby joke from his pillow.
“Hey Honey, didn’t know you’re so darn lanky!”
“Very funny”, I growled while I willow and willow.

“Did YOU turn the damned HEAT up last night?”
I screeched in a high pitched tone.
“I’m outta here,” Hubby escapes in flight,
Each step accompanied by my moans.

My head has turned into a flaming torch
No makeup could cover up this sight.
Tossing the divet, I move onto the porch,
My face leads the way like a red light.

A breeze in the night cools before I get hotter,
All is still and twinkly and at peace.
Hubby brings me a cold, clinking, glass of water,
Wow, he has accomplished;… Taming the Beast.

Quietly we return to our comfy slumber land
But what are those surring and burring sounds?
On the floor and burros, Hubby set up spinning fans
To help prevent any further nightmare rounds.

by
Angelika Schwarz
(Hannelore)

Love it, Hannelore! What a wonderful description of how I (we) feel!.....here in Maine we've dipped down into sub zero night time temps. I always used fans year round until I found this man that I have. Last night he noticed I had a fan going....low to the floor on my side of the bed. He thinks I'm totally nuts. But I wake up so many times a night to throw the covers off and flip my pillow. Many nights I can barely throw a sheet over me...and I sleep in the buff! He's over there wrapped to his eyes in a heavy comforter and an extra blanket. Some night I could go stand out naked on the porch just for relief!

Hey Ladyjane, my partner in crime! Glad I'm not the only one who looks like a matchstick on our terrace (a red head with a white body).
We can run in the nude to our hot tub without any neighbors seeing us. I have noticed, though, that when birds fly over our house they flap with just one wing because they cover their eyes with the other. heh heh

Haha, You mean if you can't beat 'em join 'em, Anne? Well, then we'll call you Andy and love you anyway.

Hmmmmmm... maybe not.
But we'd still love you

You all are such an accomplished group of poets! I am still laughing and drying the tears. I am so thankful that I missed all of that as far as I know. I never had any of it before surgery and none since.

I agree that if men had hot flashes there would already be a pill for it. Thankfully we can still laugh and join with our sisters in understanding what's happening to our bodies.

Loved all of the poems and will, with permission, send them to some friends of mine who will definitely enjoy them.

By the way, Wordscribe, I loved your blog. Totally a great article and am looking forward to your anthology on the 21st century feminist. My daughter who is 27 and I have great discussions about the 2nd and 3rd wave of feminism. When will it be available?

Does this look familiar?

Hi Sandpiper!

I had the worst cold so I didn't check forum messages for a while.

Thanks so much for the compliment on the blog! I'm not sure when the anthology will come out -- I believe it's a matter of whether it will be published traditionally or self-published. It looks like it has a lot of great essays and other works in it so I am looking forward to it, too!

Does your daughter read

http://feministing.com

It's for young feminists by young feminists.

And all the other hot flash poems (and illustration!) are great!

Take care,
Diane

Got to tell you that I work with a 24 yr old woman who last year experienced "hotflashes" for a period of time. Sooo..it doesn´t always have to be age related. She made me one very happy lady last year!!!!

There is help..but it depends whether you want it or not. Check with your doctor or search the net.

HOT LOVE!!!

Dee,
I had to laugh at your thread . I am in my late 50's and still get them . I started menopause at 55 and still at it and asked the Doctor when does this end ? He said could go on the rest of my life . Yikes! It this true ? My stress level at times is horrible . I am off estrogen now too .

Any help here .

Renee

Ladies, we are going to have an excellent teleseminar about menoupause and hormones this month. Please visit the home page at www.boomerwomenspeak.com to learn more. Look in the Important Announcements section.

I will have to check this out Dotsie , Thanks for the info . I could use some help . Thanks again.

Renee

as it turnes out i could too. lol.

thought racing tempritures (iv always been hot blodded) was getting a lot frequint thes days, sinces last summer, my hair nearlie wet at times, too riskie i get colds due to soggie hair. Anyway my periods gone hayweire, 2.5 weeks late, (omg 4.5 weeks of PMt/s)to have a two day bleed. now even i can't ignore that as a sighn lol.
I think im too young lol my frends tell me no i am not, my sister just laughes. hmmmmm my breading days just started, can they be over allreadie??!!

i could always go on ignorring the fact, pretend its my meds messing up mu bodie temp, hay maybee it is that lol.

i keep reaading
thanks for poema they made me giggle.

Diane thanks for the website on feministing. I am not sure if she knows about this but will definitely give it to her. She's brought me a long way through our discussions in understanding the new wave of feminism.

Thanks again

Wow! You guys are all so great. I love the humor and the poetry. Hi - I'm Bobbi and am thrilled to be on this site with all you fabulous women.
Today is a good day. I guess the herbs I've been taking are kicking in. Hallelujah! I'm also finding that besides the usual Black Cohosh, etc. that the Motherwort is really helping me and also Valerian root is helping with the intense sweating. Relief is in sight!
Bobbi

Wow! You ladies are great. I don;t have a poem right now but I sure do enjoy reading yours and will keep in touch.
Bobbi