Confession: I've never really noticed or celebrated International Women's day. I happen to see it on our wall calendar at home (weird how it isn't in my Ban.do planner...wassup with that? because that company was started and is run by some of the most successful and creative females in the world)
Since starting my blog about mental illness and also talking about it on my other social media accounts, I found so many other amazing women out there who are inspiring and I appreciate their openness and honesty in so many ways.
I reached out to these fellow mental health advocates and beautiful women a couple months ago asking if I could post their account links on my blog. They graciously accepted. My shout-out is long over due:
And since I mentioned ban.do earlier, the woman who started it all, Jen Gotch, is literally one of my heroes. My admiration for her started in 2014 when I couldn't stop staring at their products and loving all of the female artists that they worked with to create really super-cute and fun products. Over the years, Jen has posted more personal things about her own life such as her struggle with divorce, work-stress, body image, and yes, mental health. My love for her was solidified when she posted an epic instagram post of herself crying during an emotional breakdown. You can't get anymore transparent and in your face than that. In a world of perfectly posed photo feeds, she fills the page with both colorful inspiration and real down-to-earth talk.
PCOS: polycystic ovary syndrome
I also want to mention something today that I suffer from, and so do millions of other women in our country. Despite the fact it affects 10% of women in child bearing age, it is still so unknown and unheard of. I was dumbfounded when my primary care physician had never heard of it when I had my first appointment with him last year. (we had just gotten new health insurance and luckily I found an amazing obg clinic that specializes in pcos, infertility, and other female hormonal and reproductive organ issues.)
What is it?
"Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs.
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. Early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss may reduce the risk of long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease." -mayoclinic.org
For a short but powerful read, check this out: 4 Frustrating Facts About PCOS...and what they mean for you
The symptoms of this disorder become more prominent in my life with every year. As of right now, I do not ovulate. At all. I still get irregular menstrual cycles, and of course it's irregularity and unbalanced hormone levels make dealing with my mental illness a whole lot worse, but that's all I get. The worst parts of the monthly "gift" are all I get to experience but the magic and wonderful part that allows me to make a human being inside my body is not there. And who knows if that ability will ever be there? or if I can make the whole process of pro-creating happen before I have to get a hysterectomy due to my greatly increased chances of cancerous tumors? Only time will tell.
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| Happy International Women's Day |
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