A Menopausal Musing on Surviving Summer

I made it through another summer without melting.  I made it through another summer without committing any acts of misconduct that would land me in jail. I made it through another summer without embarrassing my family or myself. I am not being over dramatic because I have hot flashes and night sweats and the summer heat is challenging for a menopausal woman. Ask any menopausal woman and she will concur!

Often I thought of taking off a layer of clothing but thankfully decorum overruled. Often I considered minimal or no underwear but sanity and good taste overruled. Often did I reach for a pitcher of water contemplating pouring it over my head but maturity persevered. Often I would break out in a glistening sweat and refrain from wiping and smearing my makeup all over myself or anything or anyone close at hand. It has been a long hot summer!

I sleep in moisture wicking sleepwear, http://www.haralee.com. They keep me from having to get up and change the wet sheets but the night sweats I swear are worse in the summer. I have a ceiling fan and air-conditioning but I also have an environmentally conscious husband so the air is turned down to 73 degrees at night. That may sound cool to the normal person but to any menopausal woman dealing with night sweats it is not cool enough.  Ask any menopausal woman and she will concur!

The forecast is for a week of cool and maybe damp days with temperatures only in the low 70’s. This forecast is like an oasis to me. I am looking forward to an entire week free from the blasted sun.  I am looking forward to week where normal people may don a sweater and those of us in the menopausal group can wear clothes without sweating. While others may put away their sandals and open toed shoes, we flashing, sweating women will still be getting some air from our exposed toes until the snow flies. Ask any menopausal woman and she will concur!

How did you survive the summer? Are you glad like me to see cooler temperatures? Most importantly, do you concur?