Week Two: What a Wild Ride!

Oooohhh, what an interesting week this one has been!  How do I begin?  If I thought there was tremendous support last week? ... It's nothing compared to the past seven days.

Day Eight (Monday, July 20, 2015):

My week started off awesome, in the best way possible: a kick a*$ workout.  It's one of those gifts that, I feel, more people need to give themselves.  It's okay to give yourself an hour, a few days a week. It's for your health.  That's what this whole blog/journey thing is about: sharing information about health.  And when things get stressful? Man, there's nothing better than taking it out on inanimate objects in the gym. And there's no better cheerleader (oh, man, he's going to kill me for calling him that!) than my trainer Thomas Wetzstein. (Pronounced Toe-más Wet-like-a-beer-stein.) A first-generation German love. Who kicks my butt. And I tell him, as long as he can make it look like J. Lo's butt, have at me.  We have been working together for about five years. Looking back, it's just another sign that things weren't right when I regularly started canceling on him during menstruation.

Well, last week was week one.  I'd been warned that I may menstruate, or at least have some endo symptoms during week one or week two.  Week one was a breeze.  I faced this week thinking, "Bring it, Mother Nature!"

I started the week like a warrior. Thomas had me dead lifting a max weight of 150 pounds. Not my personal best, but dang near close to it.  And I hadn't lifted that much in quite a while.  So it felt good.  Walked out of the gym on the first day of the week pumped, and ready for whatever was in store.

Day Nine (Tuesday, July 21, 2015):

Tuesday was going along just fine. No body issues.  Feeling great.  No roller coaster of emotions.  Honestly, this day would've gone down with just a sentence. Until I read the e-mail.  It's not unusual for news anchors to get mail criticizing the work we do. In fact, for women, it's quite common.  I received one Monday night that I didn't read until Tuesday.  In all honesty, the e-mail is quite funny.  The troll was definitely trying to be hurtful.  In the end, I want to thank whoever was behind the letter, as it created a tidal wave of support. I happened to take a screen shot of the e-mail, and posted it onto my professional Facebook page.  My post got picked up by arguably the most recognizable male news anchor on the west coast, and he posted the e-mail on his professional Facebook page.  It took off from there.  Again, I just want to say "thank you" to everyone who has been so supportive throughout this journey.

Day Ten (Wednesday, July 22, 2015):

No body issues. Feeling great.  No roller coaster of emotions.

Day Eleven (Thursday, July 23, 2015):

Menstruation started.

Day Twelve (Friday, July 24, 2015):

Menstruation ended in the afternoon, but endo cramping began.  The Man and I don't live together, and he'd never really experienced a night of endo cramping.  I didn't sleep at all Friday night (and while he said he did sleep, The Man was yawning all day Saturday.)  About every half hour I'd get a stomach cramp with gurgling.  There really wasn't a way to ease the pain, so I'd ride it out by putting my face down in the pillow, and sitting on my knees or I'd lay in the fetal position. The kindest gesture was feeling his hands rubbing the small of my back. And he did this often throughout the night.  This cramping lasted a good 24 hours, and was deep.  While it wasn't as bad as the cramping that sent me to the doctor to begin with, it was bad.  I'd say it was 80-90% the pain that I felt in June.

Day Thirteen (Saturday, July 25, 2015):

Fatigued.  Hurting.  Hungry.  Throwing up.  All the time.  Cramping continued.  Thinking was impossible.  My mom and dad called me asking to walk them through how to drag songs from iTunes onto their iPhones, and I couldn't even explain it.  The Man worked, so I was home alone with the dogs for the better part of the day.  Tried to make up for the lack of sleep from Friday night, but with the continued cramping, and add in the fact that I'm now throwing up, and it just wasn't a pretty day.  I threw up about five times (with each time having three to five yaks.)

Day Fourteen (Sunday, July 26, 2015):

What? I was under the weather? Huh. Could've fooled me!  Feeling fine today.  Occasional stomach gurgles without the cramping. Residual headaches, and I think that's from being dehydrated.  But I'm making up for it.  Drinking lots of fluids... Oh, and I'm baking again!  This time? Pumpkin Cornbread.