You know the moment I mean -- the one when the just-nice-enough nurse asks you to tell her the first day of your last period.
I know I will be asked this question because every single time I step foot into my gyne's office, I am asked this question. Whether I am there for an annual, a breast exam, some kind of consultation, or some other lady-part business, the question of menstruation is always asked. So why, why, why I am always so unprepared?
There have certainly been times in my life when I've tracked my period. OK, to be honest, there was one month preceding the seven minutes it took me to get pregnant (I kid you not, and also, I do not in any way take this hyper-fertility for granted) that I knew the precise day my last period hit.
In general, I have a pretty good idea of when it should land and if it happened to come on a holiday or some event when I was dying to wear a snazzy white outfit, when it last arrived. Somehow, though, my brain freezes up when the nurse needs an answer. Then, I sputter out dates and incomprehensible calculations that involve carrying the one and subtracting Mondays from alternate weekends and dividing by the last time I picked up a ginormous box of tampons at Costco, all leading me to randomly picking a date on the tiny calendar posted next to the exam table.
It's my period and I get it every month, so why am I so pathetic and keeping track of it? Why does any stop in the exam room feel like the final exam for my flow?
I know there are women out there who are responsible and motivated by many reasons to keep tabs on their periods. I salute you with a big, red flag and I suppose I should strive to be more like you. Maybe I've just been so stuck in the "let's get this over and done with" mindset about my own cycle that I haven't yet made it to the place where I mark it on my calendar.
I know that it is a good, healthy thing to know when you're menstruating, not just for pregnant/not pregnant reasons, but to track any changes that require a doctor's attention. In fact, some experts say you should add notes to the big X on your day planner. I imagine this to read something like, "Dear Period Diary, Happy to see you again! Sort of...I guess..." but really, they mean rating the severity of your menstrual symptoms, how heavy you are bleeding, and any medications you are taking that month. If you've had any problems with your period (and frankly, who hasn't?), charting your symptoms, concerns, and any changes will certainly give you and your doctor a clearer picture of how to address your issues. But if things are relatively normal, then the smallest scribble with the date feels as laborious as making an Excel spreadsheet of the whole event.
Or maybe my own period doesn't just bring on the sore boobs and chocolate gorging, it also induces laziness. And maybe my best bet is to ask Midol or Tampax to stick a calendar and red marker on the back of every box.
Do you track your cycle? If so, how do you keep at it month after month? If not, how do you handle the mysterious menstruation date questions when the nurse asks you?
If you are ready to get your own period-ic table going, here's one you can personalize and track online.
More girl talk:
- RED DAY!: What do you NOT do when you have your period?
- What's happening inside your hoo-hoo? Plus, 5 other fascinating vaginal issues to ponder
- Be honest: How often do you do breast self-exams?
- What do you think about having only 4 periods a year?
[photo credit: Getty Images]
