My Menopause Blog

This is not a made up or even slightly exaggerated story.

My regular readers will have noticed my blogging irregularity of late. For many reasons, I’ve been reluctant to offer an explanation simply because menopause didn’t seem to be the central theme. But - and I do mean but - ‘everything’ in my life is different today than it was a week ago and for the next while at least, my menopause blog will be taking a back seat to other more pressing issues.

Where does one start explaining something that has no beginning?

Last Monday I showed my handy man a squirrel chewed hole in the doorway to my crawl space under the kitchen of my home. He promptly blocked it with a brick and promised a new vermin proof door in the near future. I was suitably relieved.

Tuesday morning I woke to find a red squirrel sitting on the floor of my bedroom. Next - and more importantly - I noted two chunks of squirrel poo resting comfortably on my pillow - the same pillow that my head was on. Clearly I had a problem brewing and obviously I sleep more deeply than I ever imagined.

The squirrel was easy to get out of the house. I opened the door - he walked out. Then, for the next few hours, I wiped squirrel excrement off dozens of surfaces all the while praying that this visit was a one off.

Wednesday morning I woke up itchy. A quick examination revealed dozen of flea bites in a surround Sue pattern on my body. When I got downstairs and discovered my floor strewn with cd’s, more poo and a frantic squirrel trying to get out my back door - I started to grasp the severity of the situation that was unfolding.

Stepping back in time now - for a couple years I’ve been dealing with what was originally diagnosed as a ’stress condition’. Over the winter this condition took a nasty turn toward something I’ll name ‘neurological disorder’ with a side order of ‘progressively degenerative’. My motor skills are very compromised, I can only type with one hand and my walking is noticeably weird. Scary stuff no matter how you look at it and not particularly appealing for a self employed artist, blogger with no disability insurance.

Perhaps the bitter icing on my current cake - I had to cancel the publication of the 2008 Breast of Canada calendar - my seventh edition. I simply can’t do it.

[BTW: FYI - the ads on my blogs and websites are a source of income.]

Back to last week - flea infested house, red squirrel stalking the joint and me chewed up, freaked out and unwell.

Friday morning one squirrel attacked my house - ripping my screen to shreds despite my efforts to scare it away on the other side of the window. In fact by the time my neighbour was able to trap the home invader in my kitchen on Saturday afternoon, three screens had been destroyed and my house was in full lock down.

Now the funny not so ha-ha part about flea removal remedies is that anyone with a neurological disorder should NOT use them. Which leaves the only solutions for flea removal the passing of time, persistent cleaning and evacuation.

I moved out.

Currently the silver lining is starting to show. My wonderful men friends are showing up in coveralls with action plans. The original entryway for Red has been thoroughly cleared of quite a larder of squirrel food - but thankfully no nest - and the space has been secured. A dumpster sits in my driveway and will soon be filled with old, fleabag carpet, a potentially mould hiding basement sub-floor and anything else that could be negatively contributing to my health issues. I could very well be suffering from environmental pollutants - by way of vermin and old home dampness - two issues that have persisted in my abode much longer than I would like to admit.

I’m staying with friends and trying to not do as much as possible - which after I publish this post, will include this blog. I need to focus on my health and take stock of my life.

Until I return, please stay cool with your menopause.

Sue Richards

June 20th note: Almost three weeks and exactly three squirrels later - I’m mammal and flea free. But I have black mold lurking in my newly gutted basement and a power washing detoxification mold man booked for early next week. I’ve filled two 10 yard dumpsters to the brim and still I’m finding stuff to throw away! Plus, I’m now on heavy duty anti-fungal meds - perhaps the solution to my neurological disorder.

I’m still evacuated.

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