Hi, I’m teyonna bowman.
I’m a two time cancer survivor, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Being all these things made me feel more than equipped to enter medically induced menopause. It’s just a few hot flashes and an opportunity to empty my purse, backpack and cabinets of all emergency tampons and pads, right?! I couldn’t have been farther off.
I always thought of menopause as a far off destination, with very clear (and limited) symptoms. Instead, this journey really feels more like puberty 2.0—packed with multiple body changes and an emotional rollercoaster operated by Lucius himself. I wasn’t prepared for the stigmas and relatively few deep conversations happening in this space—despite the many ways women are reaching this time of life. It’s time to change that and bring the menopause transition to the forefront. Here’s my story.
Note: I’ll be speaking from the cisgender perspective because I do not know the journey of some transgender women but understand that it is complex and should be included in the discussion.
At the age of 34 I felt a lump in my left breast after I had just finished nursing my second child. My annoyance from not being able to keep the extra post-partum fullness quickly faded away when I was hit with an unexpected diagnosis of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (aka Breast Cancer). After going through a double mastectomy, chemo, adjuvant therapy, starting a new job and chasing new adventures, I thought this was all just a bad chapter in my life.
However, less than five years later I was diagnosed with a recurrence. It was deja vu in the worst way. My recent months have been filled with more surgery, radiation, ovarian suppression (until I naturally reach menopause), and additional adjuvant therapy. Dealing with cancer for a second time has not been a walk in the park, but in a way I felt like I understood the action steps towards remission. What I didn’t fully appreciate was everything that comes along with sudden, medically-induced menopause.
My brain has been on some real “New Body, Who Dis?” vibes. Sudden menopause can mean more extreme symptoms than the natural process, but I am not deterred by that.
I created this site and blog to share my real time thoughts, learning process and the products I’m using. My hope is to get tips and support from women who are also going through perimenopause journey, have hit menopause, or are postmenopausal—naturally, surgically or medically.
The name, Pausitive Outlook, became the name that seemed to best capture this full journey. It’s not about toxic positivity but rather expresses my new internal state and view of the external world. It is for the long haul—after all women are spending 1/3 to 1/2 of our lives post menopausal.
I may have arrived to this menopause party a little earlier than I expected but I’m not even close to alone. It’s my hope that we start to talk about this time of life more like a festival than like a top secret speakeasy.
Photo Credit: Tina Swain Photography
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Pausitive Thoughts - Blog
This menopause transition has been a doozy. Some days are good, others are not. Here’s a peek into my ever changing thoughts.
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Pausitively Radiant
Some of the products I’ve been trying out for my changing skin and hot body (temperature that is!)
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Journey
Not everyone’s journey looks the same but there are some commonalities that may help me sort out my day-to-day craziness. Please share your journey here.
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Helpful Resources
There are amazing women doing work to bring discussions about menopause to the forefront. Check out what I’ve been reading and who I’m following!