I’m almost 28 years old and I’d say I’ve learned a lot so far. I know all about buying and selling a home. I’m SLOWLY learning the tricks to surviving a first year of marriage. I am constantly learning how to deal with all the interesting types of people I work with. But most recently, I’ve learned something that has tremendously changed my life for the better. Something that adds so much more value to my well being…. I’ve learned that tampons are my friend!
Ok, so you’re probably saying, “what the hell?” I’ll explain. I think I was 10 when I had my first health class? Do you remember your own? The introduction to the usage of a pad and a tampon. The pad- good, great. Something to capture the ever wonderful time of the month when the lining of my uterus decides to spill out uncontrollably for 5-7 days (less if you’re lucky). In my young, inexperienced eyes, the pad was a great invention- usually large enough to provide a non-evasive approach to protection, and small enough to remain minimally noticed. Definite clean up to manage, but otherwise straight forward usage. I’m liking this concept.
And then there’s the tampon.
I remember that the explanation of this clever device came with the picture of a lady in a half elevated lunge position. Accompanying this instruction was usually a picture, cross sectioning the wall of a vagina, showing how to actually insert the device. Following are various stages of my life that have experienced the tampon since this brief introduction.
10 years old: It looked so awkward! Intrusive, borderline torture device. I mean how the heck am I supposed to get this thing in? Cardboard rough applicator, insertion of a thick stub of cotton. What if it gets stuck? Can I take away my own virginity? And then having to eventually look for a flimsy string to yank the thing back out? Too complicated, not for me!
High school: Almost monthly I would receive the free promotional teen packages, from various sources and they would include some type of “time of the month” supply for girls. At every new opportunity to “try it”, I constantly re-enforced my stance with the dangers of toxic shock syndrome, the concern of affecting my reproductive ability [what I now know to be myths], and any other excuse that would justify avoidance at using this strange contraption.
College: I finally (for a day) gave in. The “
But recently (7 years later), something very peculiar happened. It all started with my period deciding to come super early. This one particular, life changing time, I wasn’t prepared with my usual supply of pads, I was in the office, and to add to mother nature’s funny little joke, NO ONE had a pad! I was angry!!! What the crap?? Why was my monthly visit coming so early? I was pissed about the endurance of a pad for this extended amount of time, thinking of the additional hassle and annoyance that was sure to come with the extended amount of time. Alas, I had to rely on borrowing what I could which ended up being the enemy device.
And as I walked to the bathroom with the horrible little thing, fuming, I tried to prepare myself mentally. But instead of preparing my mind with all the negative history I’ve had with the said item, I tried to focus on conquering it. Tampons are used by millions of women a day, right? There’s obviously a huge market for the darn things. The millions if not billions of users out there can’t all think it’s so horrible. I’m more educated then I was at 10, so I know the difference between health concerns and myths. Have I ever really put a 100% into giving the said item a chance when I tried it? Not really, and maybe if I’m more open to the idea it won’t be so bad. Worse case, restroom paper towels (although unreliable) are useful.
It was liberating! Amazing! I went out and bought my own stash and some days I forgot I was on my period. No mess! No leaks. No more waking up in a horrible mood because I’ve slept in a fetal position to avoid leaks. No more avoidance of being held at night by my significant other in fear of incorrectly positioning my pad. It was wonderful, enlightening, and I can’t over stress how liberating, especially when put in correctly!
So call me late, old fashioned, whatever. But don’t we all have our quarks? People have their own preferences that we become so accustomed to and then we resign ourselves to the things we “would never do”. So I just wanted to share my most recent, fun and memorable experience of a very awesome and definite “do”.
Welcome to the world of modern day convince. With all the things that men create to torture us to benefit their whims, alas they did not miss the mark on this one. True story, I was 14 and had a dance recital and my period was on. How do you prevent leakage with your legs grapped open in plies, splits and high kicks. So my mom tried to tell how to use a tampoon. I went into the bathroom where I seemed to be for hours. I went through an entire box of tampoons and never got one in. My mom kept knocking on the door asking me for updates. She finally came in I standing there tampoon in hand dripping with sweat, my hands shaking like I was having convulsions and damn near ready to pass out. My mom laughed hysterically for about five minutes before she said very bluntly, "Girl, there are going to be a lot bigger things than that tampoon going in your &@#%^". I love my mom, thank God she was right (wink)
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