Periods.

My period just ended.

In past lives, my periods were light, lasted 3-5 days, and occurred every 14 days.  One of the two I experienced each month had to have been break through bleeding but I couldn't say since there was never any difference in amount of blood loss, bloating, or emotions from one to the next. For a long time I thought I must have been ovulating that frequently. And actually, I can't say for sure that I wasn't. I do know that if I missed a "period", the next one would be severe in contrast. They would come hard and heavy, were physically and mentally exhausting and came accompanied by headaches.  I hate headaches.  (Listen to me complain, aye? My heart goes out to those of you who have them worse. God bless you.)

This is what I figure: if I'd lived in ancient Israel, I'd be deemed "unclean" for 7 days because of my "issue". Then, after my days of separation, I'd number another 7 days, and on the eighth day (or the 15th day - depending on how you count it) I'd take my sacrifice to the priest and be clean, just in time for my next period to start (or the break-through bleeding to commence) and I'm back to the red tent. If I was "lucky", I'd get a day or two of "clean" days in there. And on rare occasions, I'd get a longer break to gear up for the deluge to come.  (based on Leviticus 15.)

Instead, I groaned and moaned as I realized my period was back after a 13 month hiatus (from having Marie).  I went through dollars worth in tampons and pads, watched the clock and made a trip to the bathroom every two hours for the first 2 days, took Aleve for my headaches, slept, casually brushed my hand against my bottom every time I stood up to make sure there was no bloody show, experienced more than once that erroneous near-to-crying lump-in-the-throat without just cause, broke out in puberty's acne, and, lived to tell the story.   On the up-side, the bloating is over - til next time.