Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Womanly Sufferings

You know, we women put up with a lot. We have fluctuating hormones every month for years and years, not to mention the unpleasantness of dealing with a menstrual cycle as well. Of our species, we're the one to carry the child and give birth; no daddy seahorses for us pushing out those babies.

And, the fun just never seems to stop. We're poked and prodded in extremely uncomfortable and violating ways when it comes to physical examinations. Okay, so I'll give the guys the prostrate exam. Nothing fun or exciting about that, I'll grant you that.

But, breast exams, now there's a torture device right straight from the last century. I went through such torture today as part of my yearly physical exam. I've got to admit, over the years, the compassion in the technicians have risen, even though they're still squeezing the life out of your breasts. Who came up with the bright idea to flatten your breasts into the size of pancakes so that a cancerous lump could be located on an x-ray?

Men don't have to get their testicles squashed until they're flat to look for testicular cancer, do they? Who's bright idea is that? Why do they get special treatment?

If breast exams weren't enough for inhumane suffering, ask any woman who's going through menopause how they feel and then step back for the hormonal explosion. First, I'm hotter than an asphalt road in the middle of the Arizona desert in August then the next hour I'm freezing my toes off. I knew perfectly well what my neighbor's name was yesterday because I just talked to her, but for the life of me, I can't remember it now. I always thought I was emotionally balanced, but play a Hallmark commercial in front of me and watch the waterworks flow. There's no making sense out of it. It's just not possible.

And, what horrible affliction do men have to suffer from? A drop in testosterone. Darn, they won't want sex as often. Gee, I really feel for them.

This really wasn't meant as a rant, but I guess some things needed to be said. Good thing this only happens once a year.

Sunday, May 28, 2006