Dawn M. Fitzpatrick's Blog

For Kindle Vella Readers:
Check out my new young adult series entitled The Witch & Me. Episodes are now available.

Description: Marie knew her best friend Jericha was a witch. Yet, when Jericha died in a bizarre public accident, rumors at the high school abounded. Shattered by the tragic death of her friend, Marie was haunted by memories. Yet, guided by those memories, and the arrival of a mysterious trunk, Marie sets on a journey to unravel the true cause of Jericha's death, only to find being a witch wasn't Jericha's only secret.

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/p...

One day I was grocery shopping and came upon a friend who was standing in the supplement section crying.
When I inquired, “Are you okay?”
She responded, “I’m falling apart.”
So instead of shopping, I stood with my crying friend. In her basket were yoga DVDs, and a pile of natural supplements intended for menopause. She told me she was buying every supplement suggested on WebMD and that she felt old, unattractive, tired, and anxious. Also, her brain was gone.
To quote my friend, “I can’t get my poop in a scoop.”
I did my best to reassure her that she wasn’t losing her mind. We sorted through the supplements and returned items to the shelf that I knew from experience, and consultation with my Ob/Gyn, did not work. Mostly, I’d been in her shoes and provided understanding. This is a woman’s experience and we need to be supportive of each other.
Perimenopause creates a feeling of asymmetry. All you want is to return to the old you. The one you understood. The one who didn’t have a freight train running through her head, insomnia, bloating and emotional upheaval, just to name a few. Every woman’s journey is unique, but she should never have to feel less than who she currently is. All women experiencing perimenopause should be able to look forward to the new and wiser person she will become. This is, however, a shared sisterhood experience. Be kind, especially to yourself.

I’d heard about menopause, but I didn’t understand what that meant for me. Then at 47 years, the day after an amazing mountain hike with family, my body had a complete come apart. I woke up with a UTI and it just went downhill from there. That was when I learned about perimenopause with 34 possible symptoms, and this shit-storm I was experiencing could last from two to ten years. Seriously! As girls, we are prepared for menstruation, but no one really talked about the next phase. I guess I should’ve known what was coming, but I was fully unprepared. Then I read this quote on a brochure for a menopause drug at my Ob/Gyn. “Does your age make you feel invisible? Or worse, seen as someone who being ‘menopausal’ has passed their sell-by-date?” Wow! I took a picture with my phone. Was menopause some kind of shameful secret? I was not invisible, nor had I passed my sell-by-date. I knew I couldn’t be the only middle-aged woman feeling this way. Women are strong! Actually, I think women have super powers, hence The Moxie.

I am delighted to have my first novel, The Moxie, featured on Goodreads. Publishing my first book has been quite the journey. I learn something new everyday about the "book" business.

Menopause is a mess, and sharing that mess with humor makes the process a little more tolerable. I've shared a story with you, I hope that you'll share your story with me.