Woman's foe

While growing up, my family often took family trips on vacations, especially during summer times. One of the trips we took when I was 14 was to Minneapolis to visit my aunt and her family. I had a good time playing with my cousins and going out around Minneapolis area.

On the way back home from Minneapolis, we stopped by in Wisconsin to visit old family friend of my parents.

They had a nice house but during the time we visited, their a/c was not working. However, the husband ran a motel business so they let us sleep in a room for free for two nights.

In the mornings, we would go to their house to eat meals and chat during the day. My sister and I played with their two small children.

On the last morning, as usual, my mother woke me up and told me to get ready. I proceeded to go to the bathroom to take a bath.

Enjoying a warm gentle shower, I lingered after finishing lathering myself with soap, feeling the water flowing on my face and to my body. Ten minutes later, I suddenly felt a bit weak.

Puzzled and woozy, I quickly turned off the shower and swaggered to the towel rack. As soon as I took the towel, I felt weaker and collapsed to the floor.

Mustering my strength to get up to open the door, I could barely lift my arms.

With a weak voice, I shouted for my mother. Seconds later, I heard a banging. I then realized I had locked the bathroom door.

Taking a deep breath, I, with all my might, struggled to get up but slipping on the floor and then using the door knob as a support. Finally, when I managed to almost get on my feet, I quickly unlocked the door and collapsed again, out of breath.

My mother rushed in, wrapped me with towel, helped me get up, and put me on the bed. I was sweating profusely.

I never felt SO good to get out of the steamy bathroom into the cool room and bed.

Immediately, I felt sleepy and was about to go to sleep when my father said we have to go. We were going back home after breakfast.

I moaned and groaned, pleading my father for fifteen more minutes of rest.

Feeling snuggly under the bed comforters, I proceeded to sleep well. It felt like just seconds later when my father woke me up, firmly saying I HAD to get up and get ready.

Of all the days, it had to happen TODAY! I muttered.

I miserably endured riding in the car for 14 hours back home, whining and complaining to my dad not to swerve too suddenly and go slowly on the bumps.

I had for the first time, since age 12, developed severe abdominal cramps.

The reason I nearly fainted was because I did not realize that a "steamy"/sauna room or hot shower and the first day of menstrual did not mix, at least for me.