Menopause. . .. .

I am cold blooded.  I am always cold.  I want my house at 73 degrees.  I use a space heater under my desk at work.  I use my seat heater in my car even in the summer.  I love sitting by the fireplace.  I don't like being cold.  For the past four weeks I have changed. . . . I am always hot! It didn't hit me until my nurse visit when she asked me if I was getting hot flashes and then she explained that chemotherapy gives you menopause symptoms.
Now I'm not going to lie I am grateful that Aunt Flo is leaving me alone while I battle cancer.  That is for sure a tender mercy.  But really? Menopause at 38.  And the bonus is that I will get to go through menopause again in about 10 years.  But I can now understand what a hot flash feels like.  And it is not fun!  I was in my classroom the other day and I had one hit me and I couldn't strip layers off in front of my students but I stripped my wig off my head and wanted to stick my head out of the window.
My children are getting used to me unrolling the windows in the dead of winter as we drive around town.  The car temp is rarely over 62 degrees.  We are sleeping with a fan on in our bedroom every night.  I hate menopause and I hate that I have to go through it twice.  But on the bright side at least I know what to expect and it is clear that the chemo is working on my body!