hello, this is your period calling.

Opening scene: teenager, 13 yrs old, awakens in the morning with extreme low back pain and feeling irritable. Aunt, uncle and cousins are visiting from out of town during the hot summer.

Confused and in a daze, I awaken wondering what happened overnight?! With large tears streaming down my face, I slowly walk up to my mom. The only words I can get out is "my back hurts," interrupting her conversation with my Aunt. In reality, I am not sure what really hurts. Is it my back? Is it my stomach? Is it my abdomen? Did I eat something weird last night? I don't know. I am feeling really upset and confused right now.

Thank goodness for my Mom. She is quick to get me some pain meds and helps me to the couch to rest. I can tell from her face she is concerned, but she's waiting for me to be able to tell her more. She gets me a thin blanket and tries to get me as comfortable as possible on the couch. My younger brother and cousins come and ask if I am okay, I can see they are worried. OF COURSE I AM NOT OKAY!!! I don't know what is happening to my freekin' body right now. I tell them I'm fine and to go have fun! My dad comes over to kiss me on the cheek and I start to tear up. He gives me a hug and says it will be okay. I struggle to believe him, but hold tight in his comforting arms.

I spend most of my day on the couch wishing away the pain in-between watching tv shows. Mom comes and checks on me every half-hour to see how I am doing, while trying to still play hostess to my extended family. Eventually, I get up to go to the washroom, in hopes that maybe my stomach is just a bit off.

Now, in retrospect, I recognize this was the defining moment my body was finally giving me the visual signal of "hello, this is your period calling. welcome to the club!" But as a tired, confused teenager, I am pretty sure that if there was a hidden camera in the bathroom for that defining moment, it would have captured the face of "what just died in my underwear" look.

But apparently I wasn't alone...