Being Me...My Story

I am a female approaching middle age. I have been having this issue for about five years give or take. In the beginning, a person had to be very close in order to smell me. However, for the past two years or so, it seems to have taken on a emanating quality that reaches the masses.

It is important to note that I have fibroids which causes very heavy bleeding (sorry if TMI). The reactions from others increase tenfold when it is that time of the month (TOM). The odor is knocking down rows and rows of people in a single whiff. There was once I went to a restaurant during that TOM and they started seating people on the other side. I was the only one on my side of the restaurant. I just left. But I have noticed it at other times as well.

I have heard it smells like an unwashed woman during that TOM, garlic and onions, skunk, rotten eggs. I cannot smell it most of the time. But on occasion (very rare), I have caught a whiff when I changed positions or a certain wind and I would say it is more like garbage, sewer, homeless, although no one has said these descriptions.

Crazy thing is, I don't think is all the time. I will go sometime long stretches with no reactions and then other times air fresheners and nose covering are at an all time high. I have a teenaged daughter who won't tell me if I ask, but will volunteer the info or give clues if I don't. If I say, "Do I stink", she will say no. But if we are just hanging out, she will say "Did you take a bath" or she will crack the window in the car with the air conditioner on or when it's cold outside. When I am having good days, she will lay on me, ride in the car without the window down, etc. When it's bad, she will keep her distance.

I am certain it is diet related. When I am eating poorly with a lot of fast food and junk food, I notice more reactions. When I am eating better, I notice fewer. I am currently using the GAPS Diet to heal and seal my gut supposedly. This diet is not meant be a permanent diet, just until you have healed your gut. So, after I think it is healed, I will go to a pH diet.

I only minimally isolate myself. I work. I go to the movies and to restaurants. I go to my daughters events at school, family get togethers, shopping. I just don't ride in other people's cars or let anyone ride with me. I don't often accept invitations from friends to events (sometimes I will depending on what it is). I feel more comfortable with strangers because I care less of what they think of me than closer friends.

I am just going through life being me. There is nothing that I truly want to do that I don't. If someone wants to be my friend, cool. If they don't, that's cool too. Everyone wasn't going to like me anyway, smell or no smell. So I do me and keep it moving. I chose the username going2win because I know I am going to beat this thing and get back to "normal" (whatever that means).

If you made it this far, thanks for listening to my story. I look forward to chatting with all of you.