“Now that you have seen your menses, if you sleep with a man you will get pregnant”
Nwanneka’s blood shot eyes were revealing her fears but her mother went on in her thick igbo accent… “Nwa, if you get pregnant you will drop out of school and you don’t want that”. Her confusion didn’t allow her hear what mum was saying and that rang through her head.
The first period lasted a day (to what Nwanneka thought was a relief) she was 11 at the time. Mummy was at work and she didn’t understand what was happening. Her older sister Nkem just asked her to use tissues for the day…Without any guidance Nwanneka rolled up the largest tissue as uncomfortable as it was, it did the magic (the tissue later fell out without her knowing).
Nwanneka remembers it like it was yesterday, she could almost feel the excruciating pain. It was a few months to her 16th birthday and SS3 meant womanhood and she couldn’t take pride in being one, after all her friends were menstruating and she was still waiting to formally get hers (that one day thing 5years prior was not a period).
To avoid being suspected of pregnancy Nwanneka quickly told mum when the periods were far and between.
She had prayed and wished for the period but she hadn’t bargained for the pain that accompanied it. She was rushed to the hospital and the course of pills begun…. her periods were now pills induced, (pills she found out in her adulthood were contraceptives). She now wonders why the doctor’s never tested her for what was causing the epileptic periods other than treat the pain that the PMS came with (this was in the 1990’s, could the doctor’s excuse be that they were not aware of life altering conditions they could have checked for? of were they just ignorant of lazy and under paid).
Fast forward to 2016, Nwanneka and Chuks had been married four years and the trial for baby was real. They both knew something was wrong because the epileptic periods meant something had to be wrong. Two years in the wrong hospital and they almost gave up…”I’m I damaged goods that no hospital can give me a diagnosis in over 20 years” Chuks was a supportive man and he always knew how to cheer her up whether it was his funny jokes, a simple pat on the back, a back rub or just listening to her. His decision to try another hospital was no surprise because they were both already frustrated with the old one.
After another month-long period which left Nwanneka in hospital and having to be transfused a diagnosis was reached; it was a relief at least to know it had a name….PCOS Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome “it’s treatable but I’m sorry it has no cure” as the Doctor went on Chuks held her hand tightly amid tears as if assuring her they would get through together. She wonders if early detection of her condition could have helped, se questions the competence of our health system and wonders how many more women never get diagnosed especially for period related issues just because it’s period related.
Nwanneka pictured her teenage years and how many symptoms of PCOS she had in plain sight, she had suffered constant weight gain, thinning hair, the absent menses...it was all too clear to miss. She knew she had to put all her hurt aside and the anger she carried with her.
The tedious treatments are on course with numerous side effects…Nwanneka and Chuks are now on the path to becoming parents…
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