Consider this your friendly reminder to track your menstrual cycles, schedule Paps, and sundry plumbing-related things. Be proactive about your health, and if you suspect something isn't right, don't take "no" for an answer. It's all too easy to be told "it's in your head" - sometimes, this might be the case, but sometimes, it's not at all.

And, for the menfolk out there, rather than getting squeamish, remind the women in your life of this very thing.

(The reason for this PSA is today is the 7th anniversary of my first fibroid surgery, which came after battling a doctor who felt leaving a tumour the size of a grapefruit in my gut was perfectly reasonable.)

And, because today is such a day, I highly recommend The Change before the Change: Everything You Need To Know To Stay Healthy in the Decade Before Menopause by Laura E. Corio, MD - not only for perimenopausal women, but for every woman, regardless of age.

Know your body, and be proactive!