February 12, 2010

NSFDOFOH: Not Safe For Dudes or Faint of Heart

Last week I bought a menstrual cup.

What is a menstrual cup you ask? Google it if you're too lazy or stupid to figure it out. A friend of mine at work has been using one for five years and swears by it. In those five years, she's never had to purchase one single feminine product and that adds up to hundreds of dollars in savings. HUNDREDS. I don't know about you but I'd rather buy those chocolate covered pretzels instead of tampons when the time comes and that's still a savings of HUNDREDS. She considers it the best purchase she's ever made and in describing it as such, she piqued my interest.

I did some Internet research and looked for it in the local co-op. There's no way this thing is sold in regular grocery stores. The initial purchase is a lot of money so the price was my first hurdle to overcome. The next hurdle was simply gathering up the courage to buy the thing. I mean, the price justifies a serious commitment. If it doesn't work out for me then I wasted my money and killed Nature. That's a lot of pressure. I thought of all the polar bears I, Katherine, would save by no longer choosing disposable products. After months of deliberation, I bought it.

Emily came over that fateful, Nature-saving day to hang out so I went over it with her. I needed someone else to bounce this whole thing off of. No, I didn't throw it at her. I made her listen to the instructions while I poked and prodded it and kept it away from my vagina. I'm super glad she listened and squirmed with me because there is no way in Hell Mike would've let me think out loud about such a thing. He gets the Uncomfortables when such topics arise. If we learned anything from the manual, practice is a must. But so is saving Nature. And I think I can make that sacrifice. I'll try. I've already had dreams about the experience. It's not like I can return it or anything.

4 comments:

Cmoore180 said...

Way to go! I am so proud of you!!! I considered buying one last year and could never push myself to do. I'm definitely proud of your commitment and am sure that, though it may be awkward, the experience will be worthwhile.

Unknown said...

always been curious. Tell me how it goes

jana said...

I tried mine for several months and was SO EXCITED about it. But it worked awfully and was a mess. And I know my body inside & out and I read every reader forum that I could find.

I hate that I gave up, but it just ended up creating a huge mess that ate up more resources (read: lots 'o'laundry) than it saved. Not a win. I feel like such an eco-failure.

belleshpgrl said...

Thanks for telling me Jana. My practice isn't going so well. It's nice to know that it isn't for everyone...