Page 11 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 2

ISSUE TWO | SEPT/OCT
Esther’s life experience women to understand their bodies clothes. There was nothing I could
belies her age. The author, and also to empower their parents do; I just threw the trousers away.
menstrual health and to guide their daughters through When I got back home I told my
endometriosis ambassador, puberty. mom I couldn’t pee, but she was
conversation-starter, trainer, like, “Can you pee now?” I was like
wife and mom of two, turns How did you end up “Yes”, she was like, “Okay, well it
29 this year, but she has focusing on menstrual seems to have resolved itself.”
boldly faced and overcome health, endometriosis and Then my period got worse. As a
challenges that few women menopause? little girl, I always wanted to be a
have had to or will ever have This is the information I wish I had doctor, but at one point I was like,
to face in their entire lifetime. as a younger girl. What I was told “Who am I kidding? My periods are
Now, she has allowed God about periods and what periods already so much to handle, I’m not
to turn her experiences and actually ended up being were two about to go and look at someone
pain into a journey of hope. totally different things. I expected else’s blood.” I told my parents,
Her first book, Bloom, is a butterflies and twirling skirts, “This is it, I’m done.” They were
practical guide for a girl’s or like everything you see on TV bewildered but they asked me if I
woman’s period journey and commercials, but it was nothing had a plan. So I told them, “Well
her second book (which is like that. the next best thing is Psychology.
brand new) is called Furaha I started my period before I was No blood, but you can still help
and is a 10-week workbook 10 years old, then it disappeared people.”
that guides girls through and came back maybe when I was I think that’s one of the best
puberty, helping them about 11 or 12. It came back painful decisions I made for myself.
understand their bodies, but wit no dramatic symptoms. As Sometimes God guides us without
themselves, friendship, self- I got into high school, no one told us knowing. I joined university and
esteem among other issues, me that clots were not normal, it was great, it was fantastic, I wish
with a friendly aunty guiding because you’re just told here’s a my period experience was too, but
them through. She also has pad, here’s your panty - you stick I can see how God was hiding me
frequent menopause and and then discard after that, but at the time. I started getting UTIs
menstrual support meetings I often found out that one packet and yeast infections; they were
and trainings for school was never enough. just recurring. I was almost always
children and parents as well. When I was about 15 years old sick. Even when I hadn’t finished
that’s when I can say that my antibiotics for one, I was starting
period got out of hand - it was medication for another. My doctor
Tell us a little about yourself already horrible - now this is like realized I wasn’t getting any better
and your journey of faith. when it intensified. I went up Mt. and sent me to see a Urologist,
My name is Esther Mbugua Kenya, and it was exciting, my who did lots of tests and then said,
Kimemia, I am married and a second time up the mountain so “I can’t seem to find the problem,
mother of two children and I live I don’t think it was the mountain so I think we need to go in and see
in Mombasa. My background is that was the problem. But when what’s going on.”
in Psychology, but God has set I was up there, I had problems So I had my first surgery, they
me on an interesting course. peeing. I would squat for half an found I had masses in my bladder
Not one that I studied but one hour literally and of course at and at the end of it he gave me
that life prepared me for. I like to that time my thighs are burning, a diagnosis that wasn’t really
create spaces where people can it’s cold, and there’s nothing a diagnosis. He just said I had
have difficult conversations, so coming out. Eventually I peed all chronic cystitis, which is basically
I’m often the youngest woman in of like 10 drops, something really ‘prone to infection’. I got super
a room discussing menopause, negligible. The next day on the strong antibiotics and I went home.
because I believe it’s one of way down the mountain, I had the But the pain was still there so I
those conversations that needs worst period I’d ever had in my was back to the medical officer at
to happen. I like to talk about entire life. I couldn’t walk a really the school. Now, the reason why
periods. I like to empower girls and short distance without soiling my going to the university was the best

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