I was reluctant to use the terms ‘disabled’ and ‘disabling’ when it comes to my current state of health. But as I lay awake in bed at 12.24 am, on Monday 12 February in excruciating pain unable to sleep, unable to find a comfortable position, in a state of panic, anger, and despair, and unable to think about anything other than my entire abdomen, sides, groin and lower back tighten in on itself because the pain relief I had no longer began to work, it cemented to me that my periods are disabling.