She still showed up, led meetings, met deadlines, and looked capable. But behind the performance were brain fog, exhaustion, and a body asking for help. This is what burnout can look like when it hides behind competence.

Five years after surgical menopause, I was still searching for answers, seeing specialists, and trying to understand why my body felt so different. This is the story of what it means to keep advocating for yourself when the “yes” you need takes far too long to come.