I will preface this with:

- I’m happily married for many years.

- I am not trying to conceive. We use condoms, religiously. Haven’t had a condom break that we have ever seen/are aware of. Responsible, observant adults over here.

- I am in my late 30s, and I’ve had many a period. Very familiar with what my clots (usually) look like.

Just went to the bathroom to take a #2, and when I stood up, I had a bit of a shock. My period has tapered off, enough that we had sex last night and there was the slightest trace of blood. But late this afternoon, I found myself looking at a clot that seemed more...complex than usual. A string-like element (I stopped using tampons two cycles ago; switched to a cup...just saying) was firmly part of it, and 3-4 light colored small “extremities” that, for lack of a better thing to compare them to, reminded me roughly of the shape and color of crab gills. I took a Qtip and poked at it in the water to see if it would break up/dissolve; it didn’t. It was roughly just a bit smaller than dime-sized. My periods have been regular; however, my cramps I had during my period three cycles ago were very bad (the worst of my life), to the point where I was on the floor in my bathroom attempting breathing exercises to get by, as they actually felt like some form of contractions. That prompted me to switch from tampons to a cup—to see if it would prevent me from having a night like that again. The last two periods the cramps have been more normal, where they’re just bad (but tolerable with Advil) on the first full day, then non-existent. I’m very fit and healthy, and I’ve had no additional blood or anything. Thoughts? Just an abnormally complex, late-to-the-party clot? Or something to ponder?

Also: definitely not poop-related. Had a totally normal bowel movement.

I flushed it. Didn’t think much of it until I texted my mother and she asked too many questions (she had a miscarriage prior to having me)...