JQuery :: If Statement - How To Set Variable First When Page Reloads

I've made the following script:
$(document).ready(function(){
var showHide = $.cookie('menuStatus');
alert(showHide);
/* Part that dosn´t work.
if (showHide==closed) {
$("#menu").hide();
}
*/

$(".openClose").click(
function(){
$("#menu").slideToggle("slow", function() {
if ($(this).is(':hidden')) {
//var state = "closed";
$.cookie('menuStatus', 'closed');
} else if ($(this).is(':visible')) {
//var state = "open";
$.cookie('menuStatus', 'open');
}
//alert(state);
});
});

Now this is the example: [URL]. When page loads, you get an alert, with the var showHide, which should be open or closed. Problem is the if statement. I must say it was exciting to make this little script with jQuery. Especially setting the cookie, I couldn't have done it without the jQuery plugin. As you can see I tried to set a variable first but when page reloads, the variable was reset.