Had to tell someone that he is not a viable candidate for organ and tissue donation,.but he could still donate his eyes, which he seemed pleased about. Then his son gave me a to go plate of home made vegan curry which was nice .
GREAT TOPIC FOR SHARING, THANKS!!
Working at a home care visit today I made friends with a couple in their 90's! I was well caffeinated because it was a double shift, so I started telling them some of the punniest jokes and one liners I know.
I've always used laughter as an ice breaker. The time flew, we were very productive with their activities and chores, and everyone had big smiles on their face. When I left, I said "well, folks that's my time" with a little curtsy.
So today was a super day. I don't have to detail it here, but other days in elder care are so much harder. Each day, a blessing. Life and friendships are precious. I'm also grateful when my senior friends are huggers too, or even just appreciate a friendly gentle pat on the arm. 💜
Oh! Oh! We had cookies too.
Puerto rican food be bussin
Mexican gets love too
Best Part: Finished the incredibly boring part of a design project.
Worst Part: Once the work was done I was again aware of my depression, anxiety, and isolation.
Worst Part/s: Vital windows program kept freezing every few minutes disrupting work, and I.T couldn't do anything to help. Also fed up with specific colleague for various reasons.
Best Part: Takeaway Pizza day! 😅
What was the best part of your day? My friend sharing the moment he said he fell deeply in love with me. 🥹
What was the worst part of your day? Being unable to comfort someone going through a difficult time.
What could have made the worst part of your day better? Me, I could have reacted better...just held space, instead of always trying to fix it.
~ Sunset Snuggles
I had a pretty good day, had an amazing cuddle session with a respectful gentleman; played monopoly for hours and for the first time in history I actually won! 👏🏾🙌🏾 I
What was the best part of your day? Getting to meet a bunch of y'all in person at the picnic and sharing sweaty hugs 🤗
What was the worst part of your day? The heat making some of my symptoms worse, like triggering old knee pain to resurface 😔
What could have made the worst part of your day better? If mother nature would kindly take pity on those of us who have tried their best to offset global warming. Or if docs could fix broken bodies more readily instead of just treating symptoms and never addressing the causes.
(Stole @SunsetSnuggles 's formatting cuz my brain likes it)
Ｈｅｌｌｏ， Ｅｖｅｒｙｂｏｄｙ！
ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ : Sorry for the inconsistency! I try to post on here every day or two but life has been hitting me sideways. I'm sure you can all relate. I have had numerous doctor appointments and a large vacation to prepare for. My work load has been a mountain to say the least and I'm finally getting a few minutes to get caught up. ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ : I am so proud of what this thread has turned into! I'm thankful that others are utilizing this as a tool to not only release potentially pent-up emotions, but I have also received word from a number of you stating how much this has helped you feel either more connected to others or helped to shift your perspective. That was the goal! Thank you for participating and thank you for sharing intimate and vulnerable parts of yourself. I'm proud to be a part of this community. ᴛʜɪʀᴅ : I was offline for a while due to being in a remote area on vacation; thank you to those that checked on me. I am quite alright and am incredibly humbled by the amount of support I have felt since I joined this platform. You are the ʙᴇꜱᴛ. We made it home safely, yesterday morning & I have been in a fog since. It's amazing what a bit of sleep will do for you!
Ｗｉｔｈｏｕｔ ｆｕｒｔｈｅｒ ａｄｏ ． ． ． What was the best part of your day? : Honestly, this is going to sound cheesy but . . . I finally got the opportunity to take a look at some of the photos I took on vacation and they brought tears to my eyes. My partner and I took my 66-year-old mother to Colorado to visit the mountains and play in Rocky Mountain National Park for a week. It was a 18 - 20 hour car ride with stops for humans & our dog child, but beyond worth it to watch my mother's facial expression as she saw the snow gleaming on the peaks for the first time in her life. We drove through clouds and gazed upon Elk. It was the perfect experience that I was able to give my best friend. We spread some of my father's ashes and I finally feel a bit more at peace.
^ This is the photo that made me relive the entire trip in one view.
What was the worst part of your day? I have a doctor's appointment next Wednesday with a doctor I have not seen before. He was recommended by my previous Endometriosis specialist to perform a 3D ultrasound in order to determine how invasive an excision surgery might need to be. This will determine whether a GI specialist is necessary on the OR floor and that gives us a basis for how soon we can jump on having a procedure. I'm beyond nervous due to years and years of medical trauma. I thought that the trauma would be over once I had a diagnosis but it's honestly been so much worse. No one wants to take my case because I'm a problem case. It's really overwhelming trying to advocate for an illness that most people do not even realize exists, let alone do they want to discuss the severity of. I keep breaking out into hives because I am so concerned about how this meeting will transpire. I have a backup appointment with my preferred surgeon on October 25th, but that is the soonest I can even speak to him. If he is booked out that far for a consult with an existing patient, I cannot imagine he can book me a hospital room until at least November or December. This means waiting in pain that's causing me to black out until then. Frankly, I really do not want to be on opiates for that long. 🤷♀️ I'm left at an impasse & riddled with anxious energy.
What could have made the worst part of your day better? Ironically enough, I was lamenting to my family on the drive home about my thoughts on the subject when I got an X alert (Twitter) that an article was shared on the extremely recent advancements in Endometriosis care. Sharing below in case it helps someone else. This was the biggest news of forward motion that brought me the most secure-feeling validation. ➡️ https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2023/aug/10/its-really-only-the-beginning-are-we-on-the-cusp-of-a-breakthrough-in-endometriosis?fbclid=IwAR1I8LLCjB3AkS275E89-PRHwBKjFcZwYs7whOm2u1DbpEXQb-wCawQwOns ⬅️
I tried a new restaurant for the first time today. It's only a 5 minute walk from my apartment, but it has odd hours, so I don't usually have the opportunity.
It has cuisine from Bhutan and Nepal, and I tried their super-spicy pak sha ema datsi and Himalayan black tea.
It's some of the best food I've had in years. 🥰
What was the best part of your day?
I was able to make coffee and a quick snack for my roommate before they left for work…neither of us slept well, and it was a small gesture but I hope it helped them.
What was the worst part of your day?
Taking my dog to the vet, he’s been experiencing a flare up of some sort - likely an undiagnosed congenital issue. I suffer when he suffers so it’s been a hard week for us both and that was a tough trip, it’s like I can’t breathe or think or do anything functional until I know how to help him.
What could have made the worst part of your day better?
Being able to afford his care, or having a friend with me for moral support. I’ll figure it out somehow but it’s hard to do it alone.
@JoyfulHeart, how exciting and delicious! I’d be lying if I said I were not jealous!
@Eileen_98144, what is your doggy’s name? He is absolutely precious and I can only imagine the emotional stress this plays on your being! I wish I could be there physically for moral support but I’m here if you want to talk! 💔 Maybe we can support you somehow with donations?
Spent the day at the pool with a handsome gentleman.
Being able to relax after a long week. I also got some laundry done, and enjoyed Chick-fil-A as a cheat meal.
Stairs 😂 Fridays are my leg workout days, so I always have a weekend of struggling to navigate them. A stationary bike ride with low resistance helps a little.
Having an elevator in my apartment complex, or a first-floor unit. Thankfully, no serious issues for me at this time.
@JustPlaneCuddle thats an amazing article! And that’s so beautiful about what you did with your mom. Regarding the article, and what you’re going through, I’m so tired of how underfunded & undervalued women’s medical conditions are in the conventional medical industry. To the point of women having to go out on a limb in finding alternative modalities for healing themselves on their own. It’s so disheartening and heartbreaking. I’m so happy Japan made such a breakthrough! At least they’re looking into it with an eye to cure a woman of this terrible ailment. I know several women who have suffered with endo. They managed to help themselves using alternative treatments but again, they had to go about it alone, on their own, with no idea if what they were experimenting with would help them or not and with all the fears, & unknowns of trying things with largely anecdotal reference material to back it up here & there and largely word of mouth dosages. It’s so sad women are left in this wilderness like this. It’s deeply upsetting & unsettling to say the least especially with so many tools at our disposal for that not to be the case.
Equally amazing regarding this article is the link between oral health & uterine health. There’s been other established links between oral health & schizophrenia & oral health & alzheimers/Parkinson’s as well. The mouth is home to its own micro-biome in a way. There’s something so intricately interesting about that I’ve yet to put my finger on. But, knowing this makes the mouth a potentially excellent means of treating a disease non-invasively, especially through the buccal regions of the mouth that directly impact the uterus and overall blood stream.
Also interesting is how bacteria is finally being seen at the heart of the disease which is what almost every holistic practitioner has hinted at with diseases like these. The problem with these diseases is finding out what the offending bacteria is if anyone ever cared to even look (we have all this technology to look ourselves yet it takes 40 years and how many women losing their uterus or dying in pain for someone in a whole other country to find just one of the bacteria involved?) and then finding the right antibiotic or herb to finally eradicate it.
Like the article, I wonder why this bacteria is introduced in a woman in the first place. Young and old are suffering with these things. Where is it coming from and why?
Thanks for linking it! Great read.
One of the longest days ever! At 2:30 AM I boarded from Beijing to Frankfurt (11-h flight), and after a 2-h layover, I boarded to Chicago (9-h flight). Then finally in Milwaukee, it was time for a little exercising, grocery shopping, and picked up my kid. A 37-h day with the time adjustment 🙃
@Mela_B, OHMYGOODNESS! 😍 What an absolute cutie! Sounds like you had the perfect pool date! 🥹
@Taco_Weekday, I have ridiculously built calves and when I ride a stationary bike, my knees feel like they are jello for a good 3 days. You have much more strength than I do at the moment! 👏🏼 I know how rough the stair vs. elevator conundrum can be! 😂 I have a 2-story house and my cuddle space & studio/office is upstairs. Leg day means living downstairs. 🤣 I could use some Chick-fil-A this morning, tho! Jelly!
@PrettyLuv, thank you for taking the time to read the article! Sincerely, so many of us in the Endo community wish people would just read what we share about the illness so that information spreads. We can never get anywhere if things stay a secret. I am so proud of the advancements finally being made but I am well aware of how many still do not take the illness serious. Having firsthand knowledge and experience with that is the definition of medical trauma. I’m so thankful that I happened to stumble upon the news! I agree entirely on the links with oral health and holistic practices. It’s incredible to see these these finally getting light and the press time they deserve! Awareness is EVERYTHING and is beyond essential to beginning eradication. It’s such a bittersweet read. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and knowledge! I wish more would speak up.
@Maverick07, I cannot even imagine! I spent 17 hours last year between Austin, Texas and Honolulu, Hawaii. It felt like forever. I cannot fathom the exhaustion and jet lag from a 37-hour day! Take a nap, hun! Enjoy time with your kiddo! 🥰 What was the best part of your trip?
@JustPlaneCuddle The flights were on time, fortunately, and I used some points to get an upgrade from Frankfurt to Chicago - being 'horizontally' inside an airplane on those long flights makes a world of difference!
I went for work, but could visit a couple of sites (Great Wall, Summer Palace), go around a little and learn a bit more about the culture. The food was a learning curve, not quite what we see at the Chinese restaurants in America.
In the end, it felt like when I attended a NASCAR race while in grad school: I liked the experience and was glad for making it, but one time is probably enough 😉
Y’all, yesterday was intense. I had three sessions back-to-back-to-back.
Best part of my day : One of my clients told me that he felt so much better just after our video chat consultation. He’s in a very rough place of sheer grief and he felt safe to release some of the emotions away from his family. It hurt to watch him feel so strongly because I already feel a bond with the client but it’s such an honor to be able to take a role in someone else’s healing process.
I posted on Snapchat about it and ended up with three new clients?! It’s startling how many people truly feel starved of human connection and touch.
Worst part of my day : I was contacted by someone I used to look up to. In my early 20’s, I removed people from my life due to my growth and their stagnancy. The relationships were fairly toxic and so I gently removed myself. Said people were not happy about this and decided to trash me on social media. This lasted for FIVE YEARS. I was harassed. I had death threats. I had someone physically attack me in broad daylight. It was a mess. One of the friends involved lived across the street from a professional in my industry. What I thought was him taking me under his wing turned out to be him grooming me. A decade later, I know better. He started following my social media and commenting on it. Needless to say, I’m not thrilled.
What would have made my not so great better : This is a tough one. Frankly, if the groomer had not reached out, I would be happier. However, it’s time to shut down the bologna & set boundaries. I’m all about confronting things that make you uncomfortable so he really has no idea how much of a public display might get in messing with my business social media. I’m all about turning in the predatory behavior and calling it out. Safety first, right? All in all, I do not know. This happened right after I left an abuse client. 😞 It makes my heart so heavy. Today’s goal is meditation and cleansing my headspace.
Have a good day, Everybody! Don’t forget to drink water & take your meds!
@JustPlaneCuddle Thank you for sharing that with us. I'm sorry about the difficult parts. I have tons of respect for your boundary-setting and boundary-enforcing journey!
Been up since 3 am. Watched 1/2 hour of tv Journaled 4am work 7am shower 10 am procrastinate with style 1:52 am troll forums
Later Nails Cuddle Movie Arcade Bar
I am reminiscing today...
I lost my best friend - boyfriend - fiancee five and half months ago. To say the road has been rough is an understatement. I went through old texts, I looked at his obituary to see if any new messages had come in. I woke up thinking about him and it's been the longest Monday ever.
Hour and a half at the gym this morning, followed by an hour massage with one of my favorite masseuses.
@Wizegurl I am so sorry for your loss! Grieving is such a difficult process. I'm sending you a caring hug!
@JoyfulHeart, thank you! I try to keep things pretty transparent; I'm a firm believer that if we discuss mental health and the importance of boundary setting, upkeeping, and respecting, we can make this world a bit nicer a place to live in. @stormydaycuddle, sounds like you have had a busy but fun schedule! Procrastinate with style may be the greatest phrase I have ever read! How did your nails turn out? @Wizegurl, I am so very sorry to read this! I have been in a similar position and I understand the pain of loss and the longing of missing someone. I hope you found some peace throughout this week. Sending all the virtual hugs and forum cuddles! @CallMeMikey, that sounds like the perfect day!
It's been a hot minute since I have had the physical and mental ability to be present. I've been incredibly busy supporting a few clients through the start of school process and preparing my house for surgery. Since I have been absent, I will post for the week and for today.
Best part of my day|week : I got approved for an Endometriosis excision! We're looking at a wait of 2 - 4 weeks but I am unbelievably pleased with this news. I had a long drive home today from my mom's, but I got the chance to finish out an audiobook by my favorite comedian, Iliza Shlesinger. It was one of the most relatable pieces of material I have ever read or listened to and all of this together has made me feel so . . . seen. We should all feel that way.
Worst part of my day|week : I had absolutely crippling anxiety walking into my new patient appointment and Ultrasound to discuss Endo and surgery. It was so bad that I have been broken out in hives (the worst I have ever had) since coming back from the mountains.
What could tip the scale from bad to better : I had one of those profound self-actualization moments. I had no idea just how high my medical trauma meter had gone; nearly 15 years of constant rejection from medical professionals has left me . . . wounded. I am all about stepping into your power and advocating for your own health but that's not always so easy. I almost cried happy/relieved tears in my new doctor's office when he asked me, "Have you been feeling _______?" He asked me about 30 questions helping me bring to light some of the underlying pains and physical discomforts that the illness brings forward. What could have made my experience better? Never having felt such anxiety and pressure. We have GOT to start doing better as a society to accept and truly listen to what others are saying when they come forward saying that something is wrong. I had a dermatologist once remove a mole that I felt was just off. She did not seeing any real indicators of abnormality, but her response was, "You live in your body. You know your body better than anyone else." The mole came back positive for Melanoma. TRUST your body. TRUST your mind. What you feel like you are needing, you probably do. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.
Happy Saturday, All!
Yesterday's trip to London for a de-stress day was kinda mixed haha.
Good: I managed to walk through St James Park which is always awesome and I got to the few shops I needed to go to. Also met with my Brother afterwards
Bad: Southwark cathedral was closed for a wedding (I have flawless timing 🤣), Loudest family ever on the train back. Also met a cuddle enthusiast somewhere else online...who has since completly disappeared from the face of the earth. Story of my life 😂
@JustPlaneCuddle thanks for being transparent and sharing! Hugs!
@Wizegurl Softest hugs going out to you. Thank you for sharing.
What was the best part of your day? Sleeping in and snuggling with my boyfriend when he decided to use some sick time.
What was the worst part of your day? Getting out of bed and realizing my back is crazy sore from spending like six hours on planes, last night. 😬
What could have made the worst part of your day better? Ibuprofen, water, and more sleep! 😁