It may not be your thing but Planned Parenthood was there for me when I needed it. I was laid off, waiting tables, 24 years old and had no health insurance. Three years before I was told that I might have cervical cancer and I needed to continuously seek treatment for it and keep tabs on it. Planned Parenthood did that for me. They tested me every three months, performed my treatments and helped me get well. I am forever grateful. The past few weeks have been a non-stop smackdown on this orgnization and so many blatant lies about Planned Parenthood have been thrown around. Lies about funding and what the orgnization does. Why according to nut bag Glenn Beck Planned Parenthood is "only for hookers". Guess that makes me a big, ol' hooker then. Three kids later, if something happened to my … [Read more...]
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead!
"AAAAAHHHHH!" That would be the sound of me sighing in relief because today I did the deed. I woke up Sunday morning and the first thing I thought was, "YES! Only one more day before I can call my doctor to get my Mirena IUD out. YES!" Sad, in a way. I had high hopes for that little t-shaped device. It promised such good things and for five years. I was so excited about it. So excited that I brushed off the spinny, sparks in my eyes and the dizzy spells I had. The ones that sometimes came on when I turned my head while driving and everything went in slow motion. I brushed off the cramping and lower back pain too. "Meh, that's normal." It sort of is. Except when it begins to happen more and more throughout the month, every month. It's also not normal to lose whole sections of … [Read more...]
I’m Losing My Hair. Is My Mirena to Blame?
It's typical to lose your hair after you have a baby. It happened with TD and then again with The Comedian. It's also typical to see your doctor for birth control options post-baby or to navigate to this web-site if you are not willing to get knocked up again. When I encountered the Mirena IUD it seemed like the perfect option. One quick doctor, such as the one through locum tenens, visit and I was good to go for the next five years. If I wanted more kids in that time I could have it removed. I read all the brochures, did some research and talked to friends who had used Mirena as well. It was my golden ticket to no thought birth control. Yippie Skippy! That was until I started losing my hair. I didn't pay much attention to all the hair collecting in my brush, shower, comb and sink. … [Read more...]
A Pearl of Wisdom
Cervical cancer is my ghost.When I was 21 my doctor told me she was "pretty sure" I had it. After much hysteria and testing, it turns out that she was wrong. I'm not even going to go into how insane it was that she diagnosed me like that without hard facts and reams of positive test results. I can't even describe the big sigh of relief I had for weeks on end when the results were negative. However, I've had to spend the last 12 years being extra-vigilant, enduring more tests and in general wondering if this will be my end result.While at Blogher this summer I happened to meet the group behind 'Pearl of Wisdom'. I was lucky enough to meet Michelle Whitlock and learn about her incredible survivor story. I believe, like Michelle, that the more we educate and spread awareness about this … [Read more...]
A Complicated Girl
If you are a fan of Sex and the City then you probably already know about the debate regarding "complicated and simple girls". I myself remember this episode distinctly as it not only capped off an excellent season but also finally gave me a way in which I could describe myself. I am a complicated girl. So are most of my friends. I guess we thrive in packs. However, back in the day not even a pack or two of guys wanted to deal with us. Throughout my life- as a child growing up and in my dating years in particular people were always telling me I was, "difficult", "weird" and yes, "complicated". It was all so very frustrating. I was not going to change who I was just to appear that I wanted less out of life or that I desired less from my friends, family and the men I dated. Why … [Read more...]
Mortality Looking Me Square in the Eye.
Last Friday I had my ultrasound appointment for my right breast. In the days leading up to it I could barely sleep. I felt exhausted mentally and then physically. Each night I would lie down and my brain, lethargic during the day would instantly whir to life. All the cogs moving at warp speed and what felt like a million thoughts began zipping along my own personal information super highway. I wasn't trying to be full of doom and gloom but with the pain persisting in my breast there was this constant reminder that something just wasn't right. I dreaded the ultrasound but couldn't wait for my questions to be answered. I couldn't take this lack of sleep and constant feeling of worry settling in my stomach. Questioning your mortality is one thing but throw in a husband and two kids … [Read more...]
Opening Pandora’s Bra?
I was watching the movie, Glory, the other night. I seriously love that movie. The first time I saw it, twenty years ago (gulp!) I cried for 45 minutes after it was over. I broke my rule of not crying in front of my family too. Maybe it was the sight of all those chest wounds that got me thinking, "I haven't done a breast exam since before I was pregnant with The Comedian". So I did one right there as I sat in my darkened den taking in the Civil War flick. What? As if weirder things haven't happened on your couch.That's when I found it. The gumball-sized lump laying underneath my right nipple. I should have known there would be something. It had been sore for the last day or so and I had just said to H that weekend, "You know, I am always dealing with your little sprains, bouts … [Read more...]
No, You May Not Frost My Cupcake
It's discussion time again and this week I'm posing a question about friendships, the relationships between men and women and what is appropriate and what is not. It's up to you. Read the issue, discuss in the comments and offer up your opinion. You are sitting at your friends house and her husband makes a comment along the lines of, "I'd like to frost your cupcake..." or the classic "I'd like a (insert your name and your friends name) sandwich. Heh heh. (Insert a comment about how he might be into polygamy too)". It's not the first time he says things like this but because you don't want to embarrass your friend you smile and brush it off. She laughs it off each time as well. However, it just keeps happening.What do you do? Do you continue to keep quiet for the sake of your … [Read more...]
Second Floor, High Numbers
Nostalgia week continues here with day four-It's Friday night. Excitement for the weekend has been building all week. As you walk down the hallway of McEwen Hall, second floor, the high numbers (as we liked to be known) one could feel the humidity in the air from at least ten different showers all pouring forth their hot steaminess. A million various sweet smells from perfumes, hairsprays and competing scented body lotions all mingled together at once to dizzy your senses. That was the point, right? Passing by each room you could easily hear about ten different types of music from southern rock to real country, disco, rap and those drinking songs you never forget. Girls scurried across the hall, throwing clothing from Contempo Casuals and J. Crew back and forth, scrutinizing every detail … [Read more...]
WTF – Cake Edition
Holy Fucking Crikey! What a damn hot mess! Do I even need to point out the how age inappropriate this cake is? What a fucking nightmare. I want to find this misguided Holly kid and make her read books like 'The Awakening' and subscribe her to OOB and Bust magazine. I would make her read them 'Clockwork Orange' style too. Ugh. Her parents paid money for this shit? She has parents?!This cake is fucking making me swear. It's all the fuckin' cakes fault. Photo courtesy of the awesomeness that is Cake Wrecks. … [Read more...]