Endometriosis Awareness- the 30 Day Challenge

March is coming up, and March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. In participation of the awareness campaign, I am going to participate in the 30 Day Invisible Illness Challenge. I implore you to follow my blog through the month of March while I complete the 30 Day Challenge. 

I'm reminded every day how devastating endometriosis can be, and by raising awareness for this disease we will hopefully find a cure. At the very least, more awareness will help other women get a proper diagnoses and get the help and treatment they need. On average, a woman waits 7 years before she is properly diagnosed with endometriosis. 

Let's make this world better for over a million women and raise awareness for endometriosis. Understand that we're not lazy, attention seeking, and exaggerating a "bad period." This invisible illness is terrible and it's time to find a cure.

Can I has home please?

Hello everyone! 

I mentioned a little while ago that Boyfriend and I will be moving into our first home together, which is really just the house upstairs the basement that boyfriend is currently living in. This home, which I have dubbed Magical Upstairs Land, seems unattainable. The Landlord hasn't given us any updates on when we can start moving in. We know that it's vacant upstairs (we may have peeked through a window), but we haven't a clue when we'll get a key. It's starting to get outright stressful. Boyfriend and I are both graduating from our post-secondary programs this April, and our workloads are heavy. Boyfriend has an enormous project to finish, plus a number of paper, projects, and assignments. I myself have a number of assignments to do, editing student's work for the online paper every Friday, and I need to have a practicum from March through April. 

What I'm trying to say is.... can we start moving already?! It'll just feel really good when we can have a place to go home to and call our own. I really can't wait for that! I've been wanting my own home for years. Now that I'll be able to have that- with my beloved Boyfriend- it feels amazing. See why I'm getting impatient? Plus I can't wait for us to adopt a kitten together. The Landlord is not ok with cats, but I'm hoping I can butter him up a little... I've grown up with cats my whole life, but I've never once owned a kitten. I'm desperate to have my own kitten, and I know Boyfriend wants one too. While I am more of a dog person, a puppy is out of the question for us right now. First and foremost, dogs are so expensive, and they're a lot of work. Plus, I will be moving out of town in a couple years to study to be a veterinary technician. It just wouldn't be fair to boyfriend (or me!) if I had to move away and leave him with a dog. Not cool. But a kitty would be perfect! Cross your fingers for us- or, if you have any ways of buttering up landlords making them allow cats, please share this information with me. 

Because I don't want to let go of this part of my life: 

 
I promise that once I have photos of Magical Upstairs Land I will share them with you. In the meantime, if you want to see my decorating inspiration, feel free to check out my Pinterest. Just click on the P icon on the right side of my webpage.

How I imagine my colonoscopy will go.

Hello everyone! How are you wonderful people doing today? 

Yesterday I went to visit my GP to discuss some issues I've been having. See, I was diagnosed with moderate to severe grade endometriosis in October 2011. It's been a tough ride, and my condition has been deteriorating-- then getting a bit better-- then deteriorating again and again.

Last fall I found myself in urgent care where the nurses discovered that there was blood in my pee. Since then I started noticing more and more red accumulate in my urine, and pain while peeing. Lately, I've been discovering blood in other places, and this has been a bit alarming. So I went to see my GP yesterday and he sent an urgent requisition for a colonoscopy. 

Colonoscopy. 

I've heard of them, but never thought I would experience one myself. 

For those of you who don't know, a colonoscopy is a process in which a long thing is pushed up your butt (this is all I've gathered from the reading I've done, apparently). Seriously, though, here's a decent explanation of the process: 

Colonoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to look at the inner lining of your large intestine (rectum and colon). He or she uses a thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope to look at the colon. A colonoscopy helps find ulcers, colon polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding. During a colonoscopy, tissue samples can be collected (biopsy) and abnormal growths can be taken out. Colonoscopy can also be used as a screening test to check for cancer or precancerous growths in the colon or rectum (polyps).

This delightful explanation has been provided by WebMD. 

I have a few huge concerns regarding this whole procedure. First of all, I really want to know what the sedation situation is. Do patients go under general anesthetic? This seems unlikely. Do patients get sedated? I sure as hell hope so. Oh god, I am so nervous. From what I hear, the prep is the worst part of the whole thing. You have to drink a putrid liquid and essentially completely empty your digestive tract.

From what I've heard about colonoscopies, I'm worried as all hell. 

I have no idea how this whole thing will go down, I don't know what to expect, but I do know one thing.... 

The second that doctor get near my ass with his colonoscope, I will react like this: 

 

Responsibilities and colonoscopies

Hello, everyone

I'm fairly sure that I'm the only person on this planet that can complain about a week off school.
I'm telling you guys, it didn't feel like much of a break. My boyfriend was incredibly busy the whole time, and I felt a bit neglected.

Trying to catch my boyfriend's attention like so.

Really though, I was proud of my boyfriend for being productive over reading week. I know I was far from productive. I'm not very good at this whole "adult" thing, and I spent my week ignoring my responsibilities. Then I got depressed over not having anything done and that lead me to further neglect my to-do list.

I see my responsibilities and I'm like: 

 Today I've been feeling a bit miserable. I've had a cold sweat on and off all day. I'm sweaty, achy, feverish, and sore. That, of course, make it hard to focus on doing any school work. On the topic of endometriosis, I would like to share this video I found on the twitter. I implore you to watch it, as it offers a peek into life with endometriosis. 

Endometriosis is an absolute champ at wreaking havoc in one's life. In my experience, weird, scary shit is thrown my way. Some thing have become the norm. Daily pain, cramps, headaches, sleeplessness, leg pain, irregular bleeding, nausea, and vomiting are now "normal." Things that aren't yet normal include peeing blood and, er, well, bleeding from other areas. I was so freaked out that I called my doctor today and booked an appointment to discuss having a colonoscopy. 

Doesn't that just sound swell? 

This isn't something that I'm particularly happy to share out here on the interwebs, but here's the thing. Nobody really knows about endometriosis. Those that do know of the disease aren't aware of misery that accompanies this disease. Endometriosis is so often labeled as "bad period pain," even by doctors.  It's my mission (and the mission of many women with the disease) to raise awareness for this chronic illness. 

What better way to raise awareness for a disease than have a whole month dedicated to the damn thing? March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Wear yellow on Thursdays and during the month of March to show your support.

Best Ever Dog Treats

I have a Yorkie, which directly translates to: I have a fussy eater. Finding treats for fussy dogs is not only difficult, it's also expensive. As The Pet Store Girl, I am happy to bring to you a list of fussy-dog approved treats. 

Below you will find 5 Yorkie-Approved treats, followed by a list of some of the best treats you can find on the market. If you have any questions regarding the products I list below, feel free to comment on this post or chat with me on The Twitter at @CaptainLakie. Without further ado, let's begin!

5 Fussy Dog Approved Treats

5. Wellness Just for Puppy Treats

 

Why They're Great: These soft training treats for puppies are healthy and delicious (seriously, open the bag and the smell will tempt you to some degree). While working as a Kennel Tech and Pet Counselor, I did not have one single dog turn his nose up to these treats. I sell bags upon bags of these treats to new puppy owners.

What's Inside: These treats contain extra DHA which is excellent in eye and brain development. Just like DHA is important for children, it is also important for puppies. Not all puppy foods add extra DHA to their foods, so an extra helping of these treats supports healthy eye and brain development.

Price: $$- considering the amount of treats you get in the bag (and the fact that you should be breaking the treats into pieces anyways) means you're getting a lot of product for the 6 or so dollars you're spending.

4. Cloud Star Wag More Bark Less

 

Why They're Great: These soft treats smell like peanut butter cookie dough. They're easy to break apart, which makes them suitable for training. This product is also wheat free which lots of pet parents really like. If your dog like peanut butter, this is a great all natural treat for him to enjoy. Cloud Star also donates 10% of net profits to charities. So really you can't find a treat that does more good (for your dog and the community).

What's Inside: These treats achieve their soft and chewy texture all naturally (no chemicals!). Cloud Star products are all American, and contain no iffy ingredients from China.

Price: $$$- Cloud Star products are expensive. I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend 7 bucks on this bag of treats for my fussy Yorkie. While Clancey turned his nose up to these peanut butter treats, my friend's fussy Shiba Inu gobbled them right up.

Bonus: They're wheat free.

3. Wellness Petite Treats

 

 

 

Why They're Great: I'm a big fan of Wellness products to begin with, so I was very pleased when we started stocking their new treats at our store. Wellness Petite Treats are these teenie tiny little snacks that come in crunchy or soft. They're great for puppies and small breeds.

What's Inside: Each of these itty-bitty treats are packed with healthy all natural ingredients and loaded with antioxidants. There are two flavors for soft treats and two for crunchy. The soft treat flavors are Turkey, Pomegranate & Ginger, and Lamb, Apple & Cinnamon. Crunchy flavors are Chicken, Cherries & Spearmint, and Duck, Mango & Coconut. Don't they sound delicious? They smell damn good, I'll tell you that.

Price: $- You get over 100 treats per bag, and the price is fairly low. At around $5 per bag, your dog can try all the flavors and pick his favorite. (pssst- Clancey likes the Lamb, Apple & Cinnamon flavor). 

 

Bonus: They're grain free.

2. Pure Bites

Why They're Great: This is the world's simplest treat. It's one ingredient. It's freeze dried protein that your dog will love. Pure Bites offers a number of different flavors, including chicken breast, turkey breast, beef liver, bison liver, duck liver, white fish, and cheddar cheese. It's inevitable that some of the flavors (mostly chicken breast and duck liver) will crumble and fall to the bottom of the bag. Don't despair- use the crumbs as a topper on your dog's kibble.

What's Inside: Literally just freeze dried protein. One ingredient. That's it. Pure Bites offers a number of different proteins, which helps if your dog has protein sensitivities. Turkey, bison, and duck are excellent alternative proteins for sensitive pooches.

Price: $$$- Yeah I'll admit these treats are expensive. It's worth the cost if you have a fussy dog that won't eat anything but. I trained my Yorkie on  chicken Pure Bites.

Bonus: Cats love them too!

1. Orijen Regional Freeze Dried Treats

Why They're Great: I'm a huge fan of Orijen products for a number of reasons. Firstly, I love that the company is close to home. All of Orijen's products are sourced from Canada. Orijen's treats and foods are high in protein and contain all the goodness that your dog needs to stay healthy. These particular treats are freeze dried, so they have the most curious texture. Plus, my fussy Yorkie dog actually eats them, which is amazing in itself.

What's Inside: Orijen products are full of protein, and feature whole-prey food. So, your dog is getting all the goodness from the organs and cartilage he would eat in the wild. These treats are freeze dried, so they're fresh and all the nutrition is locked inside. They don't stink and they have a cool texture. Seriously, dogs love them. Plus, Orijen offers a number of different flavors and "singles" treats, featuring one protein (for sensitive dogs). Free run duck, Alberta wild boar, black Angus beef, and Tundra are some of the unique flavors Orijen offers.

Price: $$$- All Orijen products are pricey, but they're worth every penny. You're getting locally sourced, all natural meats that nourish your dog. 

Bonus: Cats love them too! And the texture is super fun.

Other Awesome Treats 

 

 

Wellness Core SuperFood Protein Bars

Why They're Great: Wellness Core Protein Bars are loaded with "Super Foods" and protein. These crunchy treats feature ingredients like Turkey or Bison and they're loaded with antioxidant rich foods like kale, pomegranate, and blue berries. Because my Yorkie isn't fond of crunchy treats, I haven't purchased a bag for him to try. But word on the street is these treats are delicious and dogs love them. Whoda thunk- a healthy treat that dogs genuinely want to eat. 

Cloud Star Tricky Trainers

Why They're Great: Tricky Trainers are another product by Cloud Star. These soft little bites are perfect for training because of their size. Tricky Trainers come in a number of flavors, including cheddar, liver, and bacon. They smell great and dogs love these moist, bite sized treats. 

 

Old Mother Hubbard biscuits

Why They're Great: If you have a dog that loves a good old biscuit, this is the perfect treat. Inexpensive and flavorful, Old Mother Hubbard biscuits are simple and delicious. These bone shaped cookies come in a variety of flavors, including Chicken and Apples, Liver, Bacon and Cheese, Charcoal, and Vegetarian. Old Mother Hubbard biscuits also come in a variety of sizes, so you can offer your large dog a giant cookie or your small dog a perfect bite. 

 Pet Naturals Motion-ADE MSM Chews

Why They're Great: Pet Naturals treats are high quality vet developed snacks designed to treat a number of ailments among dogs and cats. I chose to feature the Motion-ADE chews because I like that they include MSM. MSM, or Methylsulfonylmethane, is a chemical commonly used to treat arthritis and support connective tissue health. These little duck flavored chews contain MSM, so they help ease the aches and pains of old and arthritic dogs. Pet Naturals offers a wide variety of treats for both dogs and cats, so if you have a special needs pet, I encourage you to learn more about the medicated treats Pet Naturals has to offer.

Test driving our fancy new Internet

I am not an inbetweener. There is no halfway with me. I either really like something or I hate it. I am either ecstatic or cranky. I am either stressed out of my mind or I'm rainbows and carelessness. 

This morning I was in an absolute state over having a Telus installation guy in our home without my boyfriend present. I was so nervous that I composed an entire blog post about the event. Well, after I got it through my head that he's here to bring me Internet and fancy TV, things turned out to be ok. My stress evaporated and Yuri and I talked about his immigration to Canada and we even spoke in Russian together. (By that I mean I used my one funny Russian joke then looked clueless when he actually talked to me in Russian). So now I'm feeling awesome because I faced my fear of being alone with a stranger and now I have quick internet and fancy TV. 

OMG SUCH FANCY TV.

Boyfriend and Brother Lakie are stoked over the 50 mB download speed and fibreoptikness (???) but I'm just amazed that I can- get this- record TV shows. I'll never miss another episode of Chopped again! 

AND I CAN WATCH HOCKEY!!!

OMFG YES!

So I am currently eating celebratory onion rings and waiting to take my tramadol. 

See, while Yuri (new BFF) was here, my pain got pretty bad and I spent some time vomiting while he was installing a modem in the other room. Yikes. Last night my pain was particularly bad too, to the point where my jaw chattered every time I tried to roll over or put pressure on my tummy (last time I recall pain shivering like that was in the hospital in September). 

And this is where my dilemma begins. I have no appetite. I feel nauseous and sick and sore, and the last thing I want to do is put food in my face. But I also want Tramadol. But I don't want to take Tramadol on an empty stomach (#BadIdea). What's a girl to do? Onion rings. Onion rings is the solution.

So it's safe to say that life is pretty good right now. I have fancy TV and onion rings. 

I feel so... Upper Class. 

 

I'm alone with a stranger

This post is brought to you by a socially awkward crazy person that is currently trapped at home with a Telus installation guy. 

THE HORROR!

OH GOD I SHOULD PROBABLY OFFER HIM A COFFEE. 

THIS IS SO AWKWARD. 

NOW I'M JUST OVERLY STRESSED. 

Ok. I'm calm. 
See, I currently have some big news to share, but I've been delaying sharing  it for some reason.
My big news? 

My boyfriend of 3 years and I will be moving in together. 

Isn't this exciting!? Boyfriend has been living in a basement suite for over a year now, and we had the opportunity to move up into the house (or, as I call it, the Magical Upstairs Land). Let me tell you right now, it's the cutest house ever. It's so nice, and I can't wait to show you guys pictures. We have both been utterly stoked to have all the finer things in life, like: a linen closet, heat controls, and a dish washer! We can't wait. 

Our first house together is amazing. Like,  

So this brings me back to the Telus install guy. 

We haven't technically moved up into Magical Upstairs Land yet, but we're having our internet and TV box installed in the basement, which we will later install upstairs. It's a bit weird, but Boyfriend assures me it'll be fine. I'm not gonna lie, I'm very excited to have a place with Boyfriend. 

This whole blog started when my family and I moved onto a small acreage that I dubbed Castle Lakie. Since moving in, I've found myself in this awkward homeless stage, where I don't quite live at home and I don't quite live at my boyfriend's. I've been living out of  a suitcase for a long time, and it's a bit tiring. It's not horrible, but it kinda sucks (makes it hard to get laundry done and I don't get solid quality time with my animals). Leaving Castle Lakie is hard (we literally just achieved our goal of having the horses in the back yard), but starting my own home life with Boyfriend is very exciting. 

In all honesty I'm super stoked to embark upon house wifery. 

Here are some examples of how I expect the whole thing to pan out... 

This is beyond accurate.

How a chronically ill housewife cleans, I think.

UPDATE: Telus guy confirmed that he does indeed want a coffee! With just sugar. I'm on it!!!

I shall keep you guys posted on the progress of moving into Magical Upstairs Land. If you have any suggestions on a better name for our new home, feel free to comment below.

The depot from hell and canned dog food

Happy Sunday, everyone! 

On Friday I announced that I was going to the doctor's for my 2nd Depot Provera injection. Let me tell you, that was the depot from hell. See, the first time I had a depot provera injection it went ok. Apart from having the intramuscular needle jabbed into my tiny little arm (mistakes were made) I didn't get very sick or anything. 

Hours after my depot yesterday, I started feeling very sick, like I had a bad flu. I went home and my mother looked at me and said that my face looked grey. I felt sick to my stomach, I was feverish, and just so blah. Not to mention my ass hurt from the needle. So I slept for most of the afternoon. Yesterday wasn't much better. I watched as five angry, swollen pimples erupted on my face. I couldn't get comfortable, I was aching, sore, irritable. My skin was ultra sensitive, I was sweaty yet cold, I had a headache, and my ass hurt. I cannot properly express how awful I've been feeling! 

Today my pimples aren't as swollen or sore (yesterday my face hurt the pimples were so bad). I still feel malaise, but not as bad as yesterday. My bleeding is persisting, and really I just feel burnt out. 

The swelling has gone down significantly, thank god.

I can't believe how miserable I've been feeling after that injection. I'm seriously upset with this depot provera. Apparently the bleeding thing is normal (December-Present----- let that sink in). I'm sure the acne thing is normal too, as per hormone treatment. But what the hell, man?? I can't catch a break.

I'm currently being a very bad girl and I'm blogging from work. I have my laptop out so I can add fancy gifs and things. 

You're welcome.

In regards to this depot from hell, I would like to tell all women that are considering this drug as treatment to RUN AWAY! But, every woman reacts to the treatment differently. Hell, even I react differently from treatment to treatment. It's not a drug that I would recommend (frankly not many women do) but it's not like I'm an expert on the whole thing. 

Here's the thing. 

Lupron is the worst drug I have ever been on. Lupron, or Leuprolide, is the heavy duty "big guns" endometriosis treatment. It's used to treat prostate cancer, and it's actually listed as a chemo drug (despite the fact that it's a hormone treatment). I did not tolerate Lupron well at all. I was physically ill the whole time I was on the treatment. I was throwing up almost every day, I was weak, my hair thinned, and my pain didn't decrease at all. This drug is bad for your bones and it's just evil, really. 

I would recommend trying depot provera before you  consider trying Lupron. Lots of women struggle while on Lupron. I was paranoid, emotionally unstable, depressed (really just more of a whack job than usual). Many women experience this, and almost all of us advise against Lupron. Try the depot provera first.

Pretty much exactly me while on Lupron:

On a completely different note, I want to share with you what I did for fun today (Sunday Funday, Right?) I mentioned a little while back that I'm working at the shop again as the Sunday girl. Today I kept busy by re-stocking all the Merricks dog food cans. I take a little too much pride in my can-stacking abilities. But look at how beautiful it is!!!

So nice and organized *high-fives self*

If you're looking for a really good, high quality canned dog food, Merrick is the way to go. They have so many different varieties, and all their canned foods are "stews." So instead of getting this pate or paste in a can, Merrick features whole ingredients. For example, Wingaling has a whole chicken wing in it, and Brauts and Tots has a whole bratwurst sausage in it. Really good food for dogs of all ages and sizes. I highly recommend Merrick's canned food.

Merrick's features fresh whole ingredients. The Wilderness Blend, for example, has Salmon, Venison, Buffalo, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Carrots, and Golden Delicious Apples. Yum!

Well, I hope this post has been educational in one way or another. Maybe you've learned something about hormone treatments. I hope at least you've learned about a fancy new dinner you can give to your dog. 

Everyone take care, and remember... 

Self esteem programs for soldiers and veterans

Good morning everyone and Happy Friday! 

YAY FRIDAY! 

If you follow my blog on a fairly regular basis (nobody does that who am I kidding) you will know that I am a proud supporter of Red Friday. 

As a friend of a veteran, I know that a lot of soldier suffer from serious self esteem crashes when they come back from their service. Sometimes troops feel worthless, and some commit suicide as a result. 

I really wish there was a program to help with soldiers' self esteem. Could such a program exist?
I did some research, and some counseling groups exist for soldiers. Is it enough? I don't have the answers, I don't know what the right answer is. It's just frustrating to me and I wish there was something I could do to help. 

The Center for Veterans Issues is an American group that offers programs and counseling for soldiers that need help returning to their civilian life. This is brilliant, and I need to find out if similar programs are available in Canada.

If you know of any such programs or have any questions/comments on the matter, please feel free to comment on this post below. I want to improve the lives of our soldiers and veterans and any suggestions on how to do that are greatly appreciated. 

Bullshit myths about Endometriosis

I've seen this article floating around the Endometriosis community for a few years now. Today I gave it another read and I laughed.

I really appreciate it when other people (especially those that do not suffer with the disease) have patience and understanding for those that suffer. 

Naturally, my favorite part of the article was point #4: Endometriosis can be caused by psychological trauma early in life/ it's all in your head

Easily this is the one that riles me more than any other stupid thing said about endometriosis. The only reason this isn’t number one is because I don’t hear it as often as the last two. Lets address the ‘it’s all in your head’ bullshit first as it’s the easiest to dismiss. Take at look at these pictures here, here and here, print them off if you like and carry them around with you. If anyone claims ‘it’s all in your head’ show them the pictures and ask “does this look like it’s in my head, does it, DOES IT?” scream it in their face should you feel the urge, beat them with a sock full of marbles if you wish, knowing full well the absurdity of your actions matches the absurdity of their statement. This attitude also puts the blame on the sufferer, which is sickening in itself. If you have endometriosis it is not your fault, it’s not like cutting your arm off while juggling chainsaws. It is my firm belief that for most women, the decision on whether or not you will have endometriosis is made before you were even born.

"Scream it in their face should you feel the urge, beat them with a sock full or marbles if you wish" I love this kind of passion.  

That's a tad bit violent....

I also love the author's comment "it is my firm belief that for most women, the decision on whether or not you will have endometriosis is made before you were even born." I love this statement, and I agree with it 100%. I do not believe in the retrograde flow theory because I started having severe pain before I even started my period. Kudos to this author, seriously. 

Other brilliant points include: 

I’m not a very good cook, I can just about manage to make cheese on toast without a trip to the burns unit. Therefore, with my limited knowledge on cookery, I don’t walk into restaurants and stand next to the chef saying things like “You’ve over seasoned that”, “I think that steak is overdone” or “that’s not how you make a pie”. The reason I don’t do this is because, as someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about when it comes to cooking, I shouldn’t be professing on that subject. It is very much the same thing whenever you hear someone say “endometriosis is only bad period pain”.

and 

The old saying goes, misery loves company, and endometriosis, being a herald of misery, is no exception as there are also co-morbid conditions to consider. Co-morbid conditions are conditions that are frequently found to be more common in women with endometriosis. Some examples of common co-morbid conditions include: Irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, fibroids, adhesions, migraine, chronic fatigue, interstitial cystitis, excessive menstrual bleeding, depression, anxiety and reduced fertility. The list of reasons why endometriosis is more than just painful periods is as long as my arm and I’ve got very long arms. 

My congratulatory clapping: 

 

Thank you for this brilliant article.

Depot day & mail-order Moroccan husbands

Good morning. 

Today is Depot Day. Translated, that means, giant intramuscular needle in my ass cheek day. Yahoo.

I also just discovered that Tim Hortons made my breakfast sandwich on an english muffin instead of a biscuit. 

So now I'm eating my breakfast all pissed off like:

 

AND I forgot to grab ketchup to go with my hashbrown. 

Man I better win something on this roll up the rim. 

On this gloomy, foggy, snowy winter day in Alberta, my classmate discovered that mail-order Moroccan husbands are available. Just in case you were wondering. 

Last night I had a dream about my endometriosis. I never really dream about the damn disease, normally if I'm sore in my sleep I'll dream that I've been shot or something. But last night I dreamed that my ultrasound results showed the endometriosis (which, I must add, is rare/unheard of). In my dream I was able to clearly see the disease covering my ovaries, tubes, and the inside of my pelvis. It was gross and disturbing. And a friendly reminder that there's no cure for this disease.

Wish me luck on my ass needle today.

Writer's Block

I love to write and 99% of the time I have something to say (relevant or not). But now I have a column assignment due today. I've been excited for this assignment because I am enamored with literature. You don't get to do creative writing in journalism, which pains me. Column writing is as close as we'll get to literature in journalism, so I am quite excited. So why can't I think of anything to write??? 

 I'm just staring at a blank word document like:

I got nothin'. 

What's a girl to do? Writer's block is the worst. My pain killers aren't helping the matter either. This period from hell is keeping up, and the cramps are ridiculous. That, plus tramadol (which is supposed to fix the problem) = serious brain fog. 

ANGELS OF CREATIVE WRITING PLEASE COME FORTH AND AID ME IN MY COLUMN ASSIGNMENT!

I'll let you know how this one plays out.

Back at it and OW

Hello everyone!

Today is Sunday which means I'm back at my old job. I quit for a month, and now I'm back to cover all the Sunday shifts. It really isn't all that bad, some extra money in my pocket never hurts! 

Speaking of hurts, I have a big time complaint. 

I have been on my fucking period since the beginning of January (this is after bleeding off and on for the duration of December). Give me a break! This is ridiculous. I'm currently experiencing hard core back aches. Ugh I just want to lay down with my pain pills and a hot water bottle. I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again and again and again) endometriosis is an evil disease! 

Tonight I am going to my friend and former coworkers house for a sleepover. She had the idea of doing the kind of slumber party that 10 year olds would do. We're gonna make cupcakes (that's right be jealous). 

Im not gonna lie, it's weird to be back in the store. Kinda like getting back together with an ex- familiar but weird. It's already proving to be dangerous, as I've picked out a few new toys for Clancey (as if he needed any more). Wanna see? 

The jungle cat skineez is too cute to resist

Skineez and Kong make some of the cutest toys. I love that we stock a wide variety of both brands at the shop. The little ducky (a Kong product) comes with a replacement squeaker which is pretty handy. The skinnies are great because they're soft. My yorkie loves to play with them. Clancey's favorite game is tug of war so the skineez are perfect for that! And those little kitty boinks he loves. I think they feel funny in his mouth and that's why he likes chewing on them. 

Man, time is dragging on here at the store. I'm beginning to feel a bit desperate because my bleeding has been SO heavy all month. I've been at shoppers drug mart twice already to buy stupid lady products. Uhg I am so sick of this. What the fuck kind of period has the nerve to stick around for so fucking long? 

this picture is always an accurate depiction of me.

Blerg. I hope you all had a great weekend. Beware, tomorrow is Monday. 

-Captain Lakie (The Silly Mallard)