Animal crackers are open because this was my first time getting those and had to inhale one asap. 10/10. My period started today too so Im gonna go ham later.
Hello to anyone who remembers me. I had the privilege of being Brenda's hooman for 13 years before she crossed the rainbow bridge to liver cancer back in December. Many of you adored her and her permanent flight ears. Horrifically, I lost her brother Miles (who you might recall she hated) very suddenly and aggressively to a pleural effusion in February, suspected to be brought on by cancer. We were able to get an emergency chest tap done so that he was able to cross the rainbow bridge a few days later at home. He was very sick very fast and it was really jarring because he had a clean, full check up the summer before.
And then my final cat of that trio, Charlie, started showing some concerning symptoms during Miles' final days with us. I thought it was the stress of losing his two siblings so fast and close together--but it ended up being fast progressing, late stage upper and lower GI lymphoma. Charlie joined Brenda and Miles over the rainbow bridge in May.
I lost all three of my cats to different cancers back to back over a span of 6 months. It was awful and I am still not okay. After this all happened I was immediately confronted with my whole life (I adopted them all in 2012 when I was 21 and am now 35) being about them and cats in general. I was/am subbed to so many cat subreddits and wasnt sure if it would be too painful to just see cats every day. But if there has been one subreddit that brings the most joy--its here. I fucking love seeing lil cat heads get absolutely stremtched.
I have always put out food and shelter for the local TNRs, ferals, and strays. And its been years since a random outside cat has simply demanded help. This dude, who we named Swirly Bob for his swirly pattern and raspy Bob Dylan meows, showed up 2 nights ago for the first time. I live in the middle of nowhere and working very hard to get him on a path of help. Tonight I accidentally stremtched him. Thought yall might like to see it. For as much as I want to believe the cat distrubution system is trying to give me him--I simply cant. I am in the hole (via loans) and dead broke after 3 medical situations and end of life care back to back. I cannot be a responsible cat owner in my current position if Swirly Bob was to be diabetic like Brenda or hypertensive and on blood pressure meds like Miles. I dont have the means and I think its ethical and responsible of me to be aware of that. But you better believe I am gonna stremtch anyone who comes by my shelter station and lets me!
Good crunch and texture. Wish they were a bit more seasoned but can accomodate accordingly with whatever I add them to.
I dont really care its just happened so much its such an obvious outlier among my likes. There have been many days of the item getting liked over and over again over the course of hours.
Went in for my annual on Monday and discussed my hairloss--I have lost over half my hair in the last 2-3 months. I was able to show him how running my fingers through my hair will yield 20+ hairs at once that were just idling in the middle after falling out.
My doctor is very progressive and listens to me and as I told him "hey this subreddit of women like me suggested xyz" he turned his monitor to show me he was typing in orders for those labs.
Thyroid and hormone testing came back normal but the ferritin and general iron bloodwork are both low--and I have been on a 22mg iron supplement for years at this point. So I clearly need a boost in that departnent and I now have a plan for a higher and better absorbing type from him. We will retest in a few months and see where I am at then.
Unrelated but not necessarily--my general bloodwork revealed I have abnormal/high levels of white blood cells as well as neutrophil counts--meaning my body is fighting an infection somewhere. This isnt surprising as I had indicated to him in this appointment that I recently discovered an additional "hole" above my urethra which he visually confirmed (which was so incredibly validating) during my womens wellness exam. I need the urologist to confirm this to make it "official" (and of course the soonest consult I could schedule is 2 months out) but its something called a vesicovaginal fistual. I basically have a hole from my urethral area leaking through my vaginal canal. Its something I will need surgery to correct. This is more common in women post-birth and from hysterectomy surgeries but in my case it seems its likely been a slow degradation of the skin in that area. I have been suffering from general pain in that area for years, urine leaking, and signs that mimmic a UTI but tests for my urine would be negative for the bacteria of a UTI (despite those also showing high WBC counts!!)
I had an anal fistula (cute I know) back in 2023 I had surgically repaired/closed. Back then it was similar where my white bloodcell counts were high because the fistula is a continous infection. So, all of this to say, the vesicovaginal one is likely also a source of infection and my body is constantly working to fight it until it is surgically healed.
I experienced the loss of all 3 of my pets, I was the victim of a randomized violent crime, and had to do the full rabies protocol for a bat that was on my head in the last year. I thought those were all stressful enough to likely warrant the TE hairloss but it seems likely its also my body being in constant infection fighting mode that could be causing it as well. And of course, compounded with my low iron.
I am largely a quiet observer in this community but I cannot thank everyone enough for alwags being so brave and open with photos, stories, etc. Its been so cathartic. I am nearing shaving my head and seeing others boldly and bravely doing it has helped me build the confidence I have needed to finally commit to it as well. We are not alone. And it often feels that way because you rarely find people openly discussing female hairloss IRL. I sincerely appreciate everyone here so much. 🫶
She knows what she is doing. Theres a reason every thumbnail is the same boney pose. As someone witg an ED, I empathize with the fact she is clearly battling one, but I could never imagine myself making it a projected form of media onto others--which is what this clearly is. Its such a charade. Like she HAS to know its triggering and influencing to women in general but likely young girls. And she is just okay with profiting off the back of that. Hate it!
And yes she is blocked on my main but I was on a different account than usual and boom--there she is. Ugh.
Dont judge me but somehow I went my whole life without ever having french toast sticks so I cant compare them to "normal" ones but these satisfied my sweet tooth.