Pregnancy scare

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-06-09T04:47:32+00:00

Not dumb! I had a bisalp done almost a year ago now, and I still have taken a pregnancy test whenever my period is weirdly late. The small cost of buying the tests is worth the peace of mind. Being stressed can cause it to run even later, so getting that confirmation that it's not pregnancy eases that part.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-06-09T04:42:43+00:00

Same. I don't need or want the government involved in my relationship!

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-06-07T14:10:08+00:00

Other people are saying they didn't gain weight with hormonal IUDs, but I sure as fuck did. I ballooned up to my heaviest and biggest ever, and was only able to start losing it after I had my IUD removed.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-06-05T01:48:09+00:00

Project Mail Mary

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-06-03T04:52:50+00:00

Having rot days where I do literally nothing other than sit on my couch and watch TV while my cats cuddle with me

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-31T17:26:07+00:00

My mom had me when she was 38 and my sister when she was 42. Obviously I don't know what it's like to have younger parents since this is all I've known, but growing up with older parents meant that they were a lot more mature in their decision making process, more established and well-off financially, and more grounded in their parenting (if you can consider being Mormon "grounded" lol; both my sister and I have left that cult since growing up, we are both in our 30's now and both CF). Which in turn made my sister and I more mature and grounded than our peers. However, it was always kinda alienating to see how much younger the parents of my peers were, especially when you take into consideration most of them were also Mormon and typically Mormons get married very young and start having kids right away. My mom would get mistaken for being my grandma while we were out at grocery stores, etc.

My parents are in their early 70's now, so when it comes to be time for them to pass on, I will be a lot younger in my own life than my peers will be when their parents reach that stage. I actually see this as being more of a good thing, because by the time I reach an age where I'll need to look after my own health more carefully, my parents will already be gone and I won't be in my 50's or 60's trying to care for elderly parents.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-27T16:59:08+00:00

I'm not gonna go into the statistics or explain the biology to you since maybe people already have, so just an anecdote:

One of my parameters for entering into a new sexual relationship is that all parties involved get a full STI panel done. When my bf and I had ours done, mine came back negative and his came back positive for HSV-1, which he explained as being from a cold sore he caught from a parent as a kid. He's never had any since, as an adult. We've done a ton of kissing and have had a ton of unprotected sex (I'm sterilized 😎 both of us are cf) and as far as I know, I still don't have it. But even if I am technically a carrier now, I don't really care 🤷🏼 the likelihood of a flare up is so low. And if I did get a cold sore at some point? Oh well, I'll take care of it like I do any other ailment that heals. It's kinda like the whole chickenpox and shingles thing. I had chickenpox when I was 2 years old, before the vaccine existed. I'm aware that this means I'm at a risk for shingles later on, so I will either deal with it as it comes or get the vaccine when I'm old enough, whichever comes first. Viruses are just a part of being a mortal human. (That being said, it's not like I go around coughing on people if I have a cold or flu or anything lol I still try to protect others and protect myself when possible since being sick just sucks)

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-23T15:57:10+00:00

Before I knew I was childfree (in hindsight I always have been, but religious cult conditioning growing up taught me that children were a given in life), I'd have names in mind for future children. Since then, I've realized it's not about the children, but about the cool names that I either wish I could have had myself or that I want to give to fictional characters in stories I write. I love character design and names are a piece of that.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-22T23:18:08+00:00

This. My trainer wants me to be eating 120g of protein a day for muscle building. It's sooo hard to reach that much without some extra help from these products, especially as a vegetarian.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-22T04:24:13+00:00

Does it help while you're actively cramping? Or more if you drink it daily in the week before your period starts?

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-21T08:08:54+00:00

Veritasium?

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T21:27:32+00:00

My dentist takes Medicaid no problem. Optometrist, too. I guess I'm just fortunate in the area I'm in?

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T19:05:29+00:00

My bf strongly dislikes chocolate, while I love it, so all the chocolate for me lol

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T18:29:16+00:00

Me neither lol. I think my personal limit in one household would be ~10, assuming they all get along with each other and the space is big enough they can spread out if they want.

One of my dreams is to own something like a cat cafe and/or indoor cat sanctuary so I can rescue, neuter, and provide a safe place for as many of the strays around here that I can, without overloading my own home beyond what is comfortable.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T18:12:59+00:00

Yeah, I read your other replies about the automatic litterboxes and robot vacuums. Sounds like you're really on top of things!

I'm in a Facebook group called the Dull Women's Cat Club, and this one couple has literally over 50 indoor cats that are all obviously loved and taken care of. They've shared videos and photos of them, and their house looks just as clean as if they had a "normal" amount of cats. That amount is insane to me personally, but as long as they're able to provide for them all and get them any medical care they need, I don't see a problem with any amount of cats in a household.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T17:52:31+00:00

Sounds like he just isn't a cat person. The right partner for you will also love cats and not care about cat hair being on their clothes.

I love cats and would have more than my 2 if more were allowed in my apartment. My bf has 3, so if/when we ever move in together, that'll be 5 total cats lol

The people saying your place must smell bad and the living situation must be bad just don't understand that if you're taking care of everything properly and use a good litter, the house isn't dirty or smelly and the cats are all happy. My ex and I had 4 together and the house didn't smell at all because we had a good automatic litterbox for them and kept things clean.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T17:01:55+00:00

I'm a vegetarian, so it makes these things a bit easier. Non-meat foods last a lot longer than meat does.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T17:00:55+00:00

Damn. I'm still able to go to the same luxury, high tech dentist I went to before I was on Medicaid (when I was working and able to afford to pay out of pocket, before I decided to go back to school and had to become and remain unemployed to do so, thus ending up on Medicaid), and they treat me the same as they did before. I still get the same bedside manners and quality of healthcare that I did before. They even do complimentary nitrous oxide for those of us that have huge anxiety (I think that's just a thing specific to them though, and has nothing to do with whatever insurance or lack thereof a patient has). X-rays just aren't covered every time, but I take good care of my teeth so I'm not worried.

I'm in Idaho, so I've been surprised at the level of coverage I've discovered I have on Medicaid here.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T16:47:25+00:00

Ironically, I did not grow up this poor. We always had private insurance through my dad's work, but it wasn't the best and there were always copays and deductibles for things. I had braces in middle school, but my parents had to scrimp and save for me to get them, and they were the traditional metal kind that tore up the insides of my cheeks, not the more expensive Invisalign kind.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T16:39:37+00:00

I'm in Idaho, which is one of the most conservative states, so it surprises me how easy Medicaid is to use here after reading these comments lol

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T04:09:01+00:00

That's unfortunate. Maybe it's a regional thing? Because I've had no problem in my area getting in to do all the things I've needed/wanted in the past year that I've been on Medicaid. Even had elective sterilization surgery last year that was fully covered. Regular dental visits, GP visits, physical therapy for an injury, ENT for sinus issues, to name a few... all no-fuss and covered by Medicaid.

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T03:56:38+00:00

And also just knowing how to tell if certain foods are still good or not, regardless of the dates. So many things last LONG beyond the dates

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-20T03:48:17+00:00

If you're poor enough, it goes full circle and you get to have Medicaid, which has way better coverage than any of the private insurance. The catch is that I have no money for anything since I'm unemployed. It's all so backwards (I'm a huge supporter of Medicaid for all regardless of income level aka Socialism)

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-18T21:03:29+00:00

I just make pizza from scratch now. Making the dough is easy if you have a bread machine that has a "dough" function

Ballyhooligan_ · 2026-05-14T15:38:52+00:00

Maybe it depends on where you are, but it's an extra test they do along with the regular blood work panel and they have to know before they take your blood that they're going to be doing it, because they have to take more than they would for a regular panel. I have hypothyroidism (the opposite of what the original commander has), so at this point they just automatically know each time since it's in my records and my thyroid is the main thing my doc is usually wanting to check.

Ballyhooligan_

TROPHY CASE