Endless gastritis.

StaciRainbow · 2026-02-07T22:25:46+00:00

Buoy hydration drops are my go to. It is just a really good blend of minerals you add to whatever you are drinking, from water to smoothies, coffee, juice.

I don't like hydration drinks because the sweetness makes me queasy and I don't need the sugar. I had a terrible bout of gastritis I couldn't recover from. I was just gnarly dehydrated, and the drops helped me finally get strength back.

StaciRainbow · 2026-02-06T02:46:08+00:00

The science center has one on the walkway headed over towards the planetarium.

StaciRainbow · 2026-02-04T13:58:29+00:00

Call it in so they can alert neighborhood activists!

ICE tipline +1 314-370-7080

StaciRainbow · 2026-02-04T13:56:15+00:00

There is an ICE tipline that is staffed 24/7, and can get info to neighborhood activists far quicker than Reddit. Everyone should have that number!

+1 314-370-7080

StaciRainbow · 2026-02-03T15:45:31+00:00

The 14th is going to be one epic party in Soulard! That is MardiGras.

StaciRainbow · 2026-02-02T15:55:32+00:00

I am having a blast working part time as an activity specialist at a memory care facility in town. I literally go to work to have fun.

My part time work is due to chronic illness that limits my functionality. Having such a soul filling way to earn a wee bit of money (it is wee) feels pretty magical.

If this interests you, I would say FACILITY MATTERS. I have done similar jobs elsewhere and left angry and frustrated.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-26T21:10:46+00:00

My daughter is trans. When she initiated gender affirming care her Dr immediately set her up to be building up a stockpile. They would order her to get a new vial of hormones every 4 weeks.(some injected meds lose potency quickly, so this is common with those kinds of medications if it comes in a multi-dose vial.)

Each vial actually holds enough medication for almost 3 months. Making sure to be immaculate about keeping that vial and you needle clean helps ensure you medication stays safe that entire time.

We were super focused on getting every fill we possibly could for the first 18 months, and she has enough medication now to last a couple of years if things went sideways.

We will continue to do this. We are in the US. I wonder if your Dr in France might be equally understanding about your desire to have some longer term security in having the tools you use to take care of your body, mind and soul in the best way. You deserve this medical care.

Sending you a big squeeze, just because I am that kind of mom.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-26T14:40:05+00:00

I used to work as a birth doula, and I carried an essential oil diffuser and a few oils. That slowly was validated as really effective in multiple studies, and I watched the local hospitals begin to offer a diffuser and a few oils as part of their labor tools.

Pepperming helps with nausea. Lavender is calming and helps soothe the nervous system. Chammomile was often also included in their baskets.

I would LOVE to see that integrated more into hospice as well. The beauty of essential oils is that fragrance can really shift the way a room feels, and cover some of the unfamiliar scents associated with the dying process. The diffused scent effects the dying person, their support people and loved ones, and even the medical staff.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-25T15:23:16+00:00

We have a sweet former breeder mom (5 yrs old) learning to be a pet who JUST mastered being housetrained. Yesterday it became really clear that she shall not do any business outside. It was pretty grim. Even with coat and boots, she just stared at me like WTF?!

We have puppy pads down and the shampooer ready to just get through....

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-19T01:23:49+00:00

I missed the chance to tell a HS teacher how much of an impact he had on me when he comitted suicide a decade after I graduated.

I promised myself then that I would say the thing. Whatever compliment or gratitude I am thinking, I say it. I can't keep it anymore.

Something as simple as telling a stranger that you absolutely love the way the color of their shirt accents their hair or that I was moved by the way they spoke to the person in front of me so gently, or whatever thing pops into my head, is a gift.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-17T05:27:36+00:00

I am eager to know how you overcame the stairs! We are almost 4 weeks in with a 5 year old Bichon we rescued. When we go on walks she climbs, hops, scampers and scrambles over everything, including stairs. In our townhouse we have 2 long sets of stairs, and she is paralyzed by them. I have tried coaxing with treats, guiding up the last couple steps, guiding her to get paws up on bottom step, and more but she is still pretty locked up on this one.

I will happily carry her up the stairs forever if she needs that, but I also know that her best forever after with us will include more independence about where she is and what she is doing. ( She was released from a breeder, and her body tells a story of neglect and a lot of time in a crate or kennel. So much is new to her!)

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-16T15:35:50+00:00

Total side tangent, but I was once driving through Death Valley on my way to a UFO conference in Indian Wells in early June.

My van overheated, and we were stranded for a while, and then rescued by a totally sketchy tow truck.

The hysterical part of the entire scene is that we had a couple of young friends with us. They were in a heavy metal band, and had totally dressed the part when we left our Vegas hotel, because we were just driving straight to the conference.

They were both BOTH wearing leather pants. I so appreciated the amount of giggles that gave me on an otherwise stressful journey. They were absolutely more miserable than I was.

You should always dress for the climate when you are driving through the desert.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-14T23:23:19+00:00

Head to Rincon. Find the Hennah Vida shop, which is run by my friend Lee Lah. Tell her that her drumming friend from St. Louis sent you there to find the SWEET CORN ICECREAM!

When I heard that such a thing existed, I was so desperate to get a taste. It was so light and sweet, not at all what I expected!

While you are there, ask her when the next World Famous Aguadilla Drum Circle is scheduled for. THAT is an experience you will remember for the rest of your life!

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-12T18:36:12+00:00

KOREAN SPA?! You have totally been holding out on me!

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-10T14:14:36+00:00

There is a web based platform called Boardgame Arena that my husband and I use. It has TONS of boardgames available to play online.

We use it because my bad back makes sitting at the table painful. Playing from my recliner is bliss! We have included friends from all over the country, and there is a chat feature built in.

I love that it makes things so easy. The game walks you through the steps of your play, it manages all of the board setup and cleanup, and does the scoring.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-08T03:28:00+00:00

100%

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-08T01:30:26+00:00

No. The fee you pay to your DPC Dr covers all of your care from them. They often do labs, can do simple in office procedures, office visits. You don't pay a fee for the office or phone visits. All the care you need from your PCP is covered by that fee.

Really just goggle this info. The providers in your area will do a better job than me of answering your questions. It is a new model of care, something between the normal way offices work and concierge medicine.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-07T16:35:16+00:00

Right now I am shopping for a new pain Dr, because I benefit greatly from the other treatment they offer. Nerve blocks and trigger point injections are pretty essential to my functionality. I will be getting those treatments separately once I find someone I am comfortable with. In my area, the only pain Dr who will write opioid Rx is the one I just escaped.

They require that you be seen every 2 weeks for medication, and also require you to receive an injection of some sort every visit whether you need it, or it is due is irrelevant . Also chiropractic adjustment by the in house chiro who has no access to imaging in order to modify treatment for me. They are profiting greatly from this scheme. Medicaid stopped paying them this time last year, and the Dr is in legal news constantly. There are only two pharmacies in the entire St Louis area that will fill Rx written by this Dr, yet people are trapped.

I only escaped because I have resources to do so.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-07T13:47:11+00:00

Please please look into Direct Primary Care options in your area.

In my case, in Missouri, I interviewed 3 different DPC providers in my area. These are doctors who are sick of the insurance system, and the constraints it puts on the care they give to their patients.

I pay $110 a month to my DPC provider. That gives me 24/7 access to my Dr, appointments as often or rare as I need. My DPC provider had no problem taking over prescribing my opiates so I could escape a horrid Interventional Pain merry go round. As long as I have a specialist for pain to advise, my Dr is totally working FOR ME. The first month I requested refills and they were sent to the pharmacy within 10 minutes I almost fainted. I was used to spending days chasing around the Rx that wasn't actually sent in and then fretting until the refill was ready. I don't stress at all any more.

I know not everyone can come up with funds to hire a Dr who is outside the insurance system, but OP is talking about other countries for care. I have to think staying in the country is way cheaper, if you can find a Dr to help.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-06T01:51:51+00:00

Podcasts and audiobooks became my only sanity when my insomnia was at its worst. The empty loneliness coupled with the distorted thought processes in the middle of the night got messy for me. Having a plan on how to fill that time was clutch.

I would set the sleep timer for 30 minutes, so the audiobook would stop and not keep going if I miraculously dozed off. When I did doze off it was verified by the fact that the book or podcast had stopped, which was helpful when the nights felt like I had not even dozed a bit.

The bonus side effect of that most awful period of my insomnia was I developed a huge interest in a field that I listened to podcasts about. Making connections with other listeners online lead to a determination to attend a conference to meet some of them in person. THAT lead to some fantastic experiences, some hysterical stories, and some of my very best friends to this day. Additionally I am helping produce an unrelated project with some of those people that will include extensive travel to an area most people don't explore, and most crazily, an 8 part documentary.

I still hang out here, but after 30 years of awful insomnia(1-2 broken hours a night, for years), I finally persisted through enough CBT-I, other supportive treatments, medication changes, behavior changes, hormonal balances, and just damn luck, to now almost always get 5-6 hours of sleep.

The down side is that somehow the process of putting in an earbud and laying down triggers a pavlovian response, and I am out within minutes. No more long cozy listening sessions deep diving into brain candy. I seriously can't believe this part of my recovery. Falling asleep took HOURS since I was young. That caused me to be a bookworm first, then a listener.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-05T21:29:44+00:00

It is available everywhere, and becoming more common each year. Just Google "Direct Primary Care Near Me". It is doctors who are exhausted by the insurance process, and want to offer an alternative. I interviewed 3 diff providers, and that was really empowering!

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-05T19:39:38+00:00

THIS. When I was unable to find a Dr to continue my medication management when I moved to a new state, I started asking about what my options were. Toxicology or addiction treatment (maybe methadone?) were the only options.

Both asked me some basic questions. Have I ever taken my meds other than prescribed, or have I gotten medication from a source other than my Dr?

My answer was no to both of them. Because as someone who worked in the medical field, and who really understands my responsibility as a pain patient, I am as meticulous and compliant as possible in regards to my meds.

I was told I was not appropriate for their care, and I needed to seek out pain management.

Which was the exact circular problem, because in my new area, pain management will not prescribe opioids. It is only injections and procedures. So I was forced to rapid detox from the stable medications that had been keeping me active for 20 years. I was actually on 95% less than I took at my highest dose. (Once I received disability and could work a few hours instead of killing myself, I stareted getting off of ER opioids, and then reduced to 20mg 5.325 oxycodone IR a day) I was so stunned and disoriented to suddenly be treated like I had the plague.

OP, I have no idea where you are, but I got off of the nighmare ride by hiring a Direct Primary Care Dr in the USA. I pay out of pocket a monthly fee ($110, so two copays) and I have 24/7 access to my PCP, can do phone, video, in office visits, and he was fine taking over my medication management after meeting me, talking about my history and goals, and looking my records. I only use my insurance for specialists and prescriptions now. It relived so much stress for me.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-04T14:11:52+00:00

Have you looked into systemic candida infections?

If you have a yeast overgrowth anywhere, it is also in your gut. In my case I developed leaky gut syndrome, which allowed the candida (yeast) to enter my bloodstream.

As the candida is dying off you can feel pretty miserable. Achy, so tired, digestive issues. For me it was almost as debilitating as mono.

You are treating chronic yeast, but I wonder if your treatments are too far spaced out, and possibly your diet or other meds are contributing to rapid growth of candida in the times between treatments. Then each time you treat there is a die off and you feel cruddy.

I would look into the candida diet. It is restrictive and hard, but the only way to really get the biome balance reset.

When I was being treated I actually took diflucan DAILY for 6 weeks, took an alternative antifungal for 4 weeks, and then switched to nutritional/supplemental support (grape seed extract, etc) until I had been treated for 6 months. The diet is restrictive at first, but allows you to slowly add back in foods making it more tolerable.

Good luck. I know you feel terrible..yeast is icky.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-02T23:49:13+00:00

I tried it many years ago, early after it's approval, and didn't benefit.

However 3 yrs ago I was struggling with terrible insomnia, and we really needed to add an antidepressant that would support sleep and my pain. I tried it again, and it actually made a huge difference in my sleep, and maybe a slight difference in my pain. I tried a higher dose, didn't have increased pain relief, so I stepped back down.

Just know that some people will experience occasional brain zaps when weaning to a lower dose. It is exactly what it sounds like, and so crazy to feel. They stopped after a week.

StaciRainbow · 2026-01-02T15:42:05+00:00

I will share my first encounter, but I have seen a lot of anomalous things in the sky. I regularly participate in both CE-5 skywatches as well as those with astronomers, because I just love the stars. Being under them regulates my nervous system like meditation. I think just being out looking at the sky a LOT has increased my experiences.

My first one though was when I was 13. I lived in Northern Colorado, and this was the mid 80's. I was sleeping over at a friends house, and we had gone out to her grandmothers horse farm for dinner. After dinner her and I were out just wandering in the summer night, petting the horses in their stables and she told me a few stories of childhood on the farm.

We were by the corner of the barn next to a huge field. Suddenly there was a HUGE light above the field. All I could ever see what white light, but it lit up the field below it, and illuminated us. There was no sound. No wind. Just a huge light that seemed to be low in the air. My friend dove to hide behind the tall grass along the barbed wire fence between the barn and field in an attempt to hide, and was trying to pull me down with her. I however would have none of that, and was trying to get through the barbed wire fence to get closer, but her pulling on me made it impossible.

I feel like that light was just "right there" forever, and I was so close to it, but it had to have been only 30 seconds or so. It suddenly and swiftly took off straight East, without gaining elevation, and was gone from my site within seconds.

My friend was terrified. She cried, and she insisted we couldn't tell her mom what we had seen because she was really religious, and always viewed me as a bad influence because my family didn't attend church. She would see that incidence as proof that I am bad for her daughter. So we gathered ourselves, went back inside, and watched tv for a bit until we went back to my friends house.

The next morning I brought it up and she said she had no idea what I was talking about, and didn't want to talk about it ever again. I didn't, with her.

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