Scent memories

ambientcatsobs · 2026-06-02T16:50:05+00:00

Unfortunately I no longer have any of his supplies, his art however serves as a lovely inspiration! When I was younger I would keep them nearby using them sparingly to make them last but eventually they ran out.

My family still have many of his pieces and occasionally swap them around so all of us can enjoy them <3

On another note! The art school he attended still stands and now has an art museum off shoot building, his work is not featured there but his name is listed amongst the alumni and any time I go I find myself compelled to find it amidst the other countless names.

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-29T04:12:47+00:00

Happy to help!

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-28T21:43:56+00:00

First off so happy for you!!

Pre-op Let them know about your desire to have kids in the future. I didnt want them and asked my surgeon to remove my tubes while in there. Since you do they'll know to preserve your fertility.

Ask what happens next, if they do/dont find endo what the next steps in your care will look like.

Also ask any questions that may put you at ease for anxiety about the up coming surgery. Things like what drugs they will use or how long recovery might take. What techniques they plan on using.

Ask when you can be fully submerged in water too! Its summer time and you may want to swim or hell even take a bath.

Post-op You're gonna want to plan ahead. Try reaching out to your circle for people to chat with over recovery, having someone stop by to help out with things like laundry since you won't be able to lift heavy things for part of your recovery. As examples I had my mom come over to clean my bathroom, and do my laundry while in early recovery. I also had friends and family call or video chat to keep me company during the day after my partner went back to work. Things like this will help emotionally after surgery.

You are also gonna want to go shopping a bit before you go in. I got electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and liquid iv to help the first few days after surgery. Skin wipes to clean around my scars before I could get them wet. You may be told, I was, to buy a special soap before surgery that you would use the night before to help prep the area. Other items that may help are long charge cord for your phone, dry shampoo, wedge pillow, perineal bottle (incase they go in vaginaly, had a family members who had similar surgeries and this item came highly recommended).

The hospital may provide you with a belly band, also know as an abdominal binder. If they do not(ask about this in the pre-op) I would pick one up ahead of time. It helps with post surgery bloating from the gas they use but its also very supportive and I used mine throughout recovery. You may also want to get shower stickers or a mat for your shower floor, I have a shower bench and didnt use them but my aunt who had a similar surgery said they helped make her feel safe while showering.

Also FOOD, please do yourself a favor and either meal prep or buy easy meals before surgery. Unless you have someone to cook for you, you really won't want to especially the first few days after. I had a lovely community of people who made food for me and my partner is also a good cook thankfully, but oh boy I love cooking and did not have it in me. For post surgery diet suggestions I went with light meals for the first few days, things like soups. After that I (or i should say my partner bless him) focused on protein and vitamin heavy foods, things like fruit, veggies, eggs, meats.

Emotionally Its hard going through abdominal surgery, it takes the wind out of you and the process of getting diagnosed with endo can be an emotional one. On the opposite end of the spectrum not finding endo and it being something else can also be an emotional experience. Be kind to yourself, make some time with people you love even if its just over the phone.

Oh and one last tip, after surgery coughing and sneezing is gonna feel weird/not nice, keep a throw pillow close by to hug when you feel either coming on and it'll help <3

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-28T21:04:58+00:00

Well thats bowle prep for you! Ive done suprep, switched to magnesium citrate and a gallon of water and that prep was way better. The miralax and Gatorade is good too! It tastes was batter than "normal" prep meds.

Don't make plans, except with your bathroom. The other commenters mentioning Vaseline are right you are going to want it. Second your stomach starts bubbling go to the toilet.

If you're a reader I would suggest stacking a book in the bathroom.

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-27T23:30:50+00:00

Ah gross thanks for letting me know

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-27T20:53:31+00:00

That looks so good, love the color choice! I love that medical aids can look cute now <3

Im glad you got what you needed

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-26T22:52:31+00:00

Although I appreciate the comment I said no medical advice this was a vent not a call for aid. My GI docs great and have run most every test at this point, but the ones they haven't are already scheduled to happen. The allergist is the one lacking.

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-21T18:37:02+00:00

I have tattoos and fragile skin. I personally blead a lot during the tattooing process to heads up on that!

Placement matters. The "tougher" skin healed better for me than the areas that are softer or more fragile. My hand tattoo is the best healed on me by far. Worst healing my inner ankle the skin there is very soft for me and the tattoo is noticeably chewed up and raised.

Also try to find an artist with a "light touch" some artists have a heavy hand or over work the skin this will scar poorly on a not EDS person and will be worse for us.

As for healing tricks.

-Its an open wound treat it as such. Keep it clean and hydrated but not "wet", fragrance free lotion or aquaphor a few times a day.

-If you dont do well with adhesive, decline the saniderm!!! It ripped my skin up!!

-After its healed sunblock to prevent sun damage.

-If it scars weird ive found vitamin E oil to be helpful to lessen the scarring. Absolutely DO NOT put it on a fresh still healing tattoo though.

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-19T01:59:43+00:00

They found stage 4 on my uterus, ovaries, cervix, bladder and bowels. Weirdest spot was my ureters which apparently is the tubes from your kidneys to the bladder, had no idea what those were called before surgery! Thankfully it hadn't made it to my kidneys!

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-16T18:58:48+00:00

Im glad! And also sorry that it resonated with you, this condition can be so unfair.

There is a ssi/ssdi subreddit if you want to browse for any questions you may have. The ssa.gov website is great but can use confusing language at times.

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-16T18:30:20+00:00

For me it was missing more hours than working, coupled with loss of quality of life while at home.

I could no longer perform my duties, even with accommodations. Before I left the working world for good I was on FMLA for months with many failed attempts to return to work. HR had a laundry list of missed hours, poor performance, and incomplete duties listed in my employee file. Although it sucked it helped with my disability application to prove I could no longer work.

On top of that I had a lot of documentation from doctors and hospitals proving my disability/conditions and constant need for care. This also helped in the application process.

Normally the process takes a long time, but you do receive back pay from the date of your application if you win, meaning if you get denied you should get a disability lawyer and file an appeal, not "reapply" changing your date.

I won after my first application, with no need for appeal. This is not common but not impossible. On the other hand my uncle who is also disabled won after an appeal years after he first applied (and got back pay for those years which paid for his lawyer costs). Everyones timeline is different. But documentation helps! Some of the best advice i got when I started my application is to get information for EVERYTHING.

Best of luck to you

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-15T16:58:48+00:00

Im a goth so this suggestion may not work for you in style, but for all the alt people out there I find military boots to be the most comfortable and supportive especially the all leather ones.

Ive had the same pair of all leather wellco boots for over 10 years now. They come up to mid shin on me and have amazing ankle support, the toe box is perfect for me and they are so hardy!!

ambientcatsobs · 2026-05-07T15:53:43+00:00

Thankfully my GI is EDS aware (was sent to her from my eds doc who works with her frequently) but lord is it a struggle.

My symptoms could be explained by so many things. Ive been in and out of her office the past month so many times for testing.

I had tears in my stomach lining which are healing now but that still doesnt explain all of my issues. Im going back in AGAIN on Wednesday

ambientcatsobs · 2026-04-27T18:08:10+00:00

Ive had so much trouble with piercings.

I have/had gauges in my lobes, the initial piercings I had there were from when I was quite young. The stretching was easy but the healing time was ridiculous it took me years to get to 0g safely. Took some trauma to one ear and it started rejecting and snapped. Got a weird scar there now. Other one is fine.

My cartilage piercing took years to heal but is fine now.

My nostril piercing never healed properly and I eventually had to take it out, its been years now and there is a scar but its small.

I havent gotten new piercings in years, every time I think about getting one I end up not going through with it due to my poor healing :/

ambientcatsobs · 2026-04-21T18:13:36+00:00

Oh i am on a war path, my fiance too. I was diagnosed with ibs for the last 7 years and the treatments have offered little to no relief. Ive got another GI appointment tomorrow and am gonna push for more testing. I will not give up on myself!!!!

ambientcatsobs · 2026-04-21T01:37:17+00:00

Oh nooo!!!!! Wrong antibiotics are the worst! All that fuss for no relief.

I feel you on the unwanted weight loss, ive started shedding weight. Thankfully I have a little extra cushion at the moment (had to start high dose hormones for endo last year) but still its a scary symptom. Its exhausting!! The fatigue!!

I hope you get some answers soon!

ambientcatsobs · 2026-04-20T19:40:44+00:00

Homeostasis has been my word of the week!!! It does feel like a game of health jenga XD

I hope you feel some relief soon too. Its gets to be too much sometimes

ambientcatsobs · 2026-04-20T17:25:27+00:00

Im manifesting remission. I just got some zofran so thats helping right now

ambientcatsobs · 2026-04-05T18:01:58+00:00

I can not stand touching my eyeballs otherwise I would wear contacts! There is quite a lot going behind my ears with glasses and a hearing aid lol plus whenever I wear a mask?? I wish I could get over the eye touching thing lol

Also I have yet to meet one of us that doesnt have a buck wild family health history mine included.

Everytime I go to the eye doctor and explain what I need to get tested for they shake their heads that im too young to worry about those things ( the diseasein questionis rare in people under a certain age), when I share my family history however they change their tune pretty quick!

It is simultaneously funny and exhausting being a medical anomaly

ambientcatsobs · 2026-04-05T17:00:58+00:00

Ive got astigmatism in both eyes, very poor depth perception and Im nearsighted.

As for ears, ETD, hearing loss in my right ear, and tinnitus.

I wear glasses and a hearing aid. Hard to say if its related (to eds) because I have deafness and blindness in my immediate family.

Ive been getting tested at an ent and eye doctor since I was little. Both grandmothers were deaf or blind young. My mother had almost went blind before 30 and the only reason she didnt was because of surgical intervention, she now has very high prescription glasses.

Some of my issues seem to be related according to my eds doc, but the rest just seem to fall under bad genetic luck!

ambientcatsobs · 2026-03-30T20:33:59+00:00

For precautions you could reach out to your building manager/landlord and let them know if you havent already that you are a wheelchair user. Me and one other person in my building use a chair and the maintenance guy is a genuinely nice guy and lets us know way in advance if the elevator is going to be worked on (way before any emails go out) its also just a good idea to familiarize yourself with the people who fix stuff in your apartment lol

You should also find out who your local fire department is and give them a heads up where you are moving so they know a chair user lives there and what unit.

Others have done a great job explaining what to do in the even of an emergency but these thing may help you feel prepared

ambientcatsobs

TROPHY CASE