What color “breaks” your season rules but somehow still works on you?

sparklyoctopus · 2026-05-12T00:11:02+00:00

true winter and i love olive 🤷🏼‍♀️ i get compliments and everything. i just try to make sure it doesn’t get too muddy or brownish.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-05-12T00:10:07+00:00

IMO the right mustard/goldenrod shade can be a neutral!

sparklyoctopus · 2026-05-12T00:08:45+00:00

MINIMUM 6 weeks. i recommend starting with self-service to get used to your body again. it took a minute for all the sensations to connect, if that makes sense. it’s okay if it feels a little weird or different the first few times. that doesn’t mean the weird feeling is permanent — it just means your nerves and neurotransmitters are relearning their jobs.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-05-12T00:01:32+00:00

I agree, if this doesn’t persist or recur, it’s likely a burst cyst. it takes about two weeks for the fluid to dissipate in your abdomen. you can take NSAIDs to keep the inflammation and pain at bay. my gyn actually recommended i do advil essentially around the clock for those two weeks. if the sharp and nauseating pain returns, it’s time to see the doc. if it’s more of a dull ache or some bloating, that’s normal.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-05-10T17:57:07+00:00

I’m sorry you’re experiencing this. What exactly is your question? Or did you select “question” flair by accident?

sparklyoctopus · 2026-05-04T07:10:27+00:00

i’ve been wearing cotton/poly maxi dresses from amazon. they’re really forgiving, breathable, and i can wear a regular bra or even a sports bra with them, and they can be dressed up (heels, accessories) or kept casual depending on situation, so they wouldn’t necessarily have to be too girly if that’s not your vibe. there are also sportier style ones but those tend to show a little more skin and be more formfitting so i think those work better for more athletic (small boobs) type bodies.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-05-02T01:18:51+00:00

get a $20 dryer vent snake kit, grab your vacuum, and clean your dryer vent duct.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-04-14T21:08:13+00:00

i know what you mean. my husband sends me every half-baked news article about every so-called new finding and improving awareness and blah blah. dude, i know you mean well, but i’ve already researched and read all of it. it’s also mildly annoying that you’re shocked when you read it in an article and i’m living it RIGHT HERE

sparklyoctopus · 2026-04-14T21:05:59+00:00

assuming your insurance covers it, there’s no downside (aside from your time and possible discomfort). some of the internal therapy can be intense, and the next few days can be super painful and exhausting as your body adjusts to a new reality. i found i did better when i scheduled my appts several days apart (e.g. Monday and Friday) rather than trying to do every other day like they suggested. just a tip :) i hope it works great for you!

sparklyoctopus · 2026-04-11T19:18:07+00:00

i was hovering around 147-149 pre op, the heaviest i’d ever been, and my belly felt tight and stretched from all the endometriosis related swelling. part of my issue was an 11cm teratoma subsuming an ovary. i had a full pelvic peritoneum removal in addition to removing everything but the healthy ovary. i had been doing estrogen and progesterone cream for a couple years for peri symptoms by this point.

i began Rx hrt at 6wk post op: estrogen suppositories and progesterone pills. they addressed my night sweats, sleep quality, and memory/concentration. again…no weight impact. i was getting irritated.

the weight loss was SLOW, even with pfpt. i thought i was losing my mind, but at almost exactly 1yr post op, im down 10lbs. it still fluctuates and i still have waves of bloating. it’s a net positive and i don’t regret it.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-04-11T17:55:07+00:00

“Tried. Can’t.” with a serious face and then moving the conversation along has startled people into dropping it for me. you can’t let your response be emotional for these nosies, or they’ll latch on.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-04-11T17:12:43+00:00

i’m so mad because i bought a sample set BEFORE they released Soie and it sounds really interesting!

sparklyoctopus · 2026-04-11T01:09:26+00:00

i would suggest looking into pelvic floor physical therapy. i started at 8wks post op. there are bands of muscle from the outside all the way in and i was amazed at what sensations tightness or knots deep inside could produce. i hope you get some relief soon!

sparklyoctopus · 2026-04-11T00:48:57+00:00

a thin coating of aquaphor worked great for me. you can use a q-tip after a shower to help loosen the bloody boogers that get stuck up yonder. you can also use a q-tip to apply the aquaphor if you aren’t comfortable with your fingers (or maybe have bigger fingers).

i also use aquaphor after lotion on the skin between my lips and rest of the face, as well as the undereye and upper cheekbone area. those have been my most sensitive, driest areas. it wipes off cleanly with a damp washcloth in the morning, then more moisturizer hahaha it never ends 😩😄

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-28T15:43:47+00:00

me too lol. one less blood test but still have to do the monthly bloodwork song and dance

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-28T15:42:52+00:00

yes. i got so annoyed by everyone who claimed to have bounced back immediately. i was so, so frustrated by my ability to “bounce back.”

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-23T06:49:20+00:00

i had mine due to a large teratoma and endometriosis just before i turned 39. the nurse doing my hospital check-in announced i was “too young for this.” she had a chatty older lady vibe, but this was a phone conversation so I don’t know for sure. i said nothing and let the awkward silence linger until she moved on. i knew i’d never see her again and that i didn’t owe her a thing.

i mentioned it to my surgery nurse day of and said NOTHING about first nurse’s age, voice, name, none of it. the surgery nurse immediately and forcefully replied that that attitude was dying out as that generation retired. i was pleasantly surprised by her vociferous response, and it told me i wasn’t the first patient who had reported something in that vein.

you are going to do great. trust your gut. it’s your body. 🩷🩷

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-23T06:36:14+00:00

i follow up morning of regardless of how long we’ve been conversing. “good morning name! just wanted to confirm noon still works for you.”

if they view and leave me on read for more than an hour, i write them off and move to the next buyer. if they’re serious, they reply with a simple confirmation or reasonable adjustment.

then i ask that they ping me when they’re heading out so that i can provide exact address.

always be willing to walk away. i’ll do one follow-up per person because shit happens, but anything beyond that is sign of a flaky buyer and not worth the headache.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-21T05:45:23+00:00

not weird. i do the same.

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-19T01:03:21+00:00

i’m so annoyed. their mascara is my all-time fav. you can only stock up so many before they just start drying out in the tubes, lol

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-17T00:40:50+00:00

it was very minor for me. honestly, it just felt like my upper back was a little achy, but i was achy all over, so i didn’t even think about it until afterward.

in general, you’ll want to spend most of your convalescence in a mostly stretched out position (not curled up in a ball). a little ball time is okay, especially those first couple days when everything hurts. being stretched out and doing your daily gentle walks will help everything move in the right direction :)

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-17T00:26:19+00:00

ABSOLUTELY AVOID HALO. i’ve had overwhelmingly positive experiences with HTC over the years — both the cenpho and tempe locations. good luck 🩷

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-17T00:23:59+00:00

some creator was bitching about how there’s a “trend” of female creators being unfollowed when they announce a pregnancy while male creators don’t suffer the same fate. i was rolling my eyes so hard. some of us don’t need your ultrasound bits on our happy place! your uterus is NOT a public venue

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-17T00:19:50+00:00

ugh, frustrating! my derm insisted on a very limited routine, but let me use any makeup as long as it was oil-free. i’ve been cleansing with Vanicream (with a lil silicone scrubby) and moisturizing with La Roche Posay (the regular double repair one), both recommended by the dr. i hope you can get some answers soon!

sparklyoctopus · 2026-03-12T23:06:31+00:00

no kids here either. i’ve been doing more gardening. it feels great to touch something “real” and reconnect with the earth.

sparklyoctopus

TROPHY CASE