Has it been long enough? November 10th 2020 to May 31st 2021
Hi wonderful humans!
The first 7 paragraphs of this post I wrote in November of 2020! Wow...then never posted! So, here I am on May 31st 2021 revising, updating, and publishing the post! If you are still reading my blog after that long hiatus I appreciate your time and kindness. :)
November 2020
I figure it's time for an update. Today is Tuesday, November 10th 2020 and the last time I wrote was June 17th! A lot has changed since June. We have a new President-elect and Vice President-elect, the weather is growing cooler, and I have a job that I love. You can say that a lot still the same..."The Vid" is still around and I am back in Kentucky.
It's been a weird and rough year. Especially since it's following the best year of my adult life. It's hard to transition from a wild and free lifestyle. A lifestyle that allowed me to move whenever I wanted, a lifestyle that allowed me to stop looking at calendars and clocks, a lifestyle that allowed me to sleep in beautiful National Parks. Everything was open, people wanted to meet, and my biggest worry was deciding if I wanted to take photographs, edit photos, write, or hike. I will forever be grateful for 2019.
I have to say that my personal life in 2020 has been a wonderful dream. November 7th marked Gregory and I's 1 year of 'knowing each other' date. We've visited 7 states together, remolded half of the RV together, worked together, created together, and cried together. He is my best friend and I am so grateful for him. The rest of 2020 has made me feel like life has been put on hold for all of us. Gregory and I have tried to make the best of it but the pandemic has made it hard to keep a positive and preservering outlook. During the p4ndem1c we safely traveled from Arizona to Kentucky (our longest consecutive voyage to date) then to Illinois, Wisconsin and then back down to Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and last but not least North Carolina.
I think our favorite state has been Wisconsin because of the city of Algoma Bay. We have biked, walked, hiked, and Jeep'd in all 7 states. Some states like Illinois and Wisconsin we were lucky enough to get in the water and kayak or boat. We did experience a ton of closures due to "The Vid"....everywhere. Restaurants, events, stores, dance halls, RV parks, offices, flea markets, etc. We were forced to get creative and spend nights playing Scrabble, Monopoly, painting rocks, riding bikes, working out, setting up our own movie theater, dancing in the living room, and FaceTiming our friends and family. Just to feel normal again.
On November 15th we are suppose to take off to the coast of North Carolina and spend 2 weeks parked on the beach Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. Which may be for the best. My favorite thing to say is...Everything happens for a reason. We are not going because of me. On Sunday November 1st Gregory asked me to take care of myself. And it is the sweetest and most selfless thing he could have done. In my opinion.
For 3 days I had been in extreme pain. I woke up the morning before Halloween and felt a familiar and depressing pain in my bladder/kidneys. I've felt this before. I've been dealing with this since 2016. The pain feels like a bladder infection or a UTI but extreme. So, extreme that on the 2nd day the pain could bring me to my knees. In 2018 I started to hoard prescriptions from my doctors appointments and ask for refills. I saved medicine knowing that I wasn't going to have health insurance in 2019 and that if I had one of these 'bladder infections' while I was on the road, then I was done for. I wouldn't be able to see a doctor, I wouldn't be able to afford medicine, and I would need to change my lifestyle and learn how to self medicate in a healthy way. Of course, looking back...hoarding prescriptions wasn't the best way to do this. I should have pushed back harder against my doctors, I shouldn't have taken No for an answer, I should have made them run all the test when I had great health insurance. But, it was just too easy to visit the doctor 5 times a year, have them give me a pill, and lay in bed for a day while the pill killed all the good and bad bacteria inside of me.
*Sensitive woman health issues below, skip two paragraphs if you don't need the details*
In 2019 I had only 1 'bladder infection.' I did have multiple bouts of Yeast Infections and BV. Of course, I had hoarded prescriptions for those health issues as well. So, I made it though the year. It's sad to think that I am not the only woman that has to live like this. When it comes to my gut health, bladder health, and vaginal health...I live a life of fear. Fear to use a new soap, fear to wear non-cotton underwear, fear to not wear a panty liner, fear to have sex, fear to sit in water for too long, fear to enjoy myself sexually, fear to not take a cranberry/probiotic/fiber pill every day...the list goes on and on. These are minor fears compared to others lives. I recognize that. But, maybe if I share my story about bladder/gut/vaginal health I can help someone else out there?
Forward to today, May 31st 2021
Just to follow up on the paragraph above. I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis or IC in December of 2020. Which basically means the doctors have run all the test and they still have no root cause to my pain. I have had blood test, urine test, vaginal test, gut test, bladder test, etc. There is no medical explanation to my 'phantom bladder infections' They suggested long term medicine. A pill I would take every day or they could stop my menstrual cycle with birth control. I opted out of both and experimented with natural remedies. Free things like I don't know shit I should have been doing anyways?! More water, less soda, more movement, more probiotics, focus on gut health, good vitamins, good sexual health, etc.
Since some lifestyle changes were made in December of 2020 I think I have had one 'flare up' of IC. I'm also clean of all prescriptions, anti fungal medicine, and antibiotics! Woo Hoo! So that is a health update!
Gregory and I were in Kentucky for the month of November and December. We enjoyed the holidays with my family, spent quality time with Grandma Dot, and survived the winter together in cold, icy Kentucky! I am so grateful for Gregory and his flexibility, understanding, kindness, and patience! Our entire winter plans were completely turned upside down for my medical needs. And I appreciate it so much! We decided to skip Florida and head back out West! We've spent most of our time in Texas and Arizona!
I think the new highlight of the year is our visit to Hurricane, UT! We boondocked for 13 days on Sheep Bridge Rd in Hurricane and loved every minute of it! From the snow capped mountain peaks to the 30 minute drive into Zion NP to hiking beside the Virgin River. 13 days is the longest we have ever boondocked, together or seperate and I still do not think we were ready to leave.
I don't want this first "re-introduction" blog to be to long! So I will provide some basic updates below and save the good stuff for the next entry!
- Cara & Gregory? You guessed it, still going strong! Ha wanted to make you panic for a second though! We have our ups and downs like everyone else! I would say for the most part its WAYYYY more ups than downs! We are still each others best friends!
- Since North Carolina we've been to TX, AZ, UT, and CA.
- Charlie is still fighting her battle with Valley Fever but staying healthy! She has a check up in a couple of weeks!
- The RV has been in great shape until the month of May. We lost our brakes on the drive between Lake Tahoe and Auburn so that was fun. After we finished working on them we found a leak in our front driver side wheel. We've also pulled the bumper off of the front of the RV and repaired a couple of cracks in it and maintenance the leveling jacks. Oh don't forget about the passenger side window we had to remove from the wall, check the wall for mold and rot, and then replace and reseal the window.
- Our jobs are going great! Gregory applied for a higher paying position and improved title at his company and was hired! And I am closing in on my first year with ByteStand!
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