health

New Experiment (AKA Why I Will Be Quiet For Awhile)

Did you know Amish women in Ontario walk an average of 14K steps a day, according to one study?

To put in perspective, most people who work desk jobs walk like 3K - 4K.

While I'm not immediately running away to become an Amish ninja yet (this is my dream...and if you don't follow me on Twitter to know this, it's best if I don't get into explaining it), the fact is I sit too much.

I sit all day. I sit down with breakfast. I sit to work the day job. I sit to do extra stuff like edit. I sit to write. I sit when I relax with video games. I sit while having my other meals.

Yes, I get up and run. Yes, I take the dog for a walk. But that doesn't change the fact that I spend most of my day sitting, which the human body wasn't really designed for.

So yesterday I pulled a MacGyver.Read more

I'm Totally Nuts Today

I've been on medication for just over a month now. It's a temporary solution to a rather permanent problem the Dr. thinks I have.

And it has made me into an absolute fucking basket case.

There are side effects to all drugs. I knew that going in. And for this particular problem, I'll keep my mouth shut and do anything the Dr. tells me to, but...this has just been too much. I'm in extreme pain off and on--to the point where I can't get out of bed sometimes. I'm an emotional wreck--bursting into tears all the time. I mean, I'm used to mood swings (I'm bi-polar) and extreme depression, and I can handle those things. I've worked hard to have strategies and support in place so that I can deal without medication.

But this is totally unnatural and scares the hell out of me.

I know part of it is burnout creeping in. More and more keeps getting tacked onto my "to do" list. I asked for it, I know, and I'm not complaining about my choices. But when you're dealing with writers every day...it gets fucking exhaustive. Many, many are fine. They ask reasonable questions at reasonable times. But I have to deal with a slew of others who ask the most batshit crazy things AFTER I've already told them the fucking answer. And now I'm worried that all the nice ones are going to think I'm talking about them here, but guys, I swear I'm not. I just need to rant. I'm sick, what's supposed to make me better is making me worse, and I feel like I'm going insane.

I briefly considered taking the day off of work because I'm afraid at my other job (tutoring) I'm going to randomly burst into tears around the poor kids I work with, but I just found out my boss isn't in today, so I'm the only one who can unlock the door and let them in. So...yeah.

Dr. appointment next week. I want to be off this crap and she can find another way to fix me. I can't deal with this.

Keep Blogging for Choice

Today was the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in the U.S., and in a short while there will be the anniversary of the Morgentaler decision here in Canada.

I'm going through some medical issues right now that are reproductive health related, and I just wanted to repeat how incredibly important it is that women have complete control over their bodies to make their own decisions. Whether they want children or not, when they have those children, and can they afford proper health care are issues that we all STILL need to be fighting for today.

Please, women everywhere, know your options and have yourself checked over so that you know you don't have any health problems. If you're in a position where you don't know what you can afford, ASK. There may be help or other options for you. But please, please, take care of yourself and always make informed decisions regarding your body.