chickchickee - Tumblr blog

[chickchickee]

We'll be doing a livestream of Harvest Moon 64 tomorrow! Ever wanted to have two kids in the game? We're going to see if our host can replicate an interesting glitch while playing on the NSO Expansion Pass version! Watch here:

[chickchickee]

Hey ford? what do you mean by that

[chickchickee]

I was offline on most of my socials for awhile, so I want to make a post about my disappearance. This is also an endometriosis awareness post, tw: surgery, medical talk. It really needs to be discussed more than it is because a lot of women have it and aren't aware of it.

And it can get real ugly.

I wasn't aware how sick I was until a tumor was found late in 2022. I had begged the doctor to do a MRI because I had horrible pain and was unable to walk without difficulty, and this scan finally uncovered the reason. It was in an area that wasn't supposed to have anything in it. After many additional scans and tests, I was scheduled for it to be removed and any possible endometriosis inside.

For over four years, I had been struggling with a sitting heart rate of 120 (walking, 140-160) and a perpetual mystery fever over 102. I had multiple infections that kept returning after the antibiotics ran their course. It took the large tumor to alarm my doctors into action.

My surgery went ten hours, and I woke up with an ileostomy, six scars and the news that I had polypoid endometriosis. It was everywhere BUT my uterus. That's the thing about endometriosis - I was always told it was contained in certain areas. My endometriosis had coated the outside of organs, nerves, and perforated my intestinal track. It had tied some organs together. Someone on the team estimated at my surgery that I was 2 months away from spontaneous bowel failure with how thin the intestinal wall was, which was what was causing the repeated infections. The feeling I had all of 2022 of feeling close to death, that prompted me to fill out my will before my surgery, had not just been a feeling - it had been an inkling of knowing that something was critically wrong with me. If I had listened to doctors and kept taking antibiotics and not requested a scan, things could have turned out drastically different for me.

Recovery was hard from this first surgery, I spent a week in the hospital. Living suddenly with an ileostomy was an abrupt change, and I had to make a lot of dietary changes and learn how to change the equipment. I couldn't eat any of my favorite foods, so a lot of my diet changed - but I was still riding a high from surviving my surgery, so this discomfort was easily tolerated. I was so thankful just to be alive. I remember the first time I came home and felt like I was cold - COLD! It turns out I was the one with a broken thermostat, not my house. It was like living as a new person, so I fell off of my social activities as I tried relearning how I used to live before all of my health problems began. It really felt like someone had given me another chance at life. I still think back on that time and I don't recognize the person I was, because every bad trait I had came out when I was struggling with how I was feeling.

After a few months, I had my ileostomy reversed - I had just enough tract left in the large colon to be able to do this. If I hadn't, I would have had a permanent ileostomy (this is still a concern for the future, if it reoccurs, but we'll get to that). The nerves around my bladder had to be cut during my first surgery because the endometriosis wrapped around it and they couldn't keep it from getting into my bladder unless they removed the nerve.

This led to my next two surgeries, to install a pacemaker for my bladder so it could work again. Again, I was thankful I had the option available, because the alternative is catheters for life.

Polypoid endometriosis does not stop growing once it's removed. There's medication to slow it down, but it will inevitably return, and in different places. I was told it was like cancer with the way it spreads, but it can't be treated like cancer. What usually kills people with endometriosis is repeated surgeries that create scarred tissue that builds up and makes it hard for organs to continue to function. The cause of death isn't noted as endometriosis, but the failure of those organs. The myth that people don't die of endometriosis is just that - a myth. Endometriosis is largely a mysterious disease still, and it's actively being studied, but there's so much we don't know about it.

I'm glad to be alive, despite knowing what is ahead. Everything has been a lot happier now, even though it's been rough - I have a map of scars on me, but they're my reminders I survived this and I'm going to keep doing my best with my diet, physical health and medicine to put time between my next surgeries. The pain will probably return, but I have methods to help with it (baths are a life savior!) There's more surgeries in my future, but it's a reminder to enjoy the time I have with my loved ones and live as happily as I can.

I've been trying to get into spreading endometriosis awareness where I can, because I know I'm not the only one dealing with mysterious symptoms - and I never want anyone to go through what I did.

I don't know what words of encouragement I can give those who are still trying to fight for their diagnosis, but know you should rely on your instincts. You know your body. If you think something is wrong, something is wrong. Keep searching, don't ever give up - you will thank yourself later. I hope something in my story can give you some insight if you've experienced similar, from the mental changes, to the physical - and I hope if you do find yourself being diagnosed with endometriosis, you find it earlier than I did.

[chickchickee]

My background from the 20th anniversary A Wonderful Life collab held by @ranchstoryblog, found here.

[chickchickee]

9 people you would like to get to know better

Tagged by @plow-and-propose. Thank you ❤❤❤

1) 3 ships: Bridget/MC (SoS:PoOT), Hades/Azem (FFXIV), Maria/Pete (HM64)

2) first ever ship: Nina/Pete (Harvest Moon)

3) last song: ME! - Taylor Swift, Brendon Urie

4) last movie: Don't Blink (2014)

5) currently reading: Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better - Jennifer Pahlka

6) currently watching: Ugly Betty

7) currently consuming: water

8) currently craving: weirdly, steak

@sketch-witch @pansy-picnics @quartzfox @loftyanchor @coldspicy64 @beck-a-leck @durotoswrites @randomstarmuffin

[chickchickee]

For the Bokumono Reverse Big Bang, I worked with @lulururuartcorner on a collaboration starring Holly and Stephanie from Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns. Check out LuluRuru's wonderful artworks in the link above!

Read here: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/BokumonoReverseBigBang2023/works/45826975

[chickchickee]

has this been done?

[chickchickee]

A look at Autumn (and a certain special, beloved friend) in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, courtesy of Bokumono_PR on Twitter. The text of the post also reminds me of something neat that isn't mentioned often: In the Japanese version the months are called Parrot, Pepper, Amber, and Indigo rather than Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

[chickchickee]

A look at Winter via Bokumono_PR.

[chickchickee]

Happy birthday @joyfulsanctuary ! 🥰

[chickchickee]

da girlies

[chickchickee]

I was so happy to see my chickadee ita purse in the mailbox this week!!

@birdghost It’s absolutely beautiful, thank you so much!

(That packaging is perfection, I had to take a picture of all of it!!)

[chickchickee]

My full Inktober attempt! While it’s disappointing that I wasn’t able to finish all 31 days, I’m still very happy with my progress! :)

Please let me know if you like this style and want to see more of it! It was a lot of fun to draw in! ^u^

[chickchickee]

I drew this before FE: 3Hopes was released (Edelgard’s love for cats is canon).

[chickchickee]

[chickchickee]

Princess Vanilla from Harvest Moon 64!  Happy Birthday to a dear friend! 💖

[chickchickee]

October Chibi Challenge

Day 19: Porcoline Tulle De Saint-Coquille

💕💕 Joyous Joy! It’s @chickchickee‘s birthday~ 💕💕