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One Month Since My Bilateral Salpingectomy

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Back in December, I wrote about how I had an appointment to have surgery done, a bilateral salpingectomy. Basically, a fancy way of saying I was going to have my fallopian tubes removed, instead of just tied or snipped. It was something I’ve thought a lot about and on January 3rd I had it done!

I had to be at the hospital bright and early. Once I arrived I checked in, filled out some forms, and then just waited to be called back. Once that happened I had to pee in a cup (which took 3 tries), switch into a hospital gown, and then just wait until it was my turn. A nurse stopped by to ask a few more questions and hook up some IV’s that would be used later during surgery. Later on my Doctor dropped in and went over the procedure again, explaining how I wouldn’t be able to have kids and just crossing all the T’s and dotting all the I’s. I told him I fully understood. The surgery was going to take about 45 minutes, then I’d have about another hour in recovery. I walked myself into the OR, along with a nurse, and hopped up on the table. They did the typical thing of confirming my info one last time, hooked up the night night juice, and then next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery!

My throat was a little sore and I felt a little groggy but that passed pretty quickly. Everything went fine during surgery and as expected. There were no surprises which was great. My parents were allowed back to see me and after a few more minutes of just relaxing a bit, my clothes were brought to me and I was able to change and head home. They did wheel me out in a wheelchair which was kinda nice. I was a little sore but nothing too bad. The surgery was done via 3 little holes: left side, right side, and my belly button. They used dissolvable stitches and they were covered with a type of bandage glue that would dissolve over time as well. I made sure to wear leggings that had a high waist that way nothing was rubbed the wrong way. I had the surgery done on a Friday, rested at home the entire weekend, and was back to work on Monday. The only pain I had was related to the gas pains that I was warned about. They basically fill you up with air to make space to do what they need to do. They try to get out as much of the air as they can but sometimes you’re still stuck with some. Because of this, I had to sleep on my back for about 2-3 days. If I tried to lay on my side, the air would travel up and my chest and shoulder area would hurt. I didn’t have much pain in my stomach area though. The only pain I had felt more like muscle soreness than anything. Like maybe I did one too many sit ups or planks. I did suffer from a little bit of constipation due to the medicines given during surgery. I took care of that by taking a stool softener. That did the trick and by the end of the week everything was back to normal. I wasn’t allowed to work out or anything like that (or use tampons/have sex) until I went back and was cleared. That happened on the 21st of January. At my appointment I was told everything came back fine (my tubes were sent off for testing just to be sure) and I could go back to my regular activities! While I was under, I had my Nexplanon birth control removed as well. I figured I could get a 2 for 1 special since I have no use for hormonal birth control anymore. I’ve been on some sort of BC for so long, it’ll be nice to finally get off of it.

I think that pretty much covers everything. If anyone has any other questions feel free to post them in the comments and I’ll try my best to answer. My doctor was the first one I approached about having this done. I know a lot of women run into issues with doctors saying no, or giving them a hard time. Luckily, I didn’t deal with any of that.

TMP Television Edition #290: 2019 Freshmen Series

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I took off last week but I’m back for Thursday Movie Picks! This time around it’s a TV edition! I probably watch a lot more TV than I do movies, so I really look forward to the monthly TV edition of the prompt. If you need a little refresher on how this works, ss the name suggests, Thursday Movie Picks is held every Thursday. The rules are simple; base on the theme of the week pick three to five movies (or TV shows) and tell us why you picked them.

1. The Mandalorian (Disney+)

After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. The series depicts a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

I don’t consider myself a huge fan of Star Wars. I think it’s “fine” but man, this show is amazing. Even if you’ve never seen a Star Wars film, you’d 100% enjoy this show. It’s only 8 episodes which I love. Sometimes I think network television could learn a thing or two from the streaming services. The score, settings, and effects are all top notch. In my opinion, it’s better than any of the movies. Sorry, not sorry. I can’t wait for Season Two! You can read more about my thoughts on the show here.

2. Prodigal Son (Fox)

The series centers on Malcolm Bright, whose father, Martin Whitly, is the infamous serial killer known as “The Surgeon”. As a child, Malcolm was responsible for enabling the police to arrest his father, and has not (of his own volition) seen his father in ten years. Now a profiler, formerly with the FBI (until he was fired) and currently consulting for the New York Police Department, Malcolm is forced to confront his father after a copycat serial killer uses Dr. Whitly’s methods of killing. He now finds himself drawn back into constant contact with his father as he must both use Whitly’s insights to help the police solve particularly horrible crimes and battle his own inner demons.

I’m a sucker for a show about a serial killer. I wasn’t 100% hooked from the start but as the series went on it became a show I really looked forward to each week. It just came back from winter break and the episode was bonkers! I can’t wait to see where the show goes. I hope we learn more about the crimes of Martin Whitly, and about Malcolm’s childhood. The show was picked up for a full season, so hopefully that means a 2nd season is a go. But with Fox you can never be sure.

3. EVIL (CBS)

Skeptical psychologist Kristen Bouchard joins David Acosta, who is training to be a Catholic priest, and a blue collar contractor as they investigate the church’s backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions and other extraordinary occurrences. Their job is to assess if there’s a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work, examining the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion.

This is a show I started to watch and really thought I’d like. After about 4 episodes, I dropped it. The show just got a little too weird and confusing, even for me. I guess it just wasn’t what I was expecting. The character, Dr. Leland Townsend, played by Michael Emerson is just too creepy. There’s just something about him that puts me on edge and I don’t like it.

4. The Unicorn (CBS)

A recently widowed father with two daughters is encouraged by his friends to re-enter the dating scene. Surprisingly to both him and his friends, he becomes the most sought after single guy due to his widowed father status

This show slowly grew on me. It’s a bit of a dramedy. I’d say there’s more fun and comedic episodes but because of the topic of the show, there’s a few very heart felt episodes too. The entire cast is great. The main lead is Walton Goggins who you might know from “Justified,” “The Shield,” and “Ant-Man And The Wasp.”

There ya go! Honestly, I’m not someone to always pick up new shows. I’m always worried I’ll really love one and then it’ll get cancelled. Plus I’m pretty loyal to the shows I already watch. If a show comes on against a time slot of a show I love, I’m probably not even going to check it out.

The Batman Returns Catwoman Funko Pop Is Finally Here!

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It was finally announced that Catwoman from “Batman Returns” was getting her own Funko Pop! I feel like this is something that should have happened years ago. I’m sure there’s some reason for it, something about rights and all that, but come on. This movie is a classic!

I actually haven’t bought a Pop in maybe a year or more. I just ran out of space and nothing really grabbed my eye. But you bet your ass I ordered her as soon as I could. She’s up now on Amazon for $10.99 with a June release date. I’ll display her with my Catwoman poster and Living Dead Doll. Now I just need Hot Toys to put out a 1/6th figure.

Let’s Talk Holo Taco!

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I’m not a huge nails person. I was a nail biter for most of my life and it took forever to fully kick the habit. I do love going out for a mani/pedi though! I just suck at filing/shaping my nails and painting them? Well, one hand will look decent and the other will look like crap. But when Christine of Simply Nailogical launched her own nail polish line, I was very intrigued. I’m not super into YouTube but I always found her videos fun and pretty laid back. She doesn’t get wrapped up into a lot of the drama that happens. Honestly, I’d love to just hang out with her and drink tea. Here’s a little more info about her line, Holo Taco.

The phrase ‘holo taco’ comes from Cristine’s nail tutorials on YouTube. Maybe it was her Canadian accent, maybe it was the mic. Either way, when Cristine would say ‘top coat’ in her voiceovers people thought she was saying ‘taco’. Not one to let a little humour pass her by, Cristine ran with it, adding a holographic ‘taco’ (or holo taco) in every video. What started as a misunderstanding on YouTube is now a real life nail polish brand. We did it, internet!

The polishes I picked up are Rainbow Snow, One Coat Black, and Play Rose. I grabbed the Super Glossy Taco and Peely Base as well. I am in love with the Rainbow Snow and Play Rose, the amount of holo in these two polishes is off the charts! They just sparkle all over the place. I use 2-3 coats for the Play Rose, and 1-2 for Rainbow Snow. It all depends on how powerful you want the color and if you’re layering it over another polish. You can see the Play Rose below on the ring finger. The main color is just a random pink from the nail salon.

I love how it looks when paired with the Super Glossy Taco. As I mentioned before, there’s a lot of holo packed into these polishes, so it’s really important to use a top coat. It feels a little rough if you don’t use any and it could get your nails snagged on stuff. Plus it really brings the holo! And that’s the entire point of this polish!

The One Coat Black is just what it claims to be. I still throw a second coat on though because of my nails. The years of biting them has caused some imperfections and I feel like the black really brings them out. I’m not sure if it’s just the darkness of the color, but it’s something I notice. If you’re looking for the perfect black though, this is it!

I’m still trying to get the hang of the peely base coat. It’s great to pair with the holo polishes since removing the polish can be a pain in the ass due to the glitter. I think the last time I used it, I didn’t let it dry long enough. If you’re someone who picks at your polish, this might not be a great thing to use. I can be a picker and knowing it was soooooo easy to peel, I peeled them off within a day or two. If you’re someone who does nail art, it’s probably a great option! If you’re someone like me who maybe doesn’t change polish that much, you could probably just stick to a normal base coat, and she offers those as well.

I can’t wait to see what other colors she releases. I hope there’s a purple in the works! Cristine has been been posting some black and white teasers on Instagram and hope she let’s us in on the secret soon. Anyone else grab something from Holo Taco? What did you think?

TMP #288: 2019 Releases

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It’s Thursday which means another round of Thursday Movie Picks! If you’ve been joining in on the fun, be sure to let me know in the comments and I’ll try and check our your list as well. I really enjoy seeing all the different movies that people pick. It’s a nice way to learn about new films Remember, the rules are simple! Just pick three to five movies and tell us why you picked them! Be sure to link back to Wandering Through The Shelves as well!

1. Knives Out

I knew I had to see this movie after watching the trailer. The cast was loaded, the story looked interesting, and it was something new. I’m glad to say my expectations were exceeded! A movie with such a star studded cast could easily crash and burn, but not here. Everyone played a pivotal role but no one over shadowed anyone. No one was given lines or scenes that weren’t needed. The score was great and in the end, the movie had me fooled. I 100% thought I had it figured out half way through but I was dead wrong! If you haven’t watched this yet, be sure to add it to your list!

2. Villains

I love Jeffrey Donovan and Bill Skarsgård which means I had to hunt down this film. I had to go to a random theater to see it but it was worth it. I had no idea what to expect but it was such a weird and wonderful time. I honestly don’t know how to describe this movie but it was hilarious, but a little jarring too. Unlike Knives Out, this film depended on just a very small cast and it worked. Donovan plays a creep really well and it was nice to see Skarsgård stretch his comedic legs. And have a role where he’s not covered in clown make up.

3. Midsommar

Unlike everyone else out there (at least it feels that way), I didn’t care too much about this film. I thought it was beautiful, the score was perfect, and the cinematography was stunning. But in the end I didn’t care about anyone in the movie, which means I didn’t care about the story. I really wanted to learn more about the cult if I’m being honest. And let’s be real, they’re trash just like the boyfriend. No one in this movie is good for Dani. And breaking news, being a shitty boyfriend doesn’t justify killing him. And oddly enough, I don’t think it’s a “bad” movie. It’s just not a movie for me.

4. Avengers: Endgame

The final film in a 22 movie journey. I still can’t believe Marvel Studios was able to pull this off. The movie isn’t perfect but I love it. I cried every time I watched it. I think it was a mix of the story itself, knowing that I wouldn’t see some of these actors playing these roles again, and just finally getting a payoff after investing a ton of time and energy. I’m very excited to see where the next chapter takes us. And hopefully that next chapter is filled with more women, POC, and diversity. Not just in front of the camera, but behind it as well.

I saw more than four movies last year but that’s it for this list. I wanted to try and have different styles and types of movies and I think this list accomplishes that. I do need to keep better track of the movies I see! I attend a fair amount of free screenings and I always have a hard time remembering them when the end of the year rolls around. Now off to see what everyone else picked for the week!

5 Fandom Friday: Ways To Enjoy Self Care

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I can’t believe 5 Fandom Friday is back! This blogging prompt was a favorite of mine and I’m glad to see it’s alive and kicking. I hope the news spreads and more bloggers take part! Oh and if you’re confused, I use to blog at You Fancy Me Mad! I ran into some weird issues there and started this new blog. Welcome!

1. Go To The Movies Solo

I know a lot of people feel weird about going to the movies alone but I love it. You can sit wherever you want, go at a time that works for you (I like after work myself), and more importantly, see whatever movie you want! Why miss out on a film you want to see because your friends aren’t interested?

2. Disconnect

Sometimes we just need a break from the internet and social media. I took a cruise last year and for a week I had no connection and it was pretty great. I didn’t miss it at all and I was able to enjoy the moments around me. You don’t have to do a full week but unplugging for a weekend can be a great thing.

3. Take A Look, It’s In A Book

Reading! Another great way to escape your worries for a bit. It doesn’t matter if it’s a book, fan fiction, or a comic book. Whatever you enjoy reading is a great way to take a break. I know it’s something I want to work on this year.

4. Get Outside

Maybe you read that book at the park. Or take a walk around your neighborhood. Sometimes just being outside in the sun can do wonders for your mood. Personally I want to start trying to go on more hikes this year and really take in the nature that’s around me.

5. Baby Yoda

Feeling down? Just look at The Child! Nothing turns that frown upside down like a tiny green space baby. Scroll through some Baby Yoda memes and have yourself a giggle.

That’s it for this week! Don’t forget to check out Sartorial Geek for more information on 5 Fandom Friday and to find the list of topics for the year!