Thursday, March 26, 2015

Tied in a bow

I'm having my tubes tied tomorrow! Below is a Q&A responding to the most common questions I've received. Some are inquisitive, some are rude. Some are specifically about the procedure, and some are about the stigma that comes with not wanting children.

Why are you having your tubes tied? How did you decide this was the right choice for you?

I have to be honest here. I don't like children. I don't want children. I love my nephew, L., because I can give him back after a hot minute, and he's finally old enough that he has a personality. Between the stress and anxiety of missing a pill and the fact that I'm now at a point in my life where I feel that I can make a fully informed decision, this feels like the right time and right procedure for me.

There's no way to be 100% certain that you don't want children, but I'm about as sure as I can be. When it comes to health, I'm a serious researcher. There's no reason to trust your doctor blindly, and I've had more than one say that they appreciate an informed patient who knows his or her options. And since this is such a big decision* to most people, I did a lot of research. The deal was sealed for me when I read this post on the Childfree subreddit. Although I had read a lot about not having kids and felt comfortable with it, hearing from someone who had actually been convinced to have a child against his wishes really upset me and made it a lot more difficult to believe that I could ever make it okay for me to have a kid. Reading that post is like a punch in the gut to me, and that's when I really knew.

*Part of why I know this is right for me is because so many people think this is a big decision to make, but for me and my body, it's always been the one that made sense. It doesn't feel like a big decision, it just feels like another doctor's appointment. That's the biggest sign that sterilization is the right path for me to go down.

Why now? Why not wait to make sure?

I've always found it odd that women who want to have their tubes tied are looked at askew for a permanent decision such as this one, while women who decide to have children--an equally permanent decision--are hailed. Why do I have to wait to make sure but they don't? It's bizarre.

I have been considering a tubal ligation for a long, long time. While hormonal birth control has worked well for me, I am very anxious if/when I miss a pill, and then I spend all month freaking out and thinking oh god, I might be screwed. I don't want that anymore, and from day one I've felt that this has been the end result. It was just a matter of when. Especially now that I'm in a relationship, I don't want to have to be running for Plan B every month, which I've had to do more than once. I'm sick of the fear of possibly being pregnant, and I have better shit to do with my time than panic.

What did your doctor say?

I am very, very lucky to have a doctor who, unbeknownst to me when I chose her out of a phone book nine years ago, is extremely supportive, open minded, and knowledgable. She also, again unbeknownst to me, specializes in minimally invasive gynecological surgery. I went to my annual exam in December expecting serious pushback, because I've heard horror stories about doctors who refused to give a woman a tubal because she's "too young", "hasn't had children", or "might change her mind". Let me be clear that this is not the doctor's choice, and no person should be told, within reason, what one should do with his or her body, by a doctor or anyone else. So when I went to my doctor, I was armed with a list of reasons why I should have this procedure, or Essure (a form of nonsurgical permanent birth control). Turns out I didn't even need the list. She asked a few questions, we talked, and in the end, all she had to say is "you've done your research and you know what you want. Let's do it." It took a few months to get to this point, because my doctor is busy (isn't that true of all OB/GYNs though?), but my surgery was scheduled back in January. This past Monday, when I went for my pre-op appointment, her only question regarding my decision was "not considering changing your mind, are you?" Nope. Not at all.

How does the procedure work? Is it permanent?

The type of tubal ligation I'm having is laparoscopic, which means there will be two small incisions made, one in my belly button and one at the base of my stomach. My doctor will go in with a tiny laser and camera and sever each Fallopian tube, then cauterize each end to ensure nothing can get through one way or the other. I call it the "slash and burn". (My doctor thought that was pretty funny!) Because the procedure is so minimally invasive, I'll be discharged from the hospital the same day, and after a couple days of chillin, I'll be ready to return to my regular activities. I might not be able to lift a lot of weight at first, but it's not like I'm a pro weightlifter anyway.

Tubal ligations are a permanent form of birth control. In rare cases they can be reversed, but medical professionals absolutely do not recommend a tubal ligation as a temporary form of birth control. There are many other options for long term reversible birth control that do not require surgery. This is a lifelong choice, much like getting a tattoo. There are ways to take it back, as it were, but they're painful, expensive, and difficult.

How much will it cost?

Thanks to reaching my deductible and out of pocket max from my back surgery in October, the procedure will be completely free. Even if I hadn't reached my insurance plan's maximum payment, I would still pay nothing, as health insurance plans are now required to fully cover female sterilization as a version of birth control under the Affordable Care Act. Some people, including politicians, believe that this is more dangerous and costs Americans more than just the pill, but it also offers women who can't take hormonal birth control another option, and laparoscopic procedures are very safe.

What if you change your mind?

It's always insulting to ask if I might change my mind. It's quite rare for someone to ask a pregnant woman if she might change her mind about having kids, so why is it so okay to ask me if I might change my mind?

I've considered what might happen in the very slim possibility that I do change my mind--because after all, people do change. One of my core beliefs has always been in the power of adoption; I think it's so important to support the children of this world who don't have families or the love that they deserve. I haven't ruled out the possibility of adopting an older child, but even if I were able to have my own children, I would much rather adopt. So that's what would probably happen if I changed my mind. I would never blame anyone--my boyfriend, my doctor, or even myself--for changing my mind, because that shit happens.

But what about your boyfriend and his legacy?

What about my legacy? I'm always flabbergasted by this question. As though legacies can only be male. Regardless of my boyfriend's legacy (just so we're clear, my boyfriend fully supports this decision), my legacy involves some nasty diseases--PCOS, of course, but also breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and depression. I don't want to pass this on to anyone. The burden of disease is a heavy weight to bear, and I wouldn't share that lightly. And although I plan to be with my boyfriend for a very, very long time, what if something happens? I want to always be in full control of my own reproductive health, and this is the best way to ensure that I will always have that power. In a time when the control that women have over choices regarding their own bodies is constantly under attack, I want to protect myself whenever I can and however I can.

Why don't you want children? That seems selfish.

I have always felt extremely uncomfortable around children. Even when I was a child myself, I was precocious and preferred to be around adults rather than others my age. I am also very uncomfortable--sometimes to the point of panic--around pregnant women, although of course I can't tell them that, because what an insult. I've always feared being stuck in a situation where I was pregnant, and where I would have to make a very difficult decision to either have a child that I would not love or to have an abortion. If wanting to avoid bringing a child into a lifelong relationship with a mother that did not want to be a mother is considered selfish, then call me selfish to the end of the moon.

Not having my own children means that I'll be able to be a beneficiary for L.'s college savings plan. I'll be able to pay off my student loans and support my boyfriend and myself while he works his way through college. I will be able to buy a house someday and help care for adopted pets. I don't think of any of this as selfish--I just think I have different priorities, and that's a good thing. Someone has to do the things that other people don't, and that's true of many things, not just parenthood.

How will this affect your PCOS?

It won't, which is both good and bad. I will have to remain on birth control for the rest of my reproductive life, which is a pain, but it will be strictly used to control my symptoms and regulate my periods, which without birth control are nonexistent. I won't have to concern myself with a super specific schedule, and missing a pill won't mean a month of anxiety.

Do you have any questions that I haven't answered? Feel free to ask!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

So not okay











Necklace: antiques shop | Jacket: Target | Dress: Boden | Boots: Target | Nails: butter London Fiver

Last weekend, I took my bff S. to the store where I got my running shoes so she could get her own pair. (They do a foot assessment and everything! It's awesome.) She walked away with a pair of shoes, but we both walked away having watched a grown man tell a 70+ year old woman, out of the blue, that she was retaining water and that's why her ankles were so swollen.

There are no words to adequately describe a person like that.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Dead trout











Cardigan: JCPenney | Dress: Dorothy Perkins, via Dani | Belt: Target | Heels: Pink Studio via Anthro (super old though)

Fun fact: when petals on Bradford pear trees start to wilt, they smell like rotting fish. The south currently smells like rotting fish.

Be happy you don't live here.

Style Imitating Art: Spring



It's time for Style Imitating Art! As a reminder, this week's inspiration is the beautiful stained glass window Spring, designed by John La Farge. It's the perfect piece for the beginning of spring! Let's take a look at this week's outfits.

First up is Jen of Librarian for Life and Style, and she mixed florals! I have never done that before but now I feel a serious need to.



Kezzie of KezzieAG has the cutest blue dress, and the shoes to match!



I love Stephanie's skirt. It matches so many things! And I love the emerald green. It's a great match for this week's art.



Erin of Loop Looks has a dog with her! Yes! And she looks fantastic--I love the windswept hair.



Gracey of Fashion for Giants jumped in on SIA this week, and she looks adorable. I give my stamp of approval to the blue tights!



My co-creator of SIA, Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, nailed it. I love that she looks classic and comfortable but also stylish and sharp. Dem shoes.



And here's me! Stay tuned for a full post of this outfit!



Thank you all for participating this week! I am loving the floral, and the various ways we all styled it. What a great way to welcome spring!

Monday, March 16, 2015

SIA: PSA



Spring, designed by John La Farge, assembled by Thomas Wright, painted by Juliette Henson
Glass & lead, 1902

Have you heard of Louis Comfort Tiffany? Of course you have. What about John La Farge? Probably not so much, but La Farge was a contemporary and competitor of Tiffany, and La Farge was the inventor of opalescent glass (this stuff). That alone makes him one of the most important glass makers ever, but beyond that, he also designed some of the most beautiful stained glass windows in America. Stained glass is an exceptional medium for art, and usually, the results are brilliant and bold. All it takes is a little light for a stained glass window to change from utilitarian object to beautiful, inspiring work of art, and nowhere is that more on display than with La Farge's Spring. It's exceptional, and there really isn't much else I can say.

If you want to take part in this week's Style Imitating Art, please email me photos of your outfits inspired by Spring by Monday, March 23rd. I can't wait to see the results! Enjoy this one--click on the image of the window for a larger version to soak in all the detail!

Sunday, March 15, 2015

The struggle is real











Top: Target | Skirt: Boden | Tights: Target | Boots: Off Broadway | Lips: NARS Heat Wave

I've bemoaned my gray hair before (truth is that I love them), but it's getting real now. I have found no fewer than four gray hairs long enough that they we cut the last time I trimmed my hair, and they're blatantly obvious now that I'm no longer dying my hair. I read online that the age you gray is usually tied to genetics, but my parents--and THEIR parents--went gray at a normal middle-to-older age. And yet there I was, in front of the mirror at age 21, staring at a gray hair protruding straight out of the edge of my hairline, practically reaching out to the mirror to say hello to itself. The only person I have to blame is my dad's dad, because my father can't remember when he went gray. But he had a full head of snow white hair by the time I was old enough to have memories of him, so there's plenty of upside. Silver fox, here I come.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Lines leading the eye









Top: JCPenney | Skirt: Target | Heels: Urban Outfitters

So the Oscars were a few weeks ago, and I'm still catching up on my viewing. I loved Whiplash--one of my favourite films of all time, no doubt, not even just of the year. And The Grand Budapest Hotel was utterly charming. I kind of hated Gone Girl, having read the book and not really enjoying it, and I found the film insufferably long. But the most passion I have of all is for The Lego Movie, which was robbed of both the nomination and statue it so greatly deserved. I wish I had written a letter. I still kind of want to write a letter. I guess for now I'll just have to settle for watching Birdman. Have y'all seen any of the Oscar movies for this year?

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

In love


Us at the Biltmore Estate on February 23, 2015.

On February 22nd, 2014, I met a guy. And we fell in love.

My boss convinced me to let her put my information on Match. I had almost nothing to do with my profile, all the way down to the username--she put numbers in there, which I deeply dislike--except for the tagline that I could attach to my profile. My boss insisted I do that. I told her to put down "I need a drink" and left it at that. One day, about a month into being on Match, I received a message, but I couldn't see it. One of many obnoxious things about Match is that the site will tell you you have a message for free, but you have to pay to read the message. So I ignored the email, because I didn't feel like paying for a message from a guy I wouldn't be interested in.

Match kept sending emails, and finally, the company sent a warning email that my message would be deleted in 48 hours if I didn't pay up. To entice me, they sent the body of the message, which mostly said "I saw that your tagline read "I need a drink". Mine says "FREE BEER", so I thought I'd check and see if you still need that drink." I caved and forked over three months of membership to Match, because it was less than a month, so I could see who sent the message.

That's how Andrew and I met.

Our first date was to see August: Osage County, which was terrible, and I was so nervous about riding the escalator (I have a fear of them) to the movie theatre that the first thing I ever said to him was "I have to warn you that it may take me a while to get onto the escalator because I am afraid of them." He said "okay. And hi." We had drinks afterward at a bar that tragically no longer exists, but we talked while I was half distracted by the Winter Olympics were on the tv behind him. I took my glasses off so I couldn't see as well, but bobsled was on. He put up with it all, and then I knew that I probably had a winner on my hands.

Andrew is probably one of the few people in my life who puts up with me on a daily basis and never gets tired of me. Even my parents get tired of me. I am a moody, aggressive, crazy bitch sometimes, and he is very even keeled--something I desperately need in a relationship. He is by turns supportive and challenging, always at the right time, and while we don't have all the same interests (he plays Grand Theft Auto & listens to heavy metal while I read about art on Wikipedia & jam to Kesha), we share some very important core beliefs, including strongly preferring to remain childless and a lack of interest in organized religion. We also both love parks, bad movies, and the internet. He puts up with all the shitty reality tv I watch (including The Bachelor) and lets me control the radio in the car. He's supportive and smart and incredibly handsome, and sometimes I look at him and wonder what the hell he could see in me.

We've had ups and downs, just like any relationship, but Andrew hasn't wavered, not yet. I'm not sure he ever will, and if he doesn't, then I might be one of the luckiest women on earth.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

SIA: PSA



The Knitting Lesson, by Ernest Biéler
1908, probably pastel on paper?

I had to guess on the medium for this piece of artwork, because a lot of the information about Ernest Biéler online is in Russian, and he worked in a great number of media (everything from watercolour to stained glass). Biéler created many images of everyday life, including The Knitting Lesson, which I found a lot on Pinterest because apparently knitters are big on this piece of art! It's always inspiring to see yourself and what you do in someone else's artwork.

Send your photos based on this piece of art to Jen by Monday, March 9th to be part of this week's SIA!