July 2025
Happy Pie & Beer Month!
For those who aren't from Utah, the 24th of this month is when we became an official state. I personally like to call it Pie and Beer Day, but it's actually called Pioneer Day. I'm one of those sticklers who isn't a big fan of fireworks, though. Yes, they're fun to set off, yes, they're pretty in the sky. They also cause a lot of fires, and with Utah being a desert, we have a lot of rules and regulations about what we can and can't set off, but people don't listen to them. They are also just loud, pollute the air, and scare dogs and veterans. Yes, the drone shows use a lot of power, but they can do some pretty cool and pretty shapes in the night sky as well.
Juno did not like his first year of fireworks at all! He went outside to use the bathroom, came in, and just cuddled me each night we heard them.
Adventures!
Friends and Family:
Language Learning:
I am on day 300 of Duolingo Spanish!
I am, however, changing Spanish to Italian now. We have discovered that the cost difference in travel between Hawaii and Italy is only $200. The flights to Italy cost more, but the food and stay are cheaper than in Hawaii. Due to this change, our 10th anniversary/ Honeymoon in 2026 is no longer destined for the islands but is now destined for historic culture.
Gaming:
Sheldon and I have been game-hopping this month. We went from FFXIV to Windblown, to Borderlands 3, and currently to Deadzone Rogue. I haven't had a lot of time or energy to sit and play this month, so we are doing what we can when I feel up for it.
Reading:
On the side, I have also finished Book 5 of Artemis Fowl and Book 1 of The Heroes of Olympus.
Anime/K-Dramas:
I started a slice of life romance anime called: Tonikawa Over the Moon for You. It's just a stupid, cheesy love story of two young kids who got married. I like my sappy, cute romcoms.
Concerts:
The trip was exhausting! The day prior was my hair/makeup/nails mock-trial day for my wedding, so I spent a good 7 or 8 hours focusing on that. Then we dropped off Juno at Sheldon's brother's for the weekend. It was our first time leaving him with someone else, so we were pretty anxious even though he was in good hands and with his cousin (A cute boxer he gets along with very well).
Our flight out was around 7 am because it was the only flight that wouldn't make us miss our concert. We walked around and bar-hopped until we could check in at the hotel. Then we rested and went to the concert. We walked back from the stadium to the hotel because the traffic was insane! And flew back home the next day!
I had the honor to see this concert after work with a friend of mine! It was a blast, but I'm realizing that I cannot stand for hours at concerts anymore. The tour was called the Idobi Summer School tour, held by Hot Topic. There were quite a few bands whose music I surprisingly knew.
The cool part was that a lot of people were there for specific bands and artists, so everyone cleared out after certain shows were performed. We got to inch up closer and closer until Charlotte Sands was next. A lady saw my tour t-shirt and asked if we wanted to move up to the stage gate because she was leaving, and of course, I said yes. I had never been that close to a stage! It was so cool! I love Charlotte and Taylor's music so much!
This is a photo of Charlotte
This is a photo of Taylor
Baby Metal
Baby Metal was fun because I went with some co-workers after work. I was able to get an exclusive venue-only tour t-shirt! One of the opening bands was called Bloodywood, and they were really neat. It was basically Indian core Metal from New Delhi.
Baby Metal was, of course, as cute as ever on stage, too! I saw them open for Lady Gaga years ago and fell in love with their kawaii core!
Mental Health Status:
Psychiatry & Gene Testing:
I have officially started on ADHD and anti-anxiety medication! I think they've been helping quite a bit. I'm still adjusting to it all but I haven't bene as anxious about things. I also don't have my exectuyive dysphunction as much and its easier to gain focus back when I become distracted. I still have a few wandering thoughts or mental sticky notes but they aren't as proniment in terms of being pulled in seeveral directions.
The only downside is that I have been noticing my depression more now that it's not masked by constant anxiety and adhd overstimulation. We will look into antidepressants next month. I was able to do a GeneSite test that listed what medications work for me and what medications do not work for me. There are only four Antidepressants that work, and the list of do not work is long! I assume that's why I never fared well with them in the past.
The cool part about the gene test is that it also tells you what types of medication you digest normally, quickly, or slowly. For example, I cannot take oxycodone in normal doses because I digest it too fast. Therefore, I need small doses of them. I hated it after my nasal surgery, which probably meant that I had too high a dose.
Physical Health Status:
Physical Therapy:
It turns out that I do have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, which is part of my cause for fake UTIs, and it's connected to flaring up other lower body pains. My doctor said that Endometriosis and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction go hand in hand, so it's still likely that I might have endo. I'm just going through all of the elimination trials for insurance purposes.
I've been going to these appointments once a week, and just within a month, my symptoms have started to improve. After we are more comfortable with allowing me to do things from home, I will be starting water resistance physical therapy that should further help strengthen all of my various pain and maybe get my weight loss better in check.
I'm still focusing on my Intuitive Eating anti-diet, but I have mixed in a little bit of an anti-inflammatory food routine in the process. I think it might help a lot to allow me to focus less negatively on my body image while also trying to help manage and lessen any flare-ups.
Health Wrap Up:
The Chiropractor and Acupuncture went well as usual. I was able to see my primary care doctor about paperwork for Intermittent FMLA and ADA accommodations at work. I am now accepting that my flare-ups feel twice as horrible the next day when I push through them instead of allowing myself the rest that I need.
I have also officially used my insurance so much that my insurance has provided me with a free nurse to consult with. I guess it's a third-party system that helps insurance and their patients save money, so that's pretty cool.
Final Thoughts:
Final thoughts... I think I'm still making strides and progress this year in terms of my mental and physical health. It's been hard having the confidence in myself to seek help and hope that I'm believed. I'm still overworking myself and exhausting myself; that's something I need to change and accept. I've always had a survival mode instinct.
I'm super excited for my wedding and only slightly nervous because I don't like all eyes on me. But I'll be looking at Sheldon as I go down that aisle, and it will only last for a few seconds. The more days off and time that I can figure out to have with him and Juno are what I need to focus on more. Juno gets so happy when he goes on walks with both of us or to the park, etc. I have a small family now, and I want to love and cherish it as much as I can until the end.
I also need to get a new phone that can take better photos at concerts. It's a want and not a need, so not at the top of my list right now, but one day it will happen!
