Archive for "Health"
Saturday Morning Laundromat Vibes
Posted on November 1, 2026 by Ching under Health, Life.
Wesley told us during my pre-op on October 13 that we needed to sleep in clean sheets the day before surgery which was on October 20. Our current comforter hadn’t been washed in months and was completely covered in Saki fur. Not only that, we found out later that she had puked on it and we didn’t even realize it. I told Brian we must be nose-blind! We didn’t find it until after the first wash cycle.
Anyway, I already knew we weren’t going to get that comforter cleaned in time so I just ordered a replacement and, thanks to Amazon, it arrived October 16, within plenty of time for the eve of my surgery.
I told Brian that we needed to make a trip to the laundromat to clean the other comforter. He’s insisted that we had washed it at home before. So I crammed it in the washer and then crammed it in the drier. When we pulled it out, it smelled bad. I was thinking maybe the drier didn’t dry it completely and it smelled musty because of this but, upon closer inspection, we found the source of the awful smell was Saki’s puke spot. Not only did the washing machine not agitate the comforter successfully, but it had somehow spread the puke smell because, I promise you, the comforter didn’t smell that bad at the start.
In it goes for another wash and dry cycle. I asked Brian if it was dry-dry and he assured me that he ran it through multiple cycles. Guess what. It still smelled bad. I think because it’s crammed in the washer, it’s not getting agitated, and the soap isn’t penetrating. I was like, “I told you we should have gone to the laundromat.”
Life stopped for a few days during and immediately after my surgery, but he finally agreed to take it to the laundromat. However, he said if we can’t get it cleaned then we’re going to have to just throw it away.
Fast forward to yesterday. Went to the laundromat for the first time in a long time. I was hoping you could do tap to pay but, alas, the machines at Spring Clean are still not that advanced. I was actually hopeful because they had these QR codes everywhere, but they want you to download an app and, even then, you still can’t pay as you go. They want you to load money in the app before you can actually use it. We were partway through the process, but stopped because we agreed that, unless Saki pukes on our current comforter, it’s going to be another year before we have to wash it. If you’re reading up to this point, you probably think we are gross but, while our sheets and pillowcases get washed weekly, we really don’t wash the comforter unless it gets soiled somehow.
We scrap the app idea and Brian’s just goes to the change machine instead. He gets $20 in quarters. Machine wants $14 so I’m feeding it in quarters and, OMG, it takes forever. Maybe we should have gone ahead with the app but we’re committed at this point. Two hours later (I’m exaggerating), we finally get all the coins loaded and start the wash cycle. There’s plenty of room in the commercial washer so we can actually see it tumbling around and getting agitated. It looks promising. The final test is the smell-test after it comes out of the dryer–success! We managed to save our comforter from the trash heap and it’s now stored at home as a backup.
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My Hysterectomy Story
Posted on October 29, 2026 by Ching under Health.
It’s story time, friends. Some of you who have been with me since the beginning of this blog know about my thyroidectomy about 14 years ago and know how what that journey was like. I was super reluctant to have surgery and so I continued to put it off until my thyroid had gotten so enlarged on one side that I really had no choice.
Fast forward to now, and I had a very similar journey with my hysterectomy. Problems started a few years ago, maybe around 2022-2023 time frame. Up until this point, I had very regular, predictable, normal periods. I never had any issues with cramps or anything like that. My period would come every month like clockwork. I would bleed for 3-4 days, maybe 5 at most, and then it would be over. And then a few years ago, my monthly cycle became highly irregular and I started suffering from really bad period cramps. They were so bad, I actually bought a heated pad to help soothe my abdominal cramps. There were months I wouldn’t have my period and those were great but then there were months I would bleed for two weeks straight and be completely miserable the entire time. I’d never taken so many pain killers my entire life. Even when I had my thyroidectomy, I took two Tylenol pills and that was about it. Now I’d started popping ibuprofen and NSAIDs like my life depended on it.
When I finally had enough, I talked to my doctor (at Center for Women’s Health at the time) about options. We talked about hysterectomy, which I wasn’t quite ready for; ablation, which also seemed invasive to me; and finally, birth control. I hadn’t taken birth control pills in years at this point. We just didn’t need any type of contraceptives. So here I am, taking birth control pills in my 40s–not for contraception, but to help with my issues.
It took a few months but it actually did work. My monthly cycle became more predictable. The cramps were few and manageable. While I had some other issues (mainly knee problems), for the first time in a really long time, my period cramps weren’t causing me problems. 2024 was mostly okay but then my blood pressure started running high. Center for Women’s Health had closed so I was with my new doctor at Associates in Women’s Health. I have always had unusually low blood pressure so it was strange that I suddenly had high blood pressure. (SIDE NOTE: September 2024 is when Brian got diagnosed with cancer, which shifted my routines so I’m sure it wasn’t all because of the birth control pills. I had become far less active during those months.)
We took me off the birth control pills, which didn’t really change anything; so shortly after, our GP prescribed me blood pressure medication. I started it this year and it’s actually help normalize my blood pressure a ton. In the meantime, almost as soon as I stopped the birth control, my period issues came back.
During our Alaska cruise last year, I went through three boxes of tampons because I was bleeding the entire time. I brought tampons for the trip but used them all up and had to buy two more boxes and used them all before we got home. This summer I got very anemic to the point that Brian had to pick me up from work and take me to the ER where they gave me a blood transfusion. For our solar eclipse cruise in August, I made sure to pack a ton of tampons so I wouldn’t have to buy expensive boxes during the trip. I went through all of those because I pretty much bled almost the entire time (again) and I had a couple of days of miserable cramps.
I’ve known for a while that a hysterectomy is the solution but my ambivalence was fueled by my fear of having surgery (despite having survived one already all those years ago) and also periods (pun intended) of normalcy. There were times when my periods were normal, and actually some months when I didn’t have one. During those times I felt like surgery wasn’t necessary. However, the miserable times make me wish that I had gotten my hysterectomy yesterday. Because I was wavering between these feelings and also I didn’t really want to be cut off from my normal routines (I wouldn’t be able to play pickleball or do Zumba) during recovery so I continued to put it off until my last gyno appointment. It was a follow up after my ER trip. It was then that we decided that I would finally have my hysterectomy this year. My doctor was out on maternity leave following the birth of her third child and we were traveling in August so we agreed to regroup at my well-woman exam on October 8. We also turned that visit into my pre-op appointment.
I didn’t have a surgery date yet but I tried to keep my schedule open. I didn’t sign up for any tournaments from October to the end of the year. However, I did RSVP for a couple of things that I was bummed about missing but you can only put your life on hold so much. I rolled the dice that I would be able to attend and lady luck wasn’t on my side.
October 8–doctor got my surgery date set for Tuesday, October 20. Things happened so quickly after my pre-op. Wesley Hospital asked me to come in for their on pre-op visit on Tuesday, October 13, exactly one week before surgery. But they called me before that. On Friday, October 9, someone from Wesley spoke to me on the phone to confirm my October 13 appointment but also asked me a bunch of questions about my medical history and medications.
I asked the lady on the phone with me exactly what I would be coming in for on the 13th since she seemed to be getting all the information already over the phone. She explained they have go over all the information with me in person, get some labs done, and they’re also giving me a “goody bag.” She sensed that I perked up at hearing “goody bag” and told me that she probably shouldn’t have called it that because it’s not that kind of “goody bag.” LOL.
October 13–Brian and I carpooled to work that day so he could take me to my 7:30 AM pre-op appointment at Wesley. Here’s a pic of us waiting at the hospital.
Here’s a picture of my “goody bag,” which contained pre-op instructions, informational pamphlets, a breathing exercise device, a bottle of Ensure pre-surgery drink, and a couple of antiseptic wipes.
October 20–surgery day. Brian helped me prepare our bed the night before. They instructed me to sleep on clean sheets. They also said no pets in the bed with us, but that wasn’t happening. LOL. We love Saki too much to push her away. We followed the instructions about the clean sheets, though.
They told me to shower but not apply any kind of lotions or products. Instead I was to wipe my entire body with the cloths that were provided. My body needed to be completely clean prior to surgery to reduce the risk of infection.
I also wasn’t allowed to eat anything at all that day except for the Ensure drink that they gave me, which I was supposed to drink before going to the hospital. Check in was at 11:00 AM and surgery was scheduled for 1:00 PM.
Here’s a picture of the “ready” room. I don’t think it’s actually called that but that’s what I’m calling it because this is where they got me ready for surgery.
Brian stayed and worked from the hospital that day. He did walk across the street to grab some lunch but came back and waited until I was ready to go home.
I was thinking I would be released by 4:00 PM but the schedule didn’t quite work out that way. First, the doctor was running late so we didn’t have my surgery at 1:00 PM as planned. Surgery started later than planned and, while the surgery itself only took a couple of hours or so, it took me almost an hour to wake up from the anesthesia. I woke up starving because I hadn’t eaten anything since 8:00 PM the night before. The nurse gave me Mott’s applesauce. I’ve never been a fan of applesauce but, that day, at that moment, it tasted delicious.
They wouldn’t release me until I was able to urinate. Once I finally did, I was free to go. I just wanted to go home and continue sleeping. I think it was 7:00 PM by the time we finally got home.
I haven’t spoken to my doctor since the surgery. Brian spoke to her and he said that the doctor told him it went really well. My four fibroids were bigger than expected but surgery went smoothly. I have to agree because I feel pretty good for only a week out. I am looking forward to my follow-up appointment next week to see if the doctor can release me to return to work. Hoping my recovery continues with no setbacks. Stay tuned!
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Closing Out May with Some Fun Events
Posted on June 11, 2026 by Ching under Events, Health.
May was a super miserable month for me. I was experiencing some really terrible abdominal cramps all month, starting with Parker’s wedding weekend. I didn’t let it cramp my style, though. Pun intended.
I played in the final Friday Night Fiesta of the month with Zach Young. Well, kinda sorta. I played in a couple of games until my back could no longer handle it. Thankfully, Heide Bartel was there fill for the rest of the games.
I ran the weekly InPickle Nation mini tournament at Tap on Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, we had enough players signed up so I did not have to play in it.
Afterwards, I Brian and Chris at Nails and Beyond for some much needed self-care.
Then Brian and I went to Fong and Josh’s annual crawfish boil shindig. It was Brian’s first time attending.
I was supposed to go to O’Brien’s for Monica McGehee’s (on the right in the pic below) birthday celebration but I wasn’t feeling well (as I hadn’t been all month) and that was pretty much all the activity I could muster.
I spent all day Sunday vegging out. I was super “crampy” and maybe spent all of two hours upright. I think this was the weekend that we were supposed to have brunch at HomeGrown but I woke up just not feeling great and went back to bed. Brian was really looking forward to HomeGrown (it’s his favorite breakfast spot) and I felt bad for disappointing him.
Anyway, Brian got up me for breakfast later that morning, and I spent the rest of the day in our recliner with my heating pad. I don’t think I even showered at all that day. I wondered (besides calling it quits in the middle of FNF on Friday) if people could tell how very miserable I felt inside. I didn’t feel 100 percent all and was barely keeping it together.
Monday was Memorial Day and we met some friends (Susie and Grant Ternes and their three kids, and Keith Lietzke) at Hikari for dinner. It’s a sushi and ramen place in Haysville that our friend Keith constantly raves about. I’ll write a separate post on it later because I took a bunch of food pics.
I’ll also fill you all in about my ER trip last week which helped me figure out what has been making me miserable all month. I was down a significant amount of blood and was practically “walking dead” (I had 6.5 hemoglobin according to my ER labs). ER doc was amazed I even went to work that morning. He said if I were a man, I would have been bed-ridden. Nope. I was still walking around, doing stuff, and even “trying” to play pickleball. How I didn’t pass out at any of these places was beyond me. More on that next time though. Until then, I hope you all have a fantastic weekend.
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West YMCA and Zumba Update
Posted on August 25, 2025 by Ching under Health, Zumba.
It’s been a while since I posted about Zumba. I’m still teaching classes. Currently in my 13th year in the Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN). However, I’m only teaching one class a week right now. It’s at West YMCA on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. The time slot works perfectly for me because Wednesday night is when beginner open play is at West YMCA so I can invite my friends who are new to pickleball to come for beginner open play at 5:00 PM and join me for Zumba at 6:30 PM. When I rejoined the YMCA group exercise team a couple of years ago (because I quit the Y for a while – well, technically I didn’t quit – when they laid everyone off during COVID, I didn’t didn’t return like many others did because I was super into pickleball at that time and I didn’t want to be too busy to play), that was the time slot that was available. Things just kind of lined up with the pickleball schedule because it was meant to be. LOL.
Incidentally, I get a break from my Zumba class this week because they are refinishing the studio floors. Our Group Ex Coordinator at West, Sheila, offered to let me teach in the Pickle Center (old basketball gym that is now being used for full-time pickleball) or the turf, but I passed. The pickleball floors in the Pickle Center and the turf are not idea for all the twisting and turning that happens in Zumba so I decided to the much-needed break.
Here’s the group exercise schedule at the West YMCA this week for those who, unlike me, DO NOT want to take a break:
Speaking of West YMCA, I actually have the best parking this year. I had the winning bid for it in the silent auction last year so I get to enjoy this awesome parking until June 30, 2026. I didn’t realize they put my sign up until I went back to teach class after our cruise. Since I’m really only at the West YMCA on Wednesday evenings, I told my friends they could use my parking on the other days. Although, I don’t really know that anyone has taken me up on this offer.
I extended the same offer to anyone subbing my class, on days that I can’t teach. Obviously, I’m not going to be there and won’t need my parking spot. LOL.
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April Was a Big Month
Posted on June 15, 2025 by Ching under Health, Things to Do.
In addition to all the things that happened in April, the biggest of them all being Brian finally getting his feeding tube removed, we also got to do some fun things like check out the new Glass in Flight 2 exhibit at Botanica.
The Glass in Flight 2 exhibit ends July 30 so be sure to stop by Botanica before it leaves. The exhibit is included with your park admission which is just $12 for adults. Brian and I plan to go back next month after we return from our trip. If you’ve been, let us know what you think in the comments.
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