I JUST GOT MY DIAPHRAGMS!!! 😀😀😀

My new diaphragms and some spermicide that is NOT supposed to set your coochie on fire! (In the bad way - I should clarify.)

LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE!!! 😳

We've got the Omniflex Wide Seal on the left and the Caya on the right.

I think both of these spermicides have an active ingredient of lactic acid which is much gentler than the nonoxynol 9 (coochie fire) stuff that seems to be the only thing available here in the U.S. I have read about some women making their own spermicide with lemon juice and aloe vera, but I don't know how much I trust that. Also I should say that the nonoxynol 9 doesn't irritate everyone, but there is no way in hell I will personally ever use that again. Just sayin'. (I still have some Today Sponges who are free to a good home.)

So first impressions from me? The rims are springy on both which I expected, but the material is SO SOFT and flexible on the domes. Like, I had no idea. I really expected for them to be much tougher. The Caya is actually kind of velvety. Ooh.

About the Caya - I read that it's so flexible that you REALLY have to make sure it's in place. Like, double-check with your fingers because it's so soft that it's not uncomfortable even if it is in incorrectly. So I'm glad that I know to watch out for that.

Back when I had my periods I used the Instead Softcup with no issues so I don't think these will pose any problems for me. Insertion is about the same just with a different purpose. I guess if you are squeamish about touching your girly bits or putting things in there then this wouldn't be for you. But it doesn't bother me.

Speaking of Instead cups and periods - did you know that many women who use diaphragms use them as menstrual cups, as well? No irritating pads, safer than tampons, and best yet - not adding to the landfills.

I guess that could be a little more messy than some people want to deal with and depending on your bathroom setup at work or school that could be very inconvenient, but I might try it out. I guess I'll just have to see how comfortable they are. But I will admit that when I had my Mirena removed I went Always and Instead shopping. I was so excited. 😂 So I have things to use for that besides these, but that's ok. Better to be prepared than not!

I am very happy that I have these two, but since I had to order them from the internet I have no actual clue if either of them will work for me. There is one more that I have my eye on, too. I might buy it anyway because it's not expensive. It's got a different rim so that's interesting to me.

While I am grateful that I have options I think it really sucks that there is nowhere to get non-hormonal birth control in the U.S. besides condoms and sponges. This kind of stuff should not be left up to trial and error. Thank goodness Dr. Daniels at least fitted me so I knew what size to order.

Anyway, I'm off to check out my new things!

Edited to add: I bought these things from www.barriermethods.com. No prescription necessary, but you should get fitted so you know what size to buy.

This is the neutral color I was complimented on so long ago.

This is the neutral color I was complimented on so long ago. It was really hard to find something that worked with my skin tone and I actually think that Shauna gave me this. I don't think I even picked it out. LOL So she did a great job!

I've wanted to do the glitter gradient tips for SO long. Finally, here they are. And a little heart, because I don't know when to stop. LOL

Yay Cookie!

Yay Cookie!

Got to see my friend Sherri and my Chupacabra!

This day got off to a sucky start, but it sure ended nice.  Got to see my friend Sherri and my Chupacabra!  😃  I can't even tell y'all how wonderful it is that she was adopted locally and that she's with someone who will bring her to play and where I can go see her.

I think the best part is how fast she got comfortable at her new house.  I went to see her the day after I left her there and she wasn't clinging to me or being panicky or anything.  She would sit in my lap and then go sit in her new mommy's lap.  Today when she came over she was very excited and when it was time to go she seemed happy about that, too.  Makes me feel like that was the perfect match.  😃❤

Shadow came home from school early...

Shadow came home from school early yesterday with an upset stomach. I am nauseated and have a headache this morning. Yuck. Having some Ibuprofen with my breakfast and hoping that fixes it. Blegh. 🙁

Kids are gross. 😂😂😂

Update on myself:

I feel mostly ok. I am having some times of extreme grumpiness, but they are not often. I am SLEEPY TO DEATH.  ALL THE TIME.  NO MATTER WHAT. I can sleep all night, wake up sleepy, have lunch, then need a nap in order to function. I wish I was in bed right now, but I have a hungry child and that is the ONLY reason I'm awake.

I guess my body is trying to level out still. Also, I seem to be fighting off an infection. Since I still don't have my diaphragms, (dang, Germany is a LONG way away!) me and Shaun tried the Today Sponge, twice. Oh, that was an ordeal. Let me tell you about it.

 
So I followed the instructions and put the sponge in, but Shaun was being hurt by the cotton pull-out cord. So I thought "Well, I'll just cut that off. Can't be THAT hard to get out without it." So when I reached in for it, I felt the cord all balled up in the middle - very hard. No wonder it was hurting him. So I pulled it out, cut the cord off, and shoved it back in. That was more ok.

 
La de da, had to leave it in for some hours so I did. Tried to get it out and I couldn't.

 
Stupid. short. fingers. 😱

So like a good boyfriend Shaun went digging for it. I've gotta say... I've never "played doctor" with anyone before, but that was REALLY un-sexy. I'm all "Should I push? I think I should push." 😂 It was really uncomfortable, but he got it out and it wasn't so bad so I thought "Maybe this is ok." So a little later we used another one.

 
YEAH. The business was a little uncomfortable the 2nd time around. The digging for it later was actually painful. And then I started cramping, and kind of spotting, and burning DOWN THERE to the point where it hurt to walk. Then it stopped hurting and it became a full on yeastie. Thankfully that is easy enough to treat.

 
BUT NEVER AGAIN.

 
So I think I had a reaction to the spermicide. I read that it can cause yeast infections as well as burning and other unpleasantness. Maybe if I didn't use the sponge often it would be ok, but at this point I just don't want that thing anywhere near my coochie-ca. It sucks because the same spermicide that is in the sponge is also what is sold here for use with diaphragms, but I can order stuff from a different place if I need to.

 
So yeah. My body is all jacked up and worn out and probably damn confused. I can tell that I'm hormonal some days when I'm grumpy, but for the most part all I really feel is tired and sleepy and un-energetic. At least I'm not sad, though - or numb. It's still improvement and I'll take it.

 
Speaking of - I have my 2nd appointment at the mental health center tomorrow. I feel just fine, but I'm going anyway. Can't hurt - especially if I'm going to be up and down for a while.

So... I have 4 Today Sponges left. Anyone up for trying them after that GLOWING review? They are free to a good home. 😂

I've had a big weekend. 😃

I've had a big weekend.  😃

Yesterday we went to the zoo because I'd promised Shadow that for his birthday, but we kept getting rained out or other bad-timing things happened.  It was busy, but that's ok.

My friend Emily met me there so that was awesome because she lives TOO FAR away from me so we don't get to see each other often.  The other awesome thing that happened is that a snake came to me.  Like, not in a cage.  He obviously was a wild snake that thought living with the geese was pretty fun.  Some asshat was poking at him with a stick so he went into the water until that guy left, then came close to the edge again.  We were all just standing there watching him and then he came and tried to come out right were I was standing.  He was literally inches from my leg.  😃😃😃  He couldn't fit through the fence-y thing so he went around the corner more toward my friends where the fence was different.  He came out over there then went across the sidewalk to the other pond.  We made, like, a snake entourage so no one would mess with him and he could cross safely.  Because unfortunately some people are douchebags to snakes and that is not cool.

Then we went to Ulta for girly shopping.  Laurel met us there.  I hate that I didn't get to see her for longer.  🙁  Hopefully we can get together again soon.  Anyway, I spent TOO MUCH money on nail polish, but I always do.  They have things I can't get around here.  They had this one brand I'd never noticed before and it wasn't one of the crazy expensive ones, either.  They had this blue... oh my gosh, my heart skipped a beat when I saw it.  OF COURSE it came home with me.  It was the last one left of that color - obviously because it was so beautiful.  I got a bunch of other great colors, too, most of which were on clearance so HELL YES for that!

Then we went to Outback since ours is closed now.  That is Shaun's favorite place to eat so it was good that we could go.  It was packed, but we didn't have to wait long so that was nice.  😃

THEN we went to Petco.  One of my friends brought me a gerbil a few weeks ago.  She was all alone, though, and that bothered me so I wanted to get her some friends.  We went in and got the two gerbils they had.  They were new at that store and then had to ride an hour home in a box and so when I tried to introduce them all in a neutral space last night it did NOT work out.  The black one might have been alone for too long, too.  😕  I might try it again some other time, but I don't know.  They are housed near each other, but not together.  Maybe that will help, too, that they can see each other.

Shaun seems to really like the original gerbil.  She's black.  The two we brought home last night are lighter.  One is gray-ish and white with a dark tail.  She's really interesting looking.  The other is albino.  Shadow has claimed the interesting-looking gerbil so I guess I have the albino.  I think I'm gonna call her Whitey McHumpy because she's white (duh) and because she keeps humping (or something - I'm not really sure) the water bottle nozzle.  She just gets all up on it and lets the water drip down, then licks it off.  She's kind of bizarre, so really she's my kind of girl.  😃

I also found it funny that for now Shaun's gerbil lives near the other gerbils, but not with them.  It's kind of like how we 3 are in real life - even down to the fact that Shaun is almost always in black, Shadow's the mixed one, and I'm white as shit.  I SO did not mean for that to happen.  It was actually quite hard finding female gerbils so I took the first ones I could find and that is just how it went.  They are all adorable, though.  I will try to get some photos soon.  🙂

And finally my other big news:  I am off to visit Chupa.  She is with my friend Sherri who is going to love her and spoil her.  Sherri is the only person I can think of that I would let have my StupiChupi.  I love that little girl, but she really needs more attention than I can give her.  She was wearing me OUT.  I think that Sherri's house will be a much better fit.  There is always someone home, always a lap available for sitting, and lots of kitties to love.  The best part is that I will still get to see her and now I'm seeing Sherri more, too.  I used to go and visit all the time, but then I don't know what happened - I guess I got busy with work and animals and life got in the way.  🙁  It's been really great seeing her so much lately, though.❤

So that's what I've been up to.  And napping.  Lots of napping lately.  😃

This girl that I love who does animal things with me.  ❤