Happy Friday! February is officially over, as is the week! I hope you had a good one.
Today’s quote hit home when I read it. I truly don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for all of my EndoSisters, my family, my friends, and my healthcare providers who have been so incredibly helpful on this journey.
So today’s quote is dedicated to all of you.
“Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey.
I’ve learned a fun “side effect” of blogging is sometimes people write you and offer to send you stuff if you’ll write a review. WHAT?!? Well, it happens. And I agree with it as long as the person or company understands that my review will be unbiased, and it may be negative. I’m gonna be honest!
Why am I telling you this? Because it’s happened again…and this time…with luuuuuube! Yes!!! And not just any lube…an all-natural lube created by a woman who HAS Endometriosis. Which, of course, makes me super duper happy to support our not-so-little Endo Community. And it’s called Chiavaye Personal Moisturizer.
Anyway, on with the review! (Mom…I know you’re reading this; you may want to turn away now or risk blushing!)
Back in early January, I received an email from Kaylyn Easton, who also has Stage IV Endometriosis. She was hoping to tackle the stigmas of female health and sexual activity and bring something positive and beneficial to our lives. And she has created an all-natural, chemical free, vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, hypoallergenic, and edible (if that’s your thing) “personal moisturizer.”
I’m just gonna keep calling it a lube, but when you read the ingredients, you’ll come to understand why many customers also use it in other ways.
Okay, I’ll stop teasing and tell you what’s in it. You ready?
Coconut Oil,
Almond Oil,
Vitamin E,
Grapeseed Oil,
Sunflower Seed Oil; and,
Evening Primrose Oil.
And…that’s it. I’m no doctor, but I’m not sure people with a nut allergy should use this. If you’re curious, you may want to email the company and ask…
I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of sexual lubricants. I’ve tried soooo many different ones and had yet to find one that myself and my partner both liked. “This one’s too sticky, this one’s stinky, this one wears off quickly, this one burns, this one gets chunky” – a whole gambit of negativity.
So, I had my doubts about Chiavaye just because I hadn’t been able to find a favorite lube before…and I still had yet to tell my husband any of this. So, the day it arrived, I tore open the package, rubbed a little on my finger and smooshed it around. Initial thoughts: It’s smooth, odorless, wasn’t sticky, and it tasted good. Chiavaye came in this beautiful, discreet little 5ml black bottle, so, I plopped it on my nightstand corner to well…corner…my unsuspecting husband later that evening.
But, alas, he wasn’t feeling well.
So, I wrote Ms. Easton and asked if it would be safe with toys. Her response? Basically, avoid latex condoms or toys. Oil-based anything will likely destroy any latex-based products, but luckily for me, I have a latex allergy and my favorite toy is silicon. Which led me to another question: can I use it with non-latex condoms? Yep. If you’re like me, this lube is safe with a non-latex condom. The hubby and I aren’t trying to make babies, so we still wrap up every time.
So, the next day I gave it a go solo. Again, I had my doubts. I few pumps of the clear lube onto the head of my toy, smooshed it around with a bit of flair, and (well, you don’t need to know the rest). Do know, however, that it was wonderful. Slick, smooth, warmed up quickly to my body temperature, never got sticky or glumpy. It was a wonderful experience. As usual, though, wash all your toys afterward! Ew…
It was a few weeks later before my husband and I were able to give the lube a human-to-human test. He had no idea it was coming. And the second I warmed a bit of lube in my hand and applied to…well, he and his Jimmy Hat, he instantly commented, “Ooooh, that’s a really good lube!” Again, sparing you the details of the act itself, I wasn’t disappointed. And neither was he! As we lay in bed aftward, he again commented on how much he liked the lube. I explained it was new, where it came from, and what it was made of. He’s never liked or commented positively on any of our prior lubes. And this one he couldn’t say enough about how much he enjoyed it.
About a week later, the opportunity presented itself once more. Hubba hubba! This time, though, instead of going in straight for the Deed itself, I wanted to treat him to a bit of a hand job (for lack of a better term? No offense intended to anyone). Again, he loved the lube, but the only issue I had with it was during the hand job the lube soaked into his…uh…um….(you know)…so I had to reapply it a few times. But once we moved on to the Horizontal Mambo, smooth as silk and never dried up.
Pairing this lube along with a few sexual positions that lessen the pain with penetration, sex is once more an enjoyable endeavor for me. And for us. And I cannot express how incredible that is. My old lubes are now in the trash…nasty glompy chemical sticky things.
Despite the fact that my husband’s flesh devours the lube during a hand job, the lube is fantastic! And I LOVE the fact that it’s all natural! We have enough going on with chemical exposure in our lives and if we can reduce it just by one little thing, it’s may help.
Don’t be afraid to check Chiavaye Lube out for yourself! She’s got several pages dedicated to the ingredients, testimonials, different uses, and her history. The small bottle (the one I have) is about $10. There’s a bigger bottle, but the wee-one has lasted us nearly 2 months, and we’re not even close to empty.
I’m so grateful to Kaylyn for reaching out to me and sending me the freebie bottle. Not only did I learn about an amazing product, but I get to support an EndoSister’s endeavors, and hope to spread the word to help others who may be looking for a good lubricant. And I’ll be more them in the future!
I’m hooked. My hubby’s hooked. We’re hooked! Thank you, Kaylyn, for making such a wonderful product! I hope that your Endometriosis Journey continues along a positive path.
Update March 28, 2019: we are still madly in love with this lube and keep it on stock in our house!
PS – these beautiful pictures were provided by Kaylyn at my request.
One in ten women have Endometriosis…and it’s estimated 170,000,000 women worldwide have it. For many of us, it’s taken 8-10+ years to get a diagnosis – it personally took me 22 years before my pain had a name. Why does it take so long?
Well, the symptoms have been written off as normal. It’s all just “part of being a woman.” Many physicians don’t understand the signs and symptoms of the illness. Many women aren’t taken seriously when we describe our pain. There is no simple test for Endometriosis. Imaging studies may not catch it. Blood tests may not be abnormal. The only tried and true way to diagnose Endometriosis is with surgery and biopsy of the tissue.
The invasive growths that Endometriosis causes inside our bodies are like nasty little spores. They attach, fester, and grow wherever they wish: the pelvic cavity, on top of organs, the bowel, the uterus, the urethra, the liver, the appendix, the diaphragm, and in rare cases: the lungs, the spine, the brain, skin, the eyes, the heart, the lungs. They feed off of our hormones and react like the lining of the uterus: they swell, they inflame, they cramp, they shed. They cause excruciating pain and the scar tissue caused by this illness may pull our organs out of place, weaving them to other organs or our abdominal wall.
And to make things even more difficult, there is no cure. There are treatments: pharmaceuticals, supplements, diet and lifestyle changes, Eastern medicine, and surgery. But many physicians aren’t skilled in performing surgery to effectively remove the disease lesions from the body. Many don’t even practice the “gold standard” of excising the disease, but rather they burn it away…leading to recurrence and increased internal scarring.
Even with proper excision, recurrence and regrowth of the disease may occur. The only thing we can do? Be there to support one another and research and support organizations that may one day find easier treatments and (hopefully) a cure.
Some of us only suffer while on our periods. But some of us suffer all of the time. A hysterectomy may help relieve some discomfort, but it may not. Menopause may help, but it may not. I know plenty of women post-hysterectomy or who are beyond the Change of Life who are still suffering from Endometriosis symptoms.
One day there will be a cure. And in the meantime, all we can do is be there for one another. I love you, my EndoSisters. And to those of you who support us, you have my gratitude and affection. ❤
If you would like to learn more about this craptastic illness, please follow this link. It’s where I’ve put all of my research in one place…and there are links within the blog that will bring you to greater details on the subject. https://bloominuterus.com/what-is-endo/
If you know someone with Endometriosis, give them a gentle hug today.
There’s a Los Angeles Endo Event taking place on March 25, 2018, at 2:00pm at the Clove Coffee Graden! If you’d like to attend the Tea & Talk with Everything Endo event, please email them for more information.
Our friends at the Endometriosis Family Support Group are at it again! On March 6, 2018, at 5:30pm (PST), they’ll be hosting a Webinar with Meghan Cleary, one of our local EndoSisters!
For more information, AND to register, email Megan.
And another week has gone by. This one flew! I’ve been so incredibly busy with work and personal life. Augh! And February draws to a close…
This weekend I’ll be celebrating an annual tradition with beautiful friends: Girl’s Day Weekend! A handful of girlfriends that I’ve known for nearly a decade (and then some) get together at least once a year to reconnect, hang out, giggle, and just chill.
As I packed my bags and headed out the door this morning, my lovely husband gave me a kiss and reminded me to take it easy, to not push myself too hard, to take rests and breaks as I need them. He’s been aware the past few weeks had been painful for me. And his gentle reminder to be gentle with myself warmed my heart.
It has inspired today’s very simple, yet very powerful, quote:
“Be good to yourself.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita, Think Great: Be Great!
Have a wonderful weekend. And if you need it, remember to take it easy on yourself.
What a bumpy and painful week it’s been for me. But, on the plus side, today is my first pain-free day since last Friday. So YAY! Hopefully it lasts. I hope you, my dear Readers, are doing well.
Today’s quote dares you to get out and DO:
“Be fearless. Have the courage to take risks. Go where there are no guarantees. Get out of your comfort zone even if it means being uncomfortable. The road less traveled is sometimes fraught with barricades bumps and uncharted terrain. But it is on that road where your character is truly tested And have the courage to accept that you’re not perfect nothing is and no one is — and that’s OK.” ― Katie Couric
May you get out there and step outside your comfort zone, go nuts, have fun, and discover a bit of adventure and mischief. ❤
Genevieve felt the symptoms of Endometriosis since her first period. She was diagnosed when she was 21 years old, and is now 28. She shares her story with us today.
Genevieve’s Journey: I thought I was dying.
I was on a family holiday, lying in our camper trailer bed with my mum and my little brother. I was 12. I think my poor mum, who was a nurse, was at her wits end by sunrise, and had given up trying to diagnose me after an hour or so. The pain in my abdomen had me convulsing, crying and curled up into a ball clinging my legs to my chest for dear life while I rocked back and forth. I was given some Panadol, and while my mum and brother proceeded to sleep, I made the cold, windy walk up the hill to the campsite toilets over a dozen times throughout the night thinking, “This is it. I’m going to be one of those news articles, where a young girl dies a mysterious death in a caravan park”. I remember sitting in the showers in the middle of the night, on my thongs (so I didn’t get butt tinea from the shared bathroom) and just feeling like I should have been at a hospital. But I was so desperate not to cause a scene or be put on to a helicopter in front of the entire Robe Caravan Park.
Welcome to another Friday. We made it through yet another week!
Here I sit today laying in bed, wrapped around my heating pad, taking a sick day from work. My pain has been sneaking up on me these past few days: had a lovely incident EndoBelly earlier this week, had an incredible acupuncture session, and spent yesterday with my microwavable heating pad all day while I was at work. So today I’m laying in bed, with Tramadol coursing through my system, as I am patiently waiting for it to kick in and take away my pain.
It’s on a day like today where I’m reminded that self care is not selfish. I don’t like taking days off of work. I have very few and very precious sick days available to me to last throughout the year. That being said, I also acknowledge that my comfort and my health and my mental well-being are incredibly important and sometimes I need to focus purely on me. Had I gone to work today, I can almost guarantee you that I would have made it to lunch and then begged off to stay home for the rest of the day. I also likely would have regretted going in in the morning when I could have stayed at home laying in bed embracing my heating pad and my agony.
I know that endometriosis is not curable. I know that pain medications are a Band-Aid. I know that birth control pills, Lupron Depo, Danzanol, Letrozole, and any sort of medication marketed toward reducing the symptoms of endometriosis are all purely Band-Aids with awful side effects. I know that excision surgery is considered the “gold standard” to treat endometriosis. I also fully understand that it’s not a guarantee that my pain will not return. Acknowledging that the treatments are insufficient at times, and acknowledging that this filthy disease may return whenever it wishes, doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.
There are good days. There are bad days. Today is a bad day.
I’ve been lucky enough to have two excision surgeries by a surgeon I believe to be incredibly skilled and knowledgeable and passionate about treating our illness. There are times like today where my pain is so bad that all I want to do is feel sorry for myself, and I do for a little bit. But, something deep down inside reminds me that I can get through this. I may not be able to get through this well today, but I can get through this and I will resume the good days hopefully very soon.
You have to find a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere even if you can’t see it yet, it’s there… Somewhere.
Bloomin' Uterus 