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Move Abroad

What it Really Feels Like to Move Abroad: A Metaphor With Yogic Chanting and Milkshakes

I’M AN EXPAT NOW

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Just like that I’m fully back to work after an i

Just like that I’m fully back to work after an incredible vacation with Dan 🥺 We packed a LOT into 2 weeks in England but my favorite place was of course CORNWALL! We visited a lot of my old familiar favorites (Penzance & St Ives) but did stop at some new-to-me places like this beach + hike on our driving days. (Oh and I ate sooo much good gluten free food!)

I’m excited to get stuck into some Cornwall blog posts, including seriously updating my St Ives gluten free guide (seems like all my favorite businesses went under 😢 but I did find some new faves) and will eventually be writing up our itinerary. So stay tuned!

For now though I’m just trying to adjust to being home in Michigan, being away from Dan again (but NOT a year this time, thanks to borders opening it will be much much sooner!), and being back at work. If you’ve seen my stories you’ll know I’ve also been on a cleaning/sorting/organizing life spree since I got home - let’s hope it lasts!

Phew! Be sure to let me know any Cornwall/blog post requests in the comments, and if you have any tips for keeping my post-travel cleaning motivation up!!

Got that Pfizer booster! 💉🎉 In the USA, th

Got that Pfizer booster! 💉🎉

In the USA, the very very recent @cdcgov and @fda approval for Pfizer booster doses includes those 65+ and those 18-64 at high risk of COVID-19 (including occupational exposure, which means healthcare workers such as myself, thank you Dr. Rochelle Walensky for including us!! 🙏).

It’s been 8.5 months since my second dose. I am so grateful for the opportunity to once again keep my patients, family, and myself safe.

At the same time I’m angry and sad for unvaccinated at-risk children, and those many many people around the world still waiting for their first dose. There is a lot of work still to do.

A little over a year ago in the Lake District. I c

A little over a year ago in the Lake District. I can’t believe that’s the last time I was in England - it’s been 370 days since I saw Dan when we said goodbye at Heathrow airport.

That trip required a 14 day quarantine after I flew into London. This time in going to the UK, since I’m vaccinated, I just need to provide COVID tests. Not going to lie, I’m a little nervous about being in England where pretty much all COVID restrictions have been lifted since July. It’s going to be culture shock for sure!

1 whole freakin month since excision. That’s it.

1 whole freakin month since excision. That’s it. That’s the post. 🥲

PATHOLOGY REPORT 🎗 Who knew getting my surgery

PATHOLOGY REPORT 🎗

Who knew getting my surgery pathology report back would be so incredibly validating?

I did not have pathology after my first endo surgery in 2018 because it was ablation (a less effective form of surgery where the endo is just burned, not taken out by the root and sent for analysis).

So this is the first time I’ve really seen in black and white, objectively: endometriosis.

Endometriosis was confirmed on my sigmoid colon. After 5+ years of intense and painful GI symptoms and being gaslit by gastroenterologists or just given medication somewhat helplessly by my specialist gastroenterologist, boy was that validating.

In addition to many other places, endo was also confirmed within my appendix which makes me feel at peace that I woke up from surgery and learned it was removed.

Additionally, all my pathology came back as benign. No cancer. I have not discussed it on here before, but a few months ago after an ultrasound, a surgeon in Michigan said he was concerned I could have uterine cancer. He recommended a biopsy but I decided to wait and have it done at the CEC during surgery to minimize trauma. My grandma (who had endometriosis) had uterine cancer at the end of her life. I knew it was rare in my age group but it has still been weighing heavily on me for months. So I am extremely happy to say I do not have cancer. 🌟

Most people probably just think of excision surgery for it’s physical healing purposes of removing endometriosis. But it is also mentally healing. Those of us with endometriosis live with chronic pain and severe life limiting symptoms yet “look healthy” from the outside, leading to years of medical gaslighting and trauma. The confirmation during and after surgery, especially I’ve found with a supportive expert surgeon like I found in Dr Arrington, is just as much important for mental as physical health. #excisionsurgery #endometriosis

Atlanta photo dump // thoughts on traveling for ex

Atlanta photo dump // thoughts on traveling for excision surgery!!

I never thought I would have to travel 800+ miles for a necessary surgery. But 2021 was like hey girl 👻

Some things that made this trip easier:

-An accessible @vrbo 5 mins from the hospital and @centerforendocare that had a kitchen, laundry, bathroom, 2 bedrooms, amazing couch + tv, AND gluten free toaster, cutting boards etc🤯 All $70/night

-Flying @delta and utilizing their wheelchair transport in the airport. I love you Delta!

-Arriving 2 days pre op and staying 6 days post op for ample stress free time to prepare/grocery shop (plus check out @hellyeahglutenfree ) and then recover afterwards

-Packing an extra checked suitcase purely for my surgery supplies (meds, ice packs, heat packs, boulster pillow etc)

-Seatbelt pillow, portable ice pack, and cane to make car rides survivable!Seriously seatbelt pillow = life

-Of course my parents who accompanied me and were my caregivers. You cannot travel for surgery alone obviously as you can’t operate machinery or care for yourself for days/weeks afterward. I am so blessed that they came with me and all the help they provided.

-Buying all the meds and medical supplies I’d need before the trip and bringing it with me lessened the stress in Atlanta as I wasn’t rushing around trying to find gasX, fleet enemas etc.

✈️ Wouldn’t be a good travel blogger if I didn’t share my travel tips lol!! I hope this is helpful to anyone traveling for Endo surgery - we shouldn’t have to travel and hopefully someday there will be enough specialists that future generations won’t have to. But for the time being I hope this helps ❤️

Pop in the comments if you have questions, or if you’ve traveled for surgery and have your own advice to share!! #endometriosis #excisionsurgery

Just like that I’m fully back to work after an i

Just like that I’m fully back to work after an incredible vacation with Dan 🥺 We packed a LOT into 2 weeks in England but my favorite place was of course CORNWALL! We visited a lot of my old familiar favorites (Penzance & St Ives) but did stop at some new-to-me places like this beach + hike on our driving days. (Oh and I ate sooo much good gluten free food!)

I’m excited to get stuck into some Cornwall blog posts, including seriously updating my St Ives gluten free guide (seems like all my favorite businesses went under 😢 but I did find some new faves) and will eventually be writing up our itinerary. So stay tuned!

For now though I’m just trying to adjust to being home in Michigan, being away from Dan again (but NOT a year this time, thanks to borders opening it will be much much sooner!), and being back at work. If you’ve seen my stories you’ll know I’ve also been on a cleaning/sorting/organizing life spree since I got home - let’s hope it lasts!

Phew! Be sure to let me know any Cornwall/blog post requests in the comments, and if you have any tips for keeping my post-travel cleaning motivation up!!

Got that Pfizer booster! 💉🎉 In the USA, th

Got that Pfizer booster! 💉🎉

In the USA, the very very recent @cdcgov and @fda approval for Pfizer booster doses includes those 65+ and those 18-64 at high risk of COVID-19 (including occupational exposure, which means healthcare workers such as myself, thank you Dr. Rochelle Walensky for including us!! 🙏).

It’s been 8.5 months since my second dose. I am so grateful for the opportunity to once again keep my patients, family, and myself safe.

At the same time I’m angry and sad for unvaccinated at-risk children, and those many many people around the world still waiting for their first dose. There is a lot of work still to do.

A little over a year ago in the Lake District. I c

A little over a year ago in the Lake District. I can’t believe that’s the last time I was in England - it’s been 370 days since I saw Dan when we said goodbye at Heathrow airport.

That trip required a 14 day quarantine after I flew into London. This time in going to the UK, since I’m vaccinated, I just need to provide COVID tests. Not going to lie, I’m a little nervous about being in England where pretty much all COVID restrictions have been lifted since July. It’s going to be culture shock for sure!

1 whole freakin month since excision. That’s it.

1 whole freakin month since excision. That’s it. That’s the post. 🥲

PATHOLOGY REPORT 🎗 Who knew getting my surgery

PATHOLOGY REPORT 🎗

Who knew getting my surgery pathology report back would be so incredibly validating?

I did not have pathology after my first endo surgery in 2018 because it was ablation (a less effective form of surgery where the endo is just burned, not taken out by the root and sent for analysis).

So this is the first time I’ve really seen in black and white, objectively: endometriosis.

Endometriosis was confirmed on my sigmoid colon. After 5+ years of intense and painful GI symptoms and being gaslit by gastroenterologists or just given medication somewhat helplessly by my specialist gastroenterologist, boy was that validating.

In addition to many other places, endo was also confirmed within my appendix which makes me feel at peace that I woke up from surgery and learned it was removed.

Additionally, all my pathology came back as benign. No cancer. I have not discussed it on here before, but a few months ago after an ultrasound, a surgeon in Michigan said he was concerned I could have uterine cancer. He recommended a biopsy but I decided to wait and have it done at the CEC during surgery to minimize trauma. My grandma (who had endometriosis) had uterine cancer at the end of her life. I knew it was rare in my age group but it has still been weighing heavily on me for months. So I am extremely happy to say I do not have cancer. 🌟

Most people probably just think of excision surgery for it’s physical healing purposes of removing endometriosis. But it is also mentally healing. Those of us with endometriosis live with chronic pain and severe life limiting symptoms yet “look healthy” from the outside, leading to years of medical gaslighting and trauma. The confirmation during and after surgery, especially I’ve found with a supportive expert surgeon like I found in Dr Arrington, is just as much important for mental as physical health. #excisionsurgery #endometriosis

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- Oceania
- Caribbean
- – Michigan
- – United Kingdom
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Work With Me
Contact
Published
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About
Work With Me
Contact
Published
Travel Resources
Shop