a literal pain in the

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How is it already December 19th? Yeesh. And it seems my aim of writing more posts this year has been a failure, a goal that kept getting pushed aside as life threw more things my way. Sure, a lack of discipline can also be blamed, but so can simply having very few tales to tell. And that's due to my disinclination to going out, being shy about breaking my routine and leaving my rather comfortable base.

MJ and I did go to Tokyo in September, which I'll write out in full later. A mostly enjoyable trip, memories that are still rather fresh in my mind's eye. I'd never had a strong desire to visit Japan, and I still find it odd that I was there, among the throngs of conservatively-dressed, impassive citizens, along spotless avenues and riding equally spotless subway trains. I'd say the highlight was a bicycle tour which took us through and around the downtown, the city being fairly amenable to cyclists. People talk about how good the food is, but I wonder if those people have taken advantage of the best Toronto has to offer.

When we got back MJ received news that she'd contracted a disease for which she needed surgery, so we've been dealing with her recovery, as well as attempting to plan for the future with what little we know. And a veterinarian visit revealed that Monkey also needed surgery, albeit a far less serious dental procedure, so that also added to our daily duties for a while.

Myself, my condition seems to have pretty much leveled out, a dismal molehill with little hope of much more. While I've gotten the hang of my diet, I still suffer in small bouts; nothing nearly as dreadful as my colitis pains but inconvenient enough to keep my ambitions low and spirit wan. The pain I experience can be of 3 types:
  1. A dull, throbbing pain in my groin, which began happening after my J-pouch connection surgery, leading me to think the operation brushed a nerve in the area. It seems to occur after using my pelvic muscles, or when I'm trying to hold my bowel movement for an extended period. In terms of intensity it's relatively low but it's enough to disturb my sleep.
  2. Going to the bathroom 5 to 6 times a day can take its toll on the skin, and mine is pretty aggravated on a good day, and explosively agonizing on bad ones. That's definitely something I miss about Japan -- why doesn't the world embrace water toilets?! I don't know how people with my affliction manage without one.
  3. Often the urge to visit the bathroom comes with cramps, unpleasantly bundled with a not insignificant threat of an embarrassing breach.
I manage with diet, and a couple pain killers when I know I need some extra protection.

Anyway, I'm off now to Saskatoon for a week. More when I get back, yeah?

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