The red paint stains the worst

[ailbhe]

Linnea and I did some painting today. It was fun and splodgy. The red paint seems to stain everything it touches but has so far washed out of all clothes in a 40C cycle.

I caved in and had sugar. Now I hurt. See? I have printed out some information on thrush to take to the doctor, so that I have support for the "yes it's possible without external symptoms" argument, and I'm hoping to get a decent response. That is, either reasoned argument for why it's not thrush and what it is instead, or a proper prescription for myself and Linnea to nuke it. I have never been close to quitting breastfeeding before, and this past week, it has honestly occurred to me a few times.

Somewhere I have a post about the systematic devaluing of "women's work" such that men and women both think it's of less value than "men's work" - making clothes and food were prestigious when men did them, trivial when women do, etc, and so on up to housework and childcare.

Then there's one about how working women stay home when their babies are ill or when the usual childcare arrangement falls through, and how that affects Rob - I am his usual childcare arrangement, so when I fall through, there's only him left. And I have something to say about the fact that viagra is available on NHS prescription but my vaginal dilators aren't but it's incoherent and enraged so there you go.

Rob printed off two letters and the thrush info. I will hand-deliver the letters as soon as the black dog gets off my shoulder and lets me out of the house. I tried to call the health visitors today (wasn't I brave?) and got no answer. I need to make an appointment to see someone about this depression. It's not severe, but it's lurking ominously, and I'm not happy about it. I want to discuss treatment, counselling, something. A whole new head is an option, of course.

And then I want to write a post about invisible disabilities and how I know zillions of women who have them and almost no men. Do men not admit it? Or are they less prone to them? What's up with that?

Meanwhile, I have a brand new copy of Cynthia Heimel's Advanced Sex Tips For Girls and one of the Baby Blues treasuries (Driving under the influence of children, in case you're interested).

Comments

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

I am off sugar right now as I try to get rid of a persistent vaginal yeast infection. It's a hard thing to do, but I've been noticeably less itchy since I did it.

Good luck with the thrush diagnosis.

[sunruner.livejournal.com]

I think, at least here, it's more of a mindset that men have to be strong and well... manly. Some think that admitting they might need help with something or might have problems means they're weak.

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

A whole new head is an option, of course.

don't i wish.

cynthia heimel rocks.

my psychopathology class has led me to say...

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

One theory I have heard is that lots of women admit to depression etc, and lots of men HAVE depression but self-medicate with alcohol and drugs. (The alcoholism rate among men, at least in the US, is verifiably /much/ higher than the rate among women.) This is also true of PTSD etc.

[sashajwolf.livejournal.com]

making clothes and food were prestigious when men did them, trivial when women do, etc, and so on up to housework and childcare.

The same sort of devaluing seems to have happened to teaching (particularly at the primary level) and to be in the process of happening to academia and law. As women get into a career in greater numbers, the number of men applying drops, and eventually the status of the career suffers.