The Story of Lori

[Sephirah]

I think it is a combination of good genes, good living, and spiritual healing. Of course, I think hormones have something to do with it too... and makeup. 

Mhm... suuure. I think y'all take baths in milk. Cleopatra recipe.

[Lori Dee]

That's what llamas are for. 

[Sephirah]

That's what llamas are for. 

LOL!! You know the really weird thing about that? Where I live, I have several farms near me who keep Llamas. I guess they ran out of sheep. But LOL! That made me chuckle. Nasty spitty things. Do they even give milk? I always thought it was battery acid

[Lori Dee]

LOL!! You know the really weird thing about that? Where I live, I have several farms near me who keep Llamas. I guess they ran out of sheep. But LOL! That made me chuckle. Nasty spitty things. Do they even give milk? I always thought it was battery acid

You need an albino llama and it must be milked during a new moon while singing "Clementine".
Now you know the recipe. 

[Sephirah]

You need an albino llama and it must be milked during a new moon while singing "Clementine".
Now you know the recipe. 

I shall endevour to find this eldritch beast, ma'am!

LOL!

[davina61]

Doing a bench and workshop clean today, doubt I find any money just loads of grinder dust and metal off cuts once all the tools get put away.

[ChrissyRyan]

Doing a bench and workshop clean today, doubt I find any money just loads of grinder dust and metal off cuts once all the tools get put away.

Maybe you will find a lost misplaced tool!

Chrissy

[davina61]

mmmmmm no as cant find a pair of side cutters-------------

[Lori Dee]

Got the final polished batch out of the ultrasonic cleaner. As always, I find some interesting stones once they get polished and clean.



The two amethyst pieces turned out nice, but they clearly have internal flaws that would make them undesirable as gemstones. They will look good hanging in a necklace pendant though.



A nice piece of banded jasper.



A piece of Bubblegum Agate.



A piece of Teepee Canyon Agate.



Another Teepee Canyon Agate.



This piece of Bubblegum Agate surprised me. Along the right edge are "eyes" that are typical of Lace Agate. They are quite small, so only noticeable up close.



The rock tumbler beat this one up pretty badly, so it will need to go back and get smoothed out. But it is showing some very nice colors typical of Teepee Canyon jaspers and agates.



This is a piece of the same rock that broke off during tumbling. I wonder if I were to paint a couple of eyes on it, would it look like the head of a duck?



This piece of Teepee Canyon Agate has some interesting surprises. Toward the bottom, it has a sort of mosaic pattern. It is more prominent on the back. The cement in between the pieces is quartz crystals.



If you stayed awake during my previous rock pictures post, you may recall that quartz crystals glow blue under short-wave UV light, and moganite crystals glow green. This piece has some of each.



And finally, a piece of quartz lit up with a soft white light so you can see what's inside.



This is the inside of Lori Dee's brain on rocks. 

[Emma1017]

oohhhh Tequila.  I am definitely in!!!

[ChrissyRyan]

Got the final polished batch out of the ultrasonic cleaner. As always, I find some interesting stones once they get polished and clean.



The two amethyst pieces turned out nice, but they clearly have internal flaws that would make them undesirable as gemstones. They will look good hanging in a necklace pendant though.



A nice piece of banded jasper.



A piece of Bubblegum Agate.



A piece of Teepee Canyon Agate.



Another Teepee Canyon Agate.



This piece of Bubblegum Agate surprised me. Along the right edge are "eyes" that are typical of Lace Agate. They are quite small, so only noticeable up close.



The rock tumbler beat this one up pretty badly, so it will need to go back and get smoothed out. But it is showing some very nice colors typical of Teepee Canyon jaspers and agates.



This is a piece of the same rock that broke off during tumbling. I wonder if I were to paint a couple of eyes on it, would it look like the head of a duck?



This piece of Teepee Canyon Agate has some interesting surprises. Toward the bottom, it has a sort of mosaic pattern. It is more prominent on the back. The cement in between the pieces is quartz crystals.



If you stayed awake during my previous rock pictures post, you may recall that quartz crystals glow blue under short-wave UV light, and moganite crystals glow green. This piece has some of each.



And finally, a piece of quartz lit up with a soft white light so you can see what's inside.



This is the inside of Lori Dee's brain on rocks. 

How long do these rocks tumble in your machine?

Yes, it could look like a duck if you painted eyes onto it.

Very nice!


Chrissy

[Lori Dee]

How long do these rocks tumble in your machine?

I have three machines running 24/7. The first machine has only one barrel, the other two are double barrels. Each barrel has a 3-lb capacity. So five barrels rolling 15 pounds of rocks.

Typically, each stage is a 7-day cycle. Stage 1 is for shaping and rounding. Then I move it to the next barrel for Stage 2, smoothing. Stages 2-4 are just progressively finer grit (think sandpaper) that removes the scratches from the previous stage. By Stage 4, they are very smooth and are ready for Stage 5, which is the final polish.

On average, that would equal five weeks from start to finish. But for some of the harder stones, like quartz, jaspers, and agates, it can take several cycles through Stage 1 to get them shaped and rounded. I have stones in Stage 3 right now that spent months in Stages 1 & 2.

It is a hobby that requires patience. I just tell myself that I am trying to do in a month what Mother Nature does in hundreds or thousands of years.
 

[ChrissyRyan]

I have three machines running 24/7. The first machine has only one barrel, the other two are double barrels. Each barrel has a 3-lb capacity. So five barrels rolling 15 pounds of rocks.

Typically, each stage is a 7-day cycle. Stage 1 is for shaping and rounding. Then I move it to the next barrel for Stage 2, smoothing. Stages 2-4 are just progressively finer grit (think sandpaper) that removes the scratches from the previous stage. By Stage 4, they are very smooth and are ready for Stage 5, which is the final polish.

On average, that would equal five weeks from start to finish. But for some of the harder stones, like quartz, jaspers, and agates, it can take several cycles through Stage 1 to get them shaped and rounded. I have stones in Stage 3 right now that spent months in Stages 1 & 2.

It is a hobby that requires patience. I just tell myself that I am trying to do in a month what Mother Nature does in hundreds or thousands of years.
 

 Interesting, that is.

[Lori Dee]

Met with my Gynecologist this morning.

Over the past four years, my estradiol has only gone above 100 three times, and they were not consecutive tests. Now that I have been switched over to injections, My lowest level was 244 and my mid-cycle average is 251. Right at the "sweet spot" where I wanted to be.

The pharmacy ran out of estradiol cypionate and it is back-ordered until next month. So Doc switched my formulation over to estradiol valerate. The only difference is that cypionate has a longer peak level, so a lower dose can achieve the same level. With valerate, it is the equivalent of 0.76% so a slightly higher dose may be needed to achieve the same level. We agreed to hold at the same dose and check labs again in 3 months, then see if a dose adjustment is needed.

She also asked if I noticed any changes now that I am taking my progesterone three times a day (lower dose) rather than once a day. I have no measurable increase in bust measurement. I fluctuate about a 1/4 - 1/2 inch depending on weight gain or loss. However, my breasts have become more shapely and rounded due to the progesterone, so my bras fit better. She asked if I would recommend the 3x daily dose for other transgender women on hormone therapy. I said, "YES! Highly recommended."

Other than that, some small-talk and I see her in three months. Overall, a good visit.

[Northern Star Girl]

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:
That is terrific news that you reported about your doctor visit today.
Is sounds to me that between you and your doctor that you are getting the
dosages dialed in.

Thank you sharing and posting.
HUGS, Danielle

[Lori Dee]

@Lori Dee
Dear Lori:
That is terrific news that you reported about your doctor visit today.
Is sounds to me that between you and your doctor that you are getting the
dosages dialed in.

Thank you sharing and posting.
HUGS, Danielle

Yes, finally. My previous Endocrinologists were set in their ways and not willing to look at recent studies. My Gynecologist told me that transgender medicine is relatively new, so not many studies have been done. Most of the medications we are prescribed are made for women in menopause or men with prostate cancer.

She has an open mind, so when I tell her about a recent study and what I think about it, she is willing to listen. When I explain to her what I know about hormones and why I think ... will be better, she is willing to try with my consent. My other doctors were amused by her quote in my medical records when I told her, "You have informed consent. Let's do this!"

Most providers do not have time to do research or even bother to read studies. It is up to us to be informed and educate them. Over time, we will have providers who have a special situation and can remember something that we told them. Everyone learns and eventually, the prescribing guidelines will change to what works best for us.

[Jessica_Rose]

I'm so glad you found a doctor who is willing to listen and learn. I think that's why they call it 'practicing' medicine, because they should always be learning. I hope your treatments continue to produce the results you seek.

Love always -- Jess

[ChrissyRyan]

I hope it all works out too for Lori.
It is good to have a doctor that listens and spends time with you.
I have heard that many are pressed to handle maybe too many patients in a day.

Chrissy

[Lori Dee]

I have heard that many are pressed to handle maybe too many patients in a day.

That happens a lot, sadly. In the service, we called it "punching cattle". You go in with a broken leg, they hand you a bottle of aspirin, and ... "NEXT!"

In the civilian world, this happens in the big cities where they have many more patients and are often short-staffed. Every time I have heard a complaint about VA Healthcare, it is almost always a large city. Here, the VA has changed policies to ensure they spend enough time answering your questions and addressing your issues. We get surveys after every visit asking about the visit, the staff, the facility, the ease of getting an appointment, waiting times, etc.

I am blessed to have a Gynecologist and nursing staff who volunteered to be the providers for transgender veterans. She has been with the VA as a Gynecologist for many years. A few years ago, she took a hiatus and traveled to Europe to study Transgender Medicine. When she returned, they canceled my appointments with Endocrinology and brought me into the Women's Health Clinic under her care.

She learned a lot and enjoys learning new things that will help her help the next veteran. So if I have to wait in the waiting room longer because the doctors are running late, I do not complain because I know that means a veteran is being taken care of. And someday, I might need a little extra time with the doctor for some reason.

Some people are impatient patients. 

[ChrissyRyan]

That happens a lot, sadly. In the service, we called it "punching cattle". You go in with a broken leg, they hand you a bottle of aspirin, and ... "NEXT!"

In the civilian world, this happens in the big cities where they have many more patients and are often short-staffed. Every time I have heard a complaint about VA Healthcare, it is almost always a large city. Here, the VA has changed policies to ensure they spend enough time answering your questions and addressing your issues. We get surveys after every visit asking about the visit, the staff, the facility, the ease of getting an appointment, waiting times, etc.

I am blessed to have a Gynecologist and nursing staff who volunteered to be the providers for transgender veterans. She has been with the VA as a Gynecologist for many years. A few years ago, she took a hiatus and traveled to Europe to study Transgender Medicine. When she returned, they canceled my appointments with Endocrinology and brought me into the Women's Health Clinic under her care.

She learned a lot and enjoys learning new things that will help her help the next veteran. So if I have to wait in the waiting room longer because the doctors are running late, I do not complain because I know that means a veteran is being taken care of. And someday, I might need a little extra time with the doctor for some reason.

Some people are impatient patients. 

So some patients need more patience.