Digest This Comic!

Been a Long Time

2008-10-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

Thought I should post something on my blog...seeing how I have time for it now. I'm doing much better and have graduated up to digesting plain beans! Whoo-hoo! Another meal I can eat!

Also, I've been working out more often to tone up and enjoy not lying around like a beanbag. That got really old, really fast.

Oh, and for all you people who wish that you could just watch soap operas all day, you're nuts!!! I was so happy to be back in an office after MONTHS and MONTHS of watching T.V. Believe me, it's better to be useful than a bump on a log.

As for the comic strip, well, we're in hiatus-ville since my scanner's gone beyond just not working - it is now officially possessed. Back story: a few nights ago it made some noises despite the fact that both it and the computer were completely off. It wouldn't have been a problem if it didn't act up right when I'm going to sleep. This happened for three nights. It was creepy, if not annoying. We've turned off all power to the scanner to see if it beeps when there is no source available. It's up to something...

So I'll try to post things here anyway, and I hope that you've liked the cartoon thusfar. If I get the chance to bring it back, I've got several weeks' worth of storylines ready to be loaded ;)

Until next blog...have a good night! Don't let the scanner bite!

T.G.

P.S. -

Pricker says "hi." He's been very dormant lately. Right now he's just swimming around my upper intestine. Guess I ate too much at lunch.

:)

Dreams

2008-09-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's medication related or what, but I wonder how many of you out there have had strange dreams around the time of your pain. Typically, I have really violent ones or can't sleep at all. I wonder what that says about my personality....I hope it just means that Pricker's a horror fan and wanted to catch the latest showing.

So tired...

Sad to Say this But...

2008-09-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I'm afraid that the comic will be on hiatus until I can get the scanner to work. Yes, it is probably just user error, but I'm sticking with my claim that the computer is trying to test my patience.

Other than that, I'm happy to say that Pricker's been very subdued lately. He's been less hostile and frequent. Yay! I don't know what I'm doing right this time but yay!

BLEH!

2008-09-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

My scanner's not working yet and it's driving me nuts that I can't seem to get it to work!!! Technology's fun-tastic. Sometimes. Maybe.

But anyway, I've been incorporating yams into my diet and it's helped a lot with my acidity problem. Yay! I love natural solutions - pills suck!

So Behind...

2008-09-15T16:11:00.001-07:00

I've got the cartoon done, but it needs some time for stray-mark clean-up and then taken from outline to b/w. It's always something, huh? :)~

My little fishy fellow, Pricker, says "hello" to everyone and is happily bouncing around my stomach.

Ah, well.

Nice Day

2008-09-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

It's finally getting cooler! I really feel like it's fall. And, yes, I'm working on the cartoon as we speak. ;)

Rough Week

2008-09-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hey all. Due to this week being a rough one, I'm postponing this week's cartoon. Sorry about the delay, but I just started feeling better Friday afternoon.

I promise to post a cartoon next week.

Holy Crap!

2008-09-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

No, I won't give you the gross details though the title says it all. Still, I canNOT believe how mean Pricker was over this past weekend! For two straight nights, I swear I was about to explode at about midnight. I should stop watching action/adventure movies. Methinks Pricker is getting ideas...

I now believe that the reason why "irritable bowel syndrome" has its name is that it's easier to give a very vague terminology as those of us with IBS suffer from the constant BM switch. And if you don't know what BM stands for, I envy you.

It Begins - Part 13

2008-08-31T07:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm a slacker. Didn't feel like blogging this week as had nothing interesting to report. And now, here's this week's cartoon:

It Begins - Part 12

2008-08-24T07:56:00.001-07:00

I Know You Love My Blog But...

2008-08-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

...if you want easy access to the cartoon, check out my space on Webcomics Nation.

Current Series "It Begins" can be found here: http://www.webcomicsnation.com/tg/ib/series.php

On another note, the toes are starting to heal! Yay!

Sitting Pretty

2008-08-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

Know the best way to get your mind off of gastritis and diarrhea?

Give up?

Here's the answer: stub your toes on a door frame! :) ~

So now I'm sitting up on my couch and thinking about the throbbing on my foot instead of in my gut. It's a nice change of pace. Sort of. At least I can see the damage done and ice it, knowing that it will eventually calm down and return to normal size.

Looks like Pricker's got some competition...

It Begins! - Part 11

2008-08-16T17:14:00.001-07:00

GO U.S.A.!!!

2008-08-13T10:00:00.001-07:00

Lovin' the Olympics!

Frantic Freeway Moment

2008-08-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Pricker's been a lot nicer to me recently - we even bonded over a severe dislike of ***hole drivers who pretend to not see you and move into your car lane WITHOUT a turn signal. I had a high-stress moment yesterday because a large truck felt like he needed to move over like he was in frickin' Grand Theft Auto. I paid for this horrifying moment in pain as Pricker panicked when the vehicle just moved without warning. It's scary enough to think that you could have been severely hurt or killed by an idiot, but to have anticipatory knots and pricking pain flare in your intestines makes it frickin' torture.

So a cheerful warning to those of you who like to race on the freeway and forget that the limit is not 100mph: if you *just* rear end someone with IBS/gastritis/etc., you will definitely pay for it in court for causing major physical distress. If you cause a worse accident...well...I just wouldn't if I were you.

Then again, I have always wanted to go to the Caribbean. :)

Drive safe!

It Begins! - Part 10

2008-08-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

Nuthin' Much

2008-08-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

So I was craving sugar & decided to make cookies. I learned a very important lesson that day - always check which type of flour you use. The cookies are full of chocolate-y goodness, but wheat flour really does change the consistency. Luckily I haven't had a reaction to it. I just make sure to not eat more than two because they're small. That makes them more deceiving as I think to myself "I can have one more; they're so small!".

Otherwise, nothing much is new. Working on the comic as per usual. Hopefully I'll get it done on time again.

Blerg

2008-08-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

Pricker's bouncing around again. Sore throat's gone, though, so that's good. If only I had a teeny, tiny fishing pole...

...blerg.

It Begins! - Part 9

2008-08-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Working on Comic Strip!

2008-07-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

Today I'm working on the comic strip in the magical world of Photoshop. I would say that it's because I'm frighteningly on schedule, but really it's due to a nasty sore throat that may or may not be cause by my stomach acid-reducing medicine. I may have to inquire about others since it's the third day I've awoken to a scratchy voice and tonsils aching.

Oh, well. At least I can never hurt my throat blogging! ;)

3 Days from Heck

2008-07-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

So after a painful bout of problematic stomach aches, nausea, and sleep deprivation, I am proud to say that I will pay more attention to the cooking instructions for a once-beloved dessert item. And medicine labels. Can't say that I'm really upset since it was, after all, my own fault, but I will miss my faux-chocolate cake.

On the plus side, I've been getting better at making meals that don't taste like cardboard! :)

Missing Sleep - Do You Know Where It Went?

2008-07-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

28 hours and counting! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting! ! 28 hours and counting!

Must remember to check labels on meds I haven't taken in a while...stupid headache made me desperate!

`Till I get some rest... :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

It Begins! - Part 8

2008-07-23T14:22:00.001-07:00

*Because I was so late with last week's comic, I worked on and added this week's strip too. Yay for two-for-one deals! Also, let me know if the font size is too small even after you click on each to enlarge.

Anyway, next week I should have the comics on this site on time. ;)

FYI

2008-07-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hey all! The next four days are getting crazy-busy. I'm hoping to post another cartoon by Sunday, but may not be able to until Tuesday. It depends a little bit on Pricker and a lot on my ability to fix a problem with Photoshop.

And, yes, the black-and-white color scheme change is indicative of how different Shauna's world is and will become...and how long it will take me to fix the color palette bug.

Bye!

Pain in the Backside

2008-07-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

Pricker bounced along my back last night, and so did my mind. It's truly amazing how crazy you begin to feel and act when pain keeps resurfacing. At least this time it was somewhere different. The side-show was getting old.

It Begins! - part 7

2008-07-12T07:42:00.001-07:00

Work Out

2008-07-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm working out now, which is not my favorite activity, but it has helped with the digestion. So far, Pricker's been sedated and I'm thinking that it's just too tired to bounce around my belly like a pinball machine. Ever had a "Tilt" moment? It's not as fun as cartoons would make you believe. No pretty lights.

Off to do some stretching...

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Yay for Independence Day! Enjoy the Holiday Weekend, fireworks, BBQ's, and more. (Pricker says to say, "Don't get blown up!")

It Begins - Part 6

2008-07-03T11:23:00.001-07:00

Up All Night

2008-07-01T06:31:00.001-07:00

Pricker decided to be a night owl. I have black holes under my eyes as they seem to suck up the existence of any and all cover-up make-up application. Oh, well. If anyone asks, I'll just tell them I'm half raccoon.

It Begins - part 5

2008-06-27T07:08:00.003-07:00

*By the way, I'm sorry to say that this actually happened. Word-for-word. The real "Alexis" can vouch for me.

It's Been A Week Already???

2008-06-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

How quickly time goes by! Oh, well. New comic is up, obviously, and other than that it's been a hectic week. My yet-to-be-named puffer fish decided that it should remind me it's still there every day. Guess it was feeling lonely in the depths of my stomach.

The worst of it came at night, and I remained in that strange half-asleep, half-awake zone most of the week despite the fact that my body initially forced me to bed around senior citizen time. I know it's been a frustration to my friends - especially those who are night owls. I guess I was supposed to be cured by now. :)

So this next paragraph is dedicated to all of you out there who also have friends or co-workers that still don't understand that we're LIVING WITH THESE SYNDROMES/PAIN ATTACKS FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES. Despite the urge to hammer this message into your loved ones (or liked ones') heads, remember that unless they have it then they won't really get it. After spending some time with one of my girlfriends and her adorable child, we reached the conclusion that it sucks to be the first one in the group to have a life-changing experience. Both of us have seen our other friends give us time to heal that lasted about a week before we were expected to go back to "normal." Well, I'm probably not going to be "normal," and my girlfriend has a child in her life. People just tend to forget what it means to have your life changed in a HUGE way. That is, until they have a child of their own. (I'm referring back to a child as I would NEVER curse anyone with any one of my conditions.) And lecture time is now over. Wow, that was too serious for this blog. Onto randomness!

I have discovered that there's a big difference between soy and rice milk. From what I can remember about real milk, rice milk is the nonfat equivalent. Soy, on the other hand, is like flavored milk. I prefer them on different occasions, depending on what I'm eating. I mean, soy milk is awesome in smoothies or with cookies, but weird in certain cereals. I also like using rice milk when baking as I don't have to worry about any other flavors sneaking into the mixture. The oven and I still disagree on how often I burn the food I'm making, and I just don't like the texture of charcoal with soy vanilla or hazelnut ;)

Now I'm hungry! Off to eat some soy cereal & rice milk! Have a fantabulous weekend!

Playing with Puffers

2008-06-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Quick Note:
I've made two banners for my website - feel free to link me to your webpages, blogs, etc. You'll find them at the bottom of the page.

Main Message:
I've been told that I need to give a name to the puffer fish inside my belly. So I submit to anyone who may be blogging, posting, or lurking: what is a good name for a puffer fish? I'm not big on typical names like "Bob" or "Fishy." I need something creative for this creature; and I think it would be funnier if it sounded like a curse word. But I need to make sure that it's P.C. enough for public use.

Any suggestions?

It Begins - Part 4

2008-06-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

P.S. - Have you ever been treated by an undead doctor or nurse? It's not fun to be in their cold, tired hands. Personally, I don't think anyone should ever have to work over 12 hours a day - especially when they carry a loaded syringe!

I know I'm jinxing myself but...

2008-06-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

Yay! 3 mail days went by and I didn't get another hospital or insurance bill! I'll probably get five tomorrow, but for now I'm celebrating with a soymilk smoothie :)

It Begins - Part 3

2008-06-16T07:31:00.001-07:00

P.S. - Better late than never, right? I just had the hardest time with those cars and my shading tool was giving me a hard time. If I find time, I might redo this one and re-post it the way it should look. Anyway, I promise I'll post the comic on the weekends unless something really important comes up.

I heart my nose!

2008-06-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

I have had my share of not-so-fun times at restaurants, particularly when I exhibited the first few signs of having general inflammation (which I'll draw in my later cartoon series!). There are some super greasy places where I cannot even be around the smell or I'll be in pain. However, I sometimes really miss tasting something with real flavor (I actually used to eat spicy food - I mean really spicy! We're talking a chicken drowned in curry and eggs turning pink in a sea of jalapeno sauce).

So I came up with the idea to use my other sense that lets me pretend to eat that which I cannot - I smell it! Yes, my family and friends looked at me strange at first when I asked them if I could smell their tamales, burritos, BBQ, chocolate anything, and certain drinks. Yet I get a little "tasting" experience that doesn't kill my system. It's a win-win situation that keeps me from diving into a big slice of lasagna or worse.

Those of you who are wine connoisseurs know what I'm talking about.

It Begins - part 2

2008-06-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Bills are bleh

2008-06-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

As I foot yet another hospital bill that my insurance company decided NOT to pay, I can at least smile at the thought that at least I'm funding some kid's Ivy League education. I know it's a stretch, but to reduce my stress I stay positive. Or at least smile through clenched teeth.

On that note, I'm so glad my body decided to crap out on me :)

Of Doctors and Specialists

2008-06-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say that I really like my new GI. One of the best advices I received was from a relative of mine who told me that there's no shame in looking for a doctor or specialist who listens to your problems and concerns. I guess I was just intimidated by my previous specialists' advanced degrees. *Especially* the calligraphy.

So now I can talk about my symptoms and there will not be a new prescription shoved in my face. I've been told that it's a bad sign when the plaza pharmacist knows your name and when your calendar is full of "reorder pill" reminders. It was getting to the point where my med. cabinet used looked like one of those mega-24-hour pharmacies.

Now I have room for bandages in there! :)

"It Begins!" - part 1 (click to enlarge)

2008-05-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

READ THIS FIRST!

2008-05-30T13:29:00.001-07:00

Originally, I was going to follow my doc's orders and write down my thoughts and feelings of dealing with pain/inflammation in a journal. I even had a pseudo-leather bound book AND a fancy pen. But writing "I HATE THIS SO MUCH!!!" got really boring and, in the end, I was angrier than ever.

Then, I remembered that I used to be a good artist in fourth grade. Thus, I honed in on those skills as much as I could and came up with this comic strip. It became a lot funnier to watch my woes in cartoon form, and thus Digest This Comic! was born.

Things to look forward to:
- "It Begins!" is the first series which will follow the diagnosis process of Shauna, a young woman with mysterious pain.
- "Curse of the -itis" will take place afterwards as it will chronicle how Shauna learns to adjust to her new life.

Hope you are at least mildly entertained by them!

Until I blog again...