Health Check, Wild Encounters & Carly vs. Kat

Generated automatically from the recording, so expect the odd misheard word.

Welcome to Between Neighbors. I'm Carly. And this is Kat. Your favorite neighbors are back. Episode seven. Yeah. Here we are. Yep. I love that we start that the same way every time.

It's just, it feels right now.

It's our thing. It is our thing. And we can't stop.

It just became our thing, too.

Of course. Um, I was going to say, now that our little secret's out, right? A little surprise. Baby on board. Yeah. Um, I just wanted to talk more about that and find out how you're feeling, how you're doing. I I want to know everything. The reactions. Oh, geez. I know we kind of like touched on it when we posted, like the you know, when you recorded telling me. Yeah. And I asked, but um, no, I want to like dive deeper. Let's talk about it. Oh, jeez.

Well, obviously a lot of excitement. Um this year has been quite the year. I feel like it has been probably one of, if not, the most challenging year of my life. Um, just with like me battling Bell's palsy and just the unknown and um, you know, this whole healing journey, I think it really made me realize what's really important in life. And I touched on that a little bit during my episode when I talked about you know, Bell's palsy and all of that.

And you were like pregnant at that time and didn't tell me, yeah. Or no, it wasn't. That's when I told you. Oh, yeah, it was it was like, wait a second.

But I just feel like this is such a blessing, and I feel like it was almost like supposed to happen. Like when I found out I was pregnant, was almost the same time that I started healing that I saw the first movement.

Do you think that it was something like hormonally?

I don't, you know, you just never know. There are so many like women go through so much when they're pregnant, but also there's so many like healing properties of pregnancy, too. Like your hair grows so much, your nails grow so much, like your skin was looking glowing. So I will never be sure ever. Yeah, um, but what I do know is that it definitely didn't hurt it. You know, I continue, I mean, even week over week, like just us recording these, like I continue to get so much better.

Oh, yes. I mean, everything just looking at you too. It's like you wouldn't even now I I feel like you wouldn't even know.

Yeah, if you didn't really know me, um, like before this, you wouldn't right. Yeah. So, which is great. I mean, that that's huge. So I think I think we're just really excited, like my family and everything, because of everything we went through and the uncertainty and everything. This is like a blessing at the end. Yeah, but rainbow. Yeah, yeah. So it's just something to look forward to and coming off just like honestly, like a really shit year. Like, and I don't mean that in like a poor me way, but just I can look back and reflect and say, wow, those were like some uncertain times, and those were very hard. Um, it's just like a bright light and all of that, and I'm excited that I can now look back at 2026 and it's not all just like, oh, that was you know a horrible year. Like, there's something so great that has come out of this now.

I agree. Oh, that's so nice. So tell me, um, like what was your reaction when you or like like I mean, obviously, you you know figured like oh maybe I'm pregnant, let me take a test. Like, I want to know all that, and I think our people want to know it.

Well, actually, what's crazy is I was getting so much blood work done.

And oh, like through your treatment, yes.

So they were testing for everything, and different doctors were testing like different panels, and one of the labs that I got had like HCG levels, oh, and they came back elevated, and I was oh my god, this is such a cool story. I didn't know this. So I was just looking through my labs and I saw that, and I was like, Oh, so like the doctor didn't tell you? No, no one called me. Oh my god, no one said anything to me. This is amazing. No, no one said a word to me, and you know, you always because of technology, you always get your labs so much quicker, and then the doctor calls you and talks to you about stuff, unless it's like really bad.

Yeah, um, I think it says, like, you know, this was released prior to, you know, a doctor looking. Yeah, it kind of has like a disclaimer, but it's like, okay, you already sent it, right? I'm gonna look it up.

Right. So I don't know. I don't know why this doctor decided to test HCG. I have no clue like what, but I had like done blood work and then also I had um like done like a like sample, like a peat in a cup. Urine sample internal.

A peat in a cup. I don't know what it's called. I'm not a doctor. Um, so yeah, so I uh, you know, did all that, and then that's when it came back. So I actually don't know if it was I don't know what HCG how they test that, if it was blood or the um urine sample, whatever it was, it showed up.

Yeah, I think it can be found in both.

Um, so then I was like, okay, that's weird, and I kept like thinking in my head, like what?

Were you going through like to be put on something because sometimes they would check like to um rule out like pregnancy, like if it was a medication or something?

So I so they put you on like a steroid, like I talked about that or whatever, but this I switched primary doctors because I felt like I just wasn't getting like the care that I needed through my other one, and so she basically said, like, I'm running everything for you. Like, I want to see what's going on, I want all your history because like um two, like I had some family history of different things. Yeah, she wanted to test for everything. Oh, that's so my husband is like in the backyard playing with the kids, and I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna take this test, and sure enough, it shows up as positive. And I like was it like super line? Oh my god, it was like fertile myrtle, yeah. I was like, Oh, here we go. And I was just like, What? Like, my first thought was like because I was just not as far as I am today into my recovery. I think I was just like, Oh my gosh, like, what did I get myself into? Like, not in a bad way, but just like, oh Carly.

Here you go. But ultimately, like I told, I told like Trevor right away, and he was so excited and oh, that's so nice, yeah. And then it was like I just every day on from then my face got better and better and better. And I also wonder, because I'm this type of person, if it was almost like, okay, I can't worry about this all anymore. Like, I'm building a human, I cannot be stressed, I have to get my mind off of this. Like, I I don't know what all went into that, but um, but yeah. So then once I found that out, I kind of took a break from acupuncture, I took a break from like trying to troubleshoot you know, and fix it. And it's like that's when things just started rolling and getting so much better.

That's what I was gonna ask you. Like, were you did you have to stop things? But obviously, if that's what you, you know, you essentially did, yeah. And see, sometimes it's like, you know, when they say when you stop like worrying about it, things just you know change or get better. Or I know a lot of times when people are trying to get pregnant, you know, obviously there's all kinds of you know, fertility issues and whatnot, but a lot of times it could be once you stop like worrying about it or thinking about it, you know, things just kind of go in the other direction. Yeah, I know. That's so good because yeah, your face is so different.

I know, and one thing that I didn't well, not one thing, but a few things I didn't mention in the episode is like the taxing things I had to do during this. Like people might not understand the extent of like your eye not closing all the way. Like I had to tape my eye shut every night with like gauze and medical tape. I had to um like put eye drops in like consistently. I had to manually like blink my eye to make sure like my cornea was like getting covered and stuff, and I never like touched on all that because I think it was like not trauma, but it was just so much, you know.

And I'm just so thankful that I blink now normally. Yeah, I things are just going so much better, I can shut my eye, um, all of that. But it's mentally and it's physically exhausting, yeah. So but yeah, but let but what about you? Let's circle back to you now.

Uh well, I know we were, you know, we've had the days of all our laughs and jokes and whatnot, but man, I don't know. This week just like kicked my butt. I don't know if it's the weather. Um, a lot of it has to do with weather. Um I I don't want to say at the dark, like when it's getting darker, it was more just this whole week was super gloomy. Like last week I was saying, like, oh, we're getting excited for fall, but it was like still humid, where now it's like, okay, no, now we're like getting into fall.

Yeah.

And I love fall, I love the cool weather, but I think that like drastic change definitely affects me. I don't know if people, other people also go through this when like the pressure, like the beer match pressure changes. You know, people usually feel it like get a headache, or a lot of people are more sensitive to it. So I definitely am. Um, like yesterday, I was like, Oh my god, my whole body was hurting. I'm like, Am I getting sick? What's happening? Last night, you know how I said I'm I'm like the night owl, right? My husband goes to bed early. I go, I like go into bed and he's like, What are you doing here? He says, I'm like, what do you mean? He goes, This is too early for you. I was like legit, like, I don't know. I was just like feeling like crap. And um, there is something that's called to crap a crap gap, um, which is a common term that people with MS um talk about. It's usually that time frame before your next kind of dose of whatever medication that you're on. Um, a lot of times it's with the infusions because it only lasts for so long. And I'm coming up to October, right? So it's coming up. And this medication I'm on supposed to be better at like eliminating the so-called like crap gap. I would always before get, you know, like just really tired or like feel just feel off. And I definitely like felt like that yesterday, and just even pro even before that, you know, like a coup like a few days leading up to it. And then I feel a little better today because the sun was out. Like I went outside and I just like stood there. Like I just have like sun on my face. It's it's a weird thing, yeah. You know, vitamin D is definitely something that um I think a lot of people are low in, especially where we live. And I I mentioned that too on our um on my episode um talking about MS, that my vitamin D was like super low back then, and I I take you know a supplement for it, but nothing beats like the actual sun, like being out there and just like resetting your like circadian rhythm and whatnot. And it just I don't know, I do feel better today, but like my legs hurt a lot, so that kind of sucks.

Um I feel like well, and it's been so rainy and gloomy, and to your point, I think there's something about like feeling the sun actually like hit your skin. Um it just feels so much nicer and better than yeah, let me take some drops of vitamin D. Yeah, that doesn't really do much, right? I know.

Do you have one of those like lights? No, what's that? Oh me more.

My husband has one because he like it's not like seasonal depression, but he just like gets like oh like that's what it feels like, but like pain.

And I don't know if yeah, I feel like a lot of people have seasonal depression, right? Um, but like the pain along with it, I'm like, oh my god, why? But is it like a salt lamp?

No, it's like a light, and he has it because he works in like an like an office like all day, like on a computer or whatever. And when you know, when we get to those days where you literally like wake up, it's dark, you drive your kids to school, it's dark, you go into your office, and then like that's when the light comes out, but you're working eight hours, and then when you go pick your kid up from school, it's dark. Um, so it's just this light, I forgot what they're called, and it like shines these bright lights on you when he like puts it on. I um text him and let me know.

Add to cart. Oh, I need that, yeah.

And you just like put it on and the light like hits your face. So that's one thing about moving here, um, and in this house that we have now, our old house, we did not have windows the way we do here. Okay. And that's why I'm like, I it it's I I've told my husband before too. I'm like, do you just feel different? And he both of us are like, yeah, like we have like actual like daylight coming through the windows.

Did we not at all before?

So our house like our house before was um east-west. Right? Oh, and then but the way it was was our windows were like on the side. Okay, so the when the sun was setting, it would come through, but we were working in a like because we both worked from home. So he was like in the basement, there's no windows in that whole basement. Okay, and then I was in like the like lower level, and there were windows just along the side. Okay, and and like if I open that, I like see my neighbor because it was like a little bit below ground, like she could just look right in, so it was like always like closed off. We're here, I'm like an oak, you know, like open. Well, I feel like direction.

Like we have like the prairies, yeah.

It's just a totally different feeling.

Yeah, I like love the sunsets in the fall. Oh, yeah, like I love the best place. I know like walk out on the patio and like the pond is there, yeah. The sun is like, and I'm just like I'm so lucky.

Yeah, I know. It's so nice. I love it, yeah. It's beautiful. Even just driving, I know it's like early, so early when our kids like go to school. Um, but even driving, so because I'm driving like towards the lake, yeah. And it's just like, yeah, the sun's like went right in your eye. But it's beautiful. I love it. I love it.

I don't think almost like I don't think there's maybe there's a couple houses that have another house that backs up to them, but I don't think any of our houses have anyone behind us. Yeah, you're right, which is like very rare. Well, yeah, yeah. I feel like a lot of people like have people in their backyard. Oh, yeah, we don't. No, not at all. We're so lucky, yeah. I said vision is the best. We are the best.

Oh our book club is the best. Yes, and that's another thing too. I think that's helped like mentally, um, just kind of with going through everything because obviously, like I said, where I lived previously, um, you know, again, I mean, I'm not just saying like, oh, I had no windows. I mean, I had windows, she just lived in a basement. Yeah, I was like, This is trapped. Oh god. It is just like a different vibe. It's very much more like nature, like we said, the ponds and the trees and all the animals, which oh my god, speaking of animals, there we go.

The crayfish, the baby lobster. Oh my gosh, she she literally texts our group chat and she's like, There is a baby lobster in my driveway. I'm like, that is a crayfish.

Is it called crayfish or crawfish?

I believe they're interchangeable, so it's the same thing. I think so. Someone fact check me, but I'm pretty sure like down south they call it a crawfish, but here we call it like a crayfish.

So I was like, Where did like I'll I'm walking my dog outside, and he all of a sudden he's like freaking out, he wouldn't go in the grass. And I was like, Yeah, I'm like kind of pushing him to go, and then I look and I'm like, oh my gosh, well, yeah, there's like this baby lobster trying to snap him, which I think it did. It may have. I don't even know. Well, he like freaked out, and then I recorded it. You remember you're like, he looks like he wants to fight you. I said, I'm gonna fight him, dude.

He was claws up, yeah.

Like he was coming at you, he was coming at you, like pissed. They like noise. I I feel like that's this like ticking sound. It's like a tick tick tick tick. It's weird. Okay, and then one of our neighbors is like, where did it come from? Like, it is a taped pot. I'm like, the pond, like what the what's even better? We have like eight ponds to our side, like so yeah, little Johnny's aquarium across

it came out of there. No, and it was that thing, and then then all that rain that happened, yeah. And then another one was on my driveway. Oh, so this one was like on the sidewalk, then another one was on the so this is like the third one I've seen. The first time I didn't tell you guys because I was like, I don't know what it's called. I'm gonna call it a lobster. Clearly, it's not a baby lobster. So then this next time, so then the third time he was like black. Oh yeah. And he I showed you the picture and it had like a little orange like on the clothing, and I was like, this one looked mean, like that one look I was like, okay, like I'm gonna leave you alone, like scurry off. But I think it was from all that rain. They like burrow in the in the ground, my husband said. Oh, so then I was like, Oh, so they're like coming here, they're probably getting pulled up because right from the rain. So much rain. Um, but yeah, all the different animals. Like, I always like send stuff to my sisters when we first like moved, and I was like, Oh well, another day in the prairie. Here's uh, you know, because we obviously have like prairie grass and stuff, and then um I was like, there was like pheasants and storks. Oh well, okay, no, they're not storks, are they? Dude, we have storks back here.

They're like the cranes.

Isn't that what that is?

It brought you a baby. You're right. I mean, honestly, they're white cranes. We have two. Oh my gosh, I forgot the baby. No, there was a bald eagle in our backyard yesterday. Oh two days ago.

Like last year I sent a picture. Yeah, but maybe it's the same one.

Well, there's a nesting pair that's like over here, and so, but I have never seen them like fly over our pond and like into our backyard so closely.

Like actual bald eagle, not the not the straight up ball, which no you know it's called a cooper hawk.

I didn't know it was called a cooper hawk, no.

My um brother-in-law, we were at my parents' house, and he like said, Oh, is it a cooper hawk? And I was like, What? And I go, that's what it's called. And he like pulled up the picture. I'm like, oh my god, it's called a cooper hawk.

The only Cooper's hawk I know is mine.

This was a like, I know a freaking bald eagle. Like, are you kidding me? Well, yeah. A bright white head.

Okay, the birds are they're huge. Yeah, okay. Then it was. Yes. Just making sure, you know, I think just something else called something else.

But we've also had like a coyote in our backyard. Oh, yeah. I mean, there's a pack around here, you know that.

You've heard you've had one in your front yard. It like walks across the windows and goes up to my front door, probably trying to smell my dog. Trying to get your dog, yeah, and like walks off, which is scary. That's why we got the fence, you know. But it it's like, okay, the fence doesn't do anything if it's in my front yard coming to my front door.

Um, also, my son's obsessed with coyotes right now, and he asked Chatchi PT. He was like, Can a coyote jump a four-foot fence? And Chachi PT was like, easily. Yeah. Oh my god, these are four feet. Yes.

He's so smart. Yeah, that's funny. So yeah, those were our animal stories that um have come up. But again, back to I know we like go on a tangent, but um. But yeah, I I do feel better today. Um so hopefully like the sun and everything just kind of stays around because it sucks when it's not yeah.

So yeah, not to switch subjects again, but okay, yeah, that's what we do.

That's what we do. All right, let me see where did I put it. Alright, Carly versus Cat. Um, so it's just like a question, so we can like kind of take turns here. So I already know the answers to all of these. I'm pretty sure.

Uh so the first one. And actually, I don't know. The first one could go either way. So it's a who would survive the longest in a deserted island?

Oh, hands on me.

Okay, I I was gonna say that, but then I was like, you know what? I I'm pretty good at like building stuff, but you'd like to be able to do it.

They're attacking me. The sun is way too hot. Oh, I only have slides, like, I cannot forge for my own books. Oh my god, you're right. What am I thinking? I am not getting dirty. Okay, we gotta get this done. I'll be like one drop of sweat, I'm out. I would literally have a whole plan like sketched out in the sand of like you want.

What is that called when you're like rubbing two sticks together to make fire?

Or like uh you'd find like a piece of glass and like point it to the sun directly to make smoke. Oh, but see, I I know those things, so maybe I could survive a little bit. But I would not like it. You would not like it. Okay, this one I think is you again. Oh dear. Who would accidentally join a cult? Because you almost did.

Okay, no, I did not. You went to that like wellness retreat, and they made you they made you like go farm for mushrooms.

Would you scavenge or like I wouldn't join like a cult where it's like everyone drink the Kool-Aid and we're all gonna die now? And I feel like I don't trust anyone though.

Yeah, that's true, but I still think it would be you.

Okay. Um, I guess I'll take it.

I'm too scared. Um, who would spend $500 at Target and claim she needed everything? Oh, both of us for sure. I'm like, what'd you buy?

That's easy. Uh oh my god, I don't like that one. What? Who would be more likely to get arrested? I'm too scared. Oh, that would be it'd probably be me. You're winning this. I don't think that's a good thing. Um, who would move to another country? I wouldn't.

I love the United States. I mean, people can talk shit all they want about like everything that's going on. But my ass, I've been to Africa. My ass is staying here.

Yeah, I need I need air conditioning, I need um, yeah.

We are like we are so lucky with what we have. Like, obviously, every place needs like work and whatever, but we we are so fortunate to have like the amenities and things that we do, yeah, and the convenience. Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah. No, we ain't leaving.

All right, so um, oh my god, who would keep a secret longest? Oh, I would probably keep it after I told my husband first.

I it's hard. It depends on what the secret well, I kept the this secret. Did you tell your husband? When you were pregnant? Yeah. I'm trying to think. No, I can't think, I can't remember. Potentially. I don't think I did. Um maybe I did.

I feel like I'm pretty good at like keeping secrets. Like if someone says, do not tell anyone. But yeah, I don't know. That's a hard one. Yeah. Depends on what the secret is. If it's something like really serious about someone, oh no, I'm not sure. Like I take it. Yeah. I take it seriously.

I wouldn't. Um, okay. Um, who would become famous? Well, hopefully both of us.

Yeah, both of us for sure. From this podcast. Duh. That's a like, no kidding.

Yeah, that's the point. Uh who would win an argument with a stranger? That's you. Because obviously I failed at the farmer's market. That lady scared me and I ran away. Uh yeah, I feel like Carly, you're winning this all. No, I'm not.

I don't know. Winning is the right word.

Who would get arrested? Who would start an argument? Yeah, great. Why do you call? Yeah, I'm winning. Yay!

Okay, who would accidentally send a text to the wrong person? I feel you.

You win that one. Oh, I would. Oh my god, I was sweating. Yeah, that would probably be me. Oh lord, that was good. That was it? Those were so good. I know. Let me think of something else. Oh, hold on. Oh man.

Oh, those were good though. They were. That was really good. I'm still like unconvinced about the cult thing because I'm pretty like objective with things. That's true.

You would like be questioning, like, wait a second, like where the bylaws.

Like, what are we doing here? Who is in charge?

100%. Yeah, no, and and like me, I'd be like, actually, it'd probably be me. Because they'd probably be like, oh, like, you know, when they say, like, um uh those videos of like kids, they're like, What would you say if a stranger said, Come, I have puppies? And they'd be like, Oh, I got you know, yes. So I'd probably be that person, actually, because I like can't say nothing.

Well, and the fact that it says accidentally join a cult, oh, they could trick you into it. Yeah.

Oh man, that was good.

So back to what we were talking about before. What you're doing well through your pregnancy.

Oh, okay. So, like to close it all out.

Yeah, I know we like to have a little fun in between.

Yes, but to like wrap everything up. Yes, I'm doing well in the pregnancy. I'm doing well with the Bell's palsy. Thank God I continued to get better, and my hope is by next year I'll have a new baby, and I'll have my face back, and it'll just all be good lessons learned in in the past.

So and you you were continuing to yeah, and then in a few weeks I go in. So hopefully that gets me back up to speed because I'm kinda crashing.

Well, and there's like nasty stuff going around too, like box.

Oh yeah, and I have to be I have to be really careful about that. Like the other day, um, like last week, my son, like the whole soccer team was like going through like sickness. Um, and then he started coughing, and I'm like, oh my god, like stay away from me. But I bring him to school every day, so yeah, um, but I'm fine, like I didn't catch anything, so I was worried about that, but I have seen like a lot of things kind of going around, so yeah. That's the other thing I have to just you know watch and wash my hands, yeah.

I had a bad cough for like but yours was more like yeah, I wasn't I wasn't like sick, yeah. I was just like a drip cough.

Yeah, where kind of like when you're pregnant and you have all that extra fluid, I feel like that's yeah, and that's how I knew too when you were pregnant. I was like, this girl, like your nose is like plugged in your eye. Like, what's going to add? And then I'm like, oh dad, then you tell me, yeah, all the puzzle pieces just coming together, uh, but yeah, so that's all the things and um make sure.

Oh, you'll see something new up on our feed. Oh yeah. So um RIT person, our IT man, shout out. He um hooked us up with um like little clips, so you'll start to see reels. Um, not with video, unfortunately, yet, but it's like uh but it's a picture of us. Yes, it's a picture, and it's just like the um some audio clips just to give you all like sneak peeks if you haven't listened to the episode yet.

It's just like little clips from and what are you waiting for?

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