#And I took a trip to my specialist and found out

[wormisconfused]

I feel like there's a difference in care between we and urgent care. You go to urgent care because your sick or broke a bone and they sit you down and you and run you through the procedures, fix you up and you leave. You go to the ER, they ask why you're there then do everything in their power to prove theirs nothing wrong with you

[sirfrogsworth]

Froglock Holmes, Internet Sleuth

I don't remember dates very well, but I believe sometime in the mid 2000s I had a friend drive me from St. Louis to Detroit. It was a very difficult journey. I have never done well as a car passenger and driving for an entire day was one of the more miserable experiences in my life.

But I got through it because I was *convinced* I was about to be cured. Back then it was the only thing I wished for and I was willing to try absolutely anything.

So we were off to see the Wizard about my wish.

During that time there were no doctors in St. Louis who knew anything about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. But I found a website for a medical company that claimed if I saw one of their approved doctors, they could guarantee a 50% improvement. And when I did my pre-interview on the phone, that lady said some patients experienced a full recovery. To which I replied, "Yes, I will take one full recovery please."

But the closest approved specialist I could find was in Detroit and she would only treat me if I did my first consultation in person. She would then continue treating me over the phone.

My friend took three days off and she borrowed her parent's SUV so I would have leg room during the 8 hour trip. We loaded up on snacks and compact discs and began our road trip to wellness. We merged onto the Yellow Brick Road (a.k.a. I-70 East) and headed toward the land of Marshall Mathers.

The more I got car sick, the more I focused on asking the Wizard to grant my wish.

A new... mitochondria?

Plus several trillion.

A new several trillion little powerhouses.

This doctor was part of a national network of facilities that claimed they could effectively treat Fibromyalgia and CFS with a groundbreaking 6 step "holistic" approach. It was super holistic. Extra super duper holistic. The website made sure you knew it was holistic.

And those 6 steps sounded very fancy.

I mean, that all seems pretty legit. They were going to enhance my cells and address coagulation deficits. That's a thing, right?

Now I know that "holistic" is a buzzword that should be met with skepticism, but back then I was really hopeful they could help me. They enthusiastically made bold promises and filled me with such assured hope that I sold my car to help pay for everything.

We arrived in Detroit the evening before the appointment. I slept maybe an hour. Morning eventually arrived and we headed to the office. They gave me a clipboard full of paperwork that took forever to fill out.

"Can I please just see the Wizard and get my wish?"

I got to the exam room and they put me in a gown with the butt showing—which I don't think my friend was prepared for. I have a condition known as Hank Hill Butt and it can take a bit of getting used to upon first glance.

My poor friend refused to make eye contact while I was wearing it.

The doctor finally arrived and this supernatural healing wizard turned out to be a very short Greek lady. She asked dozens of questions—most of which I answered on the forms already. She poked my belly, checked my reflexes, and at no point did her examination require a gown with the butt showing.

She officially diagnosed me with severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and told me she was going to type up a custom treatment regimen and while she was doing that, I was going to get a special IV they designed to specifically combat CFS.

They took me to a room full of comfy reclining chairs and hooked me to an IV full of orange nonsense. Once that was done I met back up with the Wizard and she had created the afore-mentioned "customized" treatment regimen full of expensive supplements and vitamins that were not covered by insurance. Many of which I had to buy directly from the facility. As I looked over the treatment worksheet, I realized they gave the same document to all of the patients.

It was at this point, 560 miles away from my home, stuck in some office in the suburbs of Detroit (which will eventually be taken over by a tooth pulp dentist), with my Hank Hill butt hanging out...

I realized this could have been an email.

I decided to put everything on three different credit cards. Combined with the money from my car, I had about $20,000 to invest in fixing my broken body. My plan was to get all better so I could get a job and pay everything back. I even told the doctor this brilliant financial stratagem and she agreed it was a good plan. No notes.

Young Froggie was being hit in the face with red flag after red flag and Old Froggie is a little embarrassed about that.

I don't remember any of the supplements, but they had names like "EnergyMax Plus" and "Ultra MitoBooster 3000." They definitely sounded like legitimate, evidenced-backed medical supplements and not knockoff energy drinks endorsed by D-list Instagram influencers.

It wasn't all overpriced vitamins though. The doctor had some silly ideas that were actually covered by insurance. She said I should thin my blood so it took less energy to circulate. And I should boost my testosterone levels above the typical range to improve energy. So I had to inject myself with blood thinners and rub testosterone cream on my legs every day for months.

The blood thinners gave me tons of painful bruises at the injection sites and made me dizzy from time to time. The shots became so painful I would have to close my eyes and have my dad inject me. Otherwise I would chicken out. We kept running out of places that didn't have bruises so he would just pick the smallest bruise and stick the needle there.

And the testosterone cream had an interesting side effect that I am debating whether to talk about as I write this sentence.

Okay, I'm just going to tell you.

We are all adults here and we can handle adult conversations while remaining dignified and mature.

The testosterone cream gave me constant, spontaneous, hours-long boners.

I hadn't experienced anything like it since I was a teenager. No erotic inspiration required other than a gentle breeze. Only this time I didn't have a math book to hide behind.

None of it helped my fatigue.

In fact, the constant bonerpalooza was exhausting to deal with.

"Oh look, that actress I enjoy has a fully exposed ankle." "I bet that attractive lady has boobs under that heavy winter coat." "Hey, is it Wednesday?"

At some point it becomes a chore, ya know?

Thank god it was well before 2014, because if I had seen Chris Evans bicep curling a helicopter I probably would have needed hospitalization.

/end dignified adult conversation

After six months I had 0% of the promised 30-50% improvement 90% of the time and she kept saying I just needed to give it more time. She said it works quicker with the IVs full of orange nonsense. But they custom made those IVs and can only administer them in Detroit. She claimed the oral supplements were filled with the same nonsense, but took much longer to kick in. She told me I could be patient or drive to Detroit once a week for an IV treatment if I wanted faster results. If that were true, I feel like that should have been disclosed at the beginning. But I was assured I could get the same results without the IV treatments.

It didn't matter at that point. My credit cards were maxed out and I was out of money. I called the doctor and asked if there was any treatment she could recommend that was covered by my insurance. She got very quiet and awkwardly said she would try to figure something out. Roughly 30 minutes later I was emailed a coupon for $20 off our next phone consultation. I responded and told her I literally had no money left.

I never heard from her again.

The Wizard had no ability to grant my wish for several trillion properly functioning mitochondrias. She had no magic treatment. I finally saw her for what she truly was.

With perfect hindsight I could now see all of the red flags.

Though if I hadn't at least tried, I probably would have wondered and regretted it.

Hard to say.

I was kind of amazed how they built a country wide collection of clinics and they were able to operate for years solely on the placebo effect.

Years later I was curious what happened to this network of quackery. I found a news article saying it was all shut down due to fraud. I don't think they had a holistic approach to paying their taxes.

The reason I am telling this tale is because I have been playing detective and gathering evidence for my disability case. I started to wonder if maybe I could find my fraudulent Wizard to see if she had any kind of records or something that might help me. I knew it was a long shot, but I didn't want to leave a stone unturned.

At first all I could remember was her last name and that she was a D.O. and not an M.D. Standard Google searches were not turning up anything. I couldn't find her current practice nor any contact information. Apparently her Greek last name is a popular Arabic first name for men... so all my searches kept resulting in doctor dudes. This was not the time for a sausage fest and I was getting frustrated.

And then I finally remembered the name of the medical company.

Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers, Inc.

I even remembered their URL... fibroandfatigue.com

So I went to the Wayback Machine and I was able to find their now-defunct website. I suddenly remembered its cloudy banner image and "concerned_woman.png" like it was yesterday.

Why, yes... I am tired of being tired.

I also remembered their promise that over 90% of patients had at least a 30-50% improvement. Which was the claim that sent me down this rabbit hole to begin with all those years ago.

I started searching different versions of the site to see how their claims of effectiveness changed over time. At first they basically implied they made everyone completely better.

If I saw that I would definitely think I was getting a cure. But I imagine this caused some problems so they had to dial it back a bit.

I couldn't find the 90% version, but I did find the 30-50%.

This actually sounds like you have a 100% chance of a 30 to 50% improvement.

As I skipped around to the archived captures of different years, the promised percentage kept changing. I don't think they did an actual statistical analysis of their patients. I think they just picked a percentage that sounded enticing without promising too much. Just enough to be life-changing with a built-in excuse for when it all goes tits up.

Years after my experience, the site finally settled on a 65% improvement in energy levels. It was on their new page detailing how "affordable" their treatment was.

$20,000, you say? Balderdash, no one would spend that much.

If you were curious, they claim their treatment is now affordable due to a new monthly payment plan system. It did not become any cheaper.

However, under the 65% promise, they added this disclaimer with a large bold heading...

Success depends largely on your dedication and commitment. Our most successful patients are the ones who make the commitment to follow the treatment program rigorously. Patients who are aggressive and comply with the treatment process experience significantly better long-term results than those whose dedication is half-hearted and whose compliance is minimal.

In other words, "If our bullshit supplements don't work, it is YOUR fault."

Or in my case... "If you run out of money, it is YOUR fault."

Oh and there was also this...

Looking at all of the versions of the Fibro & Fatigue, Inc website was certainly fascinating, but I had to quit dicking clicking around and find my focus.

I still had detective-ing to do.

I was on the hunt for a Detroit-area Greek doctor of osteopathy.

There were ~250 captures of the site between 2004 and 2016. She wasn't listed in the newest captures, nor the oldest captures. So I kept trying to drill down to find the exact time period she worked at the company.

And then... EUREKA!

She was hiding in 2005 on their "Meet the Doctors" page.

Her first name was *drumroll* Sultana!

I can't imagine why I didn't remember that common first name.

Finally, after weeks of trying to figure this out, I now had enough information to do a proper Google search and discover what the heck she is currently up to. Probably putting people in open-butt gowns to check their tonsils or something.

*googling noises intensify*

I'm not sure I've ever come across such a literal dead end.

Should I be making puns about this?

I mean, she did help exploit me out of my entire life savings and put me in significant credit card debt with the Sex Panther-approved promise of a guaranteed 30-50% recovery 90% of the time.

And the institution she was a part of was shut down for fraud.

Still... I never wished an early death upon her.

I would have been happy with a trip to small claims court.

[wizzdot]

The Patron Saint of One Way Trips

Ch8

Description: More progress. Laika is trying her best, bless her - Johnny is tasked to look after a pre-rut Ghost. Laswell is a queen, I will not be told otherwise. Anyway, enjoy more slow burn with sweet gorgeous Kyle, and a bit with Cap too. Thanks for all the comments and kudos. They are so very much appreciated. Wizzdot xx

*Laika's (Y/N's) POV*

The helicopter ride back to the base was.. nice. I'd sat with Gaz and Soap, who both had talked the entire time. I really did try and listen but found myself zoning in and out, worrying over what I had actually signed myself up for. I also couldn't shake the unwelcome vibes I'd been feeling from the Lieutenant. This was his pack. His mates. And I'd just turned up and gotten in the way. I felt like I should tell the two younger Alphas to back off, for Ghost's sake. I wasn't welcome. And I totally understand why.

We arrive at the base. I'd been told it was called Credenhill , in Herefordshire. Turns out Hereford was pretty dull during winter. Everything had died back and was totally devoid of life. I hope I wasn't headed the same way. The base seems to stretch on for miles. I watch from the windows as we lower toward the big red 'H' landing spot. Several uniform red brick barrack buildings and one larger HQ looking building - the one we were landing on top of. It looked as if there were running track and shooting ranges, along with an array of assault course type obstacles. Jesus - what had I signed myself up for by agreeing to Laswell's idea.

I am not a talented, or naturally gifted soldier. Hell, I hadn't even been properly trained by the Russians. I'd been taken and molded into an obedient weapon as a teenager - but I'd just been stupidly lucky so far. I had learnt to survive. I stood no chance up against the physicality of these trained war machines. Why did I agree to this?!

My fast track 'training' with the Russians consisted of being told to run until I collapsed, climbing things with no safety harnesses, target practice with knives and guns. If I didn't improve, I didn't get the privilege of eating or sleeping - this was the punishment for being useless. It took nine months of this - day in, day out - until they deemed me to be of a suitable standard to leave the facility. This was when they started upping the dosage of the drugs. I don't think they truly expected me to return from that first mission. I still remember how their eyes widened as I practically crawled back to the exfil point, shot twice but still standing, somehow. Objective completed. The wounds got infected because they refused to treat them properly. That was my lesson. It was simple. If I didn't get shot, I wouldn't have gotten the infection. Don't let it happen again. Stupid mutt. I licked my own wounds from there on in.

My mind is snapped back to the present as the ramp of the helicopter lowers with a creak and thud. Ghost stands and makes a beeline to where ever it was he was headed. I await instruction. I am the 141's puppet now. Hopefully they are kinder puppet masters. I didn't belong in this world. I was cruelly dropped into it and, like a bug in a bathtub, I couldn't escape. I guess I had to stop looking for an escape. I cannot run away from my life for the rest of time. It was time to stop running and face the music.

I am escorted from the helicopter. I follow Gaz closely. He leads the way to a meeting room. Laswell is already there. Her scent is calming, she smelled like honey, or the smell of a kitchen after a cake had been baked. Warm. She is Beta. There is no sharpness to her scent like there would be if she was an Alpha. She looks my way as we step into the room.

"Laika, we have been keeping an eye on the facility in Siberia since we departed. The good news is that they haven't sent search teams out for you yet. The bad news is that they know you are still alive. I managed to get some of my CIA tech specialists to override the facility's CCTV system and listen in. They know you've been taken by another group - they are not sure who is responsible, yet" - I nod along with furrowed brows, worried that she is about to deliver the final blow - "But.. they seem to believe that if you are still alive, you'll return to the facility. Why do they think this, Laika.. Is this a risk we need to be aware of..?" She asks with suspicion in her voice.

"Lass, why the fuck would you ever want to go back?" soap asks, not quite believing that this was even an option I'd consider. "Yeah, surely not.. you're here now.. you wouldn't go back, would you?" Gaz asks with big eyes and a slight pout. "I - I don't think I'd go back.." I stutter, unsure.

"What d'ya mean ya don't THINK you'd go back, Lass?!" Soaps says, totally perplexed.

"I - I don't know.. what if Dr-Dr Dimitrov gave me a command.. what if -"

"That willnae happen, you've got us now.. and he willnae find you anyway. No point in thinking that" he now turns to Kate "She willnae run away to go back to them bastarts, Kate. Not after what they've done to her.."

"Thank you, Johnny.. but I need Laika to speak for herself".

"I- I don't *want* to go back.. I *want* to stay..." - "That's good enough for me, Kate" the Captain cuts in, effectively ending the conversation. I don't know why I couldn't just say no. But at the end of the day, a caged bird is hesitant to leave when the door opens. There was a morbid safety in the facility. I always returned. Even when they thought I was dead, I'd show back up eventually, accepting my punishment for being behind schedule.

"In that case, the Captain will ensure you settle in. I have requested your quarters be in the same barracks as the 141 pack. I don't want you left unsupervised around the base. I would like you to attend the medical wing within the next couple of days and find out if we can get the drugs flushed from your system. If we can, we can then assess your designation and if you wish to medicate, that'll be your call. It'd just be far easier if we knew for certain - I understand you believe that you are Beta, but full confirmation won't do anyone any harm. I trust this is all under control, John?" - "Affirmative, Kate" he rumbles. "Good. I will check in within the week. I have more pressing matters to attend to back in the US. Something about missiles."

I take in all of the information, trying to push down the feeling of dread. I'd really rather not see another Doctor in a white coat for the rest of my life. I'd seen enough to last me a lifetime. And it wasn't pleasant. Kate turns to me and grabs my hand. "Y/N - it's been nice to meet you. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks time - I hope you'll have settled in and found a home here by then. I understand how intimidating this can all be - as a woman and a non-Alpha. But these men - I trust them entirely. Even ghost.. Goodbye, Laika".

She squeezes my hand and strides towards the door, rushing back to the helicopter. "Bye" I whisper after her, not sure if she'd heard. I turn to meet the Captain's eyes. "Right, lets show you to our quarters,then. We all have our own spaces and individual nests for privacy, as well as our pack room. Luckily, we do have a spare room. You're more than welcome to do what you like with it. I know that Beta's don't nest much, but you can redecorate to your taste. I will take you shopping tomorrow, buy you some proper.. girl.. clothes and - cleaning products" he says with that raspy voice of his. "Just make a list of things you need and Gaz and I will drive off base with you first thing tomorrow. Does that sound ok?" he does that damn youthful smile again. Before I can answer Soap protests "Naw! Aht's not even fair.. why can't I come shopping with yous too??" - "Ghost wants you to himself for a while, Johnny. He's been touchy for the past week. Think his rut is coming but you know how stubborn he is.." I feel bad. It was my fault he had been angry. I'd been effecting his behavior within his own pack just by being needy and useless. Soap sighs and heads off to find Ghost.

"I-I can wait to go shopping if the Lieutenant needs his pack.. I understand. I don't mind just managing until he is better.. I don't want to get in the way.." - "Nonsense, Simon is a big boy, he always gets grumpy before his rut. This has nothing to do with you. Johnny usually helps him the most anyway. He was the first one to break through his walls, before we formed the pack.." Gaz explains, gently squeezing my hand. "C'mon, I'll show you your room. It's right next to mine! Cap's is right across the hall too!" He says excitedly, leading me so we are walking down the long hallways hand in hand.

I use my free hand to quickly feel for my hanky, it's still there safe in my pocket. Gaz stops at a closed door, opening it wide. I almost step inside, thinking it was my room, until I'm knocked back by the scent of Alpha. Gaz. "This is my room.. " I scan the room quickly, noting the blankets and pillows organised on his bed. That must be his den… he shuts the door and moves to the next one. "And.. this is yours! Taadaa!!" the room had clearly been sprayed with de-scenting spray. It had a totally neutral scent. I step in and look around the room. The bed has standard military sheets, there was a small walk in cupboard and an en-suite bathroom. There were a couple of bedside tables and a chest of drawers. This was going to be my room. My space. I was happy. I look up and meet Gaz's eyes. He looks so hopeful..

"I love it.. thank you.."

He squeezes my hand gently, twice. "Remember, if you need anything.. I'm just next door, and Cap is there.." he points directly across the hall. I nod.

"I'll leave you to it..remember to make a shopping list for tomorrow.." I nod again.

"Goodnight, love"

That damn word, stop it. So casually giving a name to something I can never have. He says it so easily, too. I try to smile but only manage an inverted, upside down smile.

"Goodnight, Gaz"

"Call me Kyle, yeah?" I nod again before I can stop myself. For gods sake, use your damn words, my brain shouts at me. You're allowed to now! I keep nodding with the stupid upside down smile.

"Goodnight.. Kyle"

He steps back and gently closes the door. The last thing I see of him before the door clicks closed, is that blindingly bright, genuine smile.

[copperbadge]

I had a very successful and entertaining day today, as you guys can probably tell from the posts I made. There's a few more queued posts of stuff I didn't get to post in-situ, so enjoy that!

Some anecdotes I did not post about from today:

-- I can't remember the last time I queued for a museum. Mostly because if it's not one of "my" museums, like the Field or the Art Institute where I know the best ways in, I'm attending on a weekday deliberately so that I am not amongst the crowds. The line to get into the British Museum was a full block long, but to be fair it only took me ten minutes from opening to get inside. I was mostly amused by the people who a) didn't understand how museum entry works or b) didn't understand how to stand in a line without also blocking foot traffic on the rest of the sidewalk.

-- Almost got in a fight with someone, a definite first for me in a museum. I got salty with a guy who touched a sculpture when he knew he shouldn't, and he got up in my face, and I think genuinely the fact that I knew what the sculpture was called and he didn't confused him so badly he backed down. So if you're looking to defuse a situation via confusion, the phrase "Hey, don't fucking touch the Lamassu and we won't have a problem" worked for me.

-- The British Museum is great but among other issues (looted objects, weird relics of museum-specific imperialism, etc) it does suffer from poor display design in places. I'm okay with that, I kind of like old museums that are a little fucked up, even as I acknowledge that old fucked-up museums also have old fucked-up messaging. They appear to be trying on that front, but they could use a display placard overhaul. At one point I found an object in a case that appeared to be a carved human leg bone, and while I'm not a Bone Specialist there was also absolutely no placard about the bone at all. (I looked it up in the collection later using other objects in the case as reference, and it's just noted as "bone".)

-- I did have a great time overall; I saw most of the museum and then had a fancy meal, as documented. I was especially pleased to get to sample their coronation chicken since I collect tastings of coronation chicken, and I think they either used molasses in it or the bread had some, and either way it's grist for my mill as I start to develop The Chicken Salad War. After lunch I went on the hunt for a few last things, but I could feel myself getting tired and Becoming Unmedicated so I decided to leave a little early, which was the right choice, and gave me a little time to do some exploring.

-- @neil-gaiman did a post a while ago about stuff to see in London which I saved, and while I mostly planned my own journey, I did stop at Atlantis Books on his recommendation, which was well worth it. The woman working the till left me alone until I was ready to buy my book, then praised my choice (always a good move) and made a few minutes' small talk about my visit from America while she was ringing me up. Also I have never seen such a variety of Tarot decks for sale in my life. It was extremely impressive given the entire shop is roughly the size of my bedroom in Chicago.

All in all an excellent day out in London. Tomorrow I'm traveling to meet up with a friend, so probably fewer photos, but day after tomorrow I'm bound for Amsterdam so expect Rijksmuseum photos! I did not get into the Vermeer exhibit sadly, but I still want to see the museum and I'm on a quest for freshly made stroopwaffels and authentic gjetost, so I'm excited for the journey. I thought this trip might be one small anxiety after another -- would I be okay on the plane, would I get on the right trains, etc -- but I'm feeling more confident now, and I think between my early-bird tendencies and the ADHD meds I kicked the jet lag pretty quickly. I'm off to bed in a few, because tomorrow is an early day, so I guess we'll find out then how much I really kicked it....

[lolitastories]

Helpless

Description: She worked as a lawyer in New York until she received a phone call from the man she owes her career to. She knew she would be back and what she was in for but what she didn’t know is that her life would change even more than she imagined.

Part 2

Chapter 1

“You hide your emotions for a living but at this moment you are not doing a great job” I directed an eyeroll to him. We were currently sitting at the dinner table, waiting for his children to join us.

“Not really helping John '' I let out a sigh taking in his words. I know he was right. This family has been in my life since I was 17. I had met Beth, who at first wasn’t the kindest but somehow we both got along great. In my job you had to be assertive, judgemental,firm, confident and when things got rough, you had to be rude and tough. Not an easy thing to do on a normal basis and I thought to myself I was crazy for not only entering law but to becoming a General Practice Attorney. Somehow when I enter the courtroom or when I am making a deal my eyes dial in to my target and I blackout. I do what is needed to do and my streak of losing none of my cases shows that. But when I am outside the law and I am just me, I lose myself. With Beth, she was that for me. She was the assertive side in me and I was the calming side to her. We got each other and I was thankful for that.

“You didn’t tell me she was joining '' Jamie, sweet Jamie. I get up and give him a hug which he gladly takes. Right out of law school I was taken under his wing. John decided not to tell him how he helped me through law school and how he became a mentor to me since the night we met. Jamie took such pride in seeing me become what I wish he knew I could be. Soon I had to move on since I wasn't a specialist in only one thing. I now only see him if he or John needs help and needs me to work with him on something. We distance ourselves over the past years but nothing feels any different now. “Finally” He sighs, moving around the table to take a seat across from me, of course one seat down from John who was at the end of the table.

“Decided we couldn’t keep her a secret anymore and now would be a great time to have her here” After Lee’s death I was asked to come back to the ranch. I moved to New York as I was working on expanding my knowledge in more than just Law, but when I received John's call I dropped everything. Lee’s death was unfortunate and John mentioned in that phone call that things were just going to get tougher from then, and hell did it. I have been working in the background with Lee’s death and filing it under the table with the help of Jamie. Also helping him with Kayce and Monica. When the drug explosion accident happened and Monica’s accident at school. With the kidnapping of the girl Kayce found and the trips he took to jail. Not to mention Dan and Beth, and I have a feeling that won’t be it.

“He didn’t want to continue hearing my rants on driving from home all the way to town. Loved the peaceful rides but you know I am not a morning person” I was staying just outside of Darby. Of course I could stay in town but it wasn’t a risk John nor I wanted to take. He has enemies and everybody knows each other, we didn’t want to give them anything that could come back and damage the farm.

“That you are not” I looked up hearing a familiar voice. “You remember your finals week?” I shake my head in embarrassment. I had just turned 20 but in Beth’s head I was 21. So she made a trip from Salt Lake City to Connecticut. Of course I told her right but she didn’t care. She told me Yale could wait for a couple hours so I could have fun. I was unaware that her couple hours meant a whole night a day. John sent me to study in Yale a couple months after we met. I promised him I wouldn’t disappoint and for me, I never make promises so It was like writing it in stone. I took multiple classes and spent nights, days,summer,spring break, holidays studying and advancing as much as possible in my degree. Work paid off when in only four years I graduated when it usually took 7. Anyways I was in my finals and she took me out that morning.

“In my defense it was 3 in the morning when you showed up” yeah 3 in the morning, I was walking into my apartment hoping to take a 3 hour nap so I could continue at 6 the next day.

“That when New york wakes up” So she shook me off the bed and drove us down an hour and 30 minutes to Manhattan.

“I thankfully took a that ride a power nap”

“If that is what you want to call it.” She laughs while pouring herself a drink. “ I could swear her body felt more energized than ever because she looked like a zombie who hadn’t slept in years'' I hadn’t slept well in 5 weeks. I knew finals were coming and with everything going on I needed every hour I could get to prepare for it. “We got to the club and she was going on a mission. I am not going to tell you what she did to get in because it would ruin your image of her '' She meant I seduced and promised the security an amazing morning if he let me in knowing I wasn’t 21 yet. That might not seem bad but when your promises are very verglaur and detailed and also loud, well now that I think about it, it was more embarrassing but still. “But don’t worry I didn’t let her slip that night. Well maybe just a little.” I cover my eyes and my ears. Dancing on every surface I could find and wired with more alcohol than they had in the club I was having the best time of my life that night. But when we got out and I saw the sun I began cursing at it like it killed and took away everything I loved. I bet there is a video of me out there becoming New York’s crazy woman who hates the sun. After that I went back into the club and refused to come out until the sun was gone. And to be fair that was not what I meant by not being a morning person. I love sunrises and sunsets, I just hate waking up.

“Sorry I am late. Leaving Tate wasn’t easy today” I have only seen Kayce from afar. When I arrived at the farm, Kayce had already had the altercation with John. I soon left and didn’t hear about him until I came back. I have been only helping Jamie with his cases but never had the opportunity to speak to him once. I knew he had moved back and became the Ranch Foreman but I avoided the farm as much as possible knowing that was what John and I agreed on. Kayce walked in with his head down seating next to John and Jamie. He only focused on me when John spoke up.

“Don’t worry son. We were just catching up” he stood up at the end of the table looking over at us. “This is Y/N. She will be living here starting today” That is not what we spoke about. I gave him a worried look but he only shook his head. That meant I had to trust him. “Beth and Jamie have known of her for the past years but because of the circumstances of you not being present in the ranch” A little sadness in both their eyes could be seen. “You hadn’t gotten a chance to meet her” I sent him a nod with a gentle smile and his response was a cold stare that he quickly moved towards his father.

“What do you mean she will be living in the main house?” Not that I mattered more than him but somehow his words caused annoyance in me. You don’t even know me and speak like I was not important. John takes the chance to sit down as Gator comes out with the food.

“I want to take this dinner as a chance to not only tell you about her” he look over to Kayce and then followed his gaze to Jamie and Beth as he continued speaking “and to tell you two along with Kayce how she came to the ranch and why I asked her to come back and stay in the ranch” That last part he looked over at me and I knew he was asking me to listen and consider his question on staying and living in the ranch for awhile. We began eating but John didn’t touch his food as he began speaking. “One night almost 7 years ago she came to the farm. I know under what circumstance she came to run into our lands but that is up to her if she wants to share it with you” He looks over at me and I give him a nod thanking him for that. He looks back to his kids and continues. “That night 3 of our cowboys were out and found her. Thankfully Rip found her before anything bad happened to her.” I look down focusing on my food not really wanting to relive that moment. I guess it showed on my face since I felt Beth take my hand that was settled in my lap. “Rip brought her to me and that night I decided to bring her in. She made a good impression on Rip and I so I decided to help her from that day on.” I smile hearing that from John. Rip was a big softy but had a hard time showing that to people. Mainly because this kind of life didn’t bring out the best in him. He liked it and as much as I would like him to see the better side of things, I know he is better off that way he is.

“So what does that mean? Is she?-” Beth chuckles at Kayces words.

“She is younger than you Kayce! Just 22” Almost 23 I thought. Jamie's words cause a groan from his brother who looks over to John for answers.

“It means I saw something and helped her become what she wanted in life. She spoke to me about going into law school and to show her gratitude she promised to do everything in her power to make me proud and devote herself to this family and she hasn’t failed since”

“She has helped me keep this family running and keeps you from jail.” Jamie says, taking a bit of his potato.

“She had been working behind the scenes since I asked her to come back months ago.” John adds finally starting to eat his dinner.

“So you paid for her school and are now moving her into the house in exchange for her service?” It was a question but to him it was a statement that he made his own answer from. “It will become a great headline” I see the annoyance now in John's face.

“I can assure you that being here will cause no harm in the farm's image. I will assure myself of that personally.” Beth chuckles again but Kayce takes it the wrong way. Getting up and excusing himself from the table.

“You don’t have too, it's not something he has a say about” John grabbed my arm before I could walk past him.

“If I am going to devote myself to this family like I promised I need him to trust me.” John nods letting go of me as I try to catch up to Kayce. I see a dark shadow walking down the path towards the foreman’s cabin. “Kayce!” I don’t see him turn around but he does turn right and leans over the fence. Goddamn dramatic Duttons. I shake my head with a mission, yet I don’t know what I am going to say when I reach him.

“I’ll ask the questions and I’ll tell you if you deserve to be here” I only gently smile and give him a nod. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes at him. He spoke those words and it brought annoyance to his character. “What was the real reason behind him paying and allowing you to be here?” I shrugged in all honesty John and I never spoke about why he decided to help me out. I want to say it was for the kindness in his heart. We all know he takes prisoners and gives them work, it doesn’t sound like much but I can assure you it's a lot. Then there is Rip, a small boy who needed something and John gave him a start, a chance.

“I have no idea” I leaned against the fence, directing my gaze to the land before us. It was past 6 and the sun was way down. The crickets are already playing their tunes and the wind, singing along. “I am not one to usually put my take in things but I think it was because of you” I didn’t turn but I felt his gaze turn sharply to me. To be honest I was feeling a little nervous. Beth, Jamie and Lee had asked me the same question but I never told them what I actually thought the reason behind it was, one because I wasn’t sure and two because I was no one to put such an idea out there. “I came in around the time you left” Under his stare it felt like I was starting to run a fever. Chills went down my spine and I felt like I was burning, thankfully he turned back to the view in front of him. “I always was one to read people’s sadness and when I looked into his eyes, that was all I could see. At that moment I didn’t know why he was sad until later on when I met Beth. She told me all about it. The couple of weeks I spent in the ranch John was kind to me. Taking me in and treating me not like a worker but-” I cut myself off. It caused a bit of pain even thinking of such feelings. How for John I may be like his own child but I know that wasn’t true. Sure he cared for me but if it was between his own blood and me well, there was no question about it. I was pulling on my own heart strings and I needed to cut myself off. “I feel like I was just a right time, right place situation that helped him feel better about letting you go”

“How did you end up here?” He was avoiding my statement. The answer to that was something I haven’t told anyone except John. John had the right to know, but that wasn’t the case with Kayce or his siblings. I needed time. “By the looks of it I see you fighting yourself on whether you should tell me or not” I quickly shake my head.

“It's not a difficult choice. I have the right to not talk about it. Just like I told Beth, John had the right to know but it doesn’t mean it was easy. Am still dealing with my past and soon when everything is over, there will be no need to keep it hidden. Until then I ask them to trust me just like I trust the Dutton blindly”

“You ask for trust but we have more to lose with how much trust we put with you” He was right

“It might not be a lot but I could lose everything with putting my trust in you all. The Duttons are a full package and I choose to take that on no matter what. What you know of this family and its past since I have been here I have helped, if anything happens that could come back and bite me too. You know better than me that people here come and go just as fast as bullet trains”

A/N: I have found my new obsession.♥️. I don’t know where am going with this but I hope you guys like it. This app doesn’t have much of him so I hope that changes.

Thank you❤️.

[intriga-hounds]

beau is going to be ok but here’s what we’ve been dealing with:

last friday, beau yelped when jumping off the bed and started limping. my parents took him to the vet and the vet said it was probably something soft tissue so to just rest him for a bit.

by sunday, beau stopped eating.

by monday, he was on his 3rd vet trip. they did xrays and found a weird fuzziness in his chest cavity. we thought maybe he had pneumonia.

the vet told my parents that beau had lung cancer, an enlarged heart, and lung torsion. the vet said he had days to live. my dad was devastated. i called him and he was a wreck. he was preparing to euthanize because fluid in the chest was making even breathing painful.

i packed a bag, canceled my root canal for today, and prepared to drive to nevada to be there for my dad.

we called starfyre silkens, beau’s breeder and co-owner, who urged my parents to get a second opinion with a specialist before making any dire decisions. they originally were going to drive to CA for a vet, so i stopped packing. then they found one in NV. so i was kinda in limbo and everyone was stressed tf out.

the specialist immediately drained the fluid to make beau more comfortable (the GP vet wouldn’t do it bc they said it might kill him??), then took new xrays. they told my parents there’s no way anyone could diagnose cancer or really anything at all from the original blurry xrays that had fluid obstructing the view.

after many tests, surgery was suggested as the only way to figure out what was going on. hernia was suspected as a best case scenario, but regardless, the vet said whatever it was, it did not seem life-threatening. at this point, we all felt like we could breathe. my dad sounded optimistic, so i decided to stay home.

the surgeon, who has operated on many sighthounds and is eminently esteemed in his field, found a faulty lobe in beau’s lung today. it was removed and sent away for testing. no cancer, no lung torsion, no heart issues, and no hernia were found.

beau is stable and in the ICU. this should not affect his life in any way once he recovers, but the next 24 hrs are critical. i will get an update tomorrow.

[carefulfears]

Yes! It’s especially insane with Phoebe bc like the show goes out of it’s way to explicitly show how fucked up she was idk how people forget it

yep yep yep!! it's quite literally the entire point of the episode. but i still see people all the time like...calling mulder stupid for "trusting" her and making jokes about the way he behaves around her and it's just like...please don't piss me off. same exact thing with diana.

fire is one of my favorite episodes though i think it's such an interesting look at mulder's character and example of the ways that he views and interacts with people close to him

because he understands and acknowledges from the very beginning that phoebe's just there to fuck with him, that she made the trip from boston to DC to bring him in on the investigation for no reason other than knowing that it will scare him

he knows what she’s doing, and he still agrees to help her

his only concession being that scully not be involved

noting that he's not going to "put her through" phoebe's games

this is something that we've seen him do before, with his former partner jerry earlier in season one, who broke into his office and stole his work.

it's clear throughout ghost in the machine that mulder isn't comfortable working with him, but helps him anyway because jerry asked him to

and builds him up when jerry is feeling insecure

he infamously does it again with diana, always affording her the benefit of the doubt and defending her

and with his parents, consistently coming whenever they call, despite all of their lies and neglect

(side note from pulling ghost in the machine caps but his ties in this ep are soooo classic baby spooky i miss s1 soooo much)

anyway, this is the dynamic that fire circles around, and the only time in the episode that mulder pushes back against phoebe is when he cracks this joke about having a "refined technique" with women who cheat

which he apologizes for instantly, recognizing that it upset her

fire is also one of the best portrayals of the true sign of a toxic/abusive relationship: not realizing anything is wrong with it until you tell your best friend

i see criticism of this episode sometimes that interprets it as glorifying phoebe, portraying her as sexy and her behavior as righteous, but i disagree.

i don't think that you can base the episode's stance on phoebe on mulder's behavior, he's responding to her through a very warped and controlled lens. just because he views her in a positive light, doesn't mean that we should as the audience.

whereas, scully is immediately wary of phoebe and critical of her, even before knowing the context for her actions.

this shot is my favorite lmao. she is contemplating murder. she is wondering if she could get away with it.

her lil passive aggressive "bye bitch" finger wave

her "mmmmyeah sure sherlock"

her watchful eye as she hangs in the doorway while mulder and phoebe meet with the arson specialist

she literally sits at his desk in his chair and waits for him just to make this sherlock holmes joke 😭😭😭 they are BEST friends

now, this is when she finds out the true history with phoebe, and the reason behind her visit. and it's when mulder tells her that she's off the case.

and from that point, scully starts investigating the murders herself, consulting her own sources to put together her own theories

while these two do absolutely fuck all

she shows up uninvited at the event in boston, having SOLVED THE CASE HER-FUCKING-SELF

and she's the only one who gives a fuck when mulder gets hurt

while phoebe shakes hands and schmoozes at the party

sweetie pie making sure her partner gets some water and some rest

now, dana 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

after making sure mulder is okay (and getting a peek at him shirtless) she shows him the evidence that she found, telling him that she just "didn't know a whole lot about arson" so took the opportunity to do some research "for my own edification, of course" GIRLLLLL

and they identify the groundskeeper as the murderer based on the information that she gathered

the face of a woman who single-handedly solved a string of serial murders to get her best friend's bitch of an ex away from him. she is truly an inspiration to us all.

and she has 1 more sherlock holmes joke in her.

so, anyway, mulder is visibly uncomfortable around phoebe from the start, and this is something that scully picks up on immediately, even before being told any information about phoebe or her motives

and this is an ongoing theme from the very beginning, as mulder is generally unaggressive and compassionate to a fault, leaving scully feeling a responsibility to be conscious and wary of their surroundings.

scully isn't being jealous towards phoebe, just like she isn't "taking things personally" with diana. she understands this about mulder and how exploitable it is, and she's fiercely protective of both him and the kindhearted qualities that leave him vulnerable to these situations

anyway TLDR let me see any of you call either of them stupid again

[henry-adderley]

Dr. Henry Adderley is a general practitioner from England. He is a specialist in his profession, and therefore his services are in demand. One day, he is lucky enough to go to America for work, but when he is ready to agree to the initial conditions, they are suddenly changed. His new acquaintance offers him another opportunity to show himself and do a lot of useful things for people. What will Henry's kindness turn out to be?

This is a story about inevitability. Each person is initially destined for their own fate, which they cannot change.

Delay the inevitable? Yes.

Prevent it? No.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Rock of Destiny, Part 1

August 19, 20...year

I am Henry Adderley, an English doctor. In two days I am flying to North America, where I will stay for a couple of weeks. The trip there will be long, because the plane ride will take more than seven hours. I started keeping a diary so that I could later tell everything in detail to my dear Lucille, who would remain in England and would be waiting for me at home. I live with my sister because I haven’t found a wife. My profession leaves almost no time for myself and my family; not every woman will agree to endure this for the rest of her life. And even after thirty years, work takes first place. Well, I'm going off topic. Just two days and I will leave this house. After so many years I could have gotten used to it, but every time I worry like the first time that nothing bad happens in my absence. I'm sure Lucille will cope without me. She may no longer be a little sister who needs to be taken care of, but I still worry about her just as much.

It is now a dark and gloomy night outside. The eyes close. Of course, I need to get some sleep before a long journey, but insomnia has been tormenting me for several years now. I know that this won’t lead to anything good, but I can’t force myself again, in almost pitch darkness, mindlessly looking at a slightly shabby wooden wall, in a vain attempt to sleep, I can’t and absolutely don’t want to. My sister will be angry again if she suddenly wakes up and realizes that I’m not sleeping, but that’s okay, she’ll quarrel a little and calm down, as always.

The black round lamp on my desk flickered, plunging the room into darkness for a second. I tiredly rubbed the bridge of my nose, took off my glasses, carefully placed them on the table and turned off the yellow light, which was unpleasant for my tired eyes. The small space of my modestly furnished room was now illuminated only by rare glimpses of lights coming from cars passing by the house and lonely lanterns standing by the road, which sadly bowed their “heads” over the roadway, creating an even more dull atmosphere and completely spoiling my mood. With the saddest and most depressing thoughts, I still forced myself to get up from the table - while the old chair creaked unpleasantly, cutting through the cozy silence of the night - and lie down on the soft bed, lowering my head on the pillow. To my surprise, I almost immediately felt myself falling into sleep. Apparently, keeping a diary did me good, and specifically, it helped me sort out my thoughts and calm my agitated mind.

21 August.

All things are collected in a suitcase, which stands motionless by the door in the hallway and waits until I deign to leave my room, say goodbye to Lucille, take it and leave for the airport. Maybe I’m unnecessarily annoying myself with empty speculation, but I’m gnawed at from the inside by a very, very bad feeling. I'll come back to the diary later when I have some free time.

So, I took in more air into my lungs, trying to calm down, and still left the room. Lucille was already humbly waiting for me on the porch, smiling sweetly. As I approached, she threw my favorite brown coat, which I have been wearing for years, over my shoulders. I kissed her on the cheek, took a heavy black suitcase and got into the car. I’m lucky that I live close enough that I can get to the airport in about ten minutes by taxi.

I boarded the plane exactly at the appointed time, took my seat by the window, behind which it was beginning to get dark, took off my heavy coat, because it was warm in the cabin without it, and put my suitcase at my feet, and then took out a book from it. It was “A Study in Scarlet” by Arthur Conan Doyle, which I re-read over and over again, sincerely enjoying the exciting plot. Immersed in my favorite story, I did not immediately notice that a young couple sat down next to me. The girl looked about twenty-five years old, and her boyfriend was about thirty, it seemed to me. They were excitedly discussing something, if I understood correctly, they were talking about the upcoming wedding. Her voice was slightly squealing, unlike her partner’s, from which I concluded that the girl was much more worried about this than her future husband. I involuntarily smiled at her cheerful behavior, she looked very happy. The thought occurred to me that maybe everything wasn’t so bad and I was worrying in vain? But as soon as I relaxed and put the book down, the plane made a sharp maneuver to the side, and a glass bottle with a dark brown liquid, which a minute earlier the man had placed on the table, overturned right onto my coat, which lay peacefully on my lap. My fellow travelers instantly fell silent, the girl covered her mouth with her hands in fear. I sighed. Well, of course, everything couldn’t go without incident! I slowly got up from my seat and, without saying a word to them, went to the restroom. The stain was quite large, but I decided that I still had a lot of time and I could wash it off. By the way, I spent at least half an hour on this activity, and when I returned to my seat, I had to listen to numerous apologies from my fellow traveler. Of course, I am very grateful to her for the attention she received, but I was not in the mood at all, so I calmly assured her that nothing bad had happened and that I was not angry with them at all. I didn’t hear a word from the man.

I slept for the last hour of the flight, holding my almost dry raincoat to the glass.

August 22.

Now that I have the opportunity to continue, I will write down how this day went. New York greeted me with the noise of passing cars and the beauty of high-rise buildings. Every coffee shop exuded coziness. Lively streets, people scurrying everywhere. This is a city of hustle and bustle. It charmed with its unique atmosphere: it managed to delight with its grandeur, beauty and at the same time surprise with the comfort of stay, the kindness of the locals. Yes, the society here turned out to be very diverse, but the hospitality of all the people was a pleasant surprise. In a couple of hours I checked into the hotel and walked around the neighborhood. Well, as neighborhoods... I managed to make the acquaintance of a pretty nice girl while I was buying coffee. I decided that from now on I would only come here, because Emma turned out to be a good conversationalist and an excellent barista, and the cafe where she worked was located not far from the hotel where I checked in. My favorite latte macchiato was as amazing as always. I walked aimlessly along one of the alleys. Frankly, the row of trees and clean paths make a good impression. I think I should definitely go back there again. I even envy a little people who can afford to walk there with their dogs every day. Watching these cute and frisky animals run is a real pleasure! Having already gotten up from the bench to go further, I suddenly felt a light touch on my shoulder and turned around. Blue eyes, hair with a reddish tint. We froze opposite each other, not believing our eyes. I did not expect to meet him here...

— Henry! How I felt it was you! We haven't seen each other since graduation!

I remembered that Matt was always very emotional, so I was not surprised that he was all glowing with joy. I patted him on the back, greeting him, and smiled too. After all, we were friends. Our friendship was cooled by seven years of separation. He left London then, we rarely wrote to each other, and both were more concerned with their careers than maintaining communication. I didn’t know who he had become in the end, and this was a good opportunity to ask interesting questions.

— Nice to meet you. Do you live here or are you just stopping by for work?

Matt’s face changed a little, apparently he didn’t expect me to start with this, but he answered simply and clearly:

— I do. England with its frequent rains seemed too gray to me.

I generally agreed with him, but I still wasn’t going to move. London reminded me of my childhood, when my parents were still alive, and I played football with the neighborhood kids.

— You’re passing through, right? — Matt asks to keep the conversation going.

I nod:

— Work. By the way, would you like to walk me home? This is my first day here, I haven't had a chance to see the city yet.

He agrees, somewhat confused, and I give him the address.

The asphalt under my feet seems unusually clean for a big city. Not yet withered, recently mown bright green grass grows along the edges and goes somewhere deep into the park. A silence hangs between me and my friend, which, unfortunately, I can't call comfortable, but it doesn't bother me either. Matt seemed to have gotten into the atmosphere of this place and didn't mind my prolonged silence. Beginning to realize my unreasonable coldness towards him, I find myself momentarily seized by the desire to maintain communication with this person close to me, but this mood is quickly knocked down by the understanding that over so many years we have both changed. Me for sure. He — maybe.

— I have had a different phone number for several years now. Maybe you can write it down? — Matt suggests, and I don’t refuse. — I’ll wait for you to tell me later what kind of job you have.

He smiles so sincerely and radiantly, like in the old days, and I even feel sad that we haven’t talked for so long. How I’ve missed him.

The main building of the central hospital greets me with coolness from the fans and bright lighting. The girl at the reception shows me the way, after I explain who I need to see.

Mr. Hill is a man of average height with short brown hair and a forced smile. When talking, he actively gestures with his hands and often raises his voice to a screech. This man is responsible for my stay here. I can’t call him a boss, because I work for myself, but he is responsible for my accommodation and arrangements. So to speak, one word from him — and almost all roads are open to me. This is certainly useful, but I am not thrilled with his company. Our conversation quickly gets down to business. My presence here is necessary because there is a war going on, which has sent most of the citizens to the front, including professional doctors. Due to the shortage of people, I will have a busy schedule, but this is compensated by a decent salary and the fact that there is no need to pay for a hotel rented for me, it is not my concern. Mr. Hill is listing some of the clients who want to see me, mainly those with serious mechanical injuries requiring surgical intervention, when his speech is interrupted by a phone call. His face twists in disgust when he hears what his interlocutor is saying.

— Reschedule the meeting with her. Say anything, just to make her go away! - there are hysterical notes in his voice, - No, now is not the right time, I'm busy, very busy. The one who came to us... But... — his eyes widen, and his expression becomes like a pitiful one. — Got it.

He hangs up the call and slams the phone down on the glass table. Without explaining the scene that I involuntarily witnessed, Mr. Hill abruptly and unexpectedly changes the subject:

— Nelson will be glad to see you in this same office tomorrow at one o'clock. Something has changed, - he sighs. — He will tell you himself. That's all.

I politely say goodbye, surprised by this turn of events, and leave the office. Well, I think the above-mentioned person should give me the answers to my questions.

August 23.

It was unusual to wake up without an alarm clock on a weekday. The thin curtains easily let in the sunlight, while the noise from the cars penetrated even through the closed windows. This day promises a lot. The wristwatch showed almost exactly eleven o'clock. Two hours to spare... Not bad. Coffee first, I decided. A few minutes on the road and I was already making an order, then smilingly discussing the news with Emma.

— Can you imagine, — she exclaims enthusiastically, waving her hands. — And I got into the university I’ve been dreaming about since school!

— Congratulations! — I smile, sincerely happy for her, but find it a surprise for me that she’s still studying.

— What’s wrong?— Emma asks in bewilderment, and her outstretched hands with coffee and a packaged donut freeze in front of me.

Is my surprise that obvious?

— So you’re still studying…

— Well, yes, — she smiles as if there was a small, silly child in front of her, and I really feel like one.

— You look just like an adult, — I answer quietly, switching my attention to the cup and bag clutched in her fingers.

— I’ll take that as a compliment.

I nod, take my order and leave the cafe. The next destination is a bench in that very park. I was going to have breakfast in a quiet atmosphere.

Closer to the appointed time, I approach the right office and decide to just wait the remaining ten minutes, but almost immediately the door opens and a man of about fifty looks out of the doorway.

— I saw you through the window, — he smiles good-naturedly and gestures for me to come in. — Thank you for your visit.

— Nice to meet you too, mister…

I sit down on a soft armchair. He places a chair not far from me and sits down, crossing his legs.

— You can just call me Nelson. I can call you by your first name, right? - asks the new acquaintance and after my consent he immediately becomes more serious, — Circumstances have changed a little, Henry. You must know what is happening in the world. Things are not easy for all of us now, and troubles continue to pour out like from a cornucopia. I hope you will not be offended by this turn of events, but you are needed outside the city, in one of the nearby villages. The journey will take several hours, it is a remote area, but there is a sparse population. God-forsaken place... — he throws a somewhat sympathetic glance at me. — Of course, I have no right to force you, but you seem to me a kind person and not spoiled by fame.

— What prompted such thoughts? — I ask, catching on to the last sentence.

A smile spreads across his face again, but this time I can’t interpret it in any way.

— Anyone else would thank me and would undoubtedly confirm these words for their own benefit. Henry, — Nelson continues, returning to the point. — I need your help. I could find someone else, but something tells me that you will not refuse due to your sweet nature.

I was confused by his confidence, because it is impossible to fully understand a person when you are in the same room with him for ten minutes at most, but this time I did not try to refute anything. Perhaps he is bluffing to get what he wants, but his whole honest, open image, the small wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, his sincere smile and the barely noticeable gray hair at his temples inspire confidence. I guess I can compare this man to an old wolf, who may have been clever and scary before, but is now tired of his past, has taken up his usual routine, and instead of hunting rabbits, gives them tours of his domain.

— What do you say? — his voice suddenly sounds very close, and I discover with shame that I missed everything he told me.

Nelson, I am sure, noticed this, but did not show any negative emotions, still smiling at me as if I were his friend, and began again:

— I have not yet told you why exactly you are needed there. It is clear that you will simply be a doctor, but there is something else. I have already said that we are going through difficult times. Before you, one of the servants of the law worked in that village, but then he resigned. It seems for family reasons. I decided to take you myself because I need to meet him. His name will not mean anything to you, and you will meet later. He was in charge of the case there until he gave it all up. You know, — he prolonged the pause, apparently unintentionally. — I would like you to know what I am dragging you into. Just listen. I decided not to interrupt, concentrating on the words.

— This is serious. Something happened; I don’t know all the details, because I haven’t seen anything myself yet. People started disappearing. Lots of victims. The authorities blame it on wild animals, but this explanation never had a chance of being true. I have a personal request for you, Henry.

He moves his chair closer to me and instantly becomes serious.

— I ask you to find a man named Narell and find out from him what’s going on. Because something tells me he’ll send me away as soon as I approach.

— Is this someone you know?

— A former friend.

I nod understandingly.

— Thank you. You will be very helpful. Well, I think that's all for now. You don't have to worry about the payment, the amount will suit everyone, we can discuss it later over the phone. Please forgive me, but there is a meeting in five minutes and I can't miss it.

He pats me on the shoulder a couple of times, we say goodbye, and I leave, left, I must admit, under the impression.

The rest of the day passes as calmly as possible. In the evening, as agreed, I called Nelson. An amazing and unusually pleasant person. Despite the occasional sly notes, he speaks directly and clearly, immediately devoting himself to all the details and explaining where questions may arise. We agree on the same time as today. All that remains for me to do is repack my things in bags and mentally prepare myself for another trip.

August 24.

It's time to say goodbye to the comfortable hotel. Well, I agreed myself. Yesterday I bought everything I needed, walking around a couple of local stores. I don't know how long I'll stay like this. According to the contract, I have 14 days. Not that long, and it's not known how long I'll be stuck in that wilderness. Maybe I'll even like it. Nature, after all.

We met Nelson again at a less businesslike stop in that cafe.

— It's nice to know that someone shares my taste preferences, — he told me when we almost accidentally bumped into each other.

— I'm glad to see you too, — I admitted honestly, even encouraged by such a meeting.

— We're on first-name terms, Henry.

There was still half an hour left before the appointed time, but that didn't bother either of us.

— I decided to come here to have a cup of coffee before you arrived, but you're no slouch either, you surprised me, — Nelson stirred the sugar evenly, not taking his eyes off me.

— Is it surprising that I also like coffee?

— I dared to assume that you liked tea better. I even thought it was green. I'm usually not wrong.

My eyebrows rose, and a slight smile played on my lips.

— Everyone loses sometimes, — I had to hide my chuckle behind a paper cup, taking a sip.

— Got you. I see that the morning has started off well. I hope I didn't ruin your time with my company.

— I don't mind at all, — I responded cheerfully.

— If it's convenient for you, we can leave earlier. By the way, would you mind if we went in my car? I'd also like to see what's going on there.

— As you say. I have my things packed.

— Lots?

— Not very.

— That's good, — he said thoughtfully.

Nelson finished his coffee and threw away his empty cup; I followed his example. We went up to my room together, I took my suitcase, he offered to carry my bag. At the guard station, I handed him the keys and went outside, while Nelson put my bag in the car and waited for me, leaning against his Volkswagen Passat and twirling the keys between his fingers, on which hung a metal keychain in the shape of... a star? Well, that's funny.

As I had already understood, he was not averse to showing off sometimes, so he watched my reaction to his car with a smug smile. And his choice of clothes spoke only the best for him. Not devoid of boastfulness, but moderately proud, Nelson was confident and knew his own worth. My respect.

— Have a good trip! — he said with a smile when I also settled into the seats. — Do you have any preferences in music?

— No.

— I'll take you at your word. Then don't complain if you don't like something.

The songs on the radio were playing randomly. I looked out the window and didn't really remember where we were going. Maybe I should have. For a long time, the apartment buildings gave way to smaller houses; then they disappeared altogether - they were replaced by trees, bushes, and signs warning about moose. About halfway there, I fell asleep, leaning against the glass. Through my sleep, I heard Nelson turn down the music.

He woke me up when we arrived. Opening my eyes, I didn't immediately realize where I was. This place didn't look much like the promised village. Tall grass, not a soul around.

— Let's go further, we won't be able to drive through, — Nelson explained.

Not knowing anything about this area, I obediently followed him along a slightly overgrown, unpaved road. Soon we came to a clearing where several two-story houses were visible. Nelson walked confidently behind them along a barely noticeable path, so much so that I could barely keep up with him.

— Where are we going? — I asked, noticing that we were moving further and further away from the original place.

— Remember, I was talking about one person?

Soon we came to a hill, where a fire was lit in the clearing ahead, and a little further by the water there was a tall man, and, as far as I understood, he was fishing. Nelson pushed me in the back, and I went down to the water. But before I could even say hello, Narell himself began the conversation:

— Are you the doctor who voluntarily, out of the kindness of his heart, — he grinned. — Decided to come to this backwater?

— That’s right, — I was a little taken aback by such straightforwardness.

— Welcome, — undiluted sarcasm.

The man didn’t even turn in my direction — he was so sure of his rightness. And then he turned to Nelson, who instantly tensed up:

— And why did you bring him to me?

— You’ll die here completely if I sit here with my hands folded.

— Why do I need him, I ask?

Narell finally turned around and looked at me as if I was the cause of all his troubles.

— I have everything under control and I don’t want anyone else poking their nose into our affairs.

That was pretty rude.

— I understand why you react to me like that, but I doubt that you have “everything under control”, because you definitely don’t! A lot has happened here in the last month, especially bad things, and I, like Mr. Nelson, cannot ignore it, — I said firmly.

— Are you a doctor or an investigator? Your job is to treat people, I’ll take care of the rest.

Narell sighed and continued, not taking his eyes off me:

— Since I can’t send you both away, tomorrow we’ll need to go to the victims. Any other questions?

— If you can handle everything yourself, as you’re trying to convince us, then why can’t you solve this problem too?

— Shut your mouth.

I was taken aback for a second by this, and even Nelson didn’t interfere, although he was clearly unhappy with how the conversation went.

— I’m afraid to ask, — I began carefully, but was interrupted.

— Then don’t ask, doctor, — he emphasized the last word with his voice, as if indicating my place.

Not intending to tolerate this, I left this place without saying another word to him. I don’t know where exactly I was going, I didn’t even turn around when Nelson called out. Tomorrow after lunch. Okay. Let it be as he says. I’ll finish this and never see him again.

Later Nelson found me by the car. He apologized for what happened, helped me move my things to my new place of residence and left.

It’s getting on with the evening. Now I’m in what I must admit is a rather cozy house in the middle of the forest. In this place, each building is separated from the others by at least one hundred and fifty meters. The house that was given to me includes one room and a fairly spacious kitchen. Fortunately, it was very clean and dry inside, with the exception of the stairs to the second floor, which, like the steps at the threshold of the house, were a little rotten, and moss was visible on the walls at the back of the house. Otherwise, I have nothing to complain about. The nature here was, as I had imagined, magnificent. To begin with, I strolled out of the house and sat down on a bench worn by time. It seemed to have scratches from someone's claws on it. Probably the previous owners had a dog or some other animal. Tearing myself away from the boring examination of the wood, I looked up at the view that opened up to me. I am not exaggerating at all when I say that the flora here is charming. Broadleaf trees of a rich green color grew along the entire perimeter. At almost any time of the day you could hear the singing of birds, of which there were many different species in the area. Before dark, I managed to walk around the vast territory to unwind, and this helped a lot.

August 25.

The wall clock showed 04:16. The phone lay alone on the wooden nightstand by the bed.

I tiredly rubbed my eyes with my hand. Usually I used a flashlight so as not to make my way around the house in the evening by touch, trying not to bump into anything. I didn’t want to turn on the light. The instant coffee in the mug with a funny white cat had long since cooled down and now stood sadly, completely forgotten by me. For the last ten minutes, the book lying on my lap remained motionless. I stubbornly tried to read the text on the page that was in front of my eyes, but my brain simply refused to perceive the information, constantly returning my thoughts to that dialogue. The fact that something was fishy here was clear even without my guesses and conjectures. I took a deep breath, calming down. The main thing for me now is not to lose face in front of Narell, so I must be unperturbed and, as he said, do my job well. And I will deal with the rest without his knowledge and control. And what could he do to me? Really, and what was I afraid of? I need to rest until about ten o'clock so as not to look too bad. I returned to the second floor, leaving everything as it was. The penultimate step creaked ominously, which sent a chill down my spine and I hurried to hide in the room. It was eleven o'clock when I opened my eyes again and immediately screwed them up from the bright light that was pouring in a continuous stream from the window. I overslept a little, but nothing terrible. Getting up from the soft bed, I felt a pleasant lightness in my whole body, which I hadn't felt for a long time. I slept well! Great news. I think the day promises to be good. After water procedures, I got dressed and went down to the kitchen. In a couple of sips, I finished the bitter coffee, because it was a pity to spill it, and quickly prepared hot sandwiches with sausage and egg.

In fact, I had just finished my meal, turned off the gas stove and washed the dishes when my guest appeared on the path leading out of the village. He greeted me dryly and shook my hand. I noted to myself that he spoke calmly and clearly, and that his voice was deep and a little hoarse. Now that I had the chance to meet him face to face in a calm environment, I can say that he was very attractive in appearance for his age. A man of about thirty-seven with dark, straight, shoulder-length hair that was very tangled in some places, dressed in a simple white shirt, the first three buttons of which were casually unbuttoned, and loose black trousers. If I were to describe his face, it is worth noting that he had dark green eyes, a nose with a slight hump and thin lips that had never stretched into a smile in my presence. His hands were rough, from which I concluded that he often did hard work. Perhaps he has a family here that he is worried about. This picture made my chest warm. Maybe I was wrong to slander him, and Narell is not so bad. But with his next phrase he dashed all my hopes for friendship with him:

— Stop smiling, it looks terrible! — he said with feigned disgust.

An intolerable person, and a rude one at that. Apparently, my thoughts were clearly reflected on my face, because then Narell condescendingly patted me on the shoulder and told me not to sulk.

[acaciusbride]

I’m not a religious person, at all. While I think religious beliefs are beautiful, they’re not for me, not really. But I AM superstitious.

I lost my beautiful kitty, Charlie, seven weeks ago today. The day after he passed, my husband called me and said he would be late home from work because he’d caught an injured stray dumpster diving out the back & was going to drop him to a vet clinic.

No chip, no tattoos, no sign of being owned at all. The clinic staff basically told my husband in no uncertain terms to get lost and take the stray with him.

Apologising profusely to me, he didn’t know what to do. He knew I wasn’t in any state to have a new cat in the house. But here’s the thing. I’ve worked in cat rescue for almost six years; helping an animal in need is second nature to me, even over riding grief.

“Bring him here.” I said. “I’ll call the rescue boss and we’ll see what we can do.”

The rescue we work with is small. Like, there are less than one hundred of us spread across the state, including admin and transport who don’t foster. We don’t have a physical shelter.

And we’re at capacity, but what can we do? He’s injured, and we aren’t the sort of people to put an injured yet friendly stray back where we found him, especially when the locals say he was being used as dog bait.

My husband brings a crate into our spare room.

“I don’t want it.” I say, then feel like a jerk, but it’s been thirty hours since Charlie and I don’t want another cat in my house. But this guy needs me, so I dial the rescue boss.

“There’s a cat in my house.”

“Uh…” we both know she’s trying not to state the miserable obvious.

“The cat I was messaging you about that my husband found. The vet told him to get lost so now there’s a cat in my house.”

“Okay. Is he feral?”

I unzip the crate and the scrawniest, grumpiest looking black cat stares back at me, blinking huge green eyes. His back leg is dragging. Stupidly, I offer a hand. He sniffs. Not feral.

“Not feral.”

The unnamed cat slinks under my dresser and sprawls out while I set up a cage for him.

“Cool. He’s your problem now.”

“My problem?”

“Yep. I’ll book him a vet trip in the morning. I know you don’t want him, but we don’t have anyone else who can take him. You need a win right now. Hopefully he’s a quick in and out, yeah?”

“Okay.”

“Don’t get attached.”

“Yeah, fat chance. I never want another cat.”

And I didn’t. The idea of going to the shelter and picking out a new cat repulses me. We went to just look a couple of weeks ago and it felt wrong. I realised that no matter how much time passes - a month, a year, ten years, I’m never going to be able to pick out another cat, I’m never going to be able to choose a cat. It feels too much like replacing.

I originally named the stray Tairn, because I’d been reading Fourth Wing and liked the name - black dragon, black cat - it works.

I took him for his original scans at the vet and they said it was an old injury. To give him time. Okay, can do. As I drove him there he escaped his cage and lounged on the back seat of my car. Jerk.

That night I put him in his cage and he fell asleep in a startlingly familiar way; the same way Charlie used to sleep when I first rescued him. Both boys had injuries to their rear right legs.

Both boys slept cradling their injured legs. I snapped a picture and put them side by side.

A week later we got Charlie’s ashes back, and when I put his urn on the shelf I’d set up for it, Tairn hopped up beside him and curled up around his urn.

I shooed him away and told him I didn’t want him, but the coincidences and similarities were starting to spook me a bit.

For weeks and weeks and weeks I told myself I didn’t want him. Right up until we went to the specialist vet for a second opinion on his leg. Right up until they told me they needed to amputate. Right up until I drove to pick him up on December 30th.

I was absolutely adamant I did not want this injured, cheeky cat who had never known love before. That I would rehome him because he wasn’t mine.

I made the mistake of renaming him, giving him the name I would give him if he was my cat - Ezra, after my favourite Pedro character, because he’s also missing a limb. But still I was adamant I didn’t want him.

Right up until that night, when we came home from dinner and he was sitting in the window, waiting for us, seemingly unbothered about missing a leg, just waiting for us instead. Like he belonged there. And I felt this?? Rush of relief. Like that’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

He started coughing from his surgery and I panicked, and that’s when I knew I was screwed.

I have Charlie’s paw print tattooed on my hand. Ezra sometimes puts his paw over it, holding onto my hand so he can lick.

He’s started purring, and sleeping on my bed. And I… have decided to let myself love him. Because I think, given all the signs, that’s what Charlie would want.

Because I’ve been so adamant about NOT wanting him, about NOT choosing him, but he’s stubborn and he’s chosen me anyway. and maybe, just maybe, this is how I can heal. With a cat I Didn’t Want, but love unconditionally regardless.

[bakasara]

@bluishorange oh yeah I feel you. it took me years and several exams to get a diagnosis for the same reasons.

cw for potentially upsetting medical account but--

three different gynecologists did not recognize my multiple symptoms as potentially being endometriosis despite them being textbook.

they each did a transvaginal and concluded they saw nothing. none of them suggested any further course of action. all three were puzzled and none of them suggested palliative care.

the only reason I had prescription painkillers was bc my gp gave them to me for severe period cramps, though he never suggested I get those checked out. before I started doing my own research I was simply told that yeah, sometimes women just suffer from those. he gave me barbiturate-based meds (which I can no longer take due to the pill and lol, I both will and won't miss the complete fucking TRIPS barbiturates cause) and still thought that "cramps that make you fold in half and cry” are just ack! normal Woman Stuff!

the first gynecologist I went to for my symptoms SCOFFED when I described dispareunia and told me condescendingly I must be doing something wrong to cause the pain. she knew nothing about me nor did she investigate this. she immediately told me this meant I did not need any exams and I should simply go home, all throughout looking at me like I was a sorry idiot wasting her time. I had to insist for her to conduct a transvaginal - for which I had paid, too! - only for her to do it, scoff again when she "found nothing", and send me home without any advice about the symptoms. so that was a fun healthcare experience.

the fourth one, the specialist, saw the endometriosis with a transvaginal INSTANTLY. and I think the whole process including taking all the pictures she needed was less than 60 seconds. weird angel whose job is to get up close and personal with your orifices and make it go big ow for a somewhat bearable amount of time in exchange for lifetime treatment.

and she did a transvaginal rather than a laparoscopy bc this was my first appointment with her. my case is so obvious/extended that she was able to diagnose it + mark off all major sites, adhesions and so forth with just the transvag.

healthcare when you're a woman is such a sad fucking joke. but that's why I like to insist that it has to be a specialist. you'd think Licensed Pussy Doctor would be able to recognize the symptoms and looks of Known And Comparatively Common Pussy Condition but NAH!

[alexbkrieger13]

Sara Bjork’s pregnancy story shocked women’s football, but it’s different at Chelsea

Everyone at Chelsea has been so supportive of Melanie Leupolz before, during and after her pregnancy. Her baby boy has even become our mascot!

Possibly the biggest story in women’s football so far this year has been that of Iceland captain Sara Bjork winning her case against her former club Lyon after they stopped paying her when she got pregnant.

I read her account on the Players’ Tribune and it is fair to say it raised questions about the culture of women’s football and attitudes towards pregnancy and motherhood. The same goes for Reading captain Emma Mukandi’s comments recently questioning the maternity conditions available to WSL players.

Both stories created headlines but I would like to paint a different, more encouraging, picture for you. Last weekend my Chelsea team-mate Melanie Leupolz was back in our matchday squad for the first time since giving birth in September.

Since the day she surprised us by announcing her pregnancy, everything has been positive inside our club surrounding Melanie. We have had open discussions and shared in her joy. Not for a second was there a feeling of “she won’t be able to play now”.

We were actually in a meeting room expecting something on tactics when we found out. An ultrasound scan appeared on the screen and her name was there at the top: Melanie Leupolz. She then stood up and told us and the response was like she had won an award.

We had a baby shower for her and a goodbye meal before she went back to Germany to give birth. When we played at Paris-Saint Germain in the Champions League in October she paid us a surprise visit with her baby boy.

Where Emma Mukandi said her baby was not welcome at her club’s training ground, things could not be more different with Melanie.

Of course, there are certain restrictions regarding times and places but the staff and team have welcomed Melanie’s baby with open arms. Whenever he is around the training ground, everyone just lights up – he is like a little mascot and gets passed around. He is such a happy baby and puts a smile on everyone’s face.

Melanie even brought him and his nanny along to our mid-winter training camp in Spain, and it was cool to see the club allow that. When we got emailed the squad list for that trip, Melanie’s name was there and his below – like he had been called up too, which was so cute.

If I am giving you a positive picture, I acknowledge that pregnancy does raise big question marks for female athletes. In some ways, things will never be the same and you have to make sacrifices. And if you do not have a partner who can look after the baby, there is the financial cost of childcare.

Yet I am optimistic things are changing for the better. The WSL took a forward step, for example, with the introduction of a league-wide maternity policy for the first time ahead of this current season. This means a player going on maternity leave is paid 100 per cent of her weekly wage, as well as any other remuneration and benefits, for the first 14 weeks before reverting to the statutory rate. Emma Mukandi has said it is not enough but it is a start at least.

Going back to Melanie, the specialist support she has received has been wonderful. We are fortunate at Chelsea to have help from a sport scientist called Georgie Bruinvels who is a consultant with our menstrual cycles, and she was in weekly contact with Melanie even while she was back in Germany.

With the break from playing football, Melanie was able to focus on other aspects of her body, including building up the strength in her glutes and her hamstrings. Crucially, the club engaged a pelvic-floor physiotherapist to work with her too

What impresses me is how quickly Melanie has got her fitness back. I know her sleep is not the same – as you would expect – but she has surprised herself with her physical condition since coming back at the end of November. It is important not to rush back, though, and she finally rejoined us in full training at the start of this month.

Melanie is not the first team-mate I have seen bounce back after having a baby. A couple of years ago, my Sweden colleague Elin Rubensson recorded her best sprint-test speed six months after giving birth.

I am fascinated by the science of this and Georgie at the club explained to me this week that during pregnancy, a woman’s heart rate and the oxygen-carrying capacity in her blood increases – after all, her heart has to pump for two. For athletes who continue to train during pregnancy, these benefits can last longer than the usual six to 12 weeks after giving birth and bring performance improvements.

As Georgie added: “Quite a few people are known to have improved their personal best in track and field, for example. There are cases of athletes coming back and being better, partly because their body has gone through this process.” In short, keep a close eye on Melanie in the weeks ahead!

[love-for-burgundy-blog]

Georgia and Burgundy love to play pranks on each other, this includes pushing each other into bodies of water fully clothed.

One day while on a camping trip, Burgundy was sitting by a pond while her dewott played in the water. Keep in mind that she was wearing her canon clothing. Unfortunately for her, Georgia felt mischievous and decided to play a "little" prank on her frenemy. She tiptoed over to Burgundy and gave her a hard shove. Burgundy squealed as she toppled into the pond which was quite deep and not shallow like a lot of ponds so Burgundy was completely submerged into the muddy and scummy water. When she resurfaced, she was sputtering and spitting out the dirty pond water. She was also swearing french curse words at Georgia who just laughed at her displeasure. When Burgundy came out of the pond, Her beautiful curly purple hair was now messy, tangled with leaves, and sopping wet. Her clothes were not only deeply soaked and clinging to Burgundy's pale skin but they were also slightly muddy and covered in pond scum. She was clearly incredibly grumpy that her fine clothing and hair were now dirty. She looked like a sea monster. Georgia found it hilarious.

"Georgia you imbecile!! Do you have any idea how much this outfit cost!? I payed over 200 pokedollars for it at a specialist shop near the PCA!!"

"Okay sorry I potentially ruined your ugly connaissuese outfit." Georgia replied jokingly and with obvious sarcasm. Burgundy just let out a "hmph" and continued on. After a while, Georgia finally took pity in how grumpy and embarrassed Burgundy was so she wrapped her arms around her still damp body and whispered, "Even if you look like a sea monster, I still and always will love you." In response, Burgundy sighed and returned the embrace, resting her head on Georgia's shoulder. She was still slightly grumpy but the hug from her best friend definitely cheered her up. Also, Burgundy's outfit wasn't ruined, it just had to be washed a couple times to get rid of the pond smell and the mud and scum stains. Even though all worked out well in the end, Burgundy was still going to get her revenge.

A couple weeks later, Georgia and Burgundy were having a picnic by the lake along with Trip. Eventually, Georgia went to stick her feet in the lake and Burgundy knew this was the perfect opportunity for Georgia to pay her recompense. She quietly walked toward Georgia and gave her a hard but painless shove causing Georgia to shriek as she toppled into the lake with a splash. Georgia rushed out of the lake as quickly as she could but her hair and clothes were already sopping wet and we're sticking to her like an extra skin layer.

"Burgundy what was that for?! Now my favorite dress is ruined!!" Burgundy just smirked.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have pushed me into that pond a couple weeks ago. My outfit was almost ruined and I needed it's for my profession you know." Burgundy replied shamelessly. Georgia was right unfortunately, her cute teal flowly sundress which she bought due to Bianca's recommendations was now permanently ruined due to the lake water so Georgia had to toss it. She was devasted and frustrated about the whole thing so Burgundy decided to make her feel better. "Hey, I apologize for ruining your dress but you could always buy a new one", Burgundy suggested.

"I know but it was my favorite summer dress.", Georgia muttered with disappointment. That's when Burgundy decided what she had to do. She went out to a boutique in Castelia City and bought a sundress which was very similar to Georgia's now defiled one. When Georgia saw it, She engulfed Burgundy into a tight embrace and kissed her on the cheek. "Burgundy, you didn't have to do this for me but thank you. You are the best friend ever.", Georgia praised. Burgundy smiled, giggled and hugged Georgia back.

"Bien sûr, anything for my favorite partner in Crime.", she replied.

@owls-den you might like this!! ❤️💜

[1-sasha-stuff-1]

Into Another World - Mha x Reader

Chapter 2: Quirk & News

A/n:

Back from school, here is the next post from this fic.

Key

F/h - favorite hobby

H/c - house color

F/f - favorite food

B/d - birth date 

F/o - favorite object/thing (whatever you want your gift to be)

\\-I also will not have y/n have glasses because they don't seem to be a big part of the story at all, but feel free to add them or just change and picture y/n however you'd like to!-//

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

My parents scheduled an appointment to check out my quirk that manifested a few days ago at school.  After school that day, i said 'good bye' to Shinsou and when we finally arrived home, I got one of my notebooks and began to make my training schedule. I was never really athletic in my old world. Mostly because I was in f/h and found it more enjoyable. But now, since I actually do have a chance to become what I always fantasize about being a hero, I'm not going to be stupid and let that chance go. Even thought I might not be a great hero with these wings, but ill try.  

And so with that thought in mind,  I made the schedule and made it all work out. In the mornings, I'd go to school up until I have to go home at 2:30 pm.after getting picked up and dropped off at home as my parents did their own thing, I go outside in the backyard of our h/c home and start doing the basics like push ups, curl ups, running around the yard and some other stuff. I also began to practice summoning my bee-like wings, but I see them more of a hornets than a bees. This happened for about two days after my training, I successfully was able to summon my wings at will. After finally succeeding, I took a short break and finished off my training. 

"Y/n! Come in and eat dinner!" called out my mom from the open backdoor.   'Talk about good timing' I think as I make my way indoors, wash my hands, and sit down at the dinner table. My dad just walked into the kitchen as he greets my mom with a kiss on the lips and me with one on the forhead. He sat down as mom began to serve both of us and then herself dinner, which was f/f as she looked at me and asked a question.

"Y/n, what would you like for your birthday? You know b/d is coming up. Any theme you want?" "Its coming up faster than I realized....but I'm not so sure about a theme yet. But, could I invite Shinsou over for it?", taking a bite out of my food as I asked my mom that question as she just nodded in agreement. 

" I think that's a great idea for you to invite him y/n! Don't you think?"  My father nodded as he agreed to the idea of it. "I think its a good idea so that y/n can interact and have connections with other children her age other than us." I smiled at their response, my old parents would never let a boy come over at all for anything. So naturally, I was excited and so I clenched my fists together and threw them up in the air as I slightly cheered. The second I did, there was a sudden sound of something like knifes running against each other and that's when I felt warmth on knuckles.

The silence is so loud that you can hear a pin drop.

I bring down my hand to observe the damage.

Where my knuckles used to be, there seemed to be long black spikes tearing through my skin. As I stared at it, my mom was screaming at my dad to get the car keys  while my dad was scrambling to find them.

Looking at my clenched up hand, I unclenched it and the spikes seemed to go back into my hand. I repeatiningly clenching and unclenching my hand as I stared at the spikes going in and out, that's when I felt myself being carried into the car and finally seemed to understand where we were going to. 

One hospital trip later

"So that is part of her quirk?" asked my worried mom aswe sat in front of a quirk specialist as he explaine the situation tomy parents and I. "Completely positive ma'am, as you can see here in her genes, she carrie your quirk genes.. So whenher first quirk appeared to be hornet wings, it came from your genetics and your relatives before you. As for the spikes, it also may come from your side of the family because bees have stingers and such. For the fathers side, I suspect there to be some sort of shrinking and or enlarging quirk to appear sometime now and towards your 5th birthday but if it doesn't than you won't inherent it at all. Did I cover all your questions ma'am?"

Looking over at my parents, I notice that their still trying to process all the information that the doctor had just told them. After finally being able to comprehend everying, my mom nodded as my dad thanked the doctor for everything and said their good byes as we left the hospital. 

Once in the parking lot, we got into the ca and close the doors behind us. As my mom drove us back home the silence was too loud. I don't think they like my quirk very much at this point. And so to break the ice, I began to talk.

"Hey mom, dad, are you guys okay?"

"Yes y/n,we're fine, just a little shocked about tour quirk is all." replied back my dad as my mom nodded along with his response.

Feeling that they didn't want to be asked anything else, I kept quite as I stare out the window asthe sky began to get gloomy with gray clouds covering up the sky.

Finally arriving back home, I went up to my room to get ready for bed since it was already 9:54 pm, and I had school the next morning as well. As I close my door, lay on my bed, and close my eyes, I don't realize the conversation that my parents have downstairs, for the better or worse, I don't think I want to know.

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The following day I go to school on a regular school bus because both my parents had to leave to Tokyo for business. And now here I am by a stop sign, waiting for the bus to come by and pick me up until I heard someone walking towards where I was. As I turn around to see the person, I see Shinsou. I smile and wave as he stands next to me.

"Toshi hey! How's it going?"  "It's too early for school. I wanna go home"

'Mood' I think as he just says that statement plainly.

"Why are you here anyways? I don't see you come onto the bus at this stop.", he questioned me as I replied back.

"My parents are both in Tokyo so I couldn't get a ride to school. So I'm taking the bus. Do you always take the bus Toshi?"

"Ya I do, my parents both have jobs too so I get it.", he said as we both heard a loud vehicle come up towards us, the bus.

In my old world, the school bus was a war zone. You either survived or you didn't, thankfully I survived but left with scars. I shiver at the thought and get on the bus as Shinsou gets on behind me.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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" So, your telling me that you just not only got your quirk the first day, but two days later you find out you have more?" "I don't have more than one quirk Toshi, it's all just one quirk and plus, having more than one quirk is impossible.", of course I told Shinsou about my quirk mishap, I mean, he was my only friend so it made sense to tell him. But of I lied to him in my response, it is possible to have more than one quirk, but I'm not about to tell Shinsou about All For One and One For All.

" Well, I guess your lucky then, you can be a great hero with the quirk you have. What's it even called?" He asks a he looks back at me from staring at the clouds. "Oh, my quirk is called Hornet, since my wings and stingers resembles more to a hornets than it does with a bee or wasp. But hey! Your quirk is awesome too! We can both become heroes together, okay?", the day I got my quirk, Shinsou told me that he got his after that day and has a Brainwashing quirk. After he got it he seemed to be happy about it but a bit discouraged because it wasn't as flashy a most of the heroes quirks out there like Endeavor and All Might. 

" Whatever you say y/n" is all Shinsou said as we got up from the ground to head back into the classroom.

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Days passed and so did weeks, then months, and then years. Now i am 13 years old and in my second year of middle school with Shinsou. As time passed on, I kept up my schedule for school, training, and other things like hanging out with Shinsou and doing my own thin, like homework.

Since I was in high school before I died, I now a lot of these stuff and a lot more advanced things. But I didn't want to seem to smart from early on in this world because my parents would probably wonder how I learned things like the quadratic formula at the age of 3. So I kept my intelligence to a minimum, I got perfect scores while also getting a few things wrong at times. I still hang out with Shinsou durng and after school, but during school he gets bullied at times for his quirk by others. The other kids my age say that its a villain quirk and other nasty things while Shinsou just ignore them while I comfort him that it isn't a quirk fitted for a villain.

As for training, I've gained a lot more muscle than in my old world, although I did keep it to a certain minimum because I don't want to look too buff but not to weak-ish eaither, I'm somewhat in the middle while being able to lift a lot of heavy thing, run far, and punch things with a great amount of my strength.  I've also trained my quirk till I almost drop dead, but I stop before I do actually feel like I'm about to die. I really don't feel like dying a second time around. I'm able to fly somequirk fast with my wings but not as fast as Hawks. My spikes, which I found out where stingers, can produce venom that can make someone pass out to eventually killing someone, but I have yet to try and produce enough of it to actually do anything remotely horrible. Lastly, I strengthed my shrinking and enlargeing part of my quirk. Honeatly though, i still have to improve on that part of my quirk a lot because it takes up al lot of my energy whenever i try to shrink or enlarge myself. So I'll slowly start working on that. I then chuckled for a second as I remember the way I discovered it.

Flashback - age 5

It was finally my 5th birthday. For other kids my age, they'd be bubbling with excitement as it was time to finally figure out what quirk they would recive, assuming that they aren't going to be quirkless. But I didn't worry to much because I already have mine. Hearing someone knock on the door, I run downstairs and open it to find Shinsou with a gift in his handI tell

"Toshi! You can just leave the gift on the table and I'll take you to my room so we can play!" I say, not letting him even talk as I take the gift from his hands, set it on the coffee table in our living room, and lead him up stairs and towards my room. We both finally get yo the door to my room and I open it. My room wasn't too crowded and messy like some kids my age would be.

The walls were painted f/c while my bedsheets where in a bee hive design, which is from my moms company as she made it for me. I then had a table and chair by the window to do my homework, some lego sets here and there, books, sketch books, and on my bed were stuffed animals. A lot of them. I went up onto my bed as Imotioned Shinsou to sit beside me on it and he did.

I then picked 2 cat squish-mellos from the pile and gave one to Shinsou as he stared at it with stars in his eyes. "Why don't we play with these for a while?" 

We ended up playing for 2 hours straight until my parents called us down to open gifts and eat cake. Shinsou and I got down and entered the kitchen, as we both sat down, Shinsou handed me my present.

"Happy birthday y/n. I hope you like it.", he says as I already ripping off the wrapping paper. Asi took the remaining of the paper odd, I saw that it was a box and so I opened it to reveal f/o. My eyes sparkled and widen as I looked at it, I once asked my parents for this when we were at a mall near by buy they said that it cost way to much, and when they say its a lot of money. Trust me, its a lot of money to get a hold of one, so when Shinsou gave me what I wanted, I was exploding with happiness.

" Thank you so much Toshi!"I exclaimed as I put the gift down to give him a hug. After Shinsou and I hugged eachother, my parents say that it's time to cut the cake and so we did. They sang 'Happy Birthday' and we ate some cake. By now, Shinsou and I decides to play a game of hide and seek as his parents and mine are talking to each other at the kitchen table. Shinsou counted first while I hid. 

I decided to go upstairs and hide behind this enormous teddy bear on my bed and as I finish getting in place, I hear the door open.  I shut my eyes tight as I hear footsteps approach my bed and suddenly, I feel the stuffed bear being thrown out the way. 

"I thought she'd be here.." Shinsou said to himself. 

What? Is he playing around with me? You know, since my eyes were closed there's a thing that's called 'if I can't see you, you can't see me' type of thing so maybe that's what he's doing? 

"Toshi, stop making fun of me. I know you can see me right now." I say as I open my eyes to find that Shinsou had become a giant, literally a giant. I hear the familiar buzzing notice of my wings and noticed that I was flying and, tiny.

"Holy shit I'm tiny!" I scream as I look at Shinsou to see if he heard me. He didn't hear me, he was checking my closet now and so I flew towards him and "landed" on his shoulder. I then cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted as loud as I could. "Toshi!! Im right here!! Can you hear me?!!"

Shinsou than turns around, seeming to hear the noise but dismissed it as he continued his search. I screamed for the next three times  untill I finally got his attention. He looked towards his shoulder and saw me standing on it. His eyes were wide open as he backed away from me but failed because I was on his shoulder.

"Y/n? Is that really you? Why are you small?" "Im not really sure how I got small!!! Maybe it's part of my quirk?!!", I shout at him as he brings his hand up to me and I hop onto it as he goes downstairs, Probably to show his and my parents.

As we reached the kitchen table, my mom began to question him. "Shinsou hey! Where is y/n at? Can't find her? " Um no that's not the problem Mrs. L/n. I did find her but...", he doesn't finish as he just shows my mom his Hans which is where I was, waving at her as she got up from her chair and neared it and shouted.

"Hi mom!!"

Lets just say, my mom fainted on the spot as Shinsou parents came to her side before shefell to the ground as my dad went to grab a cup of water.

My mom ended up waking up after 5 minutes while I finally managed to get myself to my normal size. Shinsou's parents asked if she was alright and such before she said that she was. Shinsou and his parents dismissed themselves and said their 'good byes' as I told Shinsou that I would see him next week for school. After they left, my mom sighed.

"I guess this is the other thing your doctor warned us about. You can turn small." "Ya, I can.", Itell her as she and my dad just sigh once more and bring A small smile to their faces.

" Just, promise you'll be carefull, okay?" I nod. "Okay, promise mom."

End of flashback

I smile to myself at the memory. It really was pretty weird the first time, but after some practice over the years, I got a good grip on doing it on command. As I finish up my trauning , since it was a Saturday, I went back inside to find that I have gotten a text from Shinsou, so I answer back.

[•Toshi•] Hey, wyd rn?

[Hornet] Hey Toshi! Nothing much, just finised up training for today and I'm taking a break. Wyd?

[•Toshi•] That's cool, and I'm not doing much either

Just taking care of Cornflake here.

I'm about to respond when my parents open the door. "Hey Jasmin, sweetie! Can you go get changed right now? Where going out to eat dinner tonight. We'll just change and leave okay?"

"Okay mom, sounds good. Let me just shower real quick and chanfe, ill be out in 10." I say as my mom just nods and I head up staris. Before I enter the shower, I grab my phone nd text back to Shinsou.

[Hornet] That's nice, tell him I said hi! I gtg rn, ttyl :]

I turn off my phone and put it on the counter as I enter the shower. As I'm taking a shower, I summon my wings and gently clean them with a soft sponge so that they aren't so dirty. Something I need to do at least twice a week from what my doctor told me.

I finally get out of the shower and decide to wear my chosen clothes. I grab my phone and ear buds and put on my shoes before I head out the door, lock it, and enter the car while closing the door behind me. 

The car ride is a peaceful type of silence until my dad decides to break it. "So, y/n, what did you do today while we were in Tokyo?" "Nothing much, just training and some other stuff." I respond back as we pull up to the restaurant. 

Inside the restaurant

We get a table and finally order our food. When we got our food we began to eat. We talked about random things like my moms work and dads office job. That's when they started asking me about my future plans. 

"Y/n, what do you want to be when your all grown up?", my mom asked as she took another bite of her food.

" Like I said before, I want to become a hero. You know, to save peoples lives and make it easier for them.", I responded back.

"Have you given any thought on which high school you want to attened? You only have a year left for Jr high, so you'll need to look into it. Especially if you want to apply for a hero one." 

"I have given it some thought on it dad, don't worry.", sometimes my dad can be a bit picky at times.

" oh well that's good, what school are you thinking?" "Oh, I was thinking UA, you know? Since all the top heroes like Miriko, All Might, and Endeavor went there."

"That's perfect honey! UA is a great choice to make since we'll be moving in a town close to the school! Musutafu is what ita called i belive, but its perfect for your next year of middle school and onto high school!", my mom excitedly said as I just sat there in shock.

"..... What?!"

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[itsnotyouitslyme]

Dear Body, I'm sorry.

BLUF: Your body might not be the reason you are sick and it is suffering just as you are. Try to be kind to your body, don't be like me. While on my road trip I did some introspective thinking. Driving is probably where I do my best thinking honestly. While I was pondering life, how to recover from POTS, how it got this far, etc. I thought about something my POTS specialist said during our appointment last week.

"Your cardiac tests are not for a lack of effort. I can see that your heart is doing everything it can, it gave it everything it had." Since I was 17, there has always been a part of me that resented my body and the cage it represented. That resentment has only grown with each piece of my life that has been taken away from chronic illness. It's not that I sit there and think "I hate my body" 24/7 but those thoughts that sneak in about my body being a prison, my version of hell, or how I feel as though my body is decaying while I'm still inside it...that can't be healthy.

I work in mental health, I know it's not healthy.

How do you stop those thoughts when its your body that's betraying you every time you turn around? First I lost energy, then my mind (cognition and memory encoding), had pain that led to intense fear of never having that pain again. I overcame Fibro through stress management and just listening to my body. But by listening to my body, I had to cancel plans or not go on trips when I was feeling poorly...resentment builds.

Then I get diagnosed with Endometriosis, cool my body is just being a jerk at this point. My endometriosis is almost completely controlled by continuous birth control. Every few weeks or so I get cramps like a period but they don't last long at all.

Then I can't have Gluten...I have Celiac and Hashimoto's. The Hashimoto's is not going well. Apparently, my autoimmune response levels is something that my specialist has never seen before and I am being sent to a research endocrinologist. My thyroid medication gets upped every 8 months or so since I've started to need in 2018.

Now POTS and the stupid elevated heart rate issue (I cannot for the life of me remember what he said it was called). The weight gain I've experienced throughout the past 2.5 years, is unreal. It's demoralizing and I feel completely uncomfortable in my own skin.

HOW does someone not end up resenting their body throughout all of this? I think the quick answer is: you can't.

The longer answer which I did not realize until literally 12/23/22 was that my body didn't do this to me, it was also done to my body.

Everything I am going through, everything my body is dealing with can all be traced back to a singular point: Lyme Disease. Unfortunately, I've had two late stage Lyme Disease incidents...that cannot be good for anyone's body.

It sticks in my head "your heart gave everything it had." This entire time I've harbored this resentment towards my body like a dog with a bone collection, just looking for more reasons to add to my collection. This entire time my body has been doing everything it can for me. It's not my body's fault that ticks found me and that I never had a bulls eye rash to notice I was bitten. It's not my body's fault that my doctor's don't listen to me on my first suggestion. None of this was my body's fault and this entire time I've been placing a large chunk of the blame on it's shoulders.

I read peer reviewed research, I know that Fibromyalgia and POTS don't appear out of no where but yet I just kept on with my resentment. I'm not sure why it took me so long to acknowledge this within myself but I am doing my best to have a few moments of self talk with my body to apologize and acknowledge how hard it has been working while under assault from disease but also from my spirit.

I know a few days of love and appreciation doesn't make up for 16 years of gaslighting my own body but I have to start somewhere.

[jcmarchi]

Dennis Ledenkof, CEO & Founder of roboSculptor – Interview Series

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Dennis Ledenkof, CEO & Founder of roboSculptor – Interview Series

Dennis Ledenkof is the CEO and founder of roboSculptor the roboSculptor, an autonomous platform for body treatments developed by health industry experts and powered by AI. It ideally fits the longevity concept and delivers precise, safe, and comfortable touchless wellness treatments.

Can you share the journey that led you to create roboSculptor?

I came up with the idea to build a robotic body therapy system in 2019 during my trip to the US. I was looking for a distributor for an aesthetics device. While the potential partner liked the results, the procedure was too time-consuming and required highly skilled labor, making the unit economics unclear. The procedure took an hour and was physically demanding, with such specialists being hard to find. During that trip, I did not get a distributor, but I got valuable advice. To invent something that does not require human power. 

It took my team nine months to make a demo that showcased the concept of a robotic massage. At first, we wanted to develop a product that simply combined the classic shape of a body contouring device with a cobot. You know, just on top of it. It seemed like an easy-to-implement idea. 

1st iteration of adding a robot to a traditional aesthetic device. Scheme.

However, as we delved deeper into the project, we realized our initial vision didn’t align with the intricate demands of the system we were building. We underestimated the complexity of the venture. 

The next iteration of the  system got a tunnel-like shape.

Early version of roboSculptor – portal-like shape.

It has been exhibited in some trade shows as a concept. The feedback was that the machine appeared quite massive and, to some, even intimidating. During additional robot movement tests, our engineers found that the system wasn’t rigid enough to perform massage movements at higher speeds. After collecting all this information the engineers started to work on a new structure. It was a challenging task to build it. Still, it resulted in a different, more open and friendly design. 

The actual roboSculptor design.

How has your experience with previous ventures influenced the development of roboSculptor?

Working in the aesthetics market for over a decade gives you a solid understanding of where trends tend to shift, you start to learn more about the companies and what products they build. But most importantly, you learn to see the gaps between what the market needs and what other players do. 

With experience in implementing body contouring devices, our company set out to develop a robotic system capable of delivering a full-body therapeutic massage based on lymphatic drainage. The Vibrocompression by spheres method goes beyond mere relaxation—it’s a scientifically proven technique for reducing body volume and improving skin oxygenation, achieved solely through mechanical application. No laser or electromagnetic emission. Pretty natural and healthy although very efficient treatment. All we do is just combine decades of experience and research with currently available tech and robotic instruments. 

How does roboSculptor utilize AI and robotics to personalize massage techniques?

Our engineers discovered that building a robotic machine for body treatment requires a system capable of translating the position of a physical body into signals the machine can understand. Simply put, we needed to create a digital map of the human body to guide a robotic manipulator. This is a significant challenge, but an even bigger one is the need to constantly track the patient’s position—known as dynamic pose detection—because humans can move unexpectedly. And most people wouldn’t want a massage in a spot where their leg was just a few seconds ago.

To solve this, we developed a system using four lidars that create a point cloud, which is combined with a 3D model of the human body and constantly updated. This map then guides the robot over the body’s surface. Building this map correctly requires analyzing a significant amount of data. To accurately detect the pose, we have created an AI/ML model that optimizes pose detection. Our system can now map the body at a speed of 5-10 frames per second and provide the robot with proper commands to execute massage protocols.

How does roboSculptor incorporate feedback from users and therapists to refine its algorithms?

When it comes to massage therapy, there has always been a certain level of subjectivity around what is effective. For instance, what pressure level is required to perform an efficient procedure? A robotic massage system gives us a precise instrument for measuring pressure in grams and controlling tool movement speed. We’ve designed the system in a way that the manipulator’s movements are recorded with all precise dynamics and pressure levels. The movement history maylater be replayed and analyzed by algorithms. By comparing patient preferences with specific parts of the movement history, we can pinpoint the most effective techniques for each individual, similar to how a popular video platform uses likes to determine viewer preferences. Gathering more data on the effectiveness of treatments will ultimately improve the quality of care based on big data analysis.

Could you explain the role of the 3D camera system in enhancing the effectiveness of the treatments?

A robot is an automated system that may interact with real objects based on the task it is preprogrammed for. Simply put, it is a machine that can see, make decisions and act according to its assigned tasks.  One of the most effective ways to detect a human body’s position is by using Lidars—3D depth sensors, often referred to as ‘3D cameras.’ They help create a detailed 3D map of the patient’s body. You can think of massage lines as tracks that are mapped onto the patient’s body. Lidars generate a point cloud, which is then used to build this precise map.

Dennis, the founder of roboSculptor, envisioned by 3D scanners as a point cloud.

Can you explain how the system adapts a massage session based on the user’s biometric feedback?

During the procedure, patients can also adjust the pressure level. The system is paired with an app that lets users define ‘no-go zones’—sensitive areas the machine should avoid during treatment.”

It’s not really biometric feedback that we implement in the current version, although we have evaluated different analysis systems like measuring BMI, skin quality, etc. While these could make the system more personalized, they would also complicate its operation. At later stages, we will get back to these topics. The current version of roboSculptor allows patiens to choose various treatment programs depending on their goals, with the choice acting as a setting. During the procedure, patients can also adjust the pressure level. The system is paired with an app that lets users define ‘no-go zones’—sensitive areas the machine should avoid during treatment.

illustration of no-go zones on a female 3-d model. roboSclulptor.

What significant challenges did you face while developing roboSculptor, and how did you overcome them?

First comes the security. Fortunately for clients, you can’t just put a product or a technology on the market without passing all the necessary tests. But passing them takes time for business, sometimes more than expected. Moreover, the complex interplay between innovation and regulation can slow the adoption of disruptive technologies, leading to a paradoxical situation where cutting-edge solutions face resistance from traditional frameworks. 

Economic uncertainty adds another layer of complexity. Fluctuations in market demand, regulatory changes, and unexpected geopolitical events can all throw a wrench. For starters, they may affect the feasibility and profitability of startups and repel potential investors with the finances to support product development. And raising funding for robotics is hard enough now as it is. Historically, investors hesitate to back robotics ventures due to the high cost of research, development, prototyping, manufacturing, and longer development cycles compared to software-based ventures. We can see this from companies like ARTAS, the developer of a robot for hair transplantation, which still hasn’t turned a profit.

Moreover, some solutions are hard to replicate quickly due to their high costs. Therefore, companies may not grow at the pace that you would expect. And it could take years for investors to exit and get returns from their investments. 

What machine learning techniques are used to enhance the therapeutic outcomes of roboSculptor continually?

Body detection involves processing a large amount of data. To optimize the method of pose detection in real-time, we use a neural network. Through machine learning, we’ve developed a model that continuously monitors patients’ body positions in real time. This data is used to update a body map that assists a robot in delivering a customized massage. This allows the robot to adapt to any posture changes and provide precise tool positioning and effective treatment.

How do you see the role of AI and robotics evolving in the healthcare and wellness sectors over the next decade?

According to data from the International Spa Association (iSpa), there was a shortage of 29,000 massage therapists in the US in 2022. And the deficit is still present. Robotic solutions can close this gap. Another benefit is that they can provide massages to those who cannot resort to traditional masseuses for different reasons (from being uncomfortable with human touch to cultural nuances). 

In addition, robotic and AI-based solutions can significantly increase the revenue of SPA providers. For starters, robots can work more efficiently than humans, performing tasks faster and more precisely. Our research shows that they can perform double the procedures of a human therapist, generating up to 2.4 times more revenue for wellness facilities. Moreover, operational costs could drop by up to 40%, with returns on investment hitting 54% per device annually.

Furthermore, integrating robots and AI in healthcare can automate routine tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on direct patient care and complex decision-making. These technologies can also reduce errors, improve efficiency, and improve patient service. 

How do you envision roboSculptor transforming the wellness industry?

One of the problems in hotels’ SPA/wellness centers is the lack of skilled therapists. During the pandemic, some therapists who lost their jobs at that time just changed professions. The others do not want to work full-time and prefer more life in their work-life balance than before. The other one is that therapist’s schedules are determined by labor laws and their physical abilities. In the era of continuously rising consumption, the demand needs to be covered. And the labor market does not have enough specialists to offer. 

As cited in ISPA 2023 research paper ‘Staff shortages were most often cited as the primary reason given by spas reporting a decrease in their weekly hours of operation and also those saying they had decreased the number of service provider shifts per day.

Limited SPA zones working hours decrease the return on investment of SPA and wellness centres. In the nearest healthcare industry, it’s physiotherapists’ needs are far from fully covered by specialists available.

Labor is one of the limitations in many industries and economics in general. I believe that implementing automation will not only deliver treatments at more flexible and convenient times for consumers but also significantly impact the wellness industry. By adding robotics, we can expand accessibility to vital services and ensure consistent quality for a much larger number of people worldwi

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit roboSculptor.

[leaving-anorexia-behind]

05/10/24

It's been a difficult week. On the 29th September (last Sunday), I didn't manage all my meal so the staff took me from the lounge to the feeding room for the dreaded NG. I don't remember masses (as I don't tend to) but, I remember the feeling of not being able to breathe and a flash of blood.

I remember a door opening and then sitting in the corner with my knees bought to my chest, a staff member I vaguely recognised from the ward below was crouched down in-front of me. Next think I know I'm in my bedroom with a night staff member I get on well with sat next to me on my bed. I felt so confused and disorientated, almost like waking up from an awful nightmare.

I later found out that when the NG came out (prior to staff being able to put the feed in) it was streaked with blood throughout. I thought, at least they didn't put the feed in! The ward Dr checked me over but felt I may have a stomach ulcer as a result so sent me off to A&E. When there it was a very pointless trip tbh. No tests were done but the Dr said it was a traumatic injury caused my the NG being too forcefully and/ or incorrectly inserted and someone more "specialist" should do it in the future. The blood could have come from anywhere from my stomach to my nose. Considering we left at 11pm, we weren't back until half 5am and I was shattered!

The next day, my consultant asked to speak to me in the MDT room, where she said she was debating whether to put me back on 1:1 obs and stop my garden leave as a result of the previous day and the only reason I was off on them was because my home-team and her agreed to give me a "break" from them. What she meant by that, I have no idea! Luckily for me, she said she wouldn't after I explained I wasn't actually aware of what was going on at the time and it wasn't that I was intentionally running away, but more trying escape the situation that I believed I was in.

That afternoon, during community meeting, I felt myself getting very hot all of a sudden, like I was coming down with something which I voiced to my consultant after our 1:1. She got the ward Dr to check me over where we saw my blood pressure was quite high but so was my pulse (122bpm). He knew I felt uncomfortable being checked over by him so asked the female Dr from the ward downstairs to check me over instead, after doing a blood test and asking me to do a urine sample.

The female Dr said I was clearly anxious/ stressed which was causing my obs to go high. I wasn't convinced, if it were stress/ anxiety, it would permanently be high and I actually felt pretty calm until she kept saying it was something it wasn't!

Later on in the evening, the duty Dr for the night shift asked to see me. She pressed my stomach, it was quite painful as was my back. I admitted I had been having blood in my stools for a few months, I had previously been told it was probably a slight tear by my GP so thought nothing of it. She took my temperature which was 38.4C when usually I'm around 36. She had also received my blood and urine test results which indicated an infection.

After night snack, she asked to speak to me to say she was concerned and wanted to send me back to A&E to be checked over. I asked if I could go the following day as I felt exhausted having only got 2 hours sleep the night before! She said no and was concerned the infection was sepsis. I read the letter she had written which was querying acute pyelonephritis/ sepsis. It sounded pretty overdramatic!

Reluctantly I left at 10pm. Fortunately, it wasn't too much of a wait and after a blood test, my obs taken, we were called to see the A&E Dr. The Dr said my bloods were all ok which seemed odd but I didn't want to question it. So, he asked a female colleague to feel my stomach and check my chest/ lungs. I was sent for a chest and stomach x-ray. Finally, we go the results and I was admittedly quite surprised with the findings.

Fortunately the chest x-ray was clear, TMI but my the stomach x-ray showed severe constipation which was causing the blood. I found this odd as I had gone the previous day! The Dr said I was really blocked up and that was what was causing the pain in my stomach and back pain as it was pressing on my nerves in my back as there was so much of it... oops. With a 3 day prescription for a lot of movicol we were on our way. I wasn't given anything stronger due to my low weight. We didn't get back until half 4am and safe to say, I was exhausted. I'm too old for a double all-nighter!

Part 2 coming up.