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etraytin · 1 month ago

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Emergency Preparedness on a Budget: Part Two (Medicine and Power)

Hey there everybody, time for Part Two of Emergency Preparedness When Money is No! You can find Part 1 (Food and Water) here.

Just a note on Part 1, someone in the comments made the extremely good point that having food is not super-useful if you cannot eat it because you can’t cook it or get into the cans. This is true! My example stash used Chunky Soup and tuna because they can be eaten cold and usually have pop tops, but a can opener is a great addition to the emergency kit. Many preppers will also include a propane camp stove in their food stash, but if you’re on a very tight budget, you can absolutely get by with a few days of cold soup. (A basic propane stove, tank and lighter runs about 30-40 dollars if you are interested in getting one.)

Now on to today’s topics: Medicine and Power

Once you’ve got your 3 days of food and water sorted, you want other important survival stuff in your kit. Being as how we are all here together on Tumblr, the odds are pretty good that you or someone in your house is reliant on at least one kind of medication that must be taken regularly. If that’s the case, you need to have at least 3 days and ideally a week of meds stocked up as well.

“Wait a second,” you might say, “a week of medicine is not going to do me much good if I starve to death after eating my three days of food,” and you would be right, if a bit dramatic. In a disaster situation, however, the food and water supply pipeline is basically the first thing that activates. I was in the Asheville area during Hurricane Helene and though it took about the expected three days for support to really gear up, there was food and water being passed around within about 24 hours despite no gas, no communications and highways blocked in all directions. In almost any situation, you are going to get access to food and water before you get any other kind of relief. Getting your own prescription medicines in the right dose, on the other hand? That’s a lot more dependent on the kind of disaster you’re looking at, so it pays to plan ahead.

If you are in the US and have non-controlled prescription meds, most insurance plans will allow you to refill your meds up to 7 days early. If you can set a reminder on your phone and do that a couple times, you will end up a couple of weeks ahead on your pills without any skipping or rationing. That’s a good place to be even without considering disasters, just because life does insist on happening ALL THE TIME and sometimes it’s hard to get to the pharmacy.

If your medicines are tightly controlled then this is a harder problem. One thing you should definitely NOT do is skip medicines to build up an emergency supply. The whole object of the game here is for you to be healthy and okay even when bad things happen, so it defeats the purpose if you are hurting yourself to try and prepare. Talk to your doctor about what you can do to get emergency supplies of your medicines, or what to do if there is a disaster. Usually they will be sympathetic, and hopefully they can help. If they cannot help you beforehand, they generally have more leeway to help if a disaster is looming and it’s worth trying to call them if the weather report is particularly grim. In a big disaster, especially if you’ve had to leave your home, get yourself to a Red Cross shelter and ask for Disaster Health Services. They can be really helpful in getting those important medications.

For nonprescription meds, it’s helpful to have a small supply of the basics in your medicine cabinet, built up over time. If you go into your Walmart or equivalent when you are not even sick and buy the generic version of all these meds, you’re probably going to save 50%, maybe more, over trying to buy them at the drugstore or gas station when you’re already feeling terrible. They’re just good to have around! Another thing to note is that medicines kept cool and dry will last a lot longer than their best-by dates, so you don’t need to go throwing them away every couple years. Here’s a short list of some of the best meds to have on hand in an emergency:

Painkiller/Fever Reducer: Advil or Tylenol in the US, ibuprofen and paracetamol elsewhere. Good for keeping fever down if anyone gets sick, or for treating sprains, muscle strains or headaches. Be very careful of the dosing since both of these can do bad things in high doses.

Anti-Diarrheal: Immodium or loperamide. It’s easy to accidentally eat something bad in an emergency, and diarrhea can be both a logistical problem (especially if water is off!) and a potentially life-threatening health issue.

Electrolyte Solution: Pedialyte, electrolyte drink, oral rehydration salts. If someone does get diarrhea or if the weather is very hot, hydration becomes a massive issue as well. Someone who is sick or dehydrated enough may throw up plain water, but electrolyte drinks are better tolerated and solve the problem much faster. If you do not have any of these, you can also make your own oral rehydration solution by mixing a three-finger pinch of salt and a one-hand scoop of sugar into about two cups of water.

Antihistamine: Benadryl (diphenhydramine) or Claratin (loratidine) This one’s especially big after hurricanes, tornadoes, or any other storm that really rustles the jimmes on the local vegetation. It can be a little slice of hell to be out clearing all the brush that fell on your house and be surrounded by vast clouds of pollen and the occasional swarm of really unhappy bees.

Antacid: Pepto-Bismol (Bismuth subsalicylate) If you’re already on a proton-pump inhbitor like Prilosec or Zantac, stock those up instead. Otherwise, Pepto-Bismol is a good all-rounder to cover heartburn, upset stomach and nausea, all things that might come from stress and weird food during a disaster.

First Aid: A first aid kit could be a post on its own, but you can get the basics for cheap and keep them in a drawer til you need them. For maximum versatility, get yourself gauze pads and medical tape because you can use them to make whatever size bandaid you need, a few butterfly closures for bigger cuts, a tube of bacitracin zinc for antibiotic cream, a long cloth wrap to brace a sprain or fracture, and a bottle of saline to wash a wound or clean your eyes.

Power:

A lot of the disasters you’re likely to face will involve power outages, whether it be just your neighborhood, half the town, or the ENTIRE TRI-STATE AREA (if you are Dr. Doofenschmirtz.) In our Modern Miracle Age just about everybody has at least one flashlight with them at all times, built into their phones, but that’s only going to get you so far when the lights go out.

Powering your phone is a top priority in a power outage, not so much for the light but because it is your main source of communication and information for as long as the cell towers are working. You will want a power bank for your emergency kit; a little battery pack about the size of a cell phone itself, that holds enough electricity to recharge your phone one or more times before needing charged. A basic power bank can be had for about $15, but they are nearly infinitely scalable both in cost and benefits. You can get them with built-in cords, with solar panels, with flashlights of their own, with capacity to charge multiple phones, etc. Buy whatever one fits your budget and needs, then make sure to keep it charged and keep the appropriate cords with it!

Given that you’ll need your phone for other things, you’re going to want some light sources in your emergency stash as well. The easiest and safest of these are battery-powered flashlights and lanterns. You’ll want a mix of lanterns to light a room, flashlights to carry around, and headlamps for reading and close work. All these come in a huge variety of quality and price, but you don’t need anything expensive, just something that will work. Watch for sales at the beginning and end of camping season. Once you have your lights, buy batteries for all of them but do not store them with the batteries installed! For best storage, put your batteries side by side (not touching end to end because they may discharge over time) in a plastic baggie and rubber band or tape the bag to its light. Put them with your emergency food and you’ll know where they are, even in the dark.

Candles are a power-outage classic because they’re cheap, cheerful and don’t need batteries, but be careful if you use them. Make sure it’s on a clean, hard surface with nothing around it to burn, and that you never leave one unattended or in a room with only kids or sleeping people. A mirror tile or flat mirror is great if you’ve got one because it’s not flammable and will make the light brighter. Make sure your smoke alarm is working! (If you don’t have a smoke detector, call your fire department or local Red Cross and they can get you hooked up with one.) Jar candles are usually the best in terms of burn time and safety, and you can often get them real cheap and barely used at garage sales. After-Christmas sales are also good, if you don’t mind the smell of off-season merriment.

There’s a lot more stuff out there for emergency power, from solar generators to backup power stations to uninterruptible power supplies. Preppers love power almost as much as they love weird food hacks, and that is a _lot._ Unfortunately, once you get past the power bank level, the prices start going up very fast. If you have a few hundred dollars to put into your preparations you can get a portable power station that can not only charge your devices but run small appliances for awhile on AC power. If you use a CPAP machine like me, a power station might mean the difference between being able to sleep soundly or not. If you get one of those, make sure to get one that can charge in several different ways, especially from a running vehicle. They’re really handy in a pinch! Watch very carefully for sales on these stations from companies like Jackery, Bluetti and EcoFlow. They compete closely with one another, and a new model on the market from any of them can trigger price wars. It’s worth doing a little research to get a better deal.

Next time: Temperature Management (Or “Too Hot and Too Cold.”)

#disaster preparedness #disaster preparation #prepping #winter storm #hurricane #the first 72 is on you #budget shopping

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sunflowersandsapphires · 9 months ago

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Waste away with me

Of Oak and Ivy, Chapter 6

Series Masterlist Next Chapter

pairing: Matt Murdock x fem!reader

summary: In college, Matt Murdock had two best friends, Foggy Nelson and you. However, life had no intention of letting you graduate with him. When he reconnects with you in adulthood, he is troubled to see the hand God has dealt you and vows to use every tool at his disposal to save you from damnation.

warnings: swearing, brief descriptions of illness (obligatory sitcom sick episode alert), Matt being dumb, disgusting levels of pining

a/n: This was originally part of Heaven Help the Fool but that chapter would've been almost 9k so I split it up. I'm pretty proud of this half so I hope you all like it! As always, reblogs and comments are especially appreciated.

w/c: 4.4k

Swaying your hips to the rhythm of the song blasting through your headphones, you scrubbed at a particularly stubborn spot of food on the pan you were cleaning. Your sock-covered feet bounced from side to side as you danced, traipsing around your kitchen as you washed the dishes. Waltzing another sudsy item over to the drying rack, you giggled to yourself as it nearly slipped from your grasp.

It had been ages since you’d danced around a kitchen, something that had brought you joy since you were little. You were hesitant to let yourself act so carefree, even in front of Jen and Oscar. The only person who had ever witnessed your uninhibited performances before was your mother, and spinning around on the wood floor of your kitchen when you were home alone was a great cure for your homesickness—giving you a taste of home right here in New York City.

As you rinsed soap from the rubber gloves you were wearing, you were startled out of your daydreaming by a shrill ringtone. Peeling off the banana-yellow gloves, you answered your phone with a frown.

“Hey Matt, you ok?” You weren’t sure why this call had already set off alarm bells in your brain. Perhaps it was because of how frustrated Matt had seemed lately, even after you’d helped him organize his room. The poor boy was drained, only more so over the last two days because Foggy had fallen ill and Matt had taken it upon himself to nurse the blond boy back to health.

“Uh, yah. Yep, I’m good.” Matt’s voice was breathless and almost sluggish, the words spilling through the speaker just too far apart from one another to sound normal. The response did nothing to quiet your concerns.

“Ok…did you need something?” You prompted after he failed to explain himself.

“Oh right, um, it’s raining and I, uh, I was wondering if you could give me a ride home?” Was he drunk? His sentence was a complete thought, but it seemed like he was barely stringing it together coherently.

“Yah, of course.” You responded, slipping a pair of shoes on and searching for your keys. “Where are you, trouble?”

“Er, the pharmacy by the auditorium.”

“Ok, trouble, stay dry. I’ll be there soon.” You promised, hurrying out the door and into the stormy weather.

When you arrived at the pharmacy, your chest squeezed in sympathy at the pathetic sight before you. Huddled on a bench under the awning of the pharmacy was Matt, his hoodie soaked with rain. You could see your poor friend shaking from the cold, arms huddled around his waist as he waited. After parking your car hastily, you dashed over to him with an open umbrella, understanding beginning to flow through your mind as you studied his appearance.

Up close, his trembling was vicious, shaking drops of rainwater off of his hair and glasses. He was breathing heavily and his nose was bright red. And, perhaps more worrying than all of those things combined, he hadn’t noticed you standing right in front of him.

Matt always knew when you were around. It was almost scary. You and Foggy liked to joke that he had super powers, but he explained he was just used to relying on his other senses to inform him of his surroundings.

They clearly weren’t working properly right now, though.

“Matty?” You asked softly, braving the puddles and kneeling in front of him. Holding the umbrella up higher to shield both of you from the pelting rain, you flinched as his hand shot out, grabbing you by the lapel and yanking you forward before recognition relaxed his jaw.

“Bug?”

“Yah, trouble, it’s me.” Shaking off the shock that had brewed in your throat when Matt yanked you to the ground, you continued. “Let’s get you into my car where it’s warmer.”

Taking his arm gently, you guided him under the umbrella and towards your car. Matt’s body sagged against yours as you walked, dampening your own sweater with the moisture from his clothes. Once he was settled in your passenger seat, you closed the umbrella, tossing it in the trunk before racing to the driver’s side and hopping in the car.

“Ok, Matty, am I taking you back to your dorm?” You asked, restraining yourself from brushing stray raindrops off his flushed cheeks.

“Yes please.” His voice was hoarse, quiet. Too distant from the charming, velvet tone you loved so much.

Nodding habitually, you backed out of the parking space and drove faster than normal through campus.

“Why were you at the pharmacy in such shitty weather?” You wondered aloud, unsure if he had the energy to respond.

“Getting cold medicine and tissues for Foggy.” He answered tiredly.

“Sounds like you might need some of that yourself, trouble. How long have you been sick?”

“‘M fine.” Came Matt’s gruff response, shutting down your genuine concern with two words.

“Alrighty then.” You said, more to yourself than him, but you didn’t say anything further.

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence, save for a few stifled sneezes that you pretended not to hear for the sake of Matt’s dignity. In no time, you were rolling up to the front door of his building.

“Did you want me to walk you up?” You asked cautiously.

“No, I’ll be ok, sweetheart.” Matt sighed, seeming a bit more lucid after warming up. “Foggy is really gross right now and I’d hate for you to catch this.”

“Ok, well, take good care of each other. And, maybe take a few days off? To rest so you don’t get sick too?” You proposed, hoping he wouldn’t be too grumpy with the suggestion.

Matt nodded heavily, running a hand under his nose. “Not a bad idea. I'm sorry for calling you for a ride but the buses weren’t running and—“

“Matt,” You placed your hand on his thigh. “It’s ok. It’s disgusting outside. Even if the buses are running, you can always call me. Always, yah?”

“Ok. I’m sorry.”

You chuckled, squeezing his leg. “You’re forgiven, trouble. Go get some sleep please.”

“I will. Text me when you’re home so I know you’re safe?”

“Of course. Have a good night, bubs.” With a final pat on his thigh, you watched as Matt left the safety of your car and braved the rain as he headed up to his room. Shaking your head, you hoped he’d hold up his end of your agreement.

Sinking into the tiny fold-up chair, you closed your eyes as the legs squeaked against their corresponding bolts. The empty chairs bordering yours did nothing to protect you from the draft that kept bursting through the door every time a student entered. Usually, there were two people sitting on either side of you to shield you from the bitter cold in the city outside.

Holding back a sigh, you wrapped your arms around your stomach in an attempt to retain heat. You were grateful that the boys had stayed home to rest, you supposed, but their absence still weighed on you. Biting your bottom lip before it could shift into a pout, you shuddered against an especially fierce gust of wind as someone stumbled in a minute before class was supposed to start.

You ignored their footsteps, until they entered your row; the shadow of the newcomer blocking the side of your face from the flickering fluorescent lights as they shuffled towards you.

A pit formed in your stomach as you turned your head; deep regret surging through you for wishing you had company when you took in his appearance.

“Matt?” You whispered, laying a hand on his arm as he tumbled backwards into his usual seat to your right.

If you thought he had looked rough last night, he looked positively deathly now. His skin was pale and shining with sweat, no doubt from the exertion of getting to class. A bright pink flush stained his cheeks and nose, accentuating the hollow circles under his eyes.

“Oh bubba,” You gasped, reaching out to touch his heated cheek. To your surprise, he flinched at the movement, suspending your hand in midair, doomed to hover around his face as you scolded the dreadfully ill boy. “What are you doing here?”

Leaning into your touch sloppily, apprehension abandoned, Matt exhaled raggedly. “We had class.” His voice was strained beyond recognition, causing your own throat to throb painfully in sympathy.

“You sound like you feel awful, Matty. You knew I would be here taking notes, why’d you leave your bed?” You tutted in soft disapproval. Fighting the urge to hold him close in front of the entire lecture hall, you moved your hand to his arm, sliding it into his elbow. His skin was burning, even through his layers; your shivering a distant memory as his fever warmed you both.

“Didn’t want to be a burden.” Matt murmured, facing the front of the room rather than your surprised gaze.

“Matthew, you are never a burden for needing help,” You admonished gently, stroking your thumb over his forearm. Before you could attempt to drill that fact into his stubborn mind, your professor began lecturing. “We will talk more about this later. I will take good notes, you focus on not fainting.” You hissed, withdrawing your hand from his arm.

“‘M not gonna faint.” He muttered, but even he didn’t seem certain of that fact.

The 150 minute class ticked by idly, the scratching of your pen diligently scribbling on paper slowly drove you mad as Matt slumped further into your personal space; his chin slowly inched towards his chest as he fell asleep to the sounds of your professor’s absurdly boring speech. Every instinct in your body was telling you to grab the kid and bolt, somehow getting him home and bundled up before he contracted pneumonia.

After what felt like days, your professor finally dismissed you. Sighing harshly, you smiled at Matt’s sleeping face, almost feeling guilty waking him.

“Ok, trouble, up and at ‘em.” You nudged his shoulder, catching him as he almost tumbled out of his seat with a start. “C’mon, bubs. We gotta get you home.”

“Home?” Matt slid his glasses off, rubbing at his eyes blearily.

“Yah, Matty. Back to your dorm, so you can sleep some more.” You explained, stroking a hand over his back as the students around you filed out of the lecture hall.

“But…we have class.” Matt’s lips slid into a pout, his nose scrunching in confusion.

“No, trouble, I have class. You are going to sleep off this wretched bug while I take notes for you and Fog.”

Matt grumbled, but didn’t argue further. Gently tugging on his hand, you pulled him out of his chair and out the door, holding him tightly against your side as you both braved the freezing weather.

By the time you reached his building, your jaw was stiff with concern. On an average day, Matt’s movements were graceful and calculated. As he descended into his feverish delirium, however, he began to rely more heavily on your strength to keep him from crashing to the pavement. Dragging him up the stairs, the two of you miraculously stumbled to his door without injury.

Passing you his lanyard, Matt shifted his weight to the drywall surrounding his door as you unlatched the lock and pushed into the room. The space was shrouded in darkness, a set of thick sheets draped over the window panes to block out all natural light.

Allowing your eyes to adjust, you rested a hand on Matt’s shoulder as he shuffled into the room. “Hey, Fog. Sorry to bust in unannounced. Wanted to make sure that Trouble here…” Trailing off, your strained eyes flitted over Foggy’s empty bed. Brow furrowing in confusion, you looked back to the dark haired boy for an explanation.

“Where’s Foggy, Matt?”

“Went back to Hell’s Kitchen for the week.” Frowning, Matt’s brow pinched in distress. “Thought I told you that.”

Holding back a sigh, you fiddled with the straps of your backpack as you debated how to best help the ill boy who was currently kicking his shoes off and collapsing into bed.

“Ok, bubba,” You crouched beside him, fussing with his comforter until he was properly bundled. “Have you taken anything for that fever today?”

Shaking his head, which knocked his glasses askew, Matt’s frown deepened. “Didn’t know I had to.”

“You don’t have to, but it’ll help you feel better.” Gently sliding his lenses off of his pale face before they were damaged or lost, you scanned the grim space for anything that could help. Lips twitching in satisfaction when you spotted a container of Tylenol, you handed Matt a few pills and his water bottle.

“There. That should do for now. Will you be ok if I head to class?”

A muscle in Matt’s jaw twitched as his expression turned stony. “Yes.”

Brushing a strand of hair from his forehead, you nodded hesitantly. “Ok, trouble. I’ll be back later to check on you. Call me if you need anything.”

Matt nodded, but you doubted he took your request to heart.

Shifting your backpack to your other shoulder, you sighed as the weight refused to distribute in a more comfortable way across your upper back. The fluorescent lights above you buzzed as you ran your fingers over another blanket—still unsatisfied with how soft the options were. If they weren’t perfect to you, they might not even be bearable for your friend and his sensitive skin.

Stopping at Target before returning to Matt wasn’t strictly necessary, but the boy had seemed so chilled in class, you figured he could use a nice soft throw blanket to add to his bed. You weren’t quite sure how to care for a sick person, but you had a few ideas give your own experiences.

You’d picked up soup from a local deli, printed off the notes you’d taken in class today using the braille printer, and were tossing the softest blanket you could find into your cart before hurrying to check out. Though it had only been a few hours, you were growing increasingly worried about Matt and the fact that he was all alone in his dark room, hopefully not coughing his lungs out or burning up with fever.

Setting the bagged blanket back in your passenger seat, you blew out a breath before shifting your car into drive. The city lights blurred in the corners of your vision as you jerked forward in the line of evening traffic, worming your way closer to Matt with every lift of your foot from the brake pedal. Eventually, you were able to squeeze into a well-worn parking space. Flipping open your phone, you hoped that your ill friend would be coherent enough to grant you access to the building.

After a ring, an out-of-breath Matt answered with a brief, “Hello?��

“Hey! I, uh, brought you some stuff. Are you able to let me in or should I lurk until someone leaves?” You asked distractedly, craning your neck to see if you could dash for the exit as a group of boys left.

The boy huffed a laugh, knowing you were only partially joking about waiting for entry. “I'll be down in a second, Bug. Please don't scare the regulars.“ His voice was still more stuffy than normal, but he seemed to know what was going on--which was an improvement from this morning.

You snorted in response. ”No promises, Matty. I'm impatiently awaiting your presence.“ Your voice sing-songed with the last sentence, making him groan.

”Alright, alright, I'm coming.“

Sure enough, a few minutes after he abruptly ended the call, a hoodie-clad Matthew leaned out of the door frame and waved you over. ”Hurry up, sweetheart, it's cold outside.“

Smiling at the familiar fond-exasperation and sarcasm that your friend had been lacking lately, you darted across the parking lot, squeezing his bicep as you passed. ”Maybe you should've worn a jacket, trouble.“

“Maybe I should've.” He smiled, letting the door whoosh closed behind the two of you. “You didn't have to come back, you know.” His voice shifted into a murmur, his expression becoming unreadable as he slipped his hand into your elbow thoughtlessly.

Gently bumping your hip into his, your face flooded with warmth as he smiled at the action. “Course I did, trouble. I wasn't about to leave you here to wallow in your misery alone. Being alone when sick is the worst.”

Matt shrugged as you reached the top of the stairs, panting slightly from exertion as he pushed his door open for you. “I wouldn't know.”

Smile falling, you looked back at Matt, his body turned away from you as he closed the door and slipped out of his shoes.

“What do you mean, Matty?” You wondered aloud, settling yourself on his bed and clasping your hands around the handle of the shopping bag you held as you waited for his response.

”Oh, I mean, growing up in an orphanage and all,“ Matt chuckled hollowly, keeping his face tilted away from you, his body desperately trying to stop you from seeing through his stoicism, as you always did. ”Always too many kids and too little time, the sisters couldn't exactly sit at my bedside. And I wasn't exactly popular amongst the kids, so I guess I never had anything to compare the loneliness to.“

Matt tangled his hands together, squeezing them as he spoke, as if he wasn't quite ready to sit back down.

”I mean, I'm sure my dad was good about it, but I can't really remember--“ His voice cracked off into a jagged coughing fit. Sliding from the mattress, you ushered him into a seated position.

”Careful there, trouble. Still gotta breathe.“ Rubbing his back as he caught his breath, you handed him his water bottle--grimacing when he grinned at you maniacally.

”You sure? Choking to death is pretty fun.“ He rasped, sipping the water slowly.

Scoffing through a laugh, you shook your head, planting yourself next to him on the bed. ”That's dark, trouble.“

Smirking as he finished the water, Matt gave a one-armed shrug. ”You've heard darker.“

”Touche.“ Kicking your feet like a child on a swing, you chewed the inside of your cheek. ”About what you said, Matty--“

Groaning, Matt fell backwards onto the mattress, bouncing you with his weight. He threw an arm over his face. “I was hoping we'd just move past it.”

“Were you?” You raised an eyebrow, unsure how truthful the statement was.

“I mean, nothing we can do about it now.” He muttered, his jaw tensing beneath his forearm.

“Well, that's not exactly true...” You argued, unwrapping an item from the thin plastic bag you'd hauled in. Unfurling the large square of fabric, you draped it over Matt carefully, quickly turning back to organize the rest of the supplies you'd brought. “I'll just have to teach you.”

”Teach me what?“ Matt croaked, lifting his head to allow his ears to track your movement as you bustled about, his fingers absentmindedly petting the soft blanket you'd thrown across him.

“How to be sick,” You responded matter-of-factly, not entirely alleviating Matt's confusion.

“Pretty sure I'm doing that just fine without a lesson.” Matt chuckled, gesturing to his pale face.

“Oh, you have definitely got the pathetic wallowing handled.” You nodded, returning with a container of soup and a spoon.

“Pathetic?” Matt pouted, his nose crinkling in offense.

Ignoring him, you withdrew one of his hands from the blanket envelope, placing the plastic tub into it. “I'm going to teach you how to be cared for. Lesson number one: Letting people bring you soup. It's the first step to a speedy recovery“

”These lessons feel incredibly subjective,“ Matt groused, face briefly lighting up as he placed the first spoonful of soup into his mouth, digging into the container earnestly as the taste hit his tongue.

”To the contrary, Murdock, these lessons are based firmly in statistics.“

”I'd like to review your citations.“

Pretending not to hear him, you continued. ”Lessons two and three are soft blankets and rest--two things that I know you're not familiar with, so I'm afraid to say you might not be credible to comment on the validity of these remedies.”

“My blanket is plenty soft.”

“Oh is it? I mean, I can take this back if you don't want it.” As you moved to retrieve the blanket from around him, Matt growled, hands clenching around fistfuls of the fuzzy material.

“I'm sorry, would you like to keep it?” You grinned, your smug attitude seeping into your words.

Matt feigned an eye roll. “Well if the experts think it'll help me feel less shitty, I guess it's worth a shot.”

“See, that's the spirit!”

Smiling, Matt cocked his head at you. “What's next on the syllabus, Professor?”

”This is the best part, Matty,“ You said excitedly, rummaging through your bag to find the item you were thrilled to share with him. ”Jen let me borrow her iPod! I downloaded an audiobook for us.“

Taken aback, Matt had to consciously remember to breathe before responding. ”That's...you didn't have to do that, bug.“

”I figured you'd probably be bored, sitting here without Foggy all day. And, I haven't passed the bar yet, but I'm pretty sure it's illegal to do homework when you feel like crap.“

Matt shook his head with a small laugh. ”What book is it?“

”It's called The Alchemist. I read it with my mom last year when she was undergoing treatment. I think you'll like it.“

”Thank you, sweetheart.“ Matt could feel a flush spreading over his cheeks that was unrelated to his current fever. Feeling entirely exposed and vulnerable, he took a leap. ”I...uh, I really didn't enjoy being by myself this afternoon. I'm happy that you came back.“

”Of course, Matty.” You murmured, stroking stray wisps of hair from his forehead. “I never want you to be alone if you don't want to be. I'll always come back to you.”

The heaviness of that statement didn’t escape either of you. Sitting in silence for a moment, Matt was unsure whether he wanted to laugh or cry.

“Even if you're ridiculously grumpy when sick.” You sighed dramatically, shaking your head.

Your stupid joke decided his next move, startling a laugh from his mouth. ”I'm not that bad, am I?“

”I guess we'll find out, won't we?“ You giggled. ”But don't worry, I'm not easily scared off.“

Maybe you should be. His brain immediately supplied. Praying his face didn’t betray the immense doubt that abruptly smacked him upside the head, he focused on the feather-light touch of your fingers in his hair.

Before his mind could spiral any further, you spoke again. “If you ever need space, say the word and I'll be gone. It has been recently brought to my attention that I'm not great at taking hints.” Your thighs brushed together beside him as you shifted nervously.

Frowning at your words, he leaned into you. “What do you mean, sweetheart? Who brought it to your attention?“

Huffing a bitter laugh, Matt could practically hear your walls going up as you backpedaled. ”It's nothing, Matty. I didn't mean anything by it–”

“Bug, please don't lie.” Sliding a single hand out from his blanket cocoon, he groped around until his fingers found yours, intertwining them. “Talk to me?”

Breathing deeply, you confessed. “At the Halloween party, a couple weeks ago, I heard Everett talking to his friends, they were ragging on him for being whipped or some stupid bullshit and he...fuck I can't believe I'm still upset about this.”

You scoffed at your own frustration, running a finger over Matt’s knuckles absentmindedly. “Instead of defending me, or even just saying nothing, he called me clingy. And, ever since, he, like, refuses to acknowledge me in public.”

“I'm so sorry, sweetheart.” Matt felt a familiar rage bubbling in his stomach, churning fiercely at the thought of you being so insecure because of an idiot like Everett.

“It's fine, I mean, I talked to him about it, he apologized, I just...” There was a small thunk as you leaned your head backwards against the drywall. “I dunno, clearly I can't stop thinking about it.”

“You're not clingy, bug. You're sweet and attentive and he's–” He's an idiot if he doesn't think that. He couldn’t say that, could he? God, he was too sick to be thinking this hard. “He's probably so mad at himself for saying it.” He finished. Why was he defending this asshole?

”You're probably right. I just...what if he was right?“

”He wasn't.“ Matt snarled, deflating as your touch reminded him of your fragile emotional state. ”I mean, hell, if you're clingy that would make me a parasite.“

Tutting in disapproval, you nestled closer to him.

Chuckling morosely, Matt continued. ”Fuck, bug, I mean–when you left for class, I almost lost it.“

”Aw, Matt, you should've called me.“ He could hear your brow folding in concern.

”It's fine, I mean, I've done this alone for 10 years, I don't know why it was so hard all of a sudden.“ Matt scoffed, trying not to dwell on how weak he felt for admitting that.

”Well that's probably why, isn't it? This is the first time in 10 years you've surrounded yourself with your people, trouble. Once you've found them, it's hard to let them go.“ Squeezing his hand, your lips twitched up. ”Especially when you're not at your best.“

Nodding in agreement, Matt sighed. “Sometimes, I can hear the voice of my old mentor. Telling me not to trust people, not to get attached. And, when you two aren't here, it's harder to ignore that voice, to remind myself that it's ok to...to not want to be alone.”

“Of course that's ok, bubs. No one wants to be alone, not even your asshole of a mentor.“ Matt laughed at the anger in your tone. ”I know it doesn't make up for the fact that I left, but I brought you my notes so you won't fail?“

Smiling, Matt rubbed his face into your shoulder. ”Of course you did.”

“What?” You giggled, admiring his sleepy grin.

“Nothing, bug. You're just good at this. Taking care of people.” Burying his face in your neck as your arms wrapped around him, he whispered, “I'm so happy I met you.”

“I'm happy I met you too, Matty. Wanna listen to the book as you fall asleep?”

“I'm not gonna fall asleep.” He argued, his words muffled by your shirt.

“Sure, Matty.” You adjusted so that you were properly holding him up, your hand once again taking up residence in his soft hair. The narrator began reading the book's publication details and you settled in, tipping your head until it rested against Matt’s.

Taglist: @eugene-emt-roe@abbyhaslongshorts@mrs-bellingham@abucketofweird@yeonalie@jadeunstablexx@spider-murdock@0ctober-writes@danzer8705@mattmurdockstateofmind

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luminalunii97 · 2 years ago

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A quick update on what's been going on in Iran

In the last month or so, the street protests have decreased. There have been sporadic demonstrations here and there but the fire from the first three months has paled. I believe soon the fire is going to be back because the financial situation is getting worse by hour now and the regime, instead of appealing to people's good side, has been enforcing inhuman laws stronger than before.

On the 40th day memorial of 2 of the executed protesters, the fire did come back alive and there were multiple big demonstrations in many cities around Iran.

The obligatory hijab law is being enforced harsher than before. Many of my fellow iranian women still refuse to wear hijab out considering all the risks. In the last two weeks, at least two drugstores have been closed because the pharmacist owning the place refused to wear hijab. A couple of higher education students have been banned from using the national library because they took off their hijab inside of the library, and many university students have been forced to sign statements that said they promise to not take their hijab off again or else they're going to be expelled from university and they won't be able to attend any university inside of Iran again. The regime has also threatened women who don't wear hijab on the streets that they would disable their id cards and ban them from receiving social services.

A female engineer also did something really courageous in an event and I suggest you check that out. The news links are below.

More than a week before the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, there was an earthquake in Khoy, a northwestern city in Iran. Not only the Islamic Republic didn't send any help to the city, they tried so hard to stop us, people, from sending help there. They restricted some of the celebrities bank accounts and prevented people from raising money for the city. Turkey even offered their aid but the regime refused. People of other cities did send some food and clothes and blankets for the victims of the earthquake in the end. Even though the casualties of the earthquake wasn't high, many people lost their homes and had to reside in tents in cold snowy weather. But the most bewildering thing was that when the turkey earthquake happened the Islamic Republic volunteered to send help to Syria while still doing nothing for the people in Khoy. Unsurprisingly the help packages they sent to Syria didn't reach the places where earthquake happened, instead it went to Assad inventory.

Also this guy, a true hero. A human rights activist to his very core:

This is it for now. I appreciate anyone who has supported people of iran so far. We won't forget you. Woman life freedom ✌️

#iran #mahsa amini #jina amini #human rights #iran protests #politics #feminism #middle east #obligatory hijab #heroes of the year #iranian women

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genderqueerdykes · 1 year ago

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Hi! This is coming from a disabled minor bodied system, i was wondering if you had any advice for someone with severe joint pain but has no access to disability resources due to be being a minor with unaccepting/medically neglectful parents?

hello there!

i'm sorry you are dealing with medically negligent parents- mine were the same way, i wasn't able to get help for any of my health problems until i moved out on my own. every time i brought something up to my mom it just got downplayed

it'll be a bit harder to take care of things given your situation, but these are my best tips:

be very careful with over the counter pain meds: make sure you are staying within the daily limit for your age for tylenol (can be googled) and if you use ibuprofen, naproxen, or any other NSAIDs, PLEASE eat something before you take them. they are hard on your stomach

hot baths are wonderful for pain, especially with epsom salt, if you can have/get some. a hot shower in a pinch helps though it won't be great for your knees or feet

heating pads are also a blessing. if you don't have one you can take a sock, fill it with rice and tie it off and use that as a make shift heating pad. you can throw it in the microwave for about 1 - 2 minutes depending on your microwave and it will stay warm for a while. just make sure to not grab and put it on your skin right away after it's done it will be pretty hot. you can reheat this quite a good many number of times

sometimes even a cloth soaked with warm water draped over a painful joint can help in a pinch

compression sleeves and gloves are great if you're able to get your hands on some, i use them for my elbows. you do not need a prescription they can be ordered online or found at pharmacies

if you have any clothing meant to compress the body like under armor, that can help some people feel a bit less achy

making sure you're getting enough sleep is very important, as is staying hydrated and eating enough. not sleeping enough, being malnourished and dehydrated can make pain more intense because your body can't care for itself

cold weather and humidity WILL make your pain go up, as they can increase inflammation, so don't feel like you're nuts if you feel worse when it's raining, snowing, or cold. these things make people with joint pain feel like garbage

i know that's not much, but i'll add anything else i can think of! best of luck to you, i hope you're able to get into a better situation with your health soon. im wishing you the best of luck in caring for yourself and your disabilities, feel free to ask any more questions you may have!

#asks #answers #disability #disabled #joint pain #chronic pain

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thessalian · 6 months ago

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Thess vs the Pollen Count

Things I currently really hate:

Summer

Climate change

Fibromyalgia

The effects of the above on my immune system

Today is a particularly bad allergy day, and according to the pollen count on the weather predictions for the week, it's going to stay that way. The snuffling I can just about deal with, but the itchy and watery eye thing is really cramping my style on damn near anything I wanted to do today. And apparently all of the above bits and pieces are contributing to my allergies being so fucking bad at the moment.

See, after I checked things out and extrapolated that the pollen count is basically going to be a bitch to me all summer, I started Googling. First thing I checked was what antihistamines are best for the itchy and watery eye thing. I'll have to use what I've still got for the moment, but when I'm doing the big shop come payday, I'm probably going to have to shell out for the expensive shit. Yaaaaay comparison shopping? A lot of pharmacies do deals on antihistamines this time of year, so that's something, but finding the best deal is kind of on me. Great.

After that, I decided to check on exactly why my allergies are getting so much worse, starting with, "can allergies worsen with age?" Answer was a resounding yes, partly because your immune system changes as you get older, with a dash of "allergies can worsen because climate change".

Sooooooo ... they more or less figured out that fibromyalgia is at least autoimmune-adjacent, since some studies a few years back where they injected antibodies from fibro sufferers into mice and discovered that those mice had increased sensitivity to heat, cold, and pressure, as well as reduced movement grip strength. Those mice went back to normal when those antibodies cleared their system, so ... yeah, the antibodies those of us with fibro are producing are just ... nope. This gives hope for treatment at some point, possibly (and I will talk bout that a bit later), but in the meantime, it's entirely likely that whatever wrong antibodies I'm producing are why my allergies have been so much worse the past few years.

Of course, the fact that the pollen count has been getting more and more insane the last few years is also likely down to climate change, and obviously there are way worse effects of climate change on the planet as a whole, but I feel well within my rights to get all pissed off about how it is affecting me right now, even if it is an objectively lesser issue. I mean, I also react way worse to heat and cold than I used to, so either way, with the weather being the way it is, I'm just shit out of luck all the way around.

And yes, there is hope that the study proving that fibromyalgia is autoimmune-related might provide hope for a treatment for those of us with fibromyalgia, so we don't have to deal with this. But ... I know the pharmaceutical industry. I've seen what it does and how it operates, from the point of view of various nations, and from multiple sides of the equation (hospitals, government health departments, patients both here and abroad), and I have a bad feeling that it'll never materialise. And there are a few reasons for this, and they're all ugly as hell.

First, there's the fact that while fibromyalgia is debilitating for those of us who have it, it's an invisible disability. We all know how invisible disabilities are treated by most people. Even those with the best of intentions can kind of fumble with understanding the condition. One of my friends asked me at one point why I needed a cane; what it did for me. I guess I get curiosity, but ... it can still feel like an accusation. Like I have to be this disabled to need a cane for any distances outside my own home, and I don't look or act this disabled so... Seriously, I think part of the worst issues with a chronic pain condition is that no one takes you seriously because you don't look in pain, and not seeing the sheer effort it takes to push past that pain because we can't spend our lives curled up in a ball screaming. Anyway, far too many people don't really get why it's that important when it's something they can't see.

Then... *sigh* Then there's the fact that it mostly affects women. Apparently about 1 person in 40 has it, and 80% are women. I honestly want to know where that stands with trans people - like, do more trans men have fibro than trans women, or the other way around? A study of that would be a good idea just to see whether hormones play a part. I also want to know how many men just aren't admitting it because "it's unmanly to whine about pain" or some shit. And how many aren't included in the study because they've been self-medicating with drugs or alcohol without a diagnosis, because apparently my grandmother had it and I figure a lot of her alcoholism was self-medicating back when she didn't even have a name for the condition and just ... hurt all the time. But ... see, all of this is the point. Like, we've done the study on the antibodies, but we haven't done further studies to get a better look at the rest of it. It's just been more or less pigeonholed as "mostly women get this". Medical research on AFAB people is ... lacking. So is treatment for most anything that causes them pain. We have a hard enough time getting any kind of diagnosis in the first place, because our pain is diminished in the eyes of the medical community. So we're told it's not as bad as we're making it out and we should just lose weight or get therapy for anxiety or whatever.

And finally, there's the whole deal where the pharmaceutical industry is way more invested in palliation than cure. Palliative treatment, you're on it for the rest of your life, probably on regularly increasing dosages, but a cure would mean not needing as much palliation. Fewer analgaesics sold, less money in the pockets of Big Pharma. And if not enough people have a condition, even the single regular palliative that would alleviate all symptoms isn't profitable enough for Big Pharma to bring to market. Anyone who's seen Leverage knows - and they toned the shit the Leverage crew were dealing with down from what exists in reality. It's honestly in Big Pharma's interests to have me on a variety of analgaesics, a pill that's technically an antidepressant but is used in the treatment of neuropathic pain (which does fuck all for my fibro because it's not a neuropathic condition like people thought it was, but does wonders for my migraines), and antihistamines all summer, instead of a single pill that actually makes me feel better. They don't want us to feel better; they want money. Even in this country, where we aren't paying half as much for prescriptions (though the price keeps going up by scary increments every year).

So ... yeah. This is currently a very, very bad season for me. I have reminders everywhere of how different my life is now. Effectively having Dragon Age as a franchise taken away from me because EA Bioware have chosen "the ARPG trend" over accessibility, when that franchise has been so important to me for so long, is more depressing than I can even put into words right now. The weather and the pollen is just making me even more miserable than I am at my usual baseline of "everything hurts". I am tired of hurting all the time. I am tired of being tired all the time. I am tired of the limitations under which I exist. And if there ever is a cure, or a truly functional treatment, it probably won't be in my lifetime and it'll be fought against tooth and nail because some rich assholes would rather have as much of my money as possible with very little to show for it instead of having my fucking life back. I'm trying to be strong and solid, because some of my friends aren't doing well either and I want to be there for them, but I'm so much running out of spoons.

Right. I'mma find something to cheer myself up, somehow. I was going to get through the finale of the Horizon Forbidden West base game, maybe kick off Burning Shores, but I figure that's a bad idea when my eyes are itching and watering the way they are right now. And I can't just shut the windows because we're getting into the mid-20s temperature-wise and it'll get too damn hot in here. Blegh. Fuck summer right in the ear.

#Thess has fibromyalgia #Thess vs the weather

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avantepharmacys · 29 days ago

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Common Cold and Flu: How to Prepare and Protect Yourself This Season with Avante Pharmacy

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littlecarnet · 7 months ago

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As much as I say I hate summer (bright sun hurts my eyes and I sunburn too easily), I do love the many things it brings.

June is the time I hang up my wind chimes and wind bells, it's a childhood summer sound to me, and soothing to fall asleep to. I start hearing crickets outside my window in the evenings, and I'll spot geckos running across the walls near the outdoor lights trying to catch moths and lacewings.

When I lived with my parents, June meant BBQs, and we'd dine outside almost every night, weather permitting. We'd usually get wet under a fine mist or lounge in the pool as the food cooked, then gather around a traditional circular grill table from Aswan. It cut the chill on our skin as we sat on low seats and took our pick from the many meats, vegetables, and fruits grilling in the center. My mom would make her homemade chai or smoked pear tea too. BBQing outside would last til the end of October, since the southern part of the region had very mild falls and winters. We would make special foods during celestial events like a super moon or meteor shower. My favorite special food to eat is a sweet soup made with white snow mushroom, dates, and peaches. It's full of collagen too, which is nice for the summer heat. Keeps your skin nice and dewy, your nails strong, and your hair shiny.

I still keep the BBQ tradition alive even though I live on my own. I have a smaller grill, but I'll cook and eat outside for most of the summer and early fall. I live in the north, so around the end of September it starts getting too cold. Though I do make bonfires in December to January, or attend one if the many bonfires and lantern festivals during that time. I've added my own traditions too, such as June being a seafood month, mostly mussels or octopus. Lots of fish tacos and crispy dried hiney glazed anchovies. I'll rotate all my teas to summer flavors like mint, hibiscus, anise, and barley. I like drinking Italian sodas like pomegranate, mulberry, and peach, or drinking floral waters like rose or lavender with honeysuckle as a slush. Rose petal iced tea or blue butterfly pea tea is a summer staple in my pantry. Sometimes I'll make a dried fruit tea, which is exactly what it sounds like. I boil unsulfered dried fruit and honey til it makes a small concentrated batch, usually half a cup, add a gallon of water to it, and stick in the fridge. Its like a light flavored fruit juice without much sugar. My mom kept a big pitcher of it during the summer, but it never lasted more than three days. Everyone drank it all. XD

During the summer my house becomes very fragrant. Its the time to dry fresh herbs, sort through last year's herbs to toss out any expired ones, and restock certain ones I use up the most. I use these in cooking, beauty, teas, incense, and medicine, they're essentials. I'll spend a weekend labeling, restocking, grinding, and storing them. Ill take the time to make oil infusions or balms with beeswax to restock my first aid. My counters get absolutely crowded with little glass jars, tins, and amber vials. It almost resembles an old world apothecary, which it kinda is. I'm not against modern medicine, as I'll use aspirin if I need to and I get physicals every year, but because of where I live, it's hard to just go to a pharmacy to pick up things, so I have to make my own stuff. I believe diet plays an important part in health. I'll eats lots of things that I know how lots of what my body needs. I tend to be prone to iron deficiency anemia, so I'll be sure to eat lots of foods that are iron rich with something made of citrus. My favorite is a strawberry and mandarin orange spinach salad, or oysters with a bit of lemon juice.

I'm also allergic to many cosmetics and soaps, I'll develop a really bad rash sometimes, so I make a lot of my own things with soothing ingredients like rose, calendula, aloe, and green tea. I love making lavender and mint witch hazel toners in the summer, putting them in the fridge, and spritzing myself with it. Instant cool down while also keeping my pores clean of sweat and oil. I'm usually pretty good about using a parasol or staying out of the sun during the hotter times of the day, but every year it seems I'll forget once, and get so sunburned. My cure is using cotton pads soaked in green tea to cut the redness, and a mix of calendula and aloe to soothe the pain and add moisture back into my skin. To heal over the next few days, some primrose oil or cotton pads soaked in a concentration of rose hip tea.

In the late summer, I start canning things, mostly fruits. I go through fig jam pretty often, its a daily thing I like in yogurt or on some bread, so I preserve whole figs in jars then crush them when I need them. I sometimes crave strawberries in winter, and it's not always easy to go down the mountain just to buy them out of season, so I'll make jams from the ones I've grown, foraged, or were given to me. Finding wild strawberries is like the holy grail for me though! If you've never had them, they're like candy! They're tiny, but the flavor is so concentrated, nothing like how store bought ones are. I mix them with rose jelly sometimes and use it to top ice cream, or drizzle on pancakes and crepes.

I also make a medicinal jelly made from three different citrus fruits: Sweet lemon, yuzu, and grapefruit, their pulp is preserved in honey, ginger, and clove. It's my go-to for vitamin c during the winter and to help with coughs or sore throats. I just mix a teaspoon in hot water, and sip. Another one is a goji berry jelly with honeysuckle, it's so delicious by itself but I make only enough to use for a month. Goji berry can get very bitter over time as a jelly, kmething to do with the oils in it. I use it for a daily sipping tea to get my vitamin c. There's a lot of pine nut trees in my region, and after I gather enough to send to my mom and brother, I use my portion to make pine nut butter! Fresh ones are loaded with oil and are usually very soft, they crush so easily into a butter. I'll pair it with pine needle tea, which is a good medicinal tea for the winter too.

During the monsoon season, I'll either join my dad's mother to forage for mushrooms (there's many in the southwest that are edible with few poisonous lookalikes...still gotta be careful!) But for my own paranoia, I honestly like growing my own. She'll give her batches of oyster mushroom mycelium, and all I do is put them in a glass jar or clean plastic shoebox, them let them grow. I'll get a nice bunch within a week, sometimes multiple crops if the mycelium was really healthy. I'll use them in soups, stir fries, and freeze them for the winter. Last year I grew so many that I had to give them away to my neighbors! It just kept coming almost every other day for that month. Mushrooms grow extremely fast!

And that's what summer means to me. Lots of things to do, lots of things happening, and traditions I'm very fond of.

#About me #Long post #What summer means to me

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