#Control High Blood Pressure without medication

[healtywealthy]

Best Ways to Control High Blood Pressure without medication

Controlling high blood pressure without medication often involves making lifestyle changes. Here are some effective ways to manage high blood pressure naturally:

Healthy Diet: DASH Diet: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy. It is known to help lower blood pressure.

Reduce Sodium Intake: Limit salt intake, as excess sodium can contribute to high blood pressure. Aim for less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: Losing excess weight can have a significant impact on blood pressure. Even a small weight loss can make a difference.

Regular Exercise: Engage in moderate aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes per week or vigorous exercise for 75 minutes per week. This can include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming.

[failtosucceedlife-blog]

12 Tips To Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally

Learn 12 effective natural remedies to reduce high blood pressure without medication. Discover lifestyle changes, stress-reducing techniques, and healthy habits that can help manage hypertension in this informative blog post. High blood pressure or hypertension is a common health issue that affects millions of people around the world. It is often called the “silent killer” as it can cause severe…

[doberbutts]

I was typing a big long thing about the changes I've experienced in a year on testosterone and how it's affected me and all that and then tumblr ate it and I really don't feel like retyping that whole thing but I am kinda salty about it so tldr:

Starting testosterone has been the best thing for my health that I've done. Ever. Better than getting a service dog. Better than restructuring my life to cater to my disabilities. Better than any procedure or medication or otherwise that I've tried. Simply rubbing a pack of gel on my arm once a day has done more for me than anything else.

When I went to my endo to start T, I went with a suspicion that I am intersex. She confirmed it via blood test and told me that with my variation I could try two different things: estrogen to control my high levels of natural androgens, or testosterone to lower my estrogen further and make it stop arguing with my androgens about whether I'm supposed to be a boy or a girl, as it's that argument that was causing a significant portion of my health problems. Estrogen has been tried in the past and only made things worse. She told me it was my choice, and only I could choose my path forward, as I knew my body the best.

When TERFs have a fit about gender affirming care, they usually leave out people like me, or they brush my story aside by saying that I'm just an anomaly, or they claim for me and my demographic that we don't want to be part of this discussion. But I don't fit their definition of a woman- I have a testicle, and my natural testosterone was within normal range on the low end for a cisgender, perisex man, and enough male sexual partners have commented on what's in my pants to tell me that it's far from the picturesque womanly pussy, especially considering I can- and have- use it to penetrate with the help of devices designed for cis men who are a little lacking in length.

When TERFs have a fit about gender affirming care, they scaremonger about side effects and changes. But, I was already hairy. I was already growing facial hair. I already had atrophied- and by 30 to the point that it's not really possible to fix without significant medical intervention. I was already infertile. I already had an adam's apple and a deep voice. I already had belly fat and blood pressure problems. My menstrual cycle was already hellish and had interfered with my school and work schedules. A popped ovarian cyst sent me to the ER.

I'd tried no treatment. I'd tried estrogen-based solutions. These not only did not work but actively made things worse. I was fainting at school. I was calling out of work. I couldn't drive without my service dog. I couldn't go out and have fun with my friends. I spent days at a time laying in bed in too much pain to move.

TERFs say, gender affirming care turns you into a forever patient.

I already was one of those. I almost died when I was a baby strictly because of lack of access to care that accepts children who are born who are both and also neither from the womb, before anyone has a chance to develop a personality or understand the difference between a boy and a girl.

Testosterone has turned me into a "once every 3 months" patient instead of a "twice a month minimum" patient. I pay less than $15/month for my prescription and it's mailed to my house in three-month increments. Stopping my wildly irregular and incredibly painful menstrual cycle has increased my quality of life so much. My body doesn't ache for no reason anymore. I don't faint anymore. I can go out and do things and not be punished for it for days on end by fevers and chills and vertigo.

Don't let a handful of transphobic assholes scare you. If this is your way forward, then live your life to its fullest.

My only regret is that I didn't have the chance to do this sooner.

[scozthewoz]

mercs as cat breeds + kitty merc headcanons

inspired by/in collaboration with @joonliebe (i changed a few of them sorry pookie 💔)

kitty headcanons are from my cat fortress AU where all the mercs are cats that are foster fails because nobody wants those motherfuckers and now miss pauling is stuck with them all

spy ▪︎ persian - fancy and high maintenance. the signature bond villain cat

likes to be alone. needs to be taken to the groomer once a week or he gets pissed off and starts tearing up the couch. he has a very strict schedule and if his terms are not followed he throws a tantrum. he also sneaks out of the house and dissapears frequently. a dick to the rest of the cats, except scout for some reason.

heavy ▪︎ siberian - big boys with big coats, comes from siberia

the most well behaved cat there. scarred up and scary looking from his time in the pound, but he's suprisingly very quiet and peaceful. naturally chunky and big boned. miss pauling's favorite. he's a bonded pair with medic, they can normally be found grooming each other. he tends to wrangle scout when he's being too much, he doesn't like to see miss pauling stressed.

pyro ▪︎ sphynx - just a weird lookin thing. also an affectionate and energetic breed that likes to wreak havoc

peculiar little intersex kitty covered in burns, owners died in a house fire (that she may or may not have caused). both eyes are gone, but she navigates just fine. knows how to turn the stove on and has set multiple small fires. miss pauling puts him in cute little sweaters since he doesn't have any fur to keep him warm.

sniper ▪︎ savannah - hybrid of a house cat and a wild serval

very solitary, like spy, but not hostile to the others. owners were an old couple that died and it shook up the already shy cat. miss pauling doesn't need to feed him like the others since he sneaks out and hunts his own meals. almost completely silent unless he's sitting at the window and chirping at birds. evident dislike for spy. quiet and low maintenence so not a huge headache, but he tracks mud in the house. he's very skittish too, runs off or hides whenever there's company.

medic ▪︎ turkish angora - graceful. very majestic. cunty, even

on paper, he seems like a very good cat! he's an ex-service animal that still carries out some service tasks, like deep pressure therapy when miss pauling is getting anxious or retrieving stuff. only problem is that he loves bringing dead things inside, and he goes out of his way to rip it to shreds and get blood and guts ALL over the house. he also has a temper issue, and he needs little kitty glasses because his eyesight is shit.

engineer ▪︎ munchkin - haha short legs!! oh yeah, and they're pretty smart

used to be a workshop cat around for pest control, lost a leg in an accident. workshop guys gave him a kitty sized hardhat he gets very upset without. he's got a hard time jumping up on stuff since he not only has short legs, but he's got a prosthetic one too, so miss pauling made him a few kitty staircases up to his favorite spots. he likes stealing tools from neighbors and and scrap metal from outside and stashes them under the couch.

demoman ▪︎ scottish fold - scottish, prone to eye problems

missing an eye and has some singed fur from teens with fireworks. little kitty eyepatch. he frequently gets into the bailey's irish cream miss pauling keeps on top of the fridge and has to be brought to the vet for liver issues at least once a month.

soldier ▪︎ ragdoll - developed in america !!🇺🇸 tend to rough house when playing and are very vocal

used to belong to a war veteran, then became a stray after he died. clipped ear. his body's kept shaved because of scarring and matting issues, so he's got furry boots and a puffball tail, but the fur on his noggin covers his eyes. he frequently bothers the others. a big sweetheart for miss pauling, but agressive with anyone else. likes fetch. dog in a cat body.

scout ▪︎ siamese - the extroverts of the cat world, very energetic and chatty, also very clever.

his ma and brothers are all siamese, but he's got an oddly fluffy tail like a persian.. he's a big fan of miss pauling, never leaves her alone. gets pissy and scratches the curtains or breaks a glass when she's giving one of the other cats too much attention. wayyy too clingly and always causing some sort of trouble or getting into places he shouldn't. he also meows CONSTANTLY.

[captain-mj]

hi! no pressure, just want to offer you an idea for non military au. ghost is former soldier, now he is a lighthouse keeper. one day he finds unconscious and maybe wounded selkie!soap on the beach and decides to take care of him, because the nearest city is very far away and he doesn't know what to do in strange situations like this.

I love this idea so much! Wrote this in a series of scenes to cover more of the story :) Also I wanted it to feel like an indie movie where you walk away feeling like you missed something.

Ghost was smoking quietly outside of the lighthouse, watching the stars. He was having one of those nights where he couldn't sleep. All of his duties were done for the night and the light would continue without him until morning. But he couldn't sleep.

Movement happened at the shoreline. His eyes quickly flicked over to it, watching for it to happen again. The water lapped over the shore and hit something, making it splash. Something that definitely was not a rock.

Occasionally, seals would wash on shore so he wanted to make sure nothing bad was happening. If they were hurt or tangled in nets, he'd try to help them. Even if the bastards liked biting him.

When he saw the soft fur lighting up in the moonlight, he resigned himself to having to help one of them. The very human foot that appeared though. That was new.

Ghost slowly walked closer, not making a sound.

The person in front of him had a seal coat on and nothing else. In this freezing cold, that wasn't a good idea. There was also blood that was slowly spreading around.

Ghost moved him gently, seeing where there was a broken spearhead in his side. Who the fuck uses spears? What the fuck happened to him that he'd be in the position to get hurt like this?

With how bad it was and how far they were from civilization, there was no way he'd make it unless Ghost did something. Good thing Ghost did all his own medical care and he could cover it.

Hopefully, mystery man wouldn't be too upset. He was sure if he explained he was ex-military and was medically trained, he'd understand. Or he wouldn't and he'd sue him.

Mystery man was heavy. And naked besides the coat. Not even underwear. He made sure to keep his... bits covered. Didn't want mystery guy waking up in a compromising position.

He'd hate to get blood all over his bed, but the couch would be hard to work with. So he laid mystery man in his bed, exposing the wound and not much else.

Ghost heated up a needle and threaded it. He started to clean the wound with vodka and pulled the spearhead out. As the needle slid in, the mystery man twitched but didn't wake up. The wound was deep and bloody, but he still got it under control. With a few bandages on top, he looked just fine.

The coat had to come off. It had blood all over it and needed to be cleaned. If it set in the fur, it might stain it. He gently took it off.

Ghost's focus on the wound shifted to focus on the man himself. His body was extremely toned like he worked out constantly. Scars littered his body, big ones that looked like they were from a shark and little ones from something. He couldn't quite figure it out.

Ghost put a blanket over him. After a moment, he tucked him in. Felt a little silly to be a grown man tucking in a grown man, but he did it for some reason. Mystery man sank a little further into the bed when he did it. His mohawk just barely stuck out from the blankets.

The coat. Ghost grabbed it and took it to his laundry room. With how it looked, he probably needed to handwash it. He soaked it first, getting all of the blood out, before he put some soap on it. It was the same he used for his balaclava so he knew it wouldn't be damaging. Then he put it up to dry.

It took a while, but he managed to fall asleep on the couch.

-

A few hours later, there was movement in his home. He tensed up when it happened and went on high alert. On instinct, he went for the knife under his pillow but it wasn't there.

Mystery man was staring at him. Giant black eyes staring deep into him. Feral.

"Where the fuck did you put it?" Mystery man moved so fast, pouncing on him, using his thighs to pin him down. His hands grabbed Ghost's wrists so he couldn't attack him.

He was still naked.

Ghost kept his eyes trained on his eyes, not wanting to look down and be a perv.

Was it technically pervy if this guy jumped on him?

"Where is my coat?" He bared his teeth.

Ghost's eyes widened, seeing the set of seal teeth. The eyes.

"What the fuck are you?"

Mystery man snapped at him, ready to sink his teeth in to him, and then winced right as Ghost felt the warm blood hit his stomach. With practiced ease, he flipped them around, pinning him down now. He then stood up and got some more bandages. "You ripped your stitches. Stay right there."

Silence followed as Ghost restitched him and put more bandages on him. Once he was sure he wouldn't bleed out again, he pressed him down on the couch. Mystery man looked up at him, something fierce and wild in his expression. He looked beautiful honestly. In a frightening way. Like an angel.

"What are you?"

He snarled at him but looked down at where Ghost's hand was pressed to his chest to keep him down. His hand dwarfed his chest. It made the situation a lot less tense. Both of them believing they could definitely kick the other's ass.

"Selkie."

"The fuck is that?"

"Sometimes I'm a seal. Sometimes I'm a person." He explained, slowly relaxing more. "Where is my coat?"

Ghost realized this person was certified insane. Though he did see the dark eyes and seal teeth, though maybe they both were. "I cleaned it."

"Cleaned it?"

Ghost nodded. "Yeah. I washed it since it was bloody. You're going to need to stay here for a bit. You'll need to heal some more or you'll rip those stitches and bleed out. No jumping around either."

He frowned but seemed more content now.

He was still fucking naked.

Ghost grimaced. "What's your name?"

"Soap."

"Soap?"

"That's what the people up the street call me."

Ghost thought about the fact that there was not another house for about twenty miles and decided to ignore that. "Just relax. I'll find you some clothes?"

"Why?"

Ghost wrinkled his nose at him and went to his bedroom. He found a few things and looked up, freezing.

his face.

He hadn't been wearing his mask last night. Why would he? It was cold, but not that cold and there was no one for miles.

This guy had seen his face. And while yes, he had seen this man's... everything, his face was an intimate affair.

If he put the mask on now, it would cause even more questions and problems. If he didn't, the man would still be looking at him.

Then the man was there.

"I ripped my stitches again."

"Fucking hell."

-

Once Soap was bandaged, dressed and back in his coat, he was more than happy to take up Ghost's entire couch, body spread out and branching. The coat hugged him perfectly. A glove made for him.

His bright blue eyes were staring at him. Ghost had to stare and try to remember if they were blue before as well. They fit his face. Bright blue eyes with tan skin and pretty features. Not delicate by any means. Strong jaw and nose. But definitely pretty.

"So, Ghost." Soap started to speak, glancing at where Ghost was cooking for them in the kitchen. "Why are you here?"

"I run the lighthouse."

"The big tower with the light on it?" Soap sat up curiously, tilting his head.

Ghost nodded. "That's the one."

Soap hummed. "Always wonder what that did." He put his head on the back of the couch, staring at Ghost with his pretty blue eyes and dark eyelashes.

"Helps boats know where the shore is."

Soap hummed in response and continued to watch.

Ghost brought him food, watching Soap start to shovel it in his mouth with his hands. "Do you not know how to use a fork?"

Soap snapped at him and Ghost let it go.

-

Ghost watched his progress with great interest. Soap's wounds healed faster than the average person and it healed cleaner. It was still a slow process though so he had to watch carefully. He never slipped the mask back on. Maybe he should’ve. It would be smarter too.

Soap noticed the masks but he never said anything. He never passed judgement on Ghost’s quirks. His giant blue eyes peered at him all the time. Absorbing him. It was odd, being the one watched. Though, he did watch him back.

They got into long staring contests which were tons of fun for him. It was calming. Weirdly. Soap was much like the ocean he came from. Unsettling and eerie and beautiful. Especially the eyes.

Ghost did research, trying to find out if maybe selkies had an effect like this. Instead he just found dozens and dozens of things about their coats.

He didn’t touch the thing. It looked soft. But it made him nervous in a weird way. Like he’d make it dirty. Didn’t help that Soap went from civil human to snarling animal if he glanced at it. Big black eyes ready to rip him to shreds.

Soap never truly scared him. Unsettled, sure. But Ghost was pretty sure he could take him.

Pretty sure.

Soap was complaining again. Maybe horrid noises as he rolled around the floor.

“I could help if I knew what was wrong.”

“Dirty.”

“You want a bath?”

Soap paused his writhing to consider. “Yes. I would like... a bath."

Ghost nodded and fixed it for him. He made it cold. For some reason it felt right to do so.

Soap sank deep into the water and looked very happy. It made Ghost feel calmer. Big black eyes stared at him from the water.

He had seen them before. While out on the beach, he had seen those eyes staring at him.

A predator from the depths. Maybe like cats and wolves, this predator could be tamed as well.

Ghost grabbed the shampoo and started to wash Soap's hair, enjoying the softness of the strands. He used nicer shampoo for the smell so he hoped it was okay. With how Soap's was styled, he assumed he took pride in his hair.

Soap relaxed into the freezing water, humming. "A little warm for my taste."

"Should I put ice in it?"

"That sounds good."

So Ghost poured ice in the bathtub. He started to wonder what this was. If maybe he had finally killed himself and this was some weird purgatory. Or maybe it had been so long since he had a conversation that he was imagining this. What if he had a wild seal in his home?

Ghost decided this was a path he didn't want to travel. He could live with not knowing.

Soap relaxed and his eyes went back to the nice blue.

-

Ghost took his bed back after the third night. Soap stayed on the couch. He was still healing and outside of when he wanted to be dramatic, he rarely moved.

Ghost cooked for them every morning and night before going to check on the lighthouse. He did his normal duties and then came home in record time every day.

Soap was always doing… something. Usually staring out the window at the ocean or biting at his pillows or laying dramatically on the floor like a broken doll. Ghost would sit with him and they’d talk.

They sat there for a few minutes before Soap looked at him. Dark eyes staring into him again. Shredding him. Making a place inside of him that only Soap could squirm into.

"If you died, you think you'd go to Valhalla?"

"Valhalla is for people who die fighting."

"Are you not fighting now?" Soap asked him and smiled. It was impish. Like he had secret Ghost wasn't getting.

Ghost frowned. "No. I'm not fighting now."

Soap grabbed Ghost's hand, comparing their hand sizes. "So what are we eating tonight? Fish again?"

"Yeah, I can make more fish." Ghost glanced at him, watching his mouth.

"Thank you." Soap batted his eyelashes at him and smiled softly.

They fell in sync so easily. Ghost cooking and Soap by his side to watch it. If it weren't for Ghost, he'd eat the fish raw, but it was impolite to do so in the house.

Soap licked over his teeth. Giant things. Sharp.

Ghost thought of what it would be like to feel them pierce his throat.

-

Ghost wasn't sleeping. He laid down and just stared at the ceiling.

Soap had healed. He could leave now. Maybe that's what kept Ghost up. Or maybe it was the fact that Soap was clearly moving.

The door creaked open and Soap stepped in. He didn't speak, just found where the bed was in the dark. Slowly, he got on the bed next to him and then moved on top of him, straddling him.

"My name, when I played human, was Johnny."

"My name was Simon."

It felt inevitable. The way their lips brushed against each other. Pressed soft but insistent. Intent on devouring each other.

"Simon." Johnny said softly. "First human I've met than I've liked."

"Thank you." Ghost felt honored weirdly enough. He pulled him closer to kiss him more.

Johnny's mouth traveled down his jaw and to his throat. Simon relaxed, waiting for the sting. For the inevitable death. He'd welcome it like a lover. Like Johnny.

Instead it was only soft kisses. Trailing and claiming. Spiraling around. Fingertips searching each other in the dark.

Johnny moved and slowly undid the tie on Ghost's pants. "I want to give my gratitude."

"You don't have to."

"I want to. Want you to touch me."

This was Valhalla. Or maybe that purgatory he feared. Scars all over his body ached as he reached for Johnny's face, cupping him. "Johnny."

"Simon..." He breathed against him.

Their mouths stayed close, breathing in each other's air as they moved against each other. It was slow and aching and it made Ghost want to take Johnny's coat and mix them together in the sheets. To never let him leave and stay there for eternity, breathing each other in.

He'd never. Johnny finally sank his teeth into him. Into his shoulder. Ghost groaned and grabbed on to him. Johnny's hands. They dragged him under.

It had been so long since he had been touched. He felt undone by Johnny. Simon tried to reciprocate, to make Johnny feel just as good.

Until they were both wrecked and panting and sinking into the bed.

Johnny clawed at him and buried his face in his neck. He kept him pinned down so his hands could go over Simon's body.

The touch was heavenly. It felt like it was burning him.

Simon held him close.

"Are you going to disappear in the morning?"

"Do you want me to?"

Simon held him closer, fingers going through the fur of his coat. "No. God no."

[letters-to-lgbt-kids]

(TW: Sex, genitalia mention)

My dear lgbt+ kids,

Sex isn't supposed to hurt. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

That includes all kinds of penetration: vaginal, anal, with a penis, finger or toy. "Entry pain" with penetration isn't normal and neither is pain during or after sex.

There are sadly still people out there who tell vagina-owners that it's normal to feel uncomfortable during sex, that penetrative sex isn't supposed to be enjoyable for you, only for your partner, or that you need to bear the pain (either for your partner's sake or "until you loosen up" - which is not how the vagina works!).

The idea that “you are born tight and need to be loosened up by a penis” (and that you therefore need to lie down and take the pain until you are loose enough) is a complete myth. It is easily debunked by basic biology: your vagina is a muscular canal. That means its tissue is elastic! It can stretch when it needs to, and then it bounces back (just think about childbirth! It can stretch to fit a whole baby) - and it can do that because that’s how muscles work, it doesn’t need some magic penis to come along and teach it to do that. It’s actually a pretty sexist idea that you’d need that! 

Pain isn't (and shouldn't be!) a normal, regular part of sex. If penetration hurts, it's a sign something is wrong. It's a good idea to talk to a medical professional who can help you pinpoint the exact reason.

Here are a few common causes:

Not enough lubrication. This means you are not "wet" enough. The vagina self-lubricates when aroused, the anus doesn't. So, for vaginal sex it can help to just include more foreplay to make sure you are really aroused and ready to go! Foreplay can be anything that feels good and gets you in the mood. Additionally you can use lube (this is a kind of gel or cream specifically made to reduce friction during sexual activity which are safe to apply to genitalia - please do not try to use face cream, shampoo or anything like that. If it is not made to be used vaginally, it can really irritate your skin and make the problem worse!). For anal penetration, you always need to use lube.

Certain medications (like antidepressants, birth control pills or high blood pressure pills) can decrease lubrication as a side effect. If you suspect this plays a role, please do not discontinue your meds without your doctor's approval. Ask them for advice, maybe you can switch to a different brand or dosage. Lube can also be helpful in those cases.

Urinary tract infections can cause a burning sensation during or after sex. Talk to your doctor, you may need antibiotics or other medication to treat your UTI.

Skin problems in your genital area (like eczema) can cause pain during sex. If your skin looks red or feels itchy, raw or swollen, talk to your gynecologist.

Vaginismus causes involuntary spasms of the vaginal muscles. This may be the case if you can't insert anything at all (not even tampons) without experiencing severe pain. Talk to your gynecologist. (They usually do not need to perform an internal exam to diagnose vaginismus, if you are worried about the exam being too painful). Treatment can include physical therapy (such as pelvic floor exercises) and psychological therapy.

Depression, anxiety, high levels of stress or past traumatic sexual experiences can also contribute to pain during sex. This does not mean “The pain isn’t real, it’s all in your head”! Emotional health and physical health are interlinked. For example, depression can make it harder to feel aroused (and therefore lubricated). 

This is not an exhaustive list. There are other temporary situations, chronic conditions and acute illnesses that can make sex painful - if you are unsure or worried, it’s always best to consult a gynecologist. 

With all my love,

Your Tumblr Dad

[macgyvermedical]

Okay so I have a really specific question. Baseline stats? Except my character is already pretty sick, he's got room to get much much worse but right now he ain't great. He's in a fair amount of pain because he keeps having adverse reactions to painkillers from previous drug abuse and yeah. So what would normal baseline be? And then what would a normal baseline for him bc since he's got this illness. It's idk what you call it but one of the illness that get worse with time... degenerative. Except in this world he can be fixed with enough treatment but he keeps refusing said treatment. Yeah I don't really understand vitals and things so I didn't wanna botch it but based on the info what would you assume would be good? Also what's like the worse someone's vitals could be with them still awake and alive although the mental state can be real messed up. (: thanks hon

So our understanding of normal adult vitals include:

BP: 100/60- 140/90 mmHg (a measurement of pressure)

Pulse: 60-100 beats per minute

Respirations: 12-20 breaths per minute

Temperature: 96-100.4F or 36-38C

SpO2: 95-100%

Level of Consciousness: Alert and Oriented times 4 (can answer 4 specific questions about themselves and their environment)

Now, all these "normals" pretty much assume a healthy, white, 20-something male who has a BMI of 18-25 and who has been sitting quietly for at least 5 minutes. So basically very few real humans.

It's very normal to vary from these somewhat if you are exerting yourself, in pain, sick, or otherwise different from the above demographic. So if we're taking vitals, we want to control what we can (generally asking the person to sit relatively quietly for 5 minutes). If we do this and you're out of range, but we have no other data to work with, we will try to get you back into this range. Because again, it's assumed that to get out of these ranges, you must have something going on medically that needs addressed.

For example, if your blood pressure is 160/90 with a heart rate of 110 because you're in a lot of pain, we can correct that by treating whatever is causing the pain.

Now, there's not always an identifiable (or fixable) reason why someone might be out of range, and sometimes we just correct the vitals themselves because chronically high or low vitals may cause problems. For example, as far as we know right now, living for a long time with a blood pressure in the 180s/100s will eventually cause heart failure, stroke, or heart attack, regardless of the reason. So if we can't get that person back into range by fixing something else, we'll give medications that directly lower blood pressure.

But let's say someone's heart rate is in the 40s because they're a runner. That's normal for them. It doesn't cause them any problems, it's not caused by a disease process, as far as we know won't cause them problems in the future, and their other vital signs are in normal range. They are said to have a "baseline heart rate of 40bpm". That tells other medical providers who are working with them that there's nothing to correct there- ignore that weird reading and just fix anything else that needs fixed.

Baseline can also be used if someone has a chronic illness that is as controlled as it can be, but it still has an impact on their vital signs. Say someone has a heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation with RVR and their heart rate without medications is in the 190s or 200s. This may cause symptoms, but if we medicate to control that rate to between 60-100, it may also cause symptoms.

So we might give enough medication to control the rate to 110s, which minimizes the symptoms they experience but still puts them technically out of range. Their baseline, then, is in the 110s. Again, nothing to correct there, it's just normal for them to be out of range on that vital.

Or, someone might have dementia and be unable to answer all the questions that would make them A+Ox4, but maybe can only consistently answer 2 of them. We wouldn't necessarily be worried about that because we know that it's normal for them to be A+Ox2- their baseline, but we would be worried if suddenly they were A+Ox0.

You can also have other measurements besides vitals that are considered baseline stats. Like pain, or blood sugar, BMI, electrolyte levels, or pretty much any other lab value.

As far as what you are describing I don't know that I can give you specific baselines, as I don't know what his symptoms are or how they relate to vital signs. With chronic pain generally vitals eventually go back to normal (say someone rates their pain at a 5/10 consistently, over time their body normalizes around that pain level and other vitals may only go out of range if they have an acute spike in pain).

What I can give you is a few of the following:

Pain: All vital signs go up

Dehydration/blood loss/shock: BP and LOC goes down, everything else goes up

Kidney problems: BP and HR can change but in what direction is due to the specific problem.

Opioid overdose: RR goes down.

Heart problems: Change in HR and BP but directions can change depending on specific problem.

Lung problems: Usually RR and HR go up

Throwing up: everything goes up

Drug abuse and withdrawal: depends on the drug

[triforce-of-mischief]

Whumptober Day 18: Blindfold

Fandoms: Linked Universe, That Broken Promise

Length: long (2300 words)

Summary: Isolated and injured, Legend does his best to avoid sedation and stitches. Chief knows him too well, though, and takes desperate measures to heal his friend.

Warnings: noncon drugging, needles and stitches (referenced instead of directly described because it's Legend pov)

AO3

Chapter 1 2 3

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Legend was bleeding.

This wasn’t a rare occurrence, or even one that he would be particularly worried about under different circumstances. It wasn’t the pain or the blood itself that bothered him. No, he thought as he applied pressure to his arm and watched red stream between his fingers, the injury wasn’t the issue.

He was all but isolated, with no enhancing items to instantly heal himself. What worried him was the fact that his only companion was Chief. Normally he would’ve considered himself lucky to have a trained medic nearby, but he was well acquainted with the fact that the older man shared his phobia. It was an unfortunate position for Chief to be in, even more so since he was the best at his job. Knowing what Chief was capable of, and aware of the deep gash in his arm, Legend’s senses were on high alert.

         The clattering of rocks preceded Chief carefully sliding down the wall of the ravine a few feet away. He landed hard and ran to Legend, one hand already on his bag as he crouched in front of him.

“Let me see,” Chief said urgently, offering his hand between them.

Legend swallowed, then held out his arm so Chief could examine it. The medic’s hissed breath was like a dagger to the chest. Legend knew what that meant, but that didn’t mean he was ready for it.

“I don’t have any supplies,” the vet mumbled, unable to meet the other’s eyes.

“Me neither. Other than… what I always have.”

They both knew what he meant.

“You know I’ll make it fast. Do you want morphine or-”

“I don’t want anything,” Legend snapped. His voice was shaking. He had the feeling that he was, too.

“All right… I’m going to clean it, at least. You can think while I do that.”

Legend watched warily as Chief pulled a few tools out of his bag, holding up each one to prove that they were harmless. They were both silent as Chief cleaned the wound. Legend stubbornly braced himself against the sting.

“It’s still bleeding,” Chief said eventually.

“I know.”

“It’s too deep. It’s going to keep bleeding.”

“I know.”

“Legend.” Chief kept his hands busy, repacking tools and sifting through his bag. “Are you thinking with your fear, or your logic?”

“I-” What kind of question was that? Chief of all people knew how logic ceased to exist in times like this.

“What does your fear say?”

Immediately, Legend answered “No.”

“And what does your logic say?”

“…Yes.”

Chief finished sorting through his bag, then gently grabbed Legend’s hand. “Do you want to let your fear control you?”

Again, it was easy for Legend to say “No.”

He waited for the follow-up question that didn’t come.

“Then we’re not gonna let it.”

It took Legend a few seconds to process Chief’s soft words as he squeezed the vet’s hand and returned to his bag.

“Not gonna- wait, what?” Legend gasped, his lungs constricting as he saw Chief take out a pair of small cloth pouches. He had never seen the contents, but he could very well imagine what he knew was inside.

“Don’t look,” Chief said as he examined a tiny glass vial. He glanced at Legend, pausing when he saw that the vet was staring at him. “I said don’t look. You’re making it worse.”

“I can’t.” Not without somebody there to hold him close, face safely hidden in their shoulder. Otherwise, he just couldn’t look away because he hated seeing what was happening but he also hatedbeing helpless and unaware.

Gods, he wished Wars was there.

“Okay… I have something that may help, but it’s your choice if you want to use it or not. Put it on or don’t. I recommend that you do.”

Chief tossed him a long, narrow strip of fabric, dark enough that no light seeped through it.

“…A blindfold.”

“Yes. I know it’s… not ideal, but it will make this easier if you put it on.” Chief bit his lip, giving Legend a moment to decide.

Legend didn’t want to feel restrained.

He also didn’t want to see what Chief was about to do.

His fingers were shaking and his injured arm was too weak. Chief watched him fumble for a minute before leaning over to tie the blindfold himself.

The sense of misguided safety was instant to settle over him as the blindfold was fit in place. Chief’s packs and their contents were blissfully unknown, hidden beyond the fabric that restricted Legend’s vision no matter how he turned his head.

Legend heard the clinking of metal on glass, and that false security began to shatter. He shrank into himself, trying to remember the timed breathing that Warriors had taught him. Seven in, seven out… or no, there was an eleven in there. Eleven in, seven out? That didn’t feel right either but it didn’t matter because he couldn’t seem to breathe at all anyway.

He somehow managed to say, only somewhat choking on the words, “Chief, wait.”

Chief only sighed. “It’ll be easier if we just get it over with. I’m sorry.”

“No.” Legend pulled his arm closer, like that would prevent Chief from being able to access it. “I know y-you don’t want to do this, you hate this just as much as I do. I know you don’t want to hurt me, Chief, please.”

Chief was quiet for a long moment. Legend didn’t dare breathe, listening for the medic’s next move.

“…I’m going to wrap it. Give me your arm, please?”

Legend didn’t believe that Chief would change tactics so easily. He knew that wrapping it wouldn’t be enough. He kept his arm firmly pressed against his chest.

He heard the soft rustling of fabric. “I’m putting my things away and I’m holding bandages now. I’m just going to wrap the wound, I promise.” Chief was calm and quiet, but Legend still flinched when Chief touched his arm. “Sorry, I’ll warn you next time.”

Sure enough, Chief worked quickly to wrap Legend’s arm until he felt a secure pressure around the injury. Chief didn’t surprise him again, making sure to hum “Touching” every time he readjusted. Legend couldn’t see the bandaging, but he could imagine the red slowly absorbing into each layer. They both knew that it was a temporary solution at best, so why had Chief given up?

“All done,” Chief said, letting Legend pull his arm back.

Legend shuddered, now that he didn’t have to keep still for Chief to work. The medic hadn’t prompted him to take the blindfold off, and that made him uneasy. He had said that he had put his tools away… maybe he still had to clean them.

“I’m going to hug you now, okay?”

Something still felt off.

“You did well, Lege.” Carefully, Chief wrapped his arms around Legend and pulled him close. “You’re gonna be okay.”

That phrase made Legend’s skin crawl. Something wasn’t right.

“You’re still tense, Lege. You can relax now.”

Chief took a deep breath, waiting for Legend to imitate him before he shifted one hand to rub Legend’s shoulder. Legend’s sleeve was still rolled up, away from the bandages, and Legend could feel Chief’s hand rest below it. Legend had lost track of the medic’s other hand.

…Wait.

Almost imperceptibly, Chief pulled Legend closer, enough that Legend would have to struggle to pull away.

Legend’s voice pitched higher with alarm. “…Chief?”

He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t-

“Please forgive me,” Chief whispered.

The next thing Legend felt was a sudden spark of pain in his shoulder, quickly followed by a tendril of cold spreading through his arm. A shrill wail rang in his ears- it was coming from him- as he tried to jerk away, but Chief’s hold was too secure.

It only took a few seconds, then the pain lessened slightly and Chief released Legend completely. The vet threw himself away, not caring about his rough impact with the ground. He curled around himself defensively and cried, “Wh-what did- what did you do!?”

“I’m sorry,” Chief said, almost too quiet to hear. “…It should start working in five minutes.”

His friend had hurt him, he had betrayed him, and he didn’t even have the mercy to offer immediate relief.

Legend was too angry and terrified to even think. He wasn’t aware of anything beyond the agonizingly slow wave of numbness surrounding his arm. Consciousness threatened to fade, once or twice; he absently registered that simultaneous hyperventilating and sobbing made it hard to breathe.

He couldn’t feel his arm anymore. His tears slowed, as did his breathing. He felt… empty, but something pleasant distracted him from why.

“Did the morphine kick in, Lege?”

“Mmmmh…” Legend groaned, taking a moment to collect his thoughts.

Chief didn’t seem willing to wait. “Sounds like it did. Can you feel this?”

“F… feel what?”

“I’m touching your arm. If you can’t feel that, then I’m going to treat it now.”

“Mmkay…”

“Don’t touch the blindfold until I tell you to.” Chief’s voice was calm and steady, and a small voice in the back of Legend’s head didn’t like that.

“Y’know I’m gonna hate you later, right?” Legend slurred. He didn’t really know why he said it. It felt right, though, especially when he heard a soft hiss from Chief.

“…I know. As long as you’re alive and well… that’s what matters.” Chief was quiet after that, and Legend guessed that he was working on his arm. No matter how hard Legend focused, all he could feel was a dull pressure.

Legend zoned out after a few minutes, feeling and thinking next to nothing at all. He startled when Chief spoke for the first time since he had started.

“All done. You can have your arm back now.”

Legend still couldn’t see. He wanted to take the blindfold off, but he vaguely remembered that the medic didn’t want to let him see what he was doing. He heard Chief putting his tools away, so he waited until he heard Chief close his bag. He reached for the tie at the back of his head and tugged the blindfold off, blinking to adjust to the light.

Chief’s back was turned to him, his hands still resting on the bag. His shoulders were shaking.

He always tried to hide it, but Legend knew how hard it was for him too. A whisper of sympathy floated through his mind.

Chief took a deep breath and turned around, freezing when he saw Legend looking at him. He was crying. He quickly rubbed his eyes but Legend had already seen.

“I didn’t say to take it off.”

Legend blinked. “No… but I did.”

“Yes, you did.” Chief sounded tired. Legend watched him take a deep breath before he asked, “How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?”

Legend hummed, looking down at his bandaged arm. “No… still can’t feel it.”

“Good… that’s good. Let me know when that changes.” The medic dragged his hands down his face, then turned to sort through his bag.

Another sense of wrong started to poke at the back of Legend’s mind. Normally, Chief would have left by now. They both required comfort, and usually sought it out from those who hadn’t been involved.

But right now, they were alone, and Legend was getting anxious the longer they continued to isolate.

“Chief?”

“Yeah? What’s wrong?”

“C’mere?”

The medic was there in an instant, reaching for Legend’s arm. “Tell me what’s wrong, Lege, where-”

“No, just-” Legend grabbed Chief’s hand and tried to pull him closer, but the other refused to move.

Chief tilted his head, confused. “What, do- do you want to cuddle?”

“Mhm, please?” Legend whined, tugging on Chief’s hand again. He knew that Chief needed to melt, so why was he being stubborn?

“Lege, no. You’re not in the right state of mind, you- you’re going to hate me when the morphine wears off, you said so yourself. Trust me, you’re not going to want me anywhere near you.”

“Nnnnoooooo-” Legend didn’t care about whatever he had said earlier. If he didn’t have anyone to hug, he was going to be upset, and if Chief was alone, he was going to be upset, which made Legend even more upset. He hiccupped, feeling tears begin to form.

Chief cursed under his breath. “Fine. Fine.” He let Legend pull him closer, giving him a hug before he curled up on his lap. The medic was tense, one hand resting beside his wrench, but he was there, and that gave Legend an instant sense of relief. “If you gouge my eyes out when you come to your senses, I’m blaming you,” Chief grumbled.

Legend ignored him, opting instead to run clumsy, half-numb fingers through Chief’s hair.

“I mean it, Lege, you’re not going to be happy later-”

“But I feel better now…” He did, really. He still felt hazy and confused, and focusing on Chief helped distract him.

“We’re both going to regret this…” the medic groaned, but he slowly began to relax as Legend continued to play with his hair.

Legend hummed, staring into the distance. After a while, he felt Chief try to suppress a shiver. Chief’s face was hidden in his hands, but Legend could tell that his breathing was interspersed with small gasps.

“Shh. It’s okay,” Legend murmured, but that made Chief jolt and try to sit upright.

Chief cursed again and pointed at Legend. “You don’t get to be the judge of what’s okay. You’re drugged, injured, and you don’t even remember that you’re supposed to hate me.” His words were harsh, but his tone was soft. “When we’re back with the others, that’s when it’ll be okay.”

“We’ll be okay?” Legend repeated, quiet and hopeful.

Chief’s voice was as strained as his smile. “Yeah, Lege. We will.”

[fang-toothed]

I’m going to talk about “passing” (as the opposite sex), because it feels like there are not many neutral and comprehensive explanations of the truth of it.

During my 3 years of identifying as trans, I was told that I could pass completely as male with hormones and top surgery (mastectomy). I looked through a subreddit where trans-identified people posted pics of themselves to see if they “passed” and I gave the most affirmative answers I could. The trans women, I noticed, even back then, always got much more positive comments than trans men, and also seemed much more confident that they themselves “passed,” even though the visible evidence seemed to show the opposite.

2 out of 3 of the trans women I know I “clocked” (could tell they were male) at first glance. Both had long or longish hair, wore (what is considered to be) women’s clothing, and both seemed to be on HRT (had breast development). The 3rd took me about 15 minutes to figure out. I clocked one TIF straight away, though this person wasn’t on artificial hormones and had an obviously female voice. The other had a beard, was obviously on testosterone, and had the “camp” voice gay men (and straight TIFs) tend to have. It took me five class periods to clock the latter, mainly because I never saw this person standing up through the crowded room. The moment I saw this classmate walking outside of the classroom it was very obvious this person was female. Their hips would be considered wide even for a woman, and the other TIF had nearly the exact same height (5’4”ish) and hip width. It didn’t matter how male either seemed; their hips will give them away every time.

I am not saying this out of spite. I genuinely want to help trans people realise what it took me years to realise: that they are being lied to. Sure, you’ll get shown a picture of Buck Angel or Blaire White as “proof” trans women are women and trans men are men fuck yeah, but the former is an outlier and the latter does not pass at all without makeup and strategic lighting, and even they still do not pass naked. You are being sold a lie, and people are making a lot of profit from it.

Trans women, you need to realise that having no one straight-up say “hey, you’re not a woman!” to you does not mean you pass. In real life, you probably never will. Women are instinctively scared of you and will very rarely confront you, especially since you keep making death and rape threats towards “TERFs”. HRT will make you look less masculine, but you will never experience a female level of hormones, simply because you are not female. Ovaries make most estrogen for females, which you can see below, and your hormones will never cycle the way female hormones do because you lack the uterus that controls them. You will never experience menopause. Your body never stops being male. If you are told contrary, you are being lied to.

Trans men, you need to realise that while you do have a chance of passing with hormones, surgery, and clothing on, your health will ALWAYS suffer if you do so. Testosterone HRT causes vaginal dryness, atrophy, and pelvic/clitoral pain directly from the overabundance of testosterone. You will likely gain weight, potentially even developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems from a rise in cholesterol. You will go into early menopause after 12 months of no periods, and have the negative health effects that come with it. Healthy levels of estrogen and testosterone (yes, it is present in all female bodies) do a lot for the body; just look at the source above. There is no possible way for you to pass as male without your body suffering as a result.

Hate me and call me a TERF all you like, but I am telling you the truth. You HAVE to stop relying on word of mouth for information about transitioning medically. I would honestly prefer you to keep identifying as trans and keep doing TRA activism and NOT take HRT/get unnecessary surgery than readily admit you are not the gender you identify as and still take/get them. I am a sympathetic person and I hate unnecessary pain, even from my political “rivals” (I do not consider you rivals). I do not and will never hate trans people. Please just ask yourselves why looking at the other side’s materials is fine for Conservative, Nazi, whatever movement, because their arguments are ridiculous and based on selfish interests that are easy to see, EXCEPT gender-critical material, which is supposedly just as foolish. It is never a sin to educate yourself, despite what certain movements and religions will tell you.

[trans-axolotl]

some of Eli Clare's writing about diagnosis feels very relevant to discussions on tumblr right now:

"It’s impossible to grapple with cure without encountering white Western medical diagnosis—ink on paper in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International Classification of Diseases, a process in the hands of doctors, a system of categorization. I want to read diagnosis as a source of knowledge, sometimes trustworthy and other times suspect. As a tool and a weapon shaped by particular belief systems, useful and dangerous by turns. As a furious storm, exerting pressure in many directions.

Simply put, diagnosis wields immense power. It can provide us access to vital medical technology or shame us, reveal a path toward less pain or get us locked up. It opens doors and slams them shut.

Diagnosis names the conditions in our body-minds, charts the connections between them. It holds knowledge. It organizes visceral realities. It draws borders and boundaries, separating fluid in the lungs from high blood pressure, ulcers from kidney stones, declaring anxiety attacks distinct from heart attacks, post-traumatic stress disconnected from depression. It legitimizes some pain as real; it identifies other pain as psychosomatic or malingering. It reveals little about the power of these borders and boundaries. Through its technology—x-rays, MRIs, blood draws, EKGs, CAT scans—diagnosis transforms our three-dimensional body-minds into two-dimensional graphs and charts, images on light boards, symptoms in databases, words on paper. It holds history and creates baselines. It predicts the future and shapes all sorts of decisions. It unleashes political and cultural forces. At its best, diagnosis affirms our distress, orients us to what’s happening in our body-minds, helps make meaning out of chaotic visceral experiences.

But diagnosis rarely stays at its best. It can also disorient us or de- value what we know about ourselves. It can leave us with doubts, questions, shame. It can catapult us out of our body-minds. All too often diagnosis is poorly conceived or flagrantly oppressive. It is brandished as authority, our body-minds bent to match diagnostic criteria rather than vice versa. Diagnosis can become a cover for what health care providers don’t understand; become more important than our messy visceral selves; become the totality of who we are.

...

It is impossible to name all the ways in which diagnosis is useful.

It propels eradication and affirms what we know about our own body-minds. It extends the reach of genocide and makes meaning of the pain that keeps us up night after night. It allows for violence in the name of care and creates access to medical technology, human services, and essential care. It sets in motion social control and guides treatment that provides comfort. It takes away self-determination and saves lives. It disregards what we know about our own body-minds and leads to cure.

Diagnosis is useful, but for whom and to what ends?"

-Eli Clare, Brilliant Imperfection pg 41-42, 48.

[mha-quotes-and-such]

I did some research, and to create explosions as big as he does, Bakugou would have to have a lethal amount of nitroglycerin in his system.

0.2-0.4 grams is generally the amount used medically to decrease blood pressure. Since Bakugou doesn't have high blood pressure, it would just expand his veins, resulting in low blood pressure, which would make him dizzy and nauseous.

2 grams is fatal.

Nitroglycerin is also very unstable, so if he didn't have conscious control over his Quirk, every time he hit something his hands would go off.

Like 2 grams is pretty explosive but it wouldn't do this

Logically he should be dead.

I think his body is probably more resistant to nitroglycerin than the average human's, but I also think he would need meds to help manage it.

Oh! Also he's been exposed to it long-term so that's probably done something to his body besides making it resistant.

Oh god ok this really got me thinking. First of all, I think a LOT of quirks would kill their user irl pretty fast. Bakugou’s is one of the more obvious ones of course for a variety of reasons. But lets say we suspend our belief and think that his body can handle it enough to not die. He was still born without a quirk, so even if baby Bakugou is just built different its still going to be a huge shock to his system once his quirk manifests

Its pretty clear that when someones body doesnt compensate their quirk enough it really sucks (looking directly at Izuku “broken every bone ever” Midoriya) so if, like you said, some of his resistance is long term exposure then he absolutely would have had trouble with it at first. He probably wouldve had a lot of trouble with dizziness and fainting when he was younger due to the low blood pressure. I think the idea of meds for it is really good tho! I imagine science would have to be pretty advance for the express purpose of keeping people alive while using their quirks, but luckily low blood pressure is already a researched issue so it wouldnt be as difficult (can you imagine having to try to make someone not be melted by their own acid?)

[over-particular]

minimalist self-care habits

One of the biggest misconceptions about taking care of yourself is the systematic and erroneous association of self-care with extreme consumerism. This idea conveys the image of self-care as something reserved to those who can afford it. The truth is, and many already know this, there are countless ways to be good to yourself without spending more than necessary.

☐ Get enough sleep. A child would need 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night. The average is between 7 and 9 hours for an adult. I can never say it enough, but sleep is an important part of our lives. Value it highly. It's an elementary need: not getting enough sleep puts us at risk of developing numerous chronic diseases: such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure, coronary heart disease and some types of cancer. You are also more likely to suffer a stroke.

☐ Turn the volume down. Since I'm riding the wave of how we 21st century people are neglecting our health, I also want to stress the importance of auditory health. If, like me, you love to spend hours with headphones on, consider turning down the volume. I know it's much more enjoyable to experience it fully, but having gone through the terrible experience of tinnitus, I bitterly regret it. There is a simple way to track your auditory health: please check your smartphone's headphone safety features.

☐ Don't neglect your medical appointments. I have always been very anxious about it. Not to the point of pulling my hair out, but I used to postpone my appointment so much that I sometimes forgot why I even wanted to go. There are countless of reasons why we may not like to go to the doctor, but the truth is that health issues simply cannot wait. It is equally important to go see your doctor even if you think you are in perfect condition.

☐ Be physically active. Always keep in mind that your body, like your mind, needs to be stimulated. Besides allowing you to manage your weight more effectively, sport improve your brain health, reduces health risks and strengthens both your muscles and your bones.

☐ Watch your language. It's more personal, but it introduces a sense of discipline into your mind. The turns of phrase, the informal language, the way we speak, the choice of words, the syntax… Speaking is the perfect expression of the mind. This does not mean abolishing the use of crude words, but rather regaining control, becoming master of your language again. Your words should never exceed your thoughts. In my opinion, a rich language reflects the attention the speaker pays to it. When was the last time you learned a new word?

☐ Clean your space. The cleanliness of your living space has a big impact on your productivity. A messy space can lead to a messy mind. Home is, for many of us, the place we feel most comfortable: keeping your living space clean and organized naturally improves the quality of your life, your sleep and your health. Clean regularly, let the sun shine in and air out daily.

☐ Avoid ads. Easier said than done. But try not to have your mind parasitized by the multitude of advertisements we are flooded with. I don't watch television. I do have access to a music platform so I don't have to deal with the constant stream of ads on YouTube.

☐ Go for a walk. Pretending to discover your city or town anew can do wonders for a mind in need of a little distraction. Check out some of the free events that may be happening near you. Visit a park you've never been to before.

☐ Give yourself a reason to wait. Try to establish a ritual of patience. In other words… You stop binge watching every new show you start and you take your time to appreciate it.

☐ Stimulate your mind. The internet has given us more ways than ever to keep our minds busy. For those who know me a little, I am a big fan of reading. And if physical books can indeed be expensive, you can find some really good ones for free in .pdf format. In fact, some kind souls have even gone so far as to share entire drives of them on Tumblr... Going further in my reflection, I think that the scourge of our century is the intellectual lethargy: everything is at our fingertips, why bother reading a whole book when I have access to a detailed summary of only a few pages? Beyond the spiritual enrichment, it is also a proof of patience to seize a book and give it three hours of your time. I sincerely believe that as human beings, we owe it to ourselves to keep our senses and our minds alert. Reading is a great way to exercise our brain as it helps stimulate our cognitive abilities. It allows us to develop our capacity for memorization, reflection, analysis and imagination. Try coloring for adults (yes, it's a thing: ■ ■). There are also many games for adults online with the aim of stimulating memory and improving concentration (■, ■.). Try solving online puzzles, fake criminal investigations, math problems? Learn how to code (with Codecademy for example, which offers many courses for free). Take language courses. Many general knowledge quizzes are also available to anyone who is interested (■) . The web is a real goldmine in terms of resources and many are available for free.

☐ Finally, this list would be meaningless without me asking you to learn to relax. Give yourself a day off if you need to. It is essential to take it easy, to get your nose out of your planning, to look up from your screen and breathe in some fresh air through the window. I advise all those who try to relax to start a digital detox: we must learn to relax independently, without a screen and regain control over the objects of our stimulation.

My lists are intended to be personal. If you find them useful, that's great. Feel free to rewrite them! Don't hesitate to ask questions or send me your comments and ideas for next articles.

[eatsowhat]

#audiobook #book #listening #soundcloud #fury #love #audiobooks #voice #review #today #playlist #story #reading #read #girl #reading #thriller #google #chirp #Audible #secretofhealthyhair

[godmerlin]

I have to limit screen time because my concussion is not where the doctor would like it and it's so hard. I want to make so many gifs but I cannot and can only watch stuff for like 2 hours and then barely look at my phone. I don't know what to do???? Can't listen to music much because it makes me dizzy and I can't read books because the words on the page move. So I'm left to doing like nothing at all. She said another 2 to 4 weeks and if it's not better in 4 weeks I gotta go back. And then!!! I have to do physical therapy for my back which I'm nervous as hell about but gotta do it cuz insurance won't pay for more imaging to be done without it and that needs to be done to see how advanced certain things are. I'm NOT diabetic!!! Thank god!!! That was my biggest fear!!! New blood pressure medication that also helps control pulse which I should have been on all along because my heart rate is insanely high. Have to do a heart monitor test for a month. I may be forgetting something but basically. Been a whole ass day. I am 34 and feel like I am 94. 🤣

[thekavseklabs]

We talkin abt our muses disabilities?

- Imnakit is albino and suffers from vision issues and skin issues due to it. He sunburns easily and needs to be either inside or under an umbrella at all times. His eyeballs wiggle around due to the albinism, too, and he has to wear huge fuckin glasses. He also is afraid of fire and the sun due to a lifetime of religious trauma centering around Kahieltek.

- 3 is Imnakit's child and thus inherited his albinism, and due to various factors, they also came out very unhealthy, with high blood pressure, immunodeficiency, some brain things going on, and marfan syndrome. As an adult they require constant help from machines to manage breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, they're in constant pain, are quadriplegic, cannot go in the sun, and can only eat extremely gentle foods due to chronic malnutrition and inadequate medical treatment. Their perpetual high blood pressure from infancy has resulted in deformation of the eyes even beyond the albinism and they are fully blind without the aid of their tech. They are terminally ill and technically already dead, using their energy research to power their body beyond death. Basically a lich that still has alive people problems. Even in aus where they have access to better healthcare as an infant/child/etc, they remain very much heavily disabled, just better managed and no longer as imminently terminal, to varying levels depending on what's available to them in each au. Ex: in modern au, no longer terminal at all. In xiv, terminal still, but estimated 50s rather than 30s, and they found a workaround thanks to the Ascians. Aside from physical things, they have severe adhd, c-ptsd, and npd.

- Vynathr has gigantism from a benign tumor on his pituitary gland, which also fucks with his hormones. Gigantism inconveniences him a lot because most spaces for kei are made too small. Kei have collapsible collarbones ribs and pelvises, like ferrets, so Vyn can get around better than you'd think, but he still has a hard time and has to employ magic at times to get around. Gigantism also causes joint pain and weakness, which I experience irl, and like me, his muscles have had to get a lot bigger and stronger than they normally should in order to compensate for those joints. Aside from that, he also has pica, severe c-ptsd, and anger / self control issues. His ability to run his nation effectively is partially due to a series of measured he himself placed to force him to think through and meticulously consider his actions because otherwise he'd declare war way too often, and he knows that's horrific. He can't sleep around others, will attack violently if something enters his room while he sleeps, and is deeply afraid of meeting families despite wanting one of his own due to his childhood abuse.

- spades has adhd, osdd, depression, severe ptsd, and extensive trauma related to brainwashing and experimentation. He also has several old injuries including some prosthetics from missing fingers causing phantom pain, alongside a limp and hand tremors.

There's more, that's just off the top of my head!

[obfuscated-abstract]

Title: The Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) Bladder—Urodynamic Findings

Date: March 2021 Published in: Urology Publicly available: It is now.

Citation: Faure Walker, N., Gall, R., Gall, N., Feuer, J., Harvey, H., & Taylor, C. (2021). The postural tachycardia syndrome (pots) bladder—urodynamic findings. Urology, 153, 107–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2021.02.028

Full text

Abbreviations:

ANS: autonomic nervous system

DO: detrusor overactivity (involuntary detrusor contractions during the filling phase)

DU: detrusor underactivity

ISC: intermittent self-catheterisation

OAB: overactive bladder

POTS: postural [orthostatic] tachycardia syndrome

UDS: urodynamic studies

Article Summary

Abstract

Introduction

POTS is a chronic condition which involves a sustained an dexcessive increase in heart rate when moving from lying to standing. Criteria for diagnosis inclue and increase in heart rate on standing of 30-40 bpm or more depending on age.

The prevalence of POTS worldwide is not known (estimated 1/500 people or higher). It mainly affects females (5:1 ratio) between the ages of 12-40. Exact causes are not well known.

When standing, blood moves from the chest to lower areas of the body causing a drop in blood pressure which the autonomic nervous system (ANS) restores through vasoconstriction and only a small increase in heart rate. The ANS dysregulation in POTS is proposed to affect peripheral artery vasoconstriction, blood volume control, or heart rate control.

POTS has a wide range of cardiovascular-related symptoms including dizziness, blackouts, palpitations, chest pain, and breathlessness and a wide range of non-cardiovascular symptoms including migraines, gastrointestinal dysfunction, poor temperature control, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue due to widespread dysregulation of the ANS.

Management of cardiovascular symptoms usually involve increasing blood volume by drinking more fluid and adding salt to the diet, using compression clothing, and improving fitness. Medications including beta-blockers, fludrocortisone, midodrine, ivabradine, and pyridostigmine are also used.

This condition also causes symptoms in many organ systems. Assisting with respiratory dysregulation and optimising sleep has shown benefit. Urinary symptoms and bladder dysregulation appear common.

Only one published study (Kaufman et al., 2017)has investigated urinary symptoms in POTS patients finding that nocturia was the most bothersome symptoms followed by frequency and urgency. It also found 13/19 patients to have 'probable' OAB with OAB defined by the International Continence Society as 'urgency, with or without urgency urinary incontinence, usually with increased daytime frequency and nocturia'

Materials and Methods

Explains the method used for selection of patients, and collection and interpretation of data

Results

The population is characterised in this section (sex, hypermobility, age) and numerical data is provided in tables 1 through 4.

Discussion

The patients' sexes and mean age were similar to Kaufman, et al.'s study. Despite the prevalence of OAB in that study, only 14% in this study showed detrusor overactivity (DO) on their urodynamic studies (UDS). This study hypothesises that urinary urgency in some POTS patients results as their bladders fill to their maximum capacity without warning. Importantly, none of the patients demonstrated a 'dangerous bladded' that would put the upper tracts at risk.

Patients with POTS did show significant voiding abnormalities. Completed pressure-flow studies suggested a high prevalence of likely functional bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and detrusor underactivity (DU)

DU is defined by the ICS as 'a contraction of reduced strength and/or duration resulting in prolonged bladder emptying and/or failure to achieve complete bladder emptying within a normal time span' and does not have a formal definition in females nor is the prevalence in younger and asymptomatic women known. This makes it difficult to ascertain whether the prevalence of BOO and DU is a specific feature of POTS.

The UDS findings display both storage and voiding abnormalities signifying autonomic dysfunction and possibly intrinsic muscle dysfunction. Given the similar findings of studies forcused on diabetes, similar autonomic neuropathy may be the cause of symptoms in POTS.

Patients are offered education and generally managed conservatively

High fluid and salt intake recommended to treat postural symptoms may aggravate OAB symptoms. It is also noted that the use of anticholinergic and beta 3 agonists likely to be of limited efficacy and may worse tachycardia

The study is limited by retrospective nature, small numbers (especially of male patients), lack of comparative group, and that not all patients underwent video UDS or urethral pressure profiling.

Conclusion

'The UDS of patients with “PoTS bladder” demonstrate a poorly sensate but stable and safe bladder with functional obstruction and impaired bladder contractility that may necessitate straining or ISC. Patient education and conservative management are currently the mainstay of treatment.'