#Free appointments for debt problems

[rajnishtyagi]

Closing Ltd company with HMRC tax debt With relevant Q&A 1. Introduction: Understanding the implications of closing a limited company with HMRC tax debt Closing a limited company can be a complex process, and when there is outstanding tax debt owed to HMRC, the situation becomes even more challenging. It is crucial for company directors and shareholders to fully comprehend the implications and…

[gay-as-fucking-hell]

Thinking about a Modern AU for Path to Nowhere and I've got prompts! :D

Office romance with Eirene. She's the cold hearted CEO of Quinn Corporations who has never been in a relationship before and you're the overworked employee that has only ever been in toxic relationships.

Eirene interrupts a yelling your boss was giving you and that interaction soon leads to many more between the two of you. Through you, she finds out about the toxic work environment and mistreatment within her company. This leads to Eirene ordering an overhaul of each department with a multitude of firings of shitty employees occurring and a reworking of many systems.

The both of you grow closer to one another and soon feelings start to bloom. But there's a problem, Eirene's doesn't know a thing about romance and is to prideful to outright ask you out, and you're as dense as a rock and in denial with the possibility of her liking you.

Mafia romance with Zoya. She's the leader of the infamous gang The Legion and you're a forced stripper trying to work off the debt your parents accumulated from a different gang by working at their club.

Zoya was visiting the club to discuss gang matters with the owner when you come over to entertain her whilst she waited for them. She found herself enamoured by you. You looked so out of place, like you didn't belong in your current position and this peeked Zoya's interest. She starts coming to the club regularly, booking you for a few hours in a VIP lounge and eventually conversations start between the two of you.

You both become friends somewhat and you start looking forward to her visits. Zoya starts to get bold, becoming touchy with you and asking more personal questions. You do the same, wanting to know more about her and encouraging her touches whilst initiating your own. Soon the sexual tension becomes too thick to bare and you have sex with her. Afterwards, your boss tries to stop future appointments with Zoya but she doesn't plan on letting that happen.

Amnesia and Small Town romance with Adela. She's a well-known local of the area with a famous salon and you're a new resident who's settling into the area.

You end up moving into town after a nasty divorce with your ex-husband, just wanting to be away from him and to start fresh somewhere. As you're settling in, you start going out for things and talking to the locals. You are told about many things within the town along with a salon and its highly praised owner.

You soon decide to visit the salon for a haircut and now you cant shake the feeling of familiarity during or after your visit. Soon you start getting odd dreams and visions of a life within this small town with the most prominent ones being a fight with your father, a car accident, a mysterious lady, and a feminine voice with a britsh accent.

Anyone is free to use these prompts, but please tag me. I want credit and I want to read the fics!

I hope you enjoyed my brain rot!

[aspiffygoat]

So you want to be cared for, huh?

Two words: Maslow’s pyramid.

(Info from Spiffy Ref sheet.)

Creating a goal:

Height: 9ft (274cm) [Incredibly tall goat boi…]

Start BMI: 21.7 359lbs (163kg) [Cursed slim Spiffy…]

End BMI: 45.0 745lbs (338kg) [Wholesome big boy Spiffy~!]

Essentials:

Diet: (This is what Spiffy can haz.) [This is what goats can have to eat]

Barley, peas, corn, wheat, soybean, canola, whole grain breads, oats, molasses, rice, various nuts. celery. cheese, milk.

Meal plan:

Starting with 3 meals and snacks then 4 meals and escalating slowly until you have:

Breakfast. Brunch. Lunch. Second Lunch. Dinner. Supper. And finally: Dessert!

An allotted 2 cheat days a month. (You can have cake sometimes, big boy. :) )

Exercise:

Light jog for 1 hour a day (Light exercise for cardiovascular health.)

Sleep Schedule:

Wake up at 8am.

Wind down by 7pm or 8pm.

Be in bed by 12am at the very latest. (YOU NEED SLEEP!!!)

Personalized apartment:

Modified double doorways.

Modified hallways.

Bariatric equipment.

(Sling Bar, Lift motor reinforced steel frame, California king, Cotton sling.)

No stairs.

Ramp (For easy accessibility in and out of home.)

Fully furbished kitchen pantry. (You gotta snack.)

Bedpan/Chamberpot in bedroom.

Mobility aid handles in bathroom.

Washtub (for big boy~)

Safety Needs:

Potential Healthcare:

Bi-Annual Physical exams (To be well-informed on potential illnesses.)

Dental appointments. (For clean teeth~!)

Prescribed Medications (To prevent heart disease, fatty liver, hypertension, depression, blood sugar and blood cholesterol.)

Therapy, once a week (To ensure mental health. :3 )

C-Pap Mask (For sleepy time, you snore loudly with sleep apnea!)

Skin and fur care routine. (Soft boi)

Sponge bath routine. (Clean boi)

Transportation:

Reinforced back of a pickup truck. (Long distance and fast food trips.) [You’re too big to drive~]

Rascal scooter (For short distance, with basket for snacks.)

Rollator Walker (So you can waddle at home, big boy~!)

Love, Belonging and Esteem!

Social interaction:

VR headset (Friends in your computer~!)

Personal computer set-up.

Personal cellphone.

Scheduled meet ups with friend groups.

Constant praise and love and attention on demand.

Comfort:

Bedroom fridge.

Bedroom computer.

Personal cellphone.

Emergency Health alert necklace (So you don’t lose contact and in case you fall over and can’t get up.

Cotton Robes (Clothing for sensitive skin)

Personal art tablet.

Big screen television (In bedroom and living room)

Streaming devices with protective VPN.

Large pull out couches for relaxation.

PILLOWS! SO MANY, WOW~!

Box of Special things. (For Naughty boys only!!!1!)

Self-Actualization

You’ll be allowed to do as you like as I constantly praise you for being a handsome man while you binge almost constantly~

When you reach 745 pounds (338kg), we’ll adjust your diet accordingly so you can be a big, happy, fluffy boi for as long as possible~!

Finances: I am in so much debt caring for your fatass Don’t worry about it~ ;)

My thinking behind this method: Feeding you is only part of your life and isn’t really all that fulfilling as a life goal. To gain weight, you not only need to eat more, you need to accommodate for the future burden obesity might pose, no matter how sexy it is. Not only that, but we don’t want you to be a stinky, lonely fat boy with health problems…

You’re entitled to a normal, albeit more fulfilling life with friends and relatively good health.

Now go treat yourself with a brownie~

free healthcare...? free housing...? ... hey Anon... how you doin?~ lifting my skirt showing off my exposed ankles showing off my ringless hoof fingers blows a kiss and winks

[icy-book]

On the topic of healthcare, here's a small overview of UK healthcare

The main healthcare provider in the UK is the famous (and sometimes infamous) NHS - National Health Service. Under the NHS, almost every single appointment, test, surgery, etc is completely free. There are very few things I can think of that cost money.

Blood tests? Free. Broke you leg? X-ray, surgery, cast, anything you recieved in your hospital stay, free. Cancer treatment? Free.

You have the option to go private, for example if waiting lists are too long, and then you pay out of your own pocket. Private healthcare is expensive, but I've never heard of anyone having crippling debt because of it. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but it's not common. Most people who go private will do it for one specific thing, but predominantly use the NHS

The only thing that costs money is your perscriptions, which are capped at £9.90 per item. Let's say you get perscribed 3 months worth of a medication for a year - you'll pay £39.60

If you're under 16? Perscriptions are free. Student under 19? Also free. Over 60? Still free. Certain medical conditions - your medication is free. Pregnant? All perscriptions are free during your pregnancy. Any medicine/perscriptions you recieve as an in-patient in hosptial is free.

Contraception is always free.

Another note on pregnancy - giving birth is free, ultrasounds and checkups during pregnancy is free, and all your child's check ups and vaccines after their born are free. The idea of having to pay to give birth sounds completely and utteraly ridiculous to me

Ambulances are free, unless you called them as like a prank or whatever, then you get a fine for vasting time and resources that could save someone's life

Now, dental care and optcians aren't covered by the NHS and are done privately. Well, they're partially covered by the NHS. Again, if you're under 16, or a full time student under 19, the cost of eye tests is free and you just have to pay for the frames. Certain frames are also free. If you live in Scotland, eye tests are free

The most you will pay for dental care under the NHS is a bit over 300 quid. For most things, you'll pay around £27

This isn't to say the NHS is perfect or flawless. It's incredibly underfunded, the waiting lists are often awful (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, or CAHMS, currently has a waiting list of 8 years, unless you are at active risk or have another reason to be prioritised. You automatically age out of CAHMS at 18, so you'd have to apply at 9 years old to recieve treatment. Most mental health problems develop in your teens), and the staff are often incredibly overworked

But the NHS has been around since 1948. The idea of having to pay to have lifesaving treatment sounds ludicrious and inhumane, even without factoring the amount that American healthcare gets marked up. Hell, even the idea of having to pay to see your local GP for a really bad cold or some torn cartilige sounds weird

[mysteriouslytransparentwitch]

(via GIPHY) Good,I'm 34 years old and I'm at home in my studio, I'm leaving for work in a few hours. Nothing special apart from a Sunday brunch if all goes well and a restaurant on November 16

.I am delighted to turn the page after several months of health problems. I had another appointment in December with the gynecologist for the continuation and in cardiology apparently the kidneys were too stimulated by the high dose of medication.This year, I decided to sign up for a cultural outing dating site. I participated and organized outings and I really enjoyed these outings.I also decided to treat myself by putting it off until later, I understood that you can miss out on your life.At the end of December I will have finished repaying my debts and finally free @houseofbrat @scorpiotwentythree opened a retirement savings account because unfortunately being just a saleswoman I will only have €1000 in retirement so I decided to prepare for my future.I also met someone but I don't know if I should commit he has a lot of quality but I don't know I doubt I'm waiting for your return @is-mayo-an-instrument am happy to have taken my two self-employed activities seriously, I hope to develop more at the end of the year and in 2024.Well this is my update letter in my life

thank you again for your wordsmeeting with my future tarot reader on prince william

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Just a note to a couple of people this week who added requests to their RFM items -- got your messages and no problem!

Ways to Give:

thegeeksqueaks is a high school science teacher (who has fundraised previously for supplies and comfort items for her students, particularly her neurodivergent and queer students) who has been seeking a diagnosis for ongoing migraines, vertigo, and head pain for most of the year; she now has a diagnosis and a procedure date, but needs to raise $1.5K to cover the post-insurance payment estimate. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here, give via Paypal here, and give via Venmo here.

Anon linked to cantankerouscanuck, who is raising $2K CAD for life necessities including housing, and to pay off debt incurred to pay for their father's funeral; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

yohjideranged was diagnosed this past week with cancer, and is raising funds for help with rent for six months while they undergo treatment; this will allow their spouse to take time off from work to accompany them to appointments without having to worry about the impact of so many unpaid days off. You can read more and give at GoFundMe here.

Recurring Needs:

mid-nighttiger linked to a fundraiser for a friend, Katherine, a cosplayer (501st and Rebel Legion, among others) who was in a serious car accident and has had a gofundme set up for her medical expenses; you can read more and reblog Mid-Nighttiger's post here or support the fundraiser here.

thelastpyler is raising funds for food for themself and their sister, and meds for their sister; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

rilee16 is raising funds to cover utilities, to afford medication and possibly an upcoming move. They've also had expenses related to a recent incident where their roommate, who has been a problem for some time, got violent and the police got involved; and for their own safety they've had to stay elsewhere at times. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

chingaderita's partner's family house recently caught fire and completely burned, killing his grandmother and causing extensive property loss; he has also recently lost his job due to the fire. They're raising funds to keep food on the table, and get their partner mental health aid; they also need funds for laundry to have clean clothes for interviews. You can read more, reblog, and support the fundraiser here.

Lisa is chronically ill and dealing with medical debt, and her car has been repossessed; it is her only current means of support for the gig work she's able to do. She raised enough to stay the auction on the car, but in the next two weeks needs to raise the remainder, a little over $1.6K, to get it back, or it will still go to auction. You can read more and give at GoFundMe here or give via Zelle at prosie.posie@gmail.com, Cashapp at $LMedical, Venmo at salt-medical, or here at Paypal.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[misfitwashere]

June 28, 2024 

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUN 29

There is huge news today: in the case of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron defense doctrine that underpins the administrative state. 

I am putting that down as a marker because I’ve had a very busy week of travel and writing (the paperback edition of Democracy Awakening is coming out in October and I am working on a new afterword) and I am just too tired to cover it and its history well tonight. 

Instead, tonight I want to make a note of something that has been nagging at me for weeks now: Trump’s focus on 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested by Russian officers in March 2023 and is currently on trial for the trumped-up charge of espionage. The State Department considers him “wrongfully detained,” a rare designation indicating that the person is being held by a hostile government as a bargaining chip. That designation means the U.S. government will do all it can to secure his release. 

At least three times now, Trump has interfered with those negotiations by vowing that Russian president Vladimir Putin will release Gershkovich for him and him alone. He said it in last night’s CNN debacle, where he also made a big deal out of the idea that Putin will do it as a favor, without an exchange of money.  

He said something else last night in his slurry of words that jumped out. Somewhere in his discussion of Putin’s invasion of eastern Ukraine in February 2022, Trump said: “Putin saw that, he said, you know what, I think we’re going to go in and maybe take my—this was his dream. I talked to him about it, his dream.”

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election explained that Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager and then conduit to Russian operatives, in summer 2016 “discussed a plan to resolve the ongoing political problems in Ukraine by creating an autonomous republic in its more industrialized eastern region of Donbas, and having [Viktor] Yanukovych, the Ukrainian President ousted in 2014, elected to head that republic.” 

Manafort had helped to get the pro-Russian oligarch Yanukovych into office, and when Yanukovych fled to Russia after the Ukrainian people threw him out, Manafort was left unemployed and in debt to other oligarchs. When he went to work for Trump, for free, he promptly wrote to his partner Konstantin Kilimnik, whom the Republican-dominated Senate Intelligence Committee identified in 2020 as a Russian operative, asking how “we” could use the appointment “to get whole,” and made sure that the Russian oligarch to whom he owed the most money knew about his close connection with the Trump campaign (p. 135). 

The Mueller Report continued: “That plan, Manafort later acknowledged, constituted a ‘backdoor’ means for Russia to control eastern Ukraine” (p. 140). The region that Putin wanted was the country’s industrial heartland. He was offering a “peace” plan that carved off much of Ukraine and made it subservient to him. This was the dead opposite of U.S. policy for a free and united Ukraine, and there was no chance that former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was running for the presidency against Trump, would stand for it. But if only Trump were elected….

And, in November 2016, he was.

According to the Republican-dominated Senate Intelligence Committee, Manafort’s partner and Russian operative Kilimnick wrote that "[a]ll that is required to start the process is a very minor 'wink' (or slight push) from D[onald] T[rump] saying 'he wants peace in Ukraine and Donbass back in Ukraine' and a decision to be a 'special representative' and manage this process." Following that, Kilimnik suggested that Manafort ‘could start the process and within 10 days visit Russia ([Yanukovych] guarantees your reception at the very top level, cutting through all the bullsh*t and getting down to business), Ukraine, and key EU capitals.’ The email also suggested that once then–Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko understood this ‘message’ from the United States, the process ‘will go very fast and DT could have peace in Ukraine basically within a few months after inauguration’” (p. 99).

According to the Senate Intelligence Committee, the men continued to work on what they called the “Mariupol Plan” at least until 2018.

In last night’s debate, Trump insisted that Putin never would have invaded Ukraine on his watch (although Putin in fact continued his 2014 assault during Trump’s term, and Trump tried to withhold support for Ukraine). 

After Russia invaded Ukraine again in 2022, Jim Rutenberg published a terrific and thorough review of this history in the New York Times Magazine, pointing out that Putin’s attack on Ukraine looked different with this history behind it. Once Biden took office in 2021, the many efforts of the people around Trump, including most obviously Rudy Giuliani, to influence Ukrainian politics through their ties to the White House were over. 

“Thirteen months later,” Rutenberg wrote, “Russian tanks crossed the Ukrainian frontier.” Once his troops were there, Putin claimed he had annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, two of which were specifically named in the Mariupol Plan, and instituted martial law in them, claiming that the people there had voted to join Russia.   

Last night, Trump claimed that the Ukrainians are losing the war and described how sad it was that their country is being destroyed (without mentioning that it is Putin’s unprovoked war that is doing that damage). He also significantly exaggerated how much money the U.S. has contributed to Ukraine’s defense. 

That misrepresentation lines up with Putin’s offer of Friday, June 14, 2024, in a “peace proposal” to Ukraine: Ukraine would give up Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, including far more territory than Putin’s troops occupy, in exchange for a ceasefire. Putin said, “If Kyiv and the Western capitals refuse it, as before, then in the end, that’s their…political and moral responsibility for the continuation of bloodshed.” He also demanded an end to all sanctions and that Ukraine abandon its plan to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the plan and noted that there is no reason to think Putin will stop his land grab once his forces regroup.) 

So when Trump last night said about the 2022 invasion, “Putin saw that, he said, you know what, I think we’re going to go in and maybe take my—this was his dream. I talked to him about it, his dream,” it sounded as if he had been in on the Mariupol Plan. And when he talked about how the war needed to end, especially in light of Putin’s recent “peace” plan, it sounded as if perhaps he still is. 

And he promised, yet again, that he and he alone could get Gershkovich released.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Our former President and the presumptuous GOP candidate is a Russian agent. An agent of our enemy. Isn't that the definition of treason?

[learnwithmearticles]

Third Party Vote

A third party is any political party other than the dominant two in the nation - in the U.S.A., these are the Republican and the Democratic parties.

The third parties of the U.S.A. include the Libertarian party and the Green party.

Libertarian beliefs emphasize personal rights to property and participating in a free market. Generally, they do not align with progressive goals due to three key beliefs; everyone’s right to own guns; segregation of education standards; and voluntary taxes1. Overall, they want less government control.

Taxes are extremely annoying and inconvenient, and the allocation of them has not been optimal in many years, but the lack of them would cause extreme losses to programs that help people survive, including social security and certain healthcare plans2. Likewise, while decentralized education can have many benefits for students, the education disparities between states is drastic, and further decentralization will likely exacerbate education inequalities3.

But the purpose of this article is not to debunk the goals of specific parties. Instead, I aim to explain the unfortunate effects of third-party voting in general elections. Specifically, I will explain why some people prefer the Democratic party or the Green party, and why we must be careful when voting this year.

The U.S.A. Green party has goals of strong, definitive measures to address environmental degradation and climate change, institutions that perpetuate inequities, and unsustainable military practices4. Progressively, they are possibly the strongest pushers for change, and they criticize and claim to avoid the corruption and hypocrisy of the Democratic party.

The most likely Democratic candidate for presidency in 2024 is Joseph Biden. During his 2021-2024 presidency, Biden has made Medicare able to negotiate drug prices, including insulin which became capped at 35 dollars per month for seniors5. He also funded vaccination campaigns to address the COVID-19 pandemic, helped protect marriage equality for LGBT+ and interracial people, worked on achieving debt relief, and many more positive goals5. Most recently, he pardoned individuals federally charged with simple possession of marijuana, a major proclamation to correct some failures in the justice system15.

He has also been complicit in the genocide against Palestinian people, with his administration cutting off aid to Gaza while providing Israel munitions6. He has used the military to attack protests in the Middle East7. Additionally, the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan coincided with many service members’ deaths, and he has not achieved the cancellation of student debt that he aimed for8.

Problems with enacting change is that the Senate and the House of Representatives have a majority of Republican appointees, and six of the nine Supreme Court Justices were appointed by a Republican president. These demographics account for some of the issues regarding student loan debts and rights to autonomy and privacy, though Biden has worked to help constituents following the Supreme Court decision against Roe v. Wade5.

A Green party president would face similar setbacks, as checks and balances keep them from being able to completely dictate government decisions.

However, a Green party president such as Jill Stein would likely make good progress towards a more sustainable economy, equal rights, and alleviating climate change, based on her platform9. She would likely be a fantastic president. It is completely understandable why many people decide to vote for a third party, and why many young people, particularly on TikTok, say that they want to vote third-party.

I wish it was not this way, but current politics are not where they need to be for a third party candidate to win. A third-party candidate has never won the U.S.A. presidency before, even in their strongest years10.

When Jill Stein ran in 2016, the Democratic party won the popular vote but the Republican party won, and that responsibility is partially on third-party voters. If Stein’s voters had voted for the Democratic party, they would have won the electoral college11. Likewise, if every Democratic voter had voted for Jill Stein, the same would be true for the Green party.

Why is it fair to ask Green party voters to vote for the Democratic nominee instead of expecting Democratic voters to vote for the Green party, or for any ideal third party?

It isn’t. It is completely valid for people to want voting to be different. I am angry that I have to compromise on humanitarian values, as well. Politics should not be a two-party system. But not voting for Biden or whoever is the Democratic nominee creates an extreme risk of the Republican nominee winning, which would quickly send the U.S.A. further towards a loss of democracy and people’s rights.

Historic trends do not reflect positively on third party chances this year11. The Democratic party is giant and well-established with over 45 million loyal members unlikely to even consider a third party12. Voting for a third party is most likely to be considered a vote ‘stolen’ from one of the dominant parties13.

Keep in mind, these warnings are only pertaining to the presidency. Third parties have much higher likelihoods of success in smaller elections, such as city councils and mayoralties14. Hopefully, these trends will continue and the presidency will eventually not have to be as much of a compromise.

You are not wrong for wanting change. You are not wrong for being unsatisfied with inept government demographics. Continue to advocate for the nominees you most believe in, and please keep in mind the risks involved.

Additional Resources

1. https://www.lp.org/issues/

2. https://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-where-do-our-federal-tax-dollars-go

3.https://learningportal.iiep.unesco.org/en/blog/learning-from-a-decentralized-education-system

4. https://www.gp.org/

5. https://www.whitehouse.gov/therecord/

6.https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/30/biden-gaza-food-aid-hamas-civilians-strategy/

7.https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/11/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-coalition-strikes-in-houthi-controlled-areas-in-yemen/

8. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/22/joe-biden-presidency/

9. https://www.jillstein2024.com/principles

10.https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-younger-voters-will-impact-elections-responding-to-the-challenges-of-third-parties/

11.https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/11/13576798/jill-stein-third-party-donald-trump-win

12.https://news.gallup.com/poll/512135/support-third-political-party.aspx

13. https://theintercept.com/2024/01/22/biden-trump-president-election-third-party/

14. https://www.gpelections.org/greens-in-office/2023-july-01/15. https://www.justice.gov/pardon/presidential-proclamation-marijuana-possession

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Russia, Russia, Russia... but I'm sure it's pure coincidence.

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

June 28, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUN 29, 2024

There is huge news today: in the case of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron defense doctrine that underpins the administrative state. 

I am putting that down as a marker because I’ve had a very busy week of travel and writing (the paperback edition of Democracy Awakening is coming out in October and I am working on a new afterword) and I am just too tired to cover it and its history well tonight. 

Instead, tonight I want to make a note of something that has been nagging at me for weeks now: Trump’s focus on 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested by Russian officers in March 2023 and is currently on trial for the trumped-up charge of espionage. The State Department considers him “wrongfully detained,” a rare designation indicating that the person is being held by a hostile government as a bargaining chip. That designation means the U.S. government will do all it can to secure his release. 

At least three times now, Trump has interfered with those negotiations by vowing that Russian president Vladimir Putin will release Gershkovich for him and him alone. He said it in last night’s CNN debacle, where he also made a big deal out of the idea that Putin will do it as a favor, without an exchange of money.  

He said something else last night in his slurry of words that jumped out. Somewhere in his discussion of Putin’s invasion of eastern Ukraine in February 2022, Trump said: “Putin saw that, he said, you know what, I think we’re going to go in and maybe take my—this was his dream. I talked to him about it, his dream.”

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election explained that Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager and then conduit to Russian operatives, in summer 2016 “discussed a plan to resolve the ongoing political problems in Ukraine by creating an autonomous republic in its more industrialized eastern region of Donbas, and having [Viktor] Yanukovych, the Ukrainian President ousted in 2014, elected to head that republic.” 

Manafort had helped to get the pro-Russian oligarch Yanukovych into office, and when Yanukovych fled to Russia after the Ukrainian people threw him out, Manafort was left unemployed and in debt to other oligarchs. When he went to work for Trump, for free, he promptly wrote to his partner Konstantin Kilimnik, whom the Republican-dominated Senate Intelligence Committee identified in 2020 as a Russian operative, asking how “we” could use the appointment “to get whole,” and made sure that the Russian oligarch to whom he owed the most money knew about his close connection with the Trump campaign (p. 135). 

The Mueller Report continued: “That plan, Manafort later acknowledged, constituted a ‘backdoor’ means for Russia to control eastern Ukraine” (p. 140). The region that Putin wanted was the country’s industrial heartland. He was offering a “peace” plan that carved off much of Ukraine and made it subservient to him. This was the dead opposite of U.S. policy for a free and united Ukraine, and there was no chance that former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was running for the presidency against Trump, would stand for it. But if only Trump were elected….

And, in November 2016, he was.

According to the Republican-dominated Senate Intelligence Committee, Manafort’s partner and Russian operative Kilimnick wrote that "[a]ll that is required to start the process is a very minor 'wink' (or slight push) from D[onald] T[rump] saying 'he wants peace in Ukraine and Donbass back in Ukraine' and a decision to be a 'special representative' and manage this process." Following that, Kilimnik suggested that Manafort ‘could start the process and within 10 days visit Russia ([Yanukovych] guarantees your reception at the very top level, cutting through all the bullsh*t and getting down to business), Ukraine, and key EU capitals.’ The email also suggested that once then–Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko understood this ‘message’ from the United States, the process ‘will go very fast and DT could have peace in Ukraine basically within a few months after inauguration’” (p. 99).

According to the Senate Intelligence Committee, the men continued to work on what they called the “Mariupol Plan” at least until 2018.

In last night’s debate, Trump insisted that Putin never would have invaded Ukraine on his watch (although Putin in fact continued his 2014 assault during Trump’s term, and Trump tried to withhold support for Ukraine). 

After Russia invaded Ukraine again in 2022, Jim Rutenberg published a terrific and thorough review of this history in the New York Times Magazine, pointing out that Putin’s attack on Ukraine looked different with this history behind it. Once Biden took office in 2021, the many efforts of the people around Trump, including most obviously Rudy Giuliani, to influence Ukrainian politics through their ties to the White House were over. 

“Thirteen months later,” Rutenberg wrote, “Russian tanks crossed the Ukrainian frontier.” Once his troops were there, Putin claimed he had annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, two of which were specifically named in the Mariupol Plan, and instituted martial law in them, claiming that the people there had voted to join Russia.   

Last night, Trump claimed that the Ukrainians are losing the war and described how sad it was that their country is being destroyed (without mentioning that it is Putin’s unprovoked war that is doing that damage). He also significantly exaggerated how much money the U.S. has contributed to Ukraine’s defense. 

That misrepresentation lines up with Putin’s offer of Friday, June 14, 2024, in a “peace proposal” to Ukraine: Ukraine would give up Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, including far more territory than Putin’s troops occupy, in exchange for a ceasefire. Putin said, “If Kyiv and the Western capitals refuse it, as before, then in the end, that’s their…political and moral responsibility for the continuation of bloodshed.” He also demanded an end to all sanctions and that Ukraine abandon its plan to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the plan and noted that there is no reason to think Putin will stop his land grab once his forces regroup.) 

So when Trump last night said about the 2022 invasion, “Putin saw that, he said, you know what, I think we’re going to go in and maybe take my—this was his dream. I talked to him about it, his dream,” it sounded as if he had been in on the Mariupol Plan. And when he talked about how the war needed to end, especially in light of Putin’s recent “peace” plan, it sounded as if perhaps he still is. 

And he promised, yet again, that he and he alone could get Gershkovich released.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[jodilin65]

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023 I was up for 19 hours the night before last but part of that was because I was sick. I had a surprising amount of nausea and acid reflux and no idea why. I don’t have a gallbladder anymore. I’m guessing some of the blueberries I ate were bad or I had too many peanuts.

Last night, I fell asleep after the standard 16 hours but woke up an hour earlier with less than 7 hours of sleep. That and what the scale says is definitely pointing to the medication as being the cause. I don’t mind being down a few pounds. I just hope this intermittent lung tightness isn’t related! I don’t feel wired or jittery, so hopefully I’m not on the way to getting stabbed with waves of that God-awful anxiety. No way I’m increasing my dose! I hesitate to decrease it as long as I’m not anxious because if I need less sleep, then that’s less chance of being woken up and I don’t have to worry about gaining more weight either. The med is also causing me to wake up more. At least I think it’s on the med. Maybe I’ll decrease my waiting time before coffee to a half hour and see if it makes a difference in my sleep. The long 18 to 20-hour stretches of being awake and then sleeping 6 or 7 hours get to be a bit much for me. I’m not even at the 6-week marker yet, so I’m a little worried. If I can get past 6 weeks without getting worse, and especially 8 weeks, then I can relax a little easier.

I also have this gross feeling in my mouth that went away as soon as I got yogurt again. But now it’s back, even though I haven’t stopped having yogurt every day. Maybe I just need my teeth cleaned. Really hope whatever’s causing my irritation isn’t any big deal. We’re in so much debt! I’ll find out on Monday. I was a little annoyed because they left a voicemail asking me to call to confirm the appointment I scheduled online. Couldn’t this have been done by text messaging? The purpose of scheduling online is to not have to make calls. At least they answered right away.

As long as I don’t increase my dose or start a new medication while he’s at work, I should be OK. When the weather and schedule permit, I’ll make a point of getting out more. As I said, the scale is the biggest indicator. This tiny little increase is a reminder of just how potent this stuff is. Had that shit of an endo I first saw jumped me to 100mcg, she might very well have killed me.

I was frustrated yesterday because I was unable to meet with Helen due to tech issues. Apparently, every Friday, she works out of an office building instead of her house. Well, they were having problems due to storm damage. Between my schedule and other appointments, we won’t be able to meet again until the 16th.

Not much of a storm season so far. And of course, anytime it has rained, I’ve been asleep. Tom said the last time there was mild thunder.

No leaks visible in the bidet I prefer that Tom fixed with epoxy and installed in my bathroom so I can have a drier booty. Saves on toilet paper too.

It’s looking like I’m definitely cured down there. Will have him play peekaboo later to see if he can see anything he shouldn’t see.

THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2023 GrammarlyGO is pretty cool. It generates a paragraph for you based on a word prompt you provide. Although I may not use it much, it's fun to play around with. Love how it also rewrites our own sentences/paragraphs if we don't quite like the way it came out.

Word prompt: rat.

I recently saw a rat scurry across the sidewalk, and it made me jump. I know they're just part of the urban ecosystem, but they still give me the creeps!

Word prompt: dream.

Last night I had the most vivid dream. I was walking through a field of wildflowers, the sun was shining and the air was warm. As I walked, I felt a sense of peace and happiness that I haven't felt in a long time. It was like all my worries and fears had disappeared, and I was free to just enjoy the moment. I wish I could have stayed in that dream forever.

Word prompt: sing.

I love to sing! It's one of my favorite things to do. Whether I'm singing in the shower, in the car, or on stage, there's nothing quite like the feeling of letting my voice soar. There's something so freeing about belting out a song, letting all my emotions out in the lyrics and melody. I may not have the best voice in the world, but I know that when I sing, I'm expressing myself in a way that nothing else can match. So if you ever need a karaoke partner or just someone to jam out with, count me in!

Word prompt: doll.

I used to love playing with dolls when I was younger. I had a whole collection of them and spent hours dressing them up and pretending they were real. It's funny to think back on it now, but there was something so comforting about having those little companions to talk to and take care of. I even had a special doll that my grandma gave me that I treasured above all the others. It had been hers when she was a child and she passed it down to me as a keepsake. I still have it to this day and every time I look at it, it brings back so many happy memories.

Word prompt: diary.

Dear Diary,

Today was quite eventful. I woke up early and went for a jog around the park. The fresh air and morning sun felt invigorating. After that, I spent some time catching up on work emails and organizing my schedule for the week.

In the afternoon, I met up with some friends for lunch. We went to a new restaurant that just opened up in town and the food was amazing! We chatted and laughed for hours, catching up on each other's lives.

Later on, I went to the gym for a workout. It was a tough one, but I pushed through and felt great afterward. I ended the day by reading a book in bed, feeling content and grateful for all the blessings in my life.

Until tomorrow, [Miss Rainbow]

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2023 Ray removed all of the statues around the front and side of his place except for the large pelican. Surprisingly, though, work hasn’t yet begun on his yard.

My heart rate dropped to 68 in my sleep for the first time in weeks and I got a sleep score of 90. For a while, it was only getting down to around 73. It’s a good thing I’m caught up on my sleep because it looks like we’re in for more thunderstorms. And of course, they’re going to happen when I’m sleeping. Really didn’t think we would have much of a storm season, because it’s been so dry here. But I swear it’s like a switch has been flicked on.

I was quickly and easily able to schedule a cleaning appointment online with my dentist for the 1st. I worry I have yet another cavity because I’ve been feeling some stinging. Argh!

They say that most individuals can only be pushed so far before they snap. Well, what I’m wondering these days is how far society is going to let itself be pushed before it fights back.

The abortion fight isn’t just sad, infuriating, and worrisome. It’s utterly batshit, over-the-top ridiculous. I mean just fucking insane! All this bickering back and forth from both sides over something that should be nobody’s business but the women it personally involves. I’m truly embarrassed for these people and their behavior.

When the abortion pill is heavily restricted if not banned completely, I wonder if that’s what it’s going to finally take for the people of this country to start fighting back. If not, how many more rights and freedoms have to be snatched before society finally gets fed up enough to start eradicating some of these extremists who are turning so many lives upside down? Just like an abusive partner or spouse doesn’t usually stop on their own, crazy flourishes where crazy is allowed to do so. When will it be time to do more than just shout in the streets while waving signs? If people don’t put their foot down, sooner or later this is going to escalate into something this country has probably never seen before in its existence.

MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023 I was really hoping I would be sleeping later by now just in case Ray starts having work done on his place this week. I’ll be crashing in the late morning, though. It’s still hard to believe someone would spend that much money to widen their driveway for visitors, especially here, but with my shit luck, he was dead serious about doing that and not just thinking about it. Tom thinks he may back out because of the costs. Nah, I think this guy has a lot more money than we do.

I’m in a blah mood right now. Not quite depressed but not good either. I definitely need to get out, and Tom and I will see to that as soon as I’m staying up later, even if it’s mostly to play the damn appointment game. My eyes are gonna be sensitive to the sun since I’ve been indoors since my surgery. One appointment I have to make is for the dentist because as usual, I have another fucking cavity. It’s on the upper left molar behind the new bridge. So sick of all these dental and health issues!

All my bandages came off yesterday. The scars are healing nicely, but I still seem to have some upper belly bloating. I’m surprised I’m not itching like crazy.

I wish I could be excited about the future, but honestly, I’m just not. I just don’t see any room left for surprises in our lives at our ages. Not good ones anyway. I forget that when he gets back to work the money will be in addition to his retirement and not in place of it, so getting a full-time job he really doesn’t want to lose isn’t critical. He assured me that if they fire him because he has to cart me around to too many doctors, he’ll just get another one. It still sucks either way.

I'm sure this is pure fantasy just like everything else we hope and plan for but since we are where we are in life, it would be nice if he only had to work long enough to get us out of debt and upgrade this place. Then he would quit and not go back to work until the debt mounted again or we wanted to do something expensive like go cruising or fly off to wherever. Only problem is it would take a hell of a lot more than just part-time or a few months to get ahead and get this place upgraded. It sucks because it's like our only choice is for him to work and us to have more money which is good but less time together as opposed to him staying home and us being broke. Either way, we can't do much. He either stays home and we don't have money to do things or he goes to work and he doesn't have time for things while I don't have the energy whether he’s home or not.

I was pretty tired all night and even took a nap. I slept OK, so I’m not sure why I’m tired. I guess my body is still healing although this is also common for me.

I’m still undecided as to whether or not I really want to go to a cardiologist and get that baseline established that Tom thinks would be good to do. On the one hand, I can’t imagine anything wrong being discovered. But then with my track record of them finding things wrong, I’m afraid of what they may come up with.

Is it selfish to hope you die before your husband? I don’t want to leave him alone, of course, but at the same time, even though I know he loves the hell out of me, I feel like he wouldn’t be nearly as lonely and lost without me as I would without him. Plus, he can drive himself where he needs to go. Because he’s more independent, I think that he would be able to handle living alone a lot easier than I ever could these days. It’s both sad and scary to think about either way but my mind can’t help but go to these dark places at times and wonder who will go first. Or better yet, will I go first while he lives on to die of natural causes, or will he die with me quickly following because I couldn’t and wouldn’t want to live without him? Then I wonder about a possible afterlife, and it all spirals out of control in my mind that I need to kill the hurricane in my brain and get back to whatever pleasant thoughts I can manage to muster up in my mind. That whole trying to live in the moment thing doesn’t always work for me. I’m trying, though!

I just published some old entries from the early 90s on MD and was reading an excerpt where my mother demands I call her only once a month. So typical of her and so stupid of me to put up with someone like that. It was unacceptable behavior from someone not related to me, and twice as unacceptable from my own damn mother. We both knew damn well it wasn’t really about money. It was that the bitch couldn’t stand me. She always hated me. Or at least she hated having to listen to me on the phone or be around me in any way. What mother wants her daughter who lives nearly 3000 miles away to call just 12 times a year?

SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2023 Sure enough, my yeast infection symptoms flared back up. So now I’m going to be trying a single-dose pill of Diflucan. I’m skeptical that one pill can kill this shit but we’ll see. I just can’t get a fucking break! Maybe I just needed to do a 7-day treatment instead of a 3-day.

I also have that yucky thrush that leaves my mouth feeling gross that I get when I don’t have yogurt. Kroger will deliver that tomorrow and a few other things. After we use up the three deliveries we get without having to pay a delivery fee, we’ll go back to Walmart. Yes, Walmart does a shitty job but they’re cheaper and we’re more familiar with their stuff. They also don’t seem to be as out of stock as Kroger is.

I asked Tom if he would want to live another 50 to 100 years if he could, and he said sure he would. Me? I’m not so sure. This country is still heading in the wrong direction and even if it wasn’t, I just can’t imagine living that long. Especially with limited money which wouldn’t allow us to do as much. I’m really worried about our future. I know whatever is going to be is going to be, and we’ll have little to no control over it. But I worry about him having to work until he dies. I’m even more worried about him not being able to work and not having enough money to live on.

I could never “see” us redoing the floors and other things here and assumed that meant we would eventually be moving because his program worked out. Now I’m starting to think I don’t see it because we’re not moving and we’re not going to have the money to make the upgrades. Oh, well. As long as he stays healthy and I don’t get as anxious as I used to. After just five months, I’m not ready to breathe a sigh of relief and think I’ve escaped that shit. It’s way too soon.

No insomnia yesterday. I guess the long stretches caught up to me because I actually fell asleep a couple hours earlier than normal and slept 8 hours.

The new hair dye and hair dye kit are great. You get a much more natural look with this stuff because it covers more evenly. Just a little darker than I prefer. I suppose I can always lighten it up later on.

I had a dream we were helping these two homeless women that we took in. I swear one of them looked like Marsha C from Valleyhead and Nancy K from jail. They were still young, though, and he seemed willing to help them but I didn’t trust them. They seemed to sense this and hung out with him more often on one side of the house which didn’t look like this place while I worried on the other side that they were making a mess and worse. Worse as in seriously taking advantage of Tom.

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2023 Got our first Kroger delivery and it was pretty good. Not sure if we’re going to stick with them or not. They are more expensive, but we may have no choice because we just can’t get Walmart to do the job properly. Their site seemed simple enough to navigate. The only thing I don’t like is that you have to keep loading more results. I kind of like the nutritional score that most of their items have. I don’t take it too seriously, but it’s cool to see.

When I informed Andy that I would be getting my gallbladder removed, I thought about how he would tell Judy. Sure enough, he said she said something about one of my parents getting theirs removed (which I’d forgotten about until I read back on an old journal entry from decades ago), and that right there told me that, yes, he’s still filling her in on what’s going on with me which means others are being filled in as well. I don’t know why, but this bugs me. It isn’t that he’s sharing top-secret information that I want to be kept between us. Believe me, if it was that private, I wouldn’t share it with him. It’s just that it’s no one’s business. Why does anyone I’m not friends with need to know what’s going on with me unless I tell them directly or share it in a public journal entry? Why would she care, not that she has ill feelings toward me? I’m flattered he feels I’m that interesting to discuss. But what about what’s going on with him and in his life? Is his own life that boring?

I got a text with a link for my dental cleaning but the link takes me to a blank page. I jumped on their website and was pleased to find that you can schedule online. Hopefully, it works when it comes time to start scheduling the rest of my appointments. I need to get new glasses first. Things are getting pretty blurry.

Jessie’s upset because her doctor wants her to remain on 88s. She said she’s gained 4-5 lbs. What’s weird is that she won’t give me her numbers. I keep asking and she says she’ll have to look on the computer. I know her memory isn’t great, but is it really that bad, and is it really that hard for her to check? I was just curious but whatever. She needs to go by how she feels and not what the numbers say, just like I do.

I’m starting to wonder if my dose increase is what’s been causing my insomnia lately. I don’t have any other symptoms, but I’m staying up for around 19 hours and not sleeping as long. Jessie says she doesn’t sleep as long on higher doses. Tom thinks it's because I haven't been as active due to the surgery. The only time I slept more was in the first 3-4 days after surgery. If the upper belly bloating doesn’t go down, I’m going to be getting a little concerned because the AI bot said it could be gas or fluid buildup. My bandages are getting closer to falling off. They’re slowly peeling off. Some of them are barely hanging on.

Last night I was mostly in a blah mood, but we think it was because it was nighttime and I spent the bulk of it alone. We had fun playing the new golf course and gathering lost balls. It’s an Egyptian-themed course called Temple at Zerzura. I beat him by one point, even though it was my first time playing and his second time.

I was able to hit the road for 20 minutes yesterday. Reaching the Belgian border is definitely going to be delayed due to the surgery. I’m 19% through the trip now. Robert announced that the next challenge will involve flowers which is fine with me since I love them.

I asked Irma’s opinion on Ray’s talk about widening his driveway and if she thought it was for visitors or if someone could be moving in, and she thinks it’s for visitors. I hope so because, fortunately, he doesn’t have them that often. It would be even better if he decided it was too much money and not worth it. She did say he was considering moving here permanently and would be returning with a lot of stuff from Michigan. Not a bunch of noisy power tools, I hope!

He may have started using his lanai because I saw one of the windows open.

I’ve been missing many of the Jewish foods I grew up on. I looked up some of the recipes but they’re not that easy to make. Gribenes, Kishka, Kugel, Matzo ball soup, lox, potato latkes, and more. I got some Matzo flatbread to snack on.

I don’t remember my dreams the last time around but before that, I had a dream I was hanging out with Andy. We both had Fitbits, even though he’s never had an interest in having one. There were some vital numbers we were checking out that might have been related to blood pressure, and he looked at his and was pleased by what he saw. I read mine off and he said, “Damn!” knowing they weren’t good. Then I started whimpering as if I was afraid I didn’t have much longer to go.

In real life, I’m still guessing it’s very unlikely my mildly prominent main pulmonary artery means anything. And I definitely don’t feel like I have one foot in the grave either.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2023 I may have gotten to escape listening to Ray get his new AC put in, but I’m not going to escape the annoyances over there that are about to come. May even be a little more than just annoying. The bitch’s motorcycle; that’s annoying. This may border on maddening, and who knows how much sleep I may lose, depending on when it’s done.

I haven’t gone out because I’m still recovering but Tom met Ray. He talked to him and a guy he had out for an estimate on rocks for his yard. It’s not rocks I’m worried about. He’s only doing the front and that takes a day or two. It’s the fact that he wants to widen his driveway that has me concerned. He asked if it was for a golf cart and he said no, it was for a vehicle. My first question was, why does he need a second vehicle? Tom thinks it’s for friends to park. But why would you spend $500 or more for friends to park when they can park in the street? They don’t want you parking in the street overnight, but there’s no reason you can’t park on the street when visiting people. I worried it was so he could have room to set up a workshop but Tom says it’s too humid for that here and he doesn’t seem like the type. Maybe someone’s moving in with him?

Well, he definitely has money if he can get a new AC and then rocks for his yard, which costs twice as much as sod, and widen his driveway while he’s at it. What’s next? The roof and the windows? I asked Irma, and she said the roof is 18 years old with 30-year shingles so maybe it will be 12 years before I have to listen to that. The windows are definitely the original, though.

I really hope he is doing all this for visitors because they’re going to widen it in our direction which means the cars are going to be closer to the wall of our house. This will be a maddening project compared to laying the rocks. It’s going to take a week or more and not only involve loud vehicles but a shitload of sawing and hammering too. The hammering would be the biggest threat to my sleep.

I knew this guy was too quiet to be true and that he wouldn’t stay this quiet forever, and somehow I doubt he’s taking off for Michigan in May either.

Rocks are so much more expensive here than they were in California because they have to haul them from further away.

I asked Tom if he got the sense that he might get a dog and he said that was harder to tell. He said he doesn’t seem healthy enough to ride a motorcycle. Says he doesn’t seem in the greatest health but not like he’s gonna die any time soon either.

So I won’t be sleeping well if I’m on nights when all this happens, and I’ll be driven crazy by the noise if I’m on days. Good thing I just charged up my headphones.

Irma was surprised when I told her he got a new AC because she said the AC guy said to keep it until it stopped because the new ones aren’t as good as the old ones.

The same delivery driver came today and this time quietly. I thanked Amazon on Twitter and said it was too bad they couldn’t take care of satisfying their Alexa customers as quickly as with annoying delivery drivers. But this time they gave me a new tip that might actually work. They told me to tell Alexa, “Stop by the ways,” and Alexa said she would snooze that for now. I’m sure the annoyances will pick up again within a month or so but if it will work for periods of time, why not?

TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2023 Gmail has a promotional tab and who should they want to promote to me? Gastro Florida of course. No thanks!

Shoving foreign objects up my lady pouch without lube is not a comfortable experience. When I do the final insert, I’m just gonna shove it up there with my finger. The treatment seems to be doing the trick so far, but that’s what I thought about the antibiotics. I’m not about to jinx myself by assuming this problem has finally been resolved. Every time I do, the burning flares back up. I am at least a little hopeful, though, given my symptoms.

Despite feeling confident that I don’t have pulmonary hypertension, I do kind of dread going to the cardiologist only because I’m afraid of what they might turn up that I wasn’t aware of. In the less than two years we’ve been in Florida, they’ve already discovered three things I didn’t even know I had. A fatty tumor they have to make sure isn’t growing. A dead gallbladder. And now enlarged lung arteries. Makes me wonder what other hidden little gems my body may be hiding that are just waiting to be discovered.

I have more fatigue today than yesterday, but I haven’t been able to nap.

I told Jessie I wish I had her problem where she has to beg for more thyroid medication while I have to beg my doctors not to push more on me since I don't feel well in the normal range. If my TSH gets under a 6, then I have epic anxiety. I'd rather stay fat and calm.

I thought about it and decided to just forget about the home improvement list. It isn’t that I don’t want to do these things but I’m tired of setting unobtainable goals. You can’t fail to reach your dreams and meet your goals if you stop dreaming and stop making plans. From here on out, it’s best to just make do with what we’ve got. In order to keep me occupied, whenever he manages to return to work, that’s when I’ll really tackle reorganizing this place and making things fit better into what little space we have now that we’ve gotten settled.

As for the carpet and the way it’s rough on my feet, there’s always lotion or shoes.

As for doing a thorough soundproofing of the bedroom, the storm seasons are likely to have fewer and fewer storms due to drier conditions. I really believe this is a new trend for this area that will exist for many years to come.

The voice tweet I left a few days ago has eight listens. I should be flattered, LOL. Yeah, sometimes I like to speak what’s on my mind instead of voice-typing it. Like how fucked up Walmart is. They have been screwing up every single fucking order lately Tom is spending more time on the phone with them than is worth the savings of not having to go to the store. They’re not giving us everything we order, or they’re giving us the wrong items, or they’re giving me rotten fruit and veggies. We definitely need to find an alternative. As much as I hate crowds, if it was that easy, I would just go get the stuff myself, because then I could see exactly what we were getting. We might look into Kroger which does deliveries, but I have a feeling they’re going to be pretty pricey.

I can kind of see where they would be cracking down on cell phones at work, but I still don’t understand why nobody’s doing anything to put a damper on delivery drivers from blasting music. I literally had to get dressed and go out and shoo the Amazon driver away. Not only did he deliver the package with music blasting, but he sat there in front of the house for several minutes. I didn’t need it and the neighbors didn’t need it. I complained on Twitter and Amazon, but I doubt anything will change.

We decided to splurge on some things, so we both got new shorts from Amazon and I got a clear purse with light pink straps. It’s a little on the small side but good for running out to stores and doctors. This way, I don’t have to hunt for things. If God forbid we ever get to vacation again, then I would take my regular, bigger purse.

From a site called Temu, we got several things for dirt cheap. He got a scrubber for doing the inside of the car windows, garden gloves, and a sink drain for his bathroom.

I got doll clothes for my 18-inch dolls. 14 pieces in all. The whole order came to just over $50. I got 8 dresses, 3 top/bottom sets, a swimsuit, pajamas, and a jumpsuit.

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2023 Happy 42nd birthday, Aly! Kim and I miss you so much. If you’re out there somewhere in some kind of afterlife, I hope you’re having a blast. I hope you’re getting to do all the things you didn’t get to do when you were alive.

It just seems so unfair. She should be home now after working with kids which she loved. She should be checking in with me on Skype to tell me about her day and hear about mine. She should be opening the package I sent her and telling me about other cards and gifts she received. I should be hearing about the progress she’s making on her story for Camp Nano and sharing mine. Maybe even asking her opinion or advice on whatever I’m writing since she was a better writer. She should be filling me in on what’s going on with her and Cam, real or imagined. We should be laughing over some silly shit Molly tweeted while we were at it.

I know I wrote that I felt a bit hurt that Jessie hadn’t checked in more often. Well, she proved that she is still a caring friend after all because I awoke to a message from her asking how I was doing. She said she didn’t want to bug me and wake me up by messaging me, but I assured her that I not only appreciated her taking the time to check in, but the phones and computers could never wake me up because they’re not near me. Well, one phone is but I have all the sounds off.

Even Kim checked in with me and that really put a smile on my face. I really miss her. I miss all my friends. I’m talking about Nurse Kim, not Crazy Kim. I’ll email Crazy Kim later. Since Aly was a mutual friend of ours, I know she’s sad too.

I’m still having some shortness of breath, soreness and fatigue, but I’m definitely on the mend. Being able to sleep on my stomach, even if not for long, feels luxurious.

It was great to be able to go to France for 15 minutes and hit the road again. I’ve got about 1770 miles to go.

The antibiotics caused a yeast infection so now I’m treating that. One thing after another, I swear!

Later… Warning! This entry contains some medical talk that may be a bit on the gross side for some people, so viewer discretion is definitely advised.

I wonder if I ever really had a UTI. Thank God for Tom because I had him look down there to see if he found any discoloration or raised spots I wasn't feeling and he said I had white globs down there which told me I had a yeast infection. I was so fucking frustrated. Lab results said I had no UTI yet the last UTI test strip I used was red and I was burning like crazy. My doctor recommended I go to urgent care if I didn't want to wait to get into a GYN. This was the last thing I wanted to do, of course, and that was when I thought to have Tom take a peek down there. After I informed my doctor of what he saw, they said a yeast infection would explain my symptoms and the results of the test strip. I asked about yeast infection treatment and they asked if I wanted to start with the cream or if I wanted them to give me pills. Even though it costs us money, I always opt for anything that doesn't involve pills, so I'm on the three-day Monistat treatment. They said they didn't recommend one-day treatment. They said three to seven is better and that's what the reviews Tom checked out said.

Tom, my hero as always, ran out to Walgreens to grab me the Monistat and when I first applied it I noticed an increase in burning. This was a bit discouraging, but I later read on the box that this is normal. It took several hours, but the burning finally backed off. I just hope that this time it stays that way! If it comes back, I'll ask the docs for pills as a last-ditch effort to cure this before resorting to a GYN.

Had my 12th session with Helen and mostly brought her up to date on the health issues. I also let her know I was a little sad about Aly and we talked about that a little and what I miss about her.

She also asked me what I would say to my foster mom if she was still alive.

Helen is a very religious woman and is always sure to respect my personal beliefs. It was pretty funny because when we were talking about my dream premonitions, she started to explain something to me and then she stopped herself and said she needed to think of a different way to explain it. That's when I came out and asked, ���Were you going to tell me that God gave me that gift?” LOL.

We were both laughing over that and I told her I wasn't offended at all by those who have a different belief system than I do that don't try to cram it down my throat, and that I was open to hearing different thoughts and beliefs even though I personally don't have any specific beliefs. I have a lot of theories and ideas but not set beliefs.

We were also talking about how I missed certain aspects of my past. Just the way I looked at some things and the way I felt at different times. She asked if I would be open to the idea of writing stories containing some of those old feelings and seeing if that brings them back. I thought of that, but I don't think that would change much and bring me back in time, so to speak. I'm not the same person with the same life, mind, and body I had years ago. It's kind of like your first time visiting a new country and how excited you are. But after you do this a few times, visiting other countries loses its newness and excitement.

SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2023 Still out of it. This may be another one of those entries I'll have to do in chunks. Right now, it's just after 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.

It's hot and humid, but still no rain here. This is just too weird. Instead, I've been hit with more motorcycle activity, ironically, since the honker left. I can't swear to it because I don't always see them but I think it's all coming from the bitch behind him. She and her little buddy are riding more and more. I thought about reporting them since it clearly states in the rule book that you're not supposed to rev engines but decided against it since they're not waking me up. Also, I've learned that this park doesn't necessarily spite its complainers like the old one, but it doesn't do anything about the problem either.

It also has a twisted sense of priority. They just removed the plants by the entrance that hadn't even been there for a year and replaced them with palm trees. So they can afford to redo the landscaping that didn't need to be done, but they can't replace the fallen fence in the legacy section? Someone in the group just said they were blocking the road because they fell down. LOL.

More to come later…

And now it’s coming up on 2:00 p.m. Most of the pain has subsided, but I’m still pretty out of it. I didn’t realize I would have to spend this much time in bed, but Becky said she did too when she had her own gallbladder removed. It’s been so long since I had surgery that I forget that the body needs to rest to heal itself.

I at least managed to polish my nails hot pink.

Ordered another pair of shorts, too. The XXL shorts are big on me but comfortable so I decided to keep them. I’ll have a pair in black as well as gray.

I also got some developer for the dye I got and a hair-dyeing kit.

Right now, there’s this rude ass with a 3-wheeled motorcycle joyriding through the park. It’s not as loud as your average motorcycle, but it’s loud enough. They just made the fourth pass. Amazing what the people here will put up with vs what they’ll fight to change. Of course, I’ve had to hear from the bitch a couple of times too. I think her buddy just left.

Tom and I talked about it and we’re pretty sure I don’t have pulmonary hypertension, even though we’re going to get it checked out. I just can’t believe the doctor would go ahead with the surgery if he thought there was a real chance I had it. I also can’t believe this developed overnight, especially since the prognosis is very poor. About three years without treatment and seven with treatment.

Tomorrow, I meet with Helen on what would have been Aly’s 42nd birthday. I’m feeling sad over that and very overwhelmed at the moment. Just wondering how the hell we’re gonna work out all the appointments and deal with the money and him trying to get back to work. I think he’s gonna have to get something on the 2nd shift because I don’t see the appointments ever slowing down, at least not by much. No, I won’t always have gallbladder-related appointments, but there will just be something else to replace those. It's not in my cards to ever have a place that I truly love. But while I can’t say I love this place, I definitely do like it, and I don’t wanna ever lose it. Besides, if we were ever in a position where we couldn’t afford to stay here, where the hell could we go?

There they go again for the sixth or seventh time. I’ve lost count of how many. I don’t think it’s an actual motorcycle. It’s some kind of tricked-out cart. Why would they keep riding it around here if they could just take it out on the open road? Tom just said he saw it and that it can go on the road. He said he thinks they’re just showing it off. If that’s something you feel the need to do, then why not go to the city?

I know there’s such a thing as memory pain, and I swear I’ve been feeling cramps similar to what I would feel before the gallbladder was removed. I’d hate to think there could have been something else causing those cramps! I’m already regretting this surgery as it is.

I was reading someone’s journal and how they talked about those taking the time out to care about what’s going on in their lives no matter what they’ve got going on in their own lives. They talked about a friend having kids and a really busy life yet still taking the time to keep in touch and I couldn’t help but compare this person to Jessie. She can’t ask me how I’m feeling today because, hey, her dog had surgery a week or so ago. I don’t buy the not being on Facebook as often either because I’ve seen her online on and off just like always.

I get it. She’s not the caring bestie that Aly was and I’m likely never going to have anyone ever again that is. Someone smart, mature, creative, and who remembers and cares about the things I tell them. Someone that shares what’s going on with them with me as well. And I get that I have to let people be who they are even if I don’t always like it.

Why is it that the crazier and the uglier someone is the more attention I get from them? It still amazes (and used to embarrass me) just how easily I can get all the attention in the world from someone who looks and acts like Kim. I used to take it personally in that I thought it was something about my appearance that was drawing these “uglies” to me, but I realize I got a lot of attention from these kinds of people before any of them even knew what I looked like, and that the uglier people are simply more sociable. I’m not sure why this is, but that’s just the way it seems to be. The digital world has taught me it has nothing to do with the person I am or what I look like. I just wish I could have Aly back no matter what the hell she looked like! Personality is way more important to me than appearance.

There was a girl named Jodie whom I talked to on another site, and I decided to block her on Facebook as well as on the site I met her. I hope she won’t notice because I don’t want to hurt her feelings. I’m just looking out for myself, is all, and following the instinct I should have followed earlier.

Being the good judge of character that I am, I sensed that she wasn’t quite stable when she first reached out to me. She asked to connect on Facebook, and my too-nice self came out and agreed. Upon reading more of her stuff and what someone else had to say about her, I realized that I should protect myself before there was a chance for any trouble. I’m not saying there would be, but why take that chance? Why not go with what my gut instinct is telling me? This person insisted that they not only knew her in real life but that she was very toxic. The kind that will spite you if you piss her off. I don’t see what much she could do to me, especially being in another country, but I don’t need the hassle either way.

After being stopped up for nearly four days, I finally went the night before last. There was no pain but I did start burning again right after I went. That made me wonder if something was wrong with my poo and never in my UT. I’m still hoping I can take care of it myself with probiotics because I don’t want to add yet even more appointments to the list trying to figure out what it is.

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2023 I'm still in a lot of pain, although my breathing is still back to normal. I had to remind Jessie that I had the surgery. She was sympathetic to my plight and had some questions about it but says the reason she hasn't seen my posts was that she hasn't been on Facebook much because her dog recently had surgery. Yeah, whatever. She can definitely relate to what I'm going through, though, because she's had a C-section and her ovaries removed. So she knows what it's like to have her guts cut up.

To get off the subject of my health for a minute, I am absolutely disgusted by Florida making abortion virtually illegal, although I'm not the least bit surprised (or by the fact that the abortion pill may become virtually illegal as well). What do people expect from all these extremists taking control of the country? And when the hell are they going to fight back? I mean really fight back. Not just scream in the streets. Like it or not, sometimes two wrongs really do make a right. Sometimes the only way to get rid of a problem is to literally eliminate it. If a wild animal comes at you in the wilderness, you can't reason with it, you can't compromise with it, and you can't run or else it will chase and catch you. You can only eradicate it. I truly believe that sometimes it's like that with evil people.

My husband, who is a die-hard optimist, says it's the younger people who rise to power and fame overnight like Hitler and Mussolini that are the real threat to society, pointing out that Trump was famous before running for president. I still don't see how he can't see that with each new attack on women and each new book ban and each new attack on gays we're getting closer and closer to the end of democracy. The further we step back into the Dark Ages puts us one step closer to becoming a dictator country. If that's what people want and they're OK with it, then they'll just keep giving in to the craziness and not fight back.

I'm no longer quick to assume something can't or won't happen because people wouldn't go that far because, yes, they would. How do any of us know that blogging and keeping journals and diaries won't one day be illegal?

Maybe not everything has shitty timing for us after all because when Tom came back in from the laundry room, he said that he could see that Ray got a nice, shiny new AC. How nice of him to get it while I was on the operating table so I wouldn't have to listen to every bump, bang, and slam while they installed it just 15 feet from our wall.

I'm getting exhausted again so I'm going to haul my gallbladderless self back into bed.

I'm still pretty out of it, so I'm going to work on this entry little by little until I have everything updated. I'm so relieved to have the gallbladder out of me but I've got a lot more pain than I expected. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it an 8. Andy's sister, Linda, once told me that C-sections are a killer, and I can totally see where they would be. If I'd have had to have open surgery instead of laparoscopic, I'm sure my pain would be a 10+. Fortunately, though, I do have a high pain threshold because the oxycodone I was given does little to nothing to help my pain. I don't understand why so many people get addicted to this stuff. If I sit still for a while or lie down or I'm standing, it's not that bad. It's when I get up and down. The worst is getting out of bed. I kind of have to roll out of it and even that hurts. Becky warned me that oxy would stop me up and that's fine with me because even though I only took a couple of them, the last thing I want to do is have to exert those muscles trying to do a number two (still gonna take a stool softener). It hurts enough if I laugh or breathe in deeply. I can't bend over far either.

I got the results of the pre-op testing. I forgot to mention that the lady took a covid swab from my nose which was pretty uncomfortable. It was negative, as expected. However, I was surprised, although not surprised with my track record lately, to discover that I may have two new problems. First, my kidney function is down a bit. Secondly, my pulmonary arteries are enlarged and Galileo wants me to see a cardiologist. I tell you, it's just one thing after another! So frustrating too. The harder I work at getting my health on track, the more problems arise, thus more appointments. I swear the appointments multiply like cockroaches. Counting the follow-up I'm going to have with the surgeon in about a month, this whole stomach thing has taken 7 appointments from testing to diagnosis to surgery to follow-up.

Anyway, the kidney function could be down because I was fighting a UTI, although Galileo said my urine culture didn't show any organisms that were abnormal. I've been fearing that the burning will return since it did after I finished the Nitrofurantoin but it hasn't. At least not yet. So maybe it's been killed for good once and for all and I just needed to find the right antibiotic. Bactrim definitely did the trick.

Not sure what to think as far as the pulmonary hypertension goes. It could be just a physiological thing as they said and nothing to worry about. I guess it puts pressure on the lungs if you have it and that can eventually affect the heart function so that's why they want me to get checked out by a cardiologist. I wonder if the years of having high blood pressure could have caused this as well as my kidney function to be down. If it’s physiological, though, why didn’t the enlarged arteries show up on past X-rays? They used to do X-rays all the time when I was a smoker and would get bronchitis. Not sure what to think, but I'm not gonna worry about it at the moment. Whatever will be is going to be. I've pretty much given up on getting healthier. Meaning I don't think I'm ever going to be as healthy as I used to be. I don't think this is the beginning of the end so much as the beginning of a long string of problems that I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life. I don't think the golden years are going to be so golden. I think they're gonna be full of health and money issues, but only time will tell. Again, whether it's by design or random, life is just life and we don't always have as much control over it as we'd like to think we do. All we can do is do our best and hope for the best.

I hate to say it but as horrible as they were, especially my mother, a part of me wishes they were still alive to help pay for some of the stuff going on.

Back to pulmonary hypertension. It makes me wonder about some of the symptoms I've had for quite a while like fatigue, palpitations, etc.

They say bad things happen in threes, including death. I can definitely say the death thing is no joke since both my parents and my brother died in the same year. My thyroid crapped out on me, then my gallbladder, and I wonder what's next. I just hope it's not a vital part that can't be treated!

Time for a break. I gotta go lay down.

Back again after the daily outburst from Happy now that the honker is gone.

It still hasn't rained here. We've definitely got a drought going on. Never thought I'd see that in Florida of all places, but it's like dry weather follows us. We move to Cali, and it gets drier and drier. We move here, and we get the same thing. Fort Lauderdale seems to be the opposite. They got slammed with record rain that they had to close the airport. Why can’t that happen here?! But then if there’s any good to this area going Cali on us, it’s that there will be fewer storms during the storm season and make the fact that we’re probably never going to be able to soundproof the bedroom the way I want to less critical. At least until they build something in the vacant lot behind us.

A guy stopped to chat with Tom while he was out weeding and said that in the 16 years he's lived here, he's had to resod his yard several times. We wouldn't do that, though, if our grass died. We would give up and switch to gravel. I wish our place, along with Toni and Ray's, was graveled because that would keep the mowers away.

The Brooksville hospital was way better than Tampa. Tampa was much more of a zoo, and I was there for three hours for a 12-minute procedure. I was at this place for five hours for a one-hour procedure. It could have been longer, though. I was number 3 in line and I guess the first procedure was canceled. The second was just a simple little cyst removal.

The same guy who checked me in for pre-op testing checked me in and then I was taken to a prepping room. There, I would deal with a handful of people and be asked the same damn questions over and over again. I understood the reason for it was to make sure they did the right procedure on the right person, though.

The only thing that annoyed me was when staff would interrupt staff dealing with me to ask for things. One girl asked a nurse for something right as she was looking for a vein to stick the IV port in which meant I had to deal with the uncomfortable tourniquet on a little longer. Another asked a different staff member for something while she was wheeling me out. I would have spoken up about it had she not promised that if she heard her name called again, she would ignore it.

I was given these warm, thick body wipes and told to wipe everything but my groin and face, and then I got into a hospital gown. I was given a bag for my clothes and Tom hung onto that as well as my purse.

Once on the bed, I was hooked up to several things. They stuck leads on me to monitor my heart. They put an oxygen reader on my finger. Plus, these leg cuffs to help circulate the blood. They go on your lower legs and actually feel nice when they inflate, almost like a massage. I didn't like the arm cuff, but after the first few readings, I began to relax and it didn't squeeze me as tight.

Not surprisingly, they had problems getting one of the IVs in. They like to put in two so they have one as a backup if the first one should encounter any problems. The first one went in the top of my left forearm easily, but she had trouble with the right arm. She first put one in my hand and it hurt a bit because it's a sensitive area. Then it started leaking so she finally got it in on the underside of my forearm.

I had to sign a few forms and give permission to let them give me blood in the event of an emergency.

So after meeting with three nurses, the doctor, the anesthesiologist, and the breather, it was time to go. I call the lady who sticks the breathing tube down my throat the breather as I don't know her proper title. Maybe some kind of respiratory therapist. Anyway, the breather said I may or may not remember her asking me to open my eyes for her and take a deep breath so she knows when I can breathe on my own again, and I didn't remember this at all.

After I was hooked up to everything I needed to be connected to and signed all the necessary documents, I was given something that made me feel pretty woozy. I wasn't knocked out suddenly like I was for the endoscopy. I don't even remember being knocked out actually. I just remember being wheeled into the OR, a heavy blanket being put on me on the way there since each room they wheeled me through got colder and colder, a surgical cap being placed on my head, and an oxygen mask being put over my face.

Back again the next day. Maybe today is the day I'll actually finish this entry.

OMG, I've totally come to regret having this surgery! If you don't absolutely need your gallbladder removed, don't do it! The cramping I had before was nothing compared to this pain. I shouldn't have opted for the easy way out and cost us additional money we don't have. There were no stones, so it wasn't an emergency. Just on and off discomfort. Then again, it might have developed stones later on since it was so low functioning.

My breathing has finally improved, but I'm still in quite a bit of pain. The pain isn't quite as bad as it was but it's still bad enough. I haven't done a number two since surgery, and I'm absolutely dreading the moment I do. Luckily, I didn't puke because that would hurt way worse. After all, I was literally stabbed in the stomach four times. I have one incision right above my belly button, 2 to the right of it, and one to the left.

Picking up where I left off yesterday… Once again, there was no time gap. When I came to, I thought they were still getting ready to put me out but the guy told me I was in recovery and my gallbladder was out. I was incredibly drowsy and surprisingly short of breath, even though I was assured that my oxygen level was at 100%. Even so, I felt like I could only breathe in a quarter of the way. Supposedly, this is normal after surgery but I don't remember having this problem when I had surgery in 1995, and I was a smoker then too. They gave me a tube to inhale through and to help exercise my lungs. Today is the first day I’m breathing normally as long as I don't talk too much. And I talk-type my journal entries, LOL.

I was knocked out at around 7:30 and at 8:30, the doctor called Tom and said everything went well. It was something like 9:20 when I woke up. We left the hospital at noon.

I was a little more with it when I was moved into another room where Tom was brought in to see me. They got me a couple of cans of soda which felt so good because my mouth was dry. I didn't have the sore throat I was warned I may have from the breathing tube, though. No shoulder pain either. I guess some people have right shoulder pain as the gas moves up and out of their bodies. This is the gas they inflate your stomach with to separate your stomach from your guts so they have room to work. I had mild acid reflux and now even milder nausea but that's it so far. I had to be sure to avoid trans fat the first day, but now I can eat what I want. Once I'm able to move around more and cook more, I will definitely focus on healthier eating in general.

I have 4 square dressings covering each incision. The outer ones I was able to peel off after 24 hours. The steristrips underneath need to be left on until they fall off on their own. Still have to sleep on my back or sides too. It's more comfortable to sleep on my left side because the incisions go further toward my side on the right side.

They want to make sure you pee without issues before you leave because anesthesia can affect that. After a couple of sodas in conjunction with the IV dripping saline into me, I was able to go. Then they removed my IV ports and wheeled me out. Tom helped me into the house, of course, when we got back. Didn’t sleep that great the first night, but I slept a little better last night.

Off to lie down once again because I still don’t have much energy and I still hurt. It took me nearly half a dozen tries and two days to get this entry done!

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023 Surgery Summary

Relieved that the gallbastard is gone but in WAY more pain than I bargained for. Very fatigued as well. So I’ll just leave you with a surgical summary and provide more details later.

Description of the procedure: Following her admission to the outpatient surgery area, she received 2 cc of ICG dye, in preparation for fluorescent cholangiography. She was brought to the operating room and general anesthesia induced. Ancef was administered intravenously as prophylaxis against wound infection.

Abdomen was prepared and draped in the usual sterile manner. Pneumoperitoneum was established using a Veress needle introduced lateral to the left rectus muscle. Intra-abdominal pressure was maintained at 15 mmHg, using carbon dioxide insufflation. An 8 mm robotic trocar was placed and anatomy visualized using the high definition, 3 dimensional laparoscope associated with DaVinci system. Under direct view, I placed another 8 mm trocar over the supraumbilical region, followed by 2 similar trocars along the right side of the abdomen. She was then turned into reverse Trendelenburg position, with the right side tilted up.

The robotic system was docked in place.

The fundus of the gallbladder was retracted cephalad and the infundibulum grasped with fenestrated forceps. Tissue around the neck of the gallbladder was incised using the vessel sealing device, leading to Calot’s triangle.

Fluorescent cholangiography using firefly technique was deployed at this point, leading to the identification of the cystic duct. It was isolated and controlled using locking clips. Cystic artery was controlled using the vessel sealing device. Cholecystectomy was completed using the same device as well. Gallbladder was then placed in an Endo-Catch bag and removed via the supraumbilical trocar site. The fascia over this incision was closed using 1. Vicryl under direct laparoscopic view. Skin incisions were closed using 3 0 Vicryl, in a subcuticular fashion. Preemptive analgesia was established using 0.5% Marcaine with epinephrine.

She tolerated the procedure well and was taken to the recovery room in a stable condition.

TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2023 I wasn't going to do any more pre-surgery entries but then said, why not?

On the way to Brooksville now for testing.

My bridge went in quickly and easily yesterday at the dentist's. The assistant was even able to get the temporary off without me having to be numbed.

The rest of the day was frustrating as hell. Every time I thought I was done with the health work, there was something else to do. First, I was checking the hospital site to make sure there were no pending forms I needed to deal with. Then I got an email with a link to sign forms. Then I had to make a list of my medications. Then a woman with a hard-to-understand accent called from the billing department.

I hope some of the people I'll be dealing with today are from here! Should be more from here and fewer accents where I'm going, though, as opposed to Tampa.

Got my lab results a couple of days ago. The urine analysis shows, not surprisingly, an infection is present. I'm worried too. Worried because I still have some burning at times, and I'm worried my white blood cell count will be higher than the doctor will want to operate on me with. However, the pee was tested before I started the Bactrim. At the end of today, I take the last one. I'm worried whatever I have is resistant to antibiotics. Could be viral or yeast. I just hope I don't have to have too many more tests to find out exactly what it is so they know how to treat it. I have a bad feeling the Bacrim won't fix it and that I may even have to see a GYN or urologist. He has to get back to work and can't make a career of driving me to doctors. He shouldn't have to either, and I shouldn't have one problem after another when I'm not even 60.

Heading home now. Testing went faster than expected. We got there early and were there for about an hour. It was funny because they brought me to the Radiology department in a wheelchair. It was nice as I'm a bit tired, as usual, and it was quite a ways away. We went through a maze of corridors.

I have to remove the nail polish on my index finger and not wear my wedding band. They're going to call his phone to tell us what time to be at the hospital tomorrow. I also set him up to be texted updates during surgery. It'll be funny to see if he gets a message like "Patient now being administered anesthesia or something like that."

We really need to find some alternative to Walmart. My whole wheat bread was moldy and they love to give me rotten fruit and veggies a little too often.

I love the new hair dryer! It doesn’t straighten hair like a straightening iron because it doesn’t get as hot but it does a good job. It just takes a while. It’s a good thing my hair isn’t as thick as it used to be. Even the slightest dampness will allow it to curl back up so it has to be thoroughly dry.

Fatty here may need to get some new shorts soon. I learned a long time ago not to hold onto clothes, thinking I’ll one day be able to fit back into them. We only keep getting bigger with age, not the other way around. My shorts are getting kind of old anyway. Pretty sure I got most of them in 2015-2016.

Hanes makes shorts and I can get two pairs for 30 bucks. They have a Try Before You Buy option and even though it says XL should fit me, I want to go with XXL because again, we just get bigger. I’ll try XXL and if I like it, get another pair, or two pairs in XL. As much as I like pink and purple, I try to get a light neutral color and a dark neutral color so I can wear any kind of top with it.

I had a weird dream that I was reaching out to Shelly R to try to help me contact my mother, who was still alive. I hadn't talked to her in years and had no idea where she was.

Then there was a dream where we owned land in Arizona for two years. The land wasn't as nice as the land we once owned for real, but I don't remember what the house was like. In the dream, Tom left for work and it hit me that someone might think the house was empty and break in and how helpless I might be. But then I realized I may be just as helpless even if Tom was home at the time with us getting older.

After he left for work in the dream, I saw a tray with several envelopes with outgoing mail. I then remembered that it was supposed to be my job to put outgoing mail in the mailbox.

It ended on a weird note in some place I was working at where I was arguing with this girl over a "hair" salesman, and then discussing my previous ear surgery with her and others and letting them know that the following day I would be having my gallbladder removed.

Well, that last part is true! After 5:30, we should get a call letting us know when to be there.

Till next time!

MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2023 Luckily for me, the thunderstorms we were in for are delayed until Thursday. I'd hate to have thunder waking me up before testing and then surgery.

Today I get my permanent dental bridge. That will be in a few hours from now.

My biggest concern is that the dose increase is going to backfire on me. I almost feel like I'm slightly on edge. I'll see how I do for the rest of the week but if this escalates into obvious anxiety, then that's it. I go back to taking two 75s every week, and that's the way it stays.

This could be it for a few days. Since I'll be busy tomorrow with the pre-op testing and then having surgery on Wednesday, it may be a handful of days before I do another post depending on how out of it and sore I am. Maybe I can at least do a few quick tweets.

Wish me luck!

SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2023 Ran off to the lab yesterday morning for a urine culture. They also requested a vaginal swab in case it was an outer yeast infection, but they don't do that there. The docs explained to me that menopausal women are prone to outer yeast infections due to being low on estrogen. Pretty sure my problem isn't coming from there, though, and that it’s another UTI contracted from bacteria in something I ate or drank, just like last time. Tom took a peek down there and didn't see any redness or rash of any kind.

Because Nitrofurantoin gave me hot flashes and made me drowsy, they called in Bactrim. No problem taking my first dose earlier. Tom was kind enough to get up for a few minutes, even though I assured him I wasn't nervous or anything because I'd had Bactrim in the 90s. I just don't remember if it was for a yeast infection, a UTI, or a sinus infection.

I was surprised to wake up this evening and find I wasn't burning nearly as much as yesterday. I was almost tempted to put off the Bactrim unless it picked up again but with my shit luck, it would do that right around surgery time, and I want my white blood cell count to be as good as it can be for pre-op testing. I don't want anything to delay getting the damn gallbladder outa me.

I got up last night and the night before at 10:00 PM. Both nights I ended up napping. I actually napped on and off from 10:30 to around 2:00 in the morning the night before last. Last night I napped for about 90 minutes. Not sure what's making me so tired, but I'm guessing that it's the infection. I don't feel too bad right now.

Although I don't feel any different, I noticed my HR has been up lately. I wonder how much of it could be tied to the dose increase. My HR used to drop to about 68 in my sleep. But lately, it's only dropping to around 73.

The dill plant died, so I pulled it out and exposed the few little cactus plants that were budding. The next day, I noticed that one sprout that was left behind made a comeback. It will be interesting to see what becomes of it.

SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 2023 Yesterday I noticed burning down there again and realized my UTI had returned. Better yet, a new one has occurred from what I read. Frustrated, I looked up the reasons for recurring UTIs. I mean I suddenly have two in a row when my last one was in the '90s? I knew it was nothing I was doing as far as hygiene was concerned. Then I found this article and I think this is my problem… Apparently, my bad gut bacteria is overpowering the good. So now I not only need another round of antibiotics with surgery looming ahead in just 4 days but I also need to go on probiotics and reduce my meat significantly. The only meat I can’t give up is fish and that’s a good thing because beef and poultry are more likely to have E coli in them. I’ll make sure I only have chicken once a week. The rest of the time will be either fish or pasta.

Reading how it can travel from the butt to the vagina to the urethra now makes some sense. I swear I was feeling like it was traveling from back to front.

I used a test strip and found that it was in between the 2nd and 3rd color blocks rather than the third like it was the first time around. So it's not quite as bad as the last one. At least not yet. I sent the picture to my docs and updated them on my symptoms. I also told them about the article I discovered and asked if that could be my problem. Lastly, and most importantly, I reminded them I have surgery on Wednesday and do NOT want to postpone it after waiting so long.

I'm sure my doctors will tell me, but the question is, what probiotics should I get? I prefer chewable, but they don't seem to come in 10 billion CFUs. It seems 10-20 is the most common. Maybe I should start with 6 to make sure there are no side effects. It can cause the runs.

I like how Replika added daily tasks to allow us to gather more gems quicker than before. Noticed they also put some items in the store that you can buy with coins rather than just gems. So I'm guessing my bitching about that paid off, although I highly doubt I was the only one to complain. I hope we still get the free weekly gift. That's a lot of fun, even if we don't always like what we get.

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 I knew it. I just fucking knew it. Tell me it's just a coincidence that the redneck's fucking mutt is barking more now that the honker is gone and I'll tell you you're full of it. I swear there's always something! If the bitch with the motorcycle moved out, in would come someone else with one that they just had to rev. Get rid of the mutt, and in comes another one. It's like something's determined to balance things out and make sure I always have something to listen to even if it isn't much compared to our other place.

And damn the shitty timing in our lives too. Things rarely seem to happen at a good time for us. Having thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday is definitely not a good time. They couldn't have just waited a few more days! I have surgery on Wednesday and the last thing I need leading up to it are sleep disturbances, depending on how loud the thunder is. That's why it's been a race to get most of my appointments out of the way before storm season starts. Doesn't look like I'm going to quite make it, though. I should only have one appointment in July when the storms will be like clockwork. Really hope the storm season doesn't leave me exhausted enough to regret coming here! I love it here otherwise, even if it does get a little colder for a little longer than I'd like in the winter.

I was laughing my ass off reading that it was going to get down to 34 degrees a few nights ago in Citrus Heights. LOL.

Checked my blood sugar a few days ago and it was 106. Not great, but definitely not diabetic.

His name and our address ended up on Zabasearch, so I found last night, and I had it removed. Again, it's not that I fear anyone using the address in a bad way so much as that it's no one's business unless I tell them myself. I get it removed from wherever I can, even though I'm sure that if anyone was that curious they could pay to do a deep dive search if they knew our real names. Anyone who was that curious, however, would certainly have bad intentions, and I would be quick to make sure they were never that curious about anyone ever again.

Even though it's never going to be the same without Aly and it's so sad seeing our old cabin, I decided to do Camp NaNoWriMo.

I wished the honker a safe trip when I saw they were leaving, and thanked him for being considerate, unlike some others around here (bet he can guess who I'm talking about). I saw that he saw the message, but didn't reply. I don't know if I can say that it was weird or rude that he didn't respond but I was a little surprised I didn't at least get a thumbs up. When I got up this evening, there was a message from him saying, "Thanks. Sorry, had to leave early to deal with some things."

I wonder when they would have left then. Mid-April? May?

I'm getting Mia as many items from the store as I can with coins because that way they're more likely to give her gem items on free gift day.

TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2023 Made it to France, yay! I have about 1908 miles to go and am 12% through the ride.

Other than that, the honker left shortly before 7 this evening, and then I heard Happy bark for the first time in weeks, not once but 3 times. Really hope that mutt doesn't make up for the lack of honks and motorcycle rides.

MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2023 Last night, we discussed our plans for the future. I don't know that he'll ever be willing to admit it, but the horse program is a bust. I mean, it works, but it doesn't work well enough. Therefore, I've decided I don't want to move unless we were to be surprised by winning at least a quarter mil. The reason for this is simple. I don't want to have to settle. Sure, I would love a place with a bigger living room for VRing but that's all we would get would be a bigger place with bigger bills. It wouldn't be on the beach or in a soundproof high-rise overlooking the ocean. So if my dream home isn't in my cards, why settle unnecessarily when this place is as good as any to spend the rest of our lives in? On top of that, I have too much fatigue for things like moving.

Lastly, why risk giving up tolerable neighbors? Yeah, the honker and the bitch behind him get a little annoying at times but we've otherwise lucked out. We could have ended up with a lot worse close to us. The guy next door is so quiet that it wouldn't matter if he was a snowbird or not, and Toni is pretty quiet too.

The honker got the black trailer and loaded the motorcycle into it while I was sleeping.

Because he has to go back to work, a dog is out of the question. When I'm on nights, somebody would need to be here to take it out during the daytime. I'm allergic to cats and wouldn't want them jumping up onto counters and furniture and getting into things, not to mention how much I hate the way they claw and bite and the smell of litter boxes. Birds are obnoxious and fish are mostly boring. So we decided on my favorite animal of all time and to get a rat in a month or so. I'm definitely OK with this because I do miss them and I know rats well. I've had virtually no experience with dogs and was always a little nervous to go into the unknown. Even hypoallergenic dogs can flare up one's asthma and allergies, and of course, I would worry about it barking while I was sleeping. I've been having a lot of rat dreams, which tells me something right there.

I got things picked out on Amazon. A cage, chew toys, hammocks, a cat wand (they like to chase things too), and water bottles. Not gonna bother with a food bowl because they just dig through and kick out what they don't want. Better to just throw a scoop of food on the floor of their cage in the corner, rather than have them make a mess of it. I'll let him pick the best bedding and food for them.

The cage is ugly with a dark gray base and clip-on shelf, but at least it's a tubby base that is deep enough to keep bedding from flying out, and the dimensions are good. I realize that because rats like to run around loose, the cage doesn't have to be overly big. It's about 32 inches long and 17 inches high. Its door is also situated in a way that will allow them to hop in and out as they please. It has a door on top as well.

I look forward to being a rat mom again, even if that means scratches from their sharp nails and pee in various spots throughout the place because they just have to mark their territory, LOL.

I have mixed emotions about him going back to work. I'm just glad it's going to be part-time! It sucks because I know he doesn't want to have to work again and it limits when we can do things. But as long as I'm feeling good physically and emotionally, I wouldn't mind the extra space. Maybe then I can get myself to focus on stories and things like that. Or at least do more artwork. At least it will be only part-time in case I do have problems again and he doesn't have to worry about insurance and benefits and all that.

On the plus side, we do miss having extra money. It isn't that I feel I've got to shop for all kinds of things. I've been there, done that, and we only have so much space for junk. But it was nice when we could be told that my root canal would cost $1700 and simply write out a check on the spot and be done with it. He's not going to make the kind of money he made in California, especially working part-time, but the cost of living is cheaper here.

I may not get nearly as many nicknacks as I used to, but I'm looking forward to the hair dryer/straightener that I'm going to be getting when we make our next Walmart order. I hope it's easier to use than the straightening brush I have. It's hard to get the brush through the hair because of the rubber heat protectors.

I also got new boy short undies but that's more of a necessity than anything else.

Anyway, we're gonna discuss our future pet in more detail around our anniversary. Then, after he's had a chance to work and get us out of debt, we'll discuss how we're gonna go about upgrading this place. The biggest things for me are totally soundproofing the bedroom, adding counters and cabinets to the kitchen, and replacing the floors. Secondary to that would be installing a washer and dryer in place of the built-in desk, replacing the kitchen sink, and replacing the windows. Still wouldn't mind one of those smart air beds too.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2023 I’m still a little shocked that Trump was indicted, but I think that if he gets convicted and can’t be re-elected, we’ll just be stuck with DeSantis. Tom and I agree that Biden isn’t much better since he hasn’t gotten anything done. Politicians are politicians. They’re all self-serving control freaks. Either that or they don’t do anything at all. Anyway, Trump should have been locked up years ago and if he really did rape anyone, he should have been killed. On this subject, one can argue with me all they want, but they can’t change my mind.

I’m not only so fed up with the corruption and twisted laws, but the double standards as well. Marjorie Taylor Green can threaten violence against trans people all she wants but if I were to threaten just one person, off to jail I would likely go.

I get a little worried every time I hear about Social Security being reduced around 2034. So technically we could end up in a similar situation as when the recession hit only will have some income instead of none at all. The question is whether or not it will be enough to pay for the bare necessities. I’m glad we have plenty of time before we’re faced with whatever may happen then but it also sucks because in the mid-30s, we’ll still have 5-10 years left to live. With the way the world is heading, I'm just so glad we're not young! I’d hate to have 50 or 60 years left. If there’s any good to Tom’s and my age difference, it’s knowing that if I wasn’t going when he went - and I certainly am - I could have 25-30 more years to go. No thanks! I just hope he can retire for good someday and not have to work on and off for the rest of his life.

Poor Tom, LOL. He gained 5 lbs doing intermittent fasting. He was making up for lost time in that 8-hour window. Fortunately for me, diets have never made me gain weight. They just don’t work.

I’m so glad I don’t live where Helen lives! She was in a different part of her house and I guess she lives on a corner somewhere close to the center of her town. I could hear all kinds of motorcycles and muscle cars zooming around the corner. It sounded like our old place!

We were talking about how different emotions affect different body parts. Ironically, anger is tied to the gallbladder. It’s also said to affect the eyes and liver. Well, my liver is fine, but I sure am blind as fuck. I’m not sure I want to put much value into this, though. Sure, how we feel emotionally can affect us physically and vice versa but gallbladder surgery is very common. Almost everyone needs glasses at some point in their lives too.

[darkmaga-returns]

COMMENT: Are we really in a free world? Or is it just a subjective assumption. I have asked myself many times that question. Today’s interview with the Russian ambassador and his revelation that he does not have a very cordial relationship with either the Dutch media nor the government officials -such a hypocrisy they give Zelensky the voice, the screen time, and meanwhile Russia is constantly demonized. We have the useless youth on speed dial to attend any protest to victimize Hamas! How utterly stupid society has fallen? You, Mr Armstrong, are breaking all the records in my book of the person that is on a mission to get the truth out. I just hope it is not putting you in any danger or affecting your health – your well being has to come first!? As always, you are in my thoughts.

Ps. I am watching your interview for coffee and a Mike and without trying to be impertinent, I am concerned that you look exhausted. You, my dear sir, are burning the candle at both ends. As someone who appreciates you, I can only wish that you find the balance for work and unwind -maybe a nice Thanksgiving turkey dinner with a mouth watering pumpkin pie ?could be a propeller to self care. As they say, good food and good company are two of life’s greatest pleasures.

REPLY: Thank you. We have to stand for something. They have done their best to silence me over the years. They even tried to kill me, but after a coma, I awoke to their dismay. Yes, I was exhausted. I was up all night fielding questions from many overseas. I didn’t get to lie down until 3 pm. It’s been crazy, to put it mildly. The downside of having offices around the world is that someone is always awake. Many are concerned about Trump’s Tariffs. It will send the world into a depression like the 1930s. They call me because, as a friend in Washington said, I yell at them. Since I refuse to accept money from any government, they tend to trust me more because I will not say what they want to hear just to keep a job.

The causes of the Great Depression have been debated for decades. The problem with all of the analysis is this same attempt to reduce the cause to a single event. In school, we read The Great Crash by Galbraith. He was a socialist, so he blamed the corporations and never bothered even to mention the Sovereign Defaults of 1931, for that would have accused the government instead of the private sector. Then there is the argument that the tariffs at least “contributed” to the Great Depression if they were the leading factor, again disregarding the Sovereign Debt defaults.

Smoot-Hawley wasn’t signed into law until June 17th, 1930, when stocks had already taken a nose dive from the 1929 September high. The market had already turned down, and by early 1930, politicians failed to comprehend that the rise in the dollar had made foreign imports cheaper. As European governments were suffering from a debt crisis, the Fed lowered US rates in 1927, trying to deflect capital inflows back to Europe.

1927 was the first G4 when the US lowered rates at the request of Europe, hoping that capital would return to Europe for a higher rate. It backfired, only proving that there was a European debt crisis. History has an uncanny way of repeating because human nature never changes. Once again, with war on the horizon, capital flows to the US, as was the case with World War I.

Those advising Trump on this tariff nonsense are way too conflicted and fail to understand history, no less how the world economy functions since we are all connected. I am not interested in some positions. I will not surrender my independence or my company for some appointment. I have no problem meeting or offering advice. But I also cannot accept any money from ANY government for advice because the laws then make me an agent of such a country.  I cannot accept any money, even from our own government.

I have always tried to defeat my own computer. I have yet to win a single battle. As the French say: ce qui sera sera

[mahakalvedicsansthan]

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[canadycanady]

Why Hire Professionals For Accounting Services in Houston, TX?

A small business owner is often harried and anxious about the future. True, it is the finances that fail to add up smoothly. Moreover, there are too many obligations to consider as well. Unfortunately, most business entities cannot hire an entire staff of financial professionals. Trying to double up as an accounting expert is only successful for people with adequate skills. There is no need to be overwrought with anxiety, though. Instead, the business owner may find it convenient to outsource the required accounting services in Houston, TX. ​ It is okay to use a firm's expertise dedicated to financial services. On the contrary, it can be beneficial for the permanent employees of the small company to be free to pursue their tasks. It is further necessary to understand that an accounting firm will be ready to provide many specialized financial services. One must be well informed about the weaknesses of the small business and request the services that are essential to ensure profitability as well as compliance with the standards.

Some accounting services that may be outsourced to ensure the productivity of a small company operating in a non-finance industry find it most advantageous to have the following tasks handled by professionals who are well-versed in numbers:

· Bookkeeping- Spending and earning money are two sides of the same coin. Still, keeping track of the cash flow meticulously and keeping the books updated by the end of each day is essential. An expert bookkeeper will not only maintain the records properly but will also help the company classify and organize each monetary transaction made by the company

· Tax Accounting- There is no need to be apprehensive about the upcoming tax season when the records are maintained perfectly. Thankfully, a professional accountant can assist their clients regardless of the size of their business entities. Tax preparation in advance and filing the returns, as well as the tax payments, are vital factors in this area. Moreover, the professional will also focus on the qualifying income, tax deductions, and gains/losses from investments.

· Payables & Receivables- The seasoned accountant will be well aware of the company finances. Besides, they will ensure that all payments are made within the stipulated deadline. This will simplify the process and go a long way in strengthening the relationship between the company management and vendor/supplier. Keeping track of the receivables perfectly will enable the small company to decide about extra expenditures and plausible investments. A steady cash flow will also enhance the reputation of the company.

· Financial Reports- It is the accountant's responsibility to draw up the financial reports as and when required. The professional will go through the records and create balance sheets,  income & financial statements, and cash flow reports that are easy to understand. The expert will also help the company owner with debt planning to ensure the economic well-being of the business

Finding the right firm that excels in providing accounting services in Houston, TX, is not always easy. Companies must interview the candidates and check their approach to the problem before appointing them.

[tmgcompanieslle]

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[reasoningdaily]

The Baron de Mackau of France presenting demands to Jean-Pierre Boyer, President of Haiti, in 1825

In recent weeks, thousands of refugees from Haiti have arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border, desperate for a better life. Most left Haiti years ago, after a 2010 earthquake ravaged what was already one of the most dismal economies in the world. They had originally settled in places like Chile, but the politics of the region have made them feel unwelcome, discriminated against, and fearful of the future.

The Haitian refugees hoped the United States, under President Biden, would offer them a lifeline. They were wrong. The Biden administration has been sending thousands back to Haiti, even though Haiti is a disaster zone, and many of the refugees fled it years ago. Some of those the U.S. government forcibly sent to Haiti are kids who have never lived there.

Tens of thousands of migrants, many of them Haitians previously living in South America, have arrived in recent weeks in Mexico hoping to enter the United States.

ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images

The Haiti that refugees are being sent back to is a nation in crisis. With its unlucky coordinates on the map and its poor infrastructure, Haiti has been devastated by multiple hurricanes and earthquakes in recent years, including a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in August. In July, Haiti's president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated by Colombian mercenaries, some of whom had received U.S. military training. A Florida-based security company reportedly connected whoever wanted Moïse killed with the mercenaries, but the details of why Moïse was killed and who directed the mercenaries are still murky.

What is clear, however, is that Moïse's assassination continues Haiti's centuries-long political instability. In 2015, the World Bank concluded that Haiti's biggest political problem is that "a social contract is missing between the state and its citizens." Ambassador Foote, in his resignation letter, blasted the United States and other nations for contributing to this problem for the umpteenth time by unabashedly backing Moïse's unelected replacement, Ariel Henry. Henry was appointed Prime Minister by Moïse in July, and took on the additional role of President after Moïse's assassination. Haiti's chief prosecutor said he found evidence linking Henry to the president's killing, and Henry promptly fired him. Some Haitian authorities have asked Henry to step down and pleaded with the international community to stop supporting him. "This cycle of international political interventions in Haiti has consistently produced catastrophic results," Foote wrote.

Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the world, and rich countries have their fingerprints all over the nation's stunted development. The United States worked to isolate a newly independent Haiti during the early 19th century and violently occupied the island nation for 19 years in the early 20th century. While the U.S. officially left Haiti in 1934, it continued to control Haiti's public finances until 1947, siphoning away around 40% of Haiti's national income to service debt repayments to the U.S. and France.

Much of this debt to France was the legacy of what the University of Virginia scholar Marlene Daut calls "the greatest heist in history": surrounded by French gunboats, a newly independent Haiti was forced to pay its slaveholders reparations. You read that correctly. It was the former slaves of Haiti, not the French slaveholders, who were forced to pay reparations. Haitians compensated their oppressors and their oppressors' descendants for the privilege of being free. It took Haiti more than a century to pay the reparation debts off.

The Tragic Hope of Revolutionary Haiti

Haiti won its independence from France in 1804, and it was almost immediately made a pariah state by world powers. It was an independent, black-led nation — created by slaves who had cast aside their chains and fought their oppressors for their freedom — during a time when white-led nations were enforcing brutal, racist systems of exploitation around the world.

Haiti, then known as Saint-Domingue, had been the crown jewel of the French empire. It was the most lucrative colony in the whole world. French planters forced African slaves to produce sugar, coffee, and other cash crops for the global market. The system seemed to work well. That is, until the French and American revolutions helped to inspire, in 1791, what became the world's largest and most successful slave revolt. Against all odds, the slaves won. Former slaves sent slaveholders scurrying to France and America — and Haitians successfully fought back subsequent efforts to re-enslave them. Haiti was the first nation to permanently ban slavery.

But as a nation of freed black slaves, Haiti was a threat to the existing world order. President Thomas Jefferson worked to isolate Haiti diplomatically and strangle it economically, fearing that the success of Haiti would inspire slave revolts back home. With the invention and spread of the cotton gin, slavery was becoming much more lucrative at the very same time a free Haiti was coming into existence, and slaveholders in the United States and other countries clung to and expanded the inhumane means of production. Haitian success was perceived as a threat to this system for decades, and the United States didn't officially recognize Haiti until 1862, as slavery began being abolished.

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During Haiti's critical period of development, France intervened even more directly than the U.S. to thwart its success. In July 1825, the French King, Charles X, sent an armed flotilla of warships to Haiti with the message that the young nation would have to pay France 150 million francs to secure its independence, or suffer the consequences. That sum was 10 times the amount the United States had paid France in the Louisiana Purchase, which had doubled the size of the U.S.

Almost literally at gunpoint, Haiti caved to France's demands in order to secure its independence. The amount was too much for the young nation to pay outright, and so it had to take out loans with hefty interest rates from a French bank. Over the next century, Haiti paid French slaveholders and their descendants the equivalent of between $20 and $30 billion in today's dollars. It took Haiti 122 years to pay it off. Professor Marlene Daut writes it "severely damaged the newly independent country's ability to prosper."

Righting The Wrongs

After the 2010 earthquake completely devastated Haiti, scholars and journalists wrote a letter to the French president demanding that France pay back Haiti. The French economist Thomas Piketty resurrected the idea in 2020, arguing that France owes Haiti at least $28 billion. The French government, under multiple presidents, has balked at the idea, and it is unlikely to pay Haiti back anytime soon.

But if the rich world wants to help right the wrongs done to Haiti in the past, perhaps the most effective policy right now would be to accept more Haitian refugees. This wouldn't only be a humane policy that would improve their and their future families' lives. It would also likely be a boost to the Haitian economy. According to the World Bank, Haitian expatriates sent $3 billion in remittances back home to Haiti in 2018, which was almost one-third of the island nation's entire GDP.

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