#Risk

[xtruss]

Zero Calorie Sweetener Linked to ‘Blood 🩸 Clots’ and Risk of Heart Disease, Study Finds

— By Sandee LaMotte | August 08, 2024

Study: Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Higher Stroke Risk (2019)

Consuming a drink with erythritol — an artificial sweetener used to add bulk to stevia and monk fruit and to sweeten low-carb keto products — more than doubled the risk of blood clotting in 10 healthy people, according to a new pilot study.

Clots can break off blood vessels and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, triggering a stroke. Previous research has linked erythritol to a higher risk of stroke, heart attack and death.

“What is remarkable is that in every single subject, every measure of platelet responsiveness (clotting) went up following the erythritol ingestion,” said lead study author Dr. Stanley Hazen, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute.

Consuming a drink with an equal amount of glucose, or sugar, did not affect blood platelet activity in another group of 10 people, said Hazen, who is also the Jan Bleeksma chair in vascular cell biology and atherosclerosis at the Cleveland Clinic.

“This is the first direct head-to-head comparison of the effects of ingesting glucose versus ingesting erythritol on multiple different measures of platelet function,” Hazen said. “Glucose doesn’t impact clotting, but erythritol does.”

While small, the study was “very intriguing and interesting,” said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver.

“I’m not saying we need to cease using these sugar alcohols immediately, but this line of research certainly begs the question: Are they safe or not?” said Freeman, who was not involved in the research.

In response to the study, the Calorie Control Council, an industry association, told CNN that 30 years of science has shown erythritol to be a “proven safe and effective choice” for sugar and calorie reduction.

“Consumers should interpret the results of this pilot with extreme caution. The limited number of participants, a total of 10, were given an excessive amount of erythritol, nearly quadruple the maximum amount approved in any single beverage in the United States,” the council’s president, Carla Saunders, said in an email.

However, the amount of erythritol used in each drink in the study — 30 grams — was the equivalent of what is included in typical sugar-free sodas, ice creams or muffins, of which people often eat more than one, Hazen said.

“This research raises some concerns that a standard serving of an erythritol-sweetened food or beverage may acutely stimulate a direct clot-forming effect,” said study coauthor Dr. Wai Hong Wilson Tang, research director for heart failure and cardiac transplantation at the Cleveland Clinic, in a statement.

It only takes a tiny bit of Artificial Sweetener to add plenty of taste, so filler substances such as Sugar Alcohols are used to create the Granules. Handmade Pictures/iStockphoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto

What Are Sugar Alcohols?

Like sorbitol and xylitol, erythritol is a sugar alcohol, a carb found naturally in many fruits and vegetables. The human body also makes erythritol as a byproduct of glucose metabolism but only in small quantities.

Artificially manufactured in massive quantities, erythritol has no lingering aftertaste, doesn’t spike blood sugar and has less of a laxative effect than some other sugar alcohols. It has about 70% of the sweetness of sugar and is considered zero calorie, according to experts.

Erythritol is the largest ingredient by weight in many “natural” stevia and monk fruit products, Hazen said. It looks and tastes like sugar and can be used for baking. It is also a key ingredient in many keto-friendly products including ice cream, Hazen said.

“If you look at nutrition labels on many keto ice creams, you’ll see ‘reducing sugar’ or ‘sugar alcohol,’ which are terms for erythritol,” he told CNN in an earlier interview.

“You’ll find a typical pint has somewhere between 26 and 45 grams in it.”

Artificially created erythritol, along with its cousins, are considered “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS, by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Series of Studies Show Similar Results

The new study, published Thursday in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, asked 20 participants to fast overnight in preparation for a morning blood draw. Next, they were given a drink with either 30 grams of erythritol or 30 grams of sugar. After 30 minutes, blood was drawn again.

Levels of erythritol in the blood rose by a thousandfold after the one drink with that substance, while blood sugars rose a small amount after the drink containing glucose. However, it was the change in platelet activity that was startling, Hazen said.

“We saw enhanced clotting, using measures of how quickly clots will occlude a vessel or stop blood flow, which is like a model of a heart attack or a stroke,” he said.

Similar results appeared in a 2023 study by Hazen and his colleagues in which eight healthy volunteers also consumed the same amount of erythritol and saw a thousandfold spike of the substance in their blood.

“(Erythritol) remained elevated above the threshold necessary to trigger and heighten clotting risk for the following two to three days,” Hazen said at the time.

That study also analyzed the blood of more than 4,000 people in the United States and Europe and found that those with the highest levels of erythritol were twice as likely to experience a heart attack or stroke.

“What we’re seeing with erythritol is the platelets become super responsive: A mere 10% stimulant produces 90% to 100% of a clot formation,” Hazen said.

The studies were done in healthy people without chronic disease; however, the study’s findings still apply for the future, Hazen said.

“However, if you look at middle-aged America, the average person has two to three risk factors for heart disease, and 70% of us are going to develop heart disease in our lifetime, so maybe we should all be considering action,” he said.

When it comes to the risk of cardiovascular disease, occasional sugar-sweetened treats in small amounts may be preferable to consuming drinks and foods sweetened with the sugar alcohols, he said. That’s especially true for anyone at highest risk for clotting, heart attack and stroke — such as those with existing cardiac disease or diabetes.

“Cardiovascular disease builds over time, and heart disease is the leading cause of death globally,” he said. “We need to make sure the foods we eat aren’t hidden contributors.”

[save-mohamed-family]

My campaign is verified and added to the Gaza Donations page with number 192.

Thank you for documenting my campaign from the following accounts:

@sar-soor @heba-20

@el-shab-hussein

@90-ghost @soon-palestine

@ibtisams @marnota @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @i-am-aprl @northgazaupdates @fallahifag @fairuzfan

I love you all 🙏🙏♥️🌹

I am Mohammed Almanasra, 32 years old, married, and a father of three children: Abdulrahman, 6 years old, Sarah, 4 years old, and Lina, 3 years old.

My story began with the loss of my parents and four of my sisters, who were bombed and lost their lives along with their children after the events of October 7 and the severe war on Gaza. Now, I am facing a severe injury to my leg, which is at risk of amputation if I do not receive the necessary treatment. My wife, children, and I are displaced, without parents or siblings, and my wife is also suffering from uterine cancer.

Recently, I moved to the south of the Gaza Strip, fearing for the lives of my children. We left behind our memories and our new home, for which we had not finished paying the installments, in addition to losing my job. Currently, I live in a tent that does not protect me from the heat of summer or the cold of winter, and without the minimum necessary livinng basics including water, food medical care, clothe and even bedding .

I suffer from a chronic asthma and severe attacks from tightness and an extreme allergy in the ear and I need medicine that are not available, or very expensive .

Under these difficult circumstances, after five attempts at displacement and narrowly escaping death from the bombing, I am trying with all my might to protect my family, the most precious thing I have.

My dreams were shattered, and my house was destroyed, and I found myself living in a tent no larger than 4 square metres. My work turned from a tailor to a street vendor in order to barely buy a few crumbs of bread to feed my children.

Look at what happened to my children because of the intense heat and the insects that thrive in the summer season. Every day, I take them to the hospital to treat them due to poisonous insect bites. I implore every kind-hearted soul to help me protect my children.

My son, Abdul Rahman, has a deep passion for playing football and is a devoted fan of Real Madrid. He always dreamed of playing football at his school, but the war prevented this dream from coming true.

Where are you, Real Madrid fans ?

Help Abdul Rahman achieve his dream.

Every donation will make an enormous difference in helping me save my family.

I feel very sad and embarrassed to ask for help, but I have no other options left. I know that this request is difficult, but I also know that there is still humanity and living consciences and I believe in miracles.

Your support during this extremely difficult time will give us hope in the midst of devastation and despair.

If you have any inquiries or questions, feel free to ask me, please!

To everyone with a compassionate heart,

To all who understand the essence of humanity,

This is a message from my innocent children, who trust that their words will reach everyone who truly understands the meaning of childhood.

We cry out to you, asking you to feel our sorrow and pain, and to extend a helping hand to us in this time when we are in desperate need of your mercy and compassion.

My name is being repeatedly added to many public and private donation campaigns. Please, be a support for me in this difficult situation.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1yYkNp5U3ANwILl2MknJi9G7ArY4uVTEEQ1CVfzR8Ioo/htmlview

@communistchilchuck 🫶🇵🇸

@nabulsi

@sayruq

@communistchilchuck @90-ghost @sar-soor @fairuzfan @ibtisams @fallahifag @vakarians-babe @palipunk @palestinecharitycommissionsassoc @stil-lindigo @vakarian-shepard @northgazaupdates

@faggotfungus @ghost-and-a-half @three-croissants @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @magnus-rhymes-with-swagness @marnota @northgazaupdates

Sincere greetings & thanks

Mohammed & the family

[albertasunrise]

Reality Check - Oops Baby

Masterlist

Summary: Being best friends with Frankie meant movie nights, drinks with the guys and a shoulder to cry on when you got your hear broken. He is head over heels for you but you don’t feel the same… yet a drunken mistake will tie your lives together forever!

Relationships: Frankie Morales x Reader

Warnings: Like AO3 I choose to give none. Read at own risk. 18+ (So... I am trying to update my other pics but the reaction I getting from this ones really giving me the motivation to continue it... so thank you and I hope you enjoy this update! ♥️ It's not a super long one but everything gonna become clear I promise!)

Series Masterlist - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

“What do you mean I can’t see him right now?” You demanded, glancing down at Emse as you awaited a response from the doctor. 

“He has been in a natural coma for a month and a half. It's going to take him a while before he’s even a little coherent. We also want to monitor him closely over the next few hours. He might be awake but he’s not out of the woods yet!” The doctor stated plainly “I know you want to see him but overwhelming him this soon after he’s woken up and suffered a cardiac arrest is not going to help with his recovery.” The doctor continued, giving your arm a gentle squeeze “If all goes well, you can see him tomorrow.” 

You nodded to show your understanding and then looked at Ben. He looked as frustrated as you felt but you didn’t want to do anything that could risk his recovery. This was all just so difficult to get your head around. 

Your near-death from Esme’s birth, to waking up to learn Frankie had had another major heart attack and was on life support until a heart came available, had been hard to come to terms with. It had been hard to navigate parenthood without him but then it had probably been the same for him at first. 

But, as hard as this had been for you. How desperate you’d been for him to get better and wake up. It had hit Ben the hardest. 

6 weeks earlier…

Ben opened the front door to Frank’s house and was immediately greeted by Emse’s screams. 

“Fish?” He called out as stepped into the dimly lit house. 

When he had received a text from Frankie earlier to say he’s broken up with Mary, Ben had initially been over the moon. But after he’d finished his celebrations, he thought he should probably check on Frankie. The man had cared for Mary after all. So that’s what led Ben to come over. And after knocking a few times a receiving no answer, he let himself in. Not something that was overly unusual. 

What was unusual was to receive no answer from the pilot and to hear Esme screaming. Fish had been a dedicated father from the moment he had brought her home. Something was wrong. 

“Fish?” He called again as he scaled the stairs, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of his friend. 

He came to a stop outside Frankie’s door, Esme’s screams were the loudest from inside and he didn’t even bother knocking. Either Frank was dead asleep or… 

He didn’t wanna consider the alternative. 

“FISH!!” He yelled upon finding his friend on the floor. 

Frankie was sprawled on the floor, on his front with his head to one side. Eyes barely open. Esmerelda was on the floor beside him however looked to be unharmed. Clearly, Frank had managed to put her down gently as he collapsed. 

Ben felt for a pulse and found one. It was weak but it was there. So, he scooped the baby up and lay her in the Moses basket in the corner before returning his attention to Fish, moving him so that he was laying on his back before pulling out his phone and dialling 911. 

He spoke as calmly to the operator as he could whilst monitoring the pilot’s pulse and breathing. Putting the phone on loudspeaker and starting compressions the moment Frankie stopped breathing. 

“Come on man… don’t do this to me.” Ben sobbed as he worked tirelessly to get his friend breathing again “Don’t leave Titch and Esme man…” Benny begged, “Don’t leave me!” 

Finally, just as the paramedics arrived, Frank took a weak breath and then the rest was a blur. Ben called Will and told him to get to the hospital before attending to the crying baby beside him. He didn’t go in the ambulance. He knew he needed to get Esme fed and changed first. But as soon as that was done he had the baby bag packed and he was gone. Praying he wouldn’t be greeted by the news that he’d lost his best friend. 

Present day… 

Benny chewed nervously at his thumbnail as he waited for his friend to wake up. The doctors had lightly sedated him when he had grown more confused as he'd come to. That had been a little over twelve hours ago. Ben had waited at the hospital, sending you home with Esme and promising to ring you the moment he woke up. 

Then three hours ago he was finally allowed to see Fish. The doctors had decided that it would be good for him to see a friendly face as he came to. So He sat and waited patiently for his best friend to come to. His nails taking a beating from how on end his nerves were. 

A soft whimper grabbed his attention and Ben was on his feet in an instant, clutching Frankie's hand as he smiled sweetly at his waking companion. 

"You with my Fishcake?" He asked softly, grinning like a loon when Frank weakly nodded, his eyes cracking open and revealing slivers of those brown orbs Ben had missed so much "Take it easy buddy. I'm here."

Frankie lugged his way to consciousness. It felt like he was walking through treacle. His limbs were heavy and his head filled with cottonwool yet slowly but surely, things got lighter and clearer. Ben waited patiently at his side. Watching as he grew more and more aware as each minute slugged by. 

"Welcome back brother." He said as Frankie finally cracked his eyes open fully and rolled his head to look at him "You gave us a scare." 

"I..." Frankie trailed off as his brows drew together, the memories of what happened slithering back through. 

You, standing there smiling with your outstretched hand. Pleading for him to return to you. Then the lights. The blinding lights and the pain as the car struck him. He was going to see you again. He was supposed to die. 

The sound of his heart rate increasing made Benny call out for help, tears in his eyes as he feared that his friend might code again. 

"Mr Morales, you need to calm down." Urged the doctor as they noted his vitals "This isn't good for you." 

"Why." Frankie sobbed as he started to thrash in the bed "I should have died." 

"Fish, what do you-" 

"I was going to see her again." He sobbed. 

"Who, Mel?" Benny asked as he stepped to his friend's side and clutched his hand, hoping to ground his friend "Frankie, Mel's gone." 

"I was going to see Titch." He all but whispered "I was going back to her." 

This made Benny pause. His brows pulled together in confusion at what his friend had just said. What did he mean he was 'going back to her'?

"What do you mean Fish?" 

"Sir, I think you need to leave." The doctor urged, a nurse then pulling the man from the room so that the doctors could do their work. But he didn't leave the doorway of Frank's room. 

"Mr Morales, do you know where you are?" The doctor asked but Frankie didn't answer, he just continued to sob and his heart monitor continued to chime "Mr Morales, you're in the hospital." The doctor stated "You suffered a massive heart attack. You had a heart transplant but fell into a coma. You have been out for almost two months." 

"No... No, I was hit by a car." Frankie choked "I should have died... I... I wanted to see her again." 

Benny's heart broke as he listened to his friend. 

"You weren't hit by a car Mr Morales." The doctor urged, his head snapped to the nurse to his left and giving her a nod.

"You're lying." 

The nurse then injected something into Frankie's IV and the man's thrashing grew sluggish. Ben could see from where he was standing that his friend's eyes were starting to grow heavy and in a manner of seconds, the room was all most silent again. Slowly but surely the medical staff started to file out, the doctor stopping beside Ben with an unreadable expression on his face. 

Ben waited patiently for the man to speak, his heart pounding against his ribs as his eyes flitted between Fish and his doctor. 

"What happened Doc?" Ben asked, his voice soft and vulnerable. 

"He appears to be confused.' The doctor started "He... It seems that he experienced some sort of vivid dream when he was in his coma. He is convinced he was hit by a car." 

"What can we do?" 

"I think the best thing to do is keep him mildly sedated for now. Just to keep him calm until he gets his head around what actually happened to him." The man said as he scrapped a large hand over his stubbled jaw "He can't afford to get worked up like that again. His heart is still in a fragile state." 

"Do you think seeing his daughter might help?" Benny asked and the doctor nodded. 

"Sure. Anything positive like that should help him relax." 

Benny nodded, giving the doctor a weak smile as his eyes zoned in on his friend. 

"Thanks, doc."

"He'll be out for a few hours." The man said as he placed a friendly hand on Ben's arm "Get a coffee and something to eat. You're no good to him if you're not taking care of yourself." 

...

Your heart leapt out of your chest as your phone started to ring loudly from the table beside you. Noting Ben's name on the screen, you answered it immediately as your pulsed raced. 

"Ben?" 

"He woke up." 

"He did?" You choked as you covered your mouth with a shaky hand, trying to smother the sob that threatened to escape your lips. 

"He was all confused and shit. Got a bit worked up and they had to sedate him again." Ben said, his voice wobbling as he spoke "They wanna keep him mildly sedated for now. Something about keeping him calm as he comes around. I guess being on pause for nearly two months can screw your brain up a little." 

You chuckled at that. Your coma hasn't quite gone on that long but you had certainly been a little confused when you'd woken up. 

Six weeks earlier... 

Your sensations returned in waves but everything sounded muffled and felt heavy. Your limbs seemed to be made of lead, your fingers were all that seemed to want to obey your commands. The sounds around you were distorted. Almost like you were hearing them from underwater. 

You managed to moan, hoping that it would give you a little more control over your body but alas you remained somewhat pinned in place, so you drifted to sleep again in the hopes that when you woke again things would be a little clearer. 

...

Benny had wanted to shout from the rooftops when you'd started to show signs of waking up. The past few days had been hell for him. He and Will had split their time between your room and Frankie's. Neither of them wanted to leave either party on their own and when you started to twitch and moan, Benny finally started to feel a semblance of hope. So he clung to that, along with your hand as he waited for you to open your eyes. 

That happened three hours later. 

"Ben?" Your question was more of a whisper but he heard it all the same. 

He placed Esme in her Pram and practically sprinted to your side, smiling sweetly at you as you blinked up at him. 

"Hey, you." He said sweetly "Have a nice nap?" 

"What happened?" You asked, your voice getting a little stronger but still scratching from weeks of disuse. 

Benny grabbed the water bottle from the side table and popped in the straw that had been sitting beside it. Then bringing it to you your lips, he cupped your head and helped you lift it so that you could take soothing sips of the tepid liquid. You held your hand up when you'd had your fill and Benny placed the bottle down with one hand as his other gently lay your head back against the pillow. 

"What happened?" You repeated and he sighed, how brow pulling together as he searched for the words.

"You uh... You haemorrhaged." He stated plainly "Pretty bad. It was touch and go for a bit but you fought... Small but mighty." He chuckled as his hand started to stroke your hair "You have been out for a few weeks but you needed the rest."

"Frankie and the baby okay?" This question made Ben's heart shatter. Standing he turned to the pram that was just out of your eye line and scooped up Esme, kissing her little nose when she started to fuss. 

"I got little Esme right here." Ben stated as he brought your daughter into view and you sobbed at the sight of her. A head of brown hair and the cutest little plump cheeks. 

"Oh, my angel." You choked as you press the button on your bed so that you were more upright, accepting your daughter into your waiting arms with a smile "Oh look at you." You cooed, memorising everything about her "You look just like your Papi." You chuckled as you looked at Ben and beamed "Where is Fish?" 

Ben's expression grew solemn again and there was no hiding it from you now. 

"Ben?... Where is Francisco?" You pushed and he sobbed. 

"He's um... He's here." 

"Where?" 

"Titch?" He pleaded but you needed an answer. 

"Benny... Tell me where he is!"

"He uh... He suffered a massive heart attack." Ben started, his eyes settling on Esme as she slept in your arms "They uh... They got him on life support. Waitin' for a heart." 

"No..." You trailed off, tears flowing freely as you looked down you your daughter, envious of how clueless she was to all this. 

"He'll die without one." 

"No." You sobbed harder, your head dropping as you screwed your eyes shut and let yourself fall apart "We were supposed to do this together." You cried "We were supposed to be a family." 

Present day... 

You arrived at the hospital as soon as you could. You'd thrown a bag together for Esme, grabbed her pram and left, desperate to see Frankie awake. 

His room was empty when you arrived. You looked around, trying to catch sight of him but coming up blank. He must've gone to get coffee. You pushed Esme's pram into Franks's room, tucking it in the corner so it didn't get in the way and then you took your place at Frankie's side. You didn't have to wait long for him to wake. 

He was sluggish, his eyes fluttering open and closed for a while. The sedatives were making it hard for him to surface. 

"That's it, Frankie." You said softly as you squeezed his hand and smiled sweetly at him "Come back to me." 

This statement was like a bucket of ice water over Frankie's head. His head snapped towards you and his eyes filled with tears as he seemed to study every inch of your face. 

"Titch." He choked, blinking furiously in an attempt to keep himself awake and you nodded. 

"That's right, just come back to me my Frankie." 

"I tried." He choked and you grew confused "I'm so sorry Titch." He sobbed and you stepped back as a hand pulled you away from him "Why won't you leave me be." 

"Frankie-"

"Just leave me alone." He cried "Please..." 

You turned on your heel and practically sprinted towards the door, colliding with Ben's solid chest. He scooped Esme up with practised ease with one arm and led you out the room with the other, leaving the doctors and nurses to work Franky.

"He... I don't..." You can't find the words, too heartbroken to string a coherent sentence together so Ben just holds you till you calm down. Giving himself a chance to figure out how was going to tell you what he needed to. 

"Titch... There's uh... Well, there's something you should know." He said when your cries finally quietened "Fish he uh... Well, it seems like he experienced a pretty vivid dream in his coma." 

You looked up at him with a bemused expression, head tilting to one side as you waited for him to continue. 

"When he woke up, he was rambling about getting hit by a car." He continued "I guess that's what he'd dreamt just before he woke up." 

"What are you trying to tell me, Ben?" You pushed and Ben let out a long sigh as he looked down at Esme in his arm. 

"Frankie thinks you're uh... Well, he-"

"Spit it out, Ben." You grumbled, unable to take the suspense any longer. 

"He thinks you're dead." 

Next

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[bettyfrommars]

E3, !, ♥️

I’m so excited, I love your writing!! I’ve literally never done an ask before, hope I’m doing it right.

hi friend! I wanted to make sure I did this one in honor of it being your first!

So for some reason, your heart showed up as white on my desktop, so I gave you the wrong “thing” lmao

Your Person is Dark Siren Eddie

your Place is a Motel

your Thing is a Guitar

pick your poison

18+ONLY, being on the run, fear of the unknown, star-crossed lovers, getting help from Murray and Hopper.

word count: 1k

The neon of the motel sign blinked "vacancy" in green while the M and the O fluttered a faded red, buzzing in the dark. Surrounded by Oregon wilderness, the place was tucked away in the mountains near an abandoned ski lodge. There were stains on the mattress, a television from the 60's with rabbit ear antenna, and nicotine baked yellow into the once white walls.

You'd been on the run for a month at that point. A government research team was tipped off to Eddie's existence, and he refused to go back to his home in the sea without you.

"You can't stay here," you'd blinked away tears that first night, struggling to form words around your sobs. He held your face with webbed fingers, watching your mouth. "If they catch you, they'll hurt you, Eddie. I can't let that happen."

The nictitating lens of his eyelid blinked over brown gold irises as he examined you. He smoothed a thumb across your cheek, neck gills shuddering as if hit by a breeze.

"Won't go," he murmured. "Stay with you."

The following kiss was urgent, it made more tears roll down your cheeks, messy and hot, tasting salty on your tongue. He made soft noises as the kiss deepened, aching to be inside you again.

The Evergreen Motel was one of many places you'd slept in the past few weeks, moving in shadows, trying to stay under the radar from those who hunted him. You'd even huddled in an old barn once, and under a bridge. You had money, that wasn't the problem, but you didn't want to risk Eddie being identified.

The people trying to track him down to put him in a lab and make him a government experiment, found out about the man he'd killed on the beach that first day, and they used the incident to facilitate their agenda. They lied and said that he'd attacked several people unprovoked, and that he was a danger to society.

"He's a freak of nature!" An older woman who'd claimed to be a witness shared her story with the media. "I saw him crawl up out of the sea, and I swear to god his eyes were glowing. I knew he wanted to kill me!"

If Eddie couldn't have contact with sea water after a few days, he got terribly sick, and so sneaking into the ocean or soaking in salt bath had become a necessity on your travels. Unfortunately, on that one particular early morning, he'd been spotted by a woman walking her dog.

Back in the room, Eddie turned the knob on the TV so that the news broadcast went away, and the screen snapped to black. He could tell it was upsetting you.

The shark tooth earring he'd worn since you first met was dangling from your ear now, since he'd given it to you as a gift. You fell against his chest and let him hold you, listening to him hum the words to a song from his world.

Both of you jumped at the abrupt ringing sound, jerking around in tandem to stare at the blinking light on the beige phone on the nightstand. A second ring was shrill and unrelenting, worrying at your heart like the click of a gun trigger.

You took a breath, collecting yourself before yanking up the receiver.

At the other end, Murray spoke before you had time to greet him.

"I told you not to answer the phone," he scolded. Flushed with relief to know it was him, you flashed a reassuring smile at Eddie.

"But how do I know if it's---"

"We went over this. If it's me calling, I'll let it ring three times, hang up, and then let it ring once more, and then you call me back. How hard is that?"

Hopper and Murray had been risking their own lives to keep you both safe and out of the public eye while on the run. You were afraid to think what would've happened if they hadn't chosen to get involved.

"Did anyone see you check in?" He was rustling papers in the background as he spoke.

"Just the older man at the front desk. But he didn't see Eddie, I don't think."

"You don't think?"

"Eddie was outside with the hood of his sweatshirt up," you sat down on the edge of the bed, wanting to make sure he had all of the information. "There was only one other car in the parking lot. A white Ford pickup. Nevada plates."

"Is the front door locked and bolted? Okay now I need you to look under the bed," Murray continued.

Knowing not to ask questions, you did as he said, kneeling on the stained carpet to lift up the floral dust ruffle. There was popcorn kernels and a sock and a used condom wrapper and...

"Why is there a guitar case under here, Murray?"

"Just pull it out, I don't have time for this."

The case was matte black and scuffed from use. You put it on the bed, and then Eddie came over to stand beside you, cocking his head curiously. After flipping open the tabs to look inside, you found a tan, acoustic guitar with pearl inlay on the fret board. There were also two stacks of cash and some directions in an envelope.

"Those are directions to the hideout. It's a cabin in the woods, stocked with enough food and supplies for a couple weeks. The last few miles will be on foot. You'll stay there until Jim comes to get you, do you understand?"

You nodded silently at first, but then finally spoke the word Yes out loud, swallowing thickly.

"Cut your credit cards up, you can't use them anymore. It's cash only from here on out."

You listened, taking Eddie's hand.

"There's a phone number in there for a woman near the Canadian border who will make your passports. Her name is Rachel, I told her to expect you."

"What about you Murray?" Your voice trembled. "What if they find out that you---"

"Don't worry about me," he said quickly. "You kids just stay safe, and for fuck's sake don't answer the phone again unless you know it's me. Got it?"

You nodded, unable to stop a tear from pooling at your lash line. "Okay, I promise. Thank you, I don't know what we'd do without y---"

But he was gone.

[thotsforvillainrights]

Im finally vack onto this shitshow of an app, and im glad to see your box open again! Lemme ask something predicable for me: how would the shie hassaikai react to their lover disquising themselves in a giant teddybear costume and laying under the christmas tree (if they even set one up in the base lol), and jumping out at them to hug them on christmas day?

Love your posts! ♥️🧸

(I have a huge stuffed bear I got as a gift a long while ago that I was willing to cut open one day just for this prank and I was so sad when I realized I'm too tall to fit ugh😭)

headcanon|scenario|imagine|match-up

-Pops: Old man probably didn't even notice the bear at first. That was until he realized he'd gotten you a totally different gift than this. He automatically assumed it must've been from someone else to you because you already knew all the things he liked and stuffed animals wasn't necessarily high on his list. Anyway, it's easy to say he had a mini heart attack when you surprised him with it.

-Overhaul: Pauses and glares at the bear in suspicion. Who the hell had the gall to get HIS significant other a gift bigger than he for Christmas? He is a tiny bit jealous and probably lets his mind run numbers as he figures out who to kill later. This must obviously be a move to try and court you, right? At the end of the night he ends up being annoyed at you rather than anyone else at the base. Really? Getting in a toy to scare him of all people?

-Chrono: Hope you liked being frozen for 30 minutes and having to listen to him apologize over and over because that's just what happened. Usually he had better control over his quirk but he was coming back from a mission that had him on edge and still weary about his surroundings. Oh well, better luck next time?

-Mimic: If he's in his small form (and he most likely will be) Then you get him pretty damn good. In fact, he thinks he might've almost died in the moment. Surely you should expect him cursing you out right now. It's been almost an hour and he's still grumbling about it. On the up-side, the others got a good laugh out of it lol.

-Nemoto: What was supposed to be a harmless prank ended up landing you a very long and detailed scolding about why you shouldn't go around doing this in a yakuza base. After than, Shin moved on to explaining why it wasn't safe to stuff yourself in bears because of the risk of suffocating. Surely enough, he was on to the next thing and you could only be stuck sighing and hoping the speech would be over soon.

-Deidoro: Gets a damn good kick out of it actually! I mean, if he's sober or drunk he thinks it was pretty funny. You two can tend to play around a lot with each other and this was the most creative you've gotten in a long time! Expect him to plan something even more wild when he gets a good idea sooner or later.

-Rappa: Also someone I see getting a good kick out of it! The only issue with trying this on Rappa is that surprise pranks don't usually end well. It's a life or death thing in the moment depending on whether or not you dodge or have a quirk (or not). That's because his first instinct upon surprise is to punch whoever or whatever it is that scares him.

-Tengai: I'll just go out on a limb and assume you do silly stuff like this all the time with him. That's why it's not as fun when he walks by the bear and sighs before telling you to get out of it. No fun with him because he KNEW you were up to something from the moment he heard you chuckle to yourself earlier today.

-Setsuno: Is slightly annoyed for a moment but doesn't try to show it because he doesn't want to risk hurting your feelings. Regardless of whether or not he liked the prank, he's going to laugh awkwardly and rub his arm. He won't really tell you to not do it again so it's up to you to pick up on his cues. If he does end up liking it then you'll see his more genuine reaction/smile.

-Hojo: Thinks about it for a second and then disregards it. It's just a bear right? Until you jump up and hear him yell for the first time in possibly forever. Oh yeah, he's annoyed for the rest of the day but your laughing in the background starts to cheer him up after a while.

-Tabe: He's examined this bear before you could think to slip yourself inside of it. That's why you find yourself rather confused at the dampness on the thing until you realize he examined it with his MOUTH.

-Katsukame: You're gonna scare him, really? You don't care about the fact that his fists both weigh more than you do? You're just gonna startle the guy without a single thought about the consequences? Great, okay...what color flowers would you like at your funeral?

[cwgames]

Hello everyone! Since last month I have been to hospital for two days. Right now I'm still sick and my liver slowly recovering. Its going to be a long while for my liver to repair itself. Thank goodness I don't smoke or drink any alcohol. My eyes are not that yellow anymore but now I need to work on my cholesterol. Because of steroids that the doctor gave me damage my liver. So I need to get the numbers down before I could get a risk of a heart attack. I definitely don't want my family to get sad again after my brother in law pass away two years ago in the hospital. (⁠｡⁠•́⁠︿⁠•̀⁠｡⁠) At least I'm still able to play video games and be with my family. I really hope my liver get back to normal soon. But I wanna say thank you for the kinds words @magical-game, @mcaquila, and @maldreathezora. Also thank you for the drawing @maldreathezora and @magical-game ♥️❤️. I really wish I can get back to fan audio but recovering comes first. I'm still be able post the games I'm currently now playing right now. But not daily anymore. Until then I'll see everyone soon. ❤️

[illbestarryeyedforyou]

Ask game~ 31 ...btw you seem so kind,please protect yourself ,don't let people play with your heart , you deserve all the best :)🌸

some songs for your playlist 💫:wye oak -civilian,jome cinnamon and jorge ben jor -chove chuva

31. Something you did and you are proud of?

Im really proud of that time i stood up for a UC (unaccompanied child) after he was struck by the at risk UC i was assigned under my care that day the incident transpired.

Quick backstory: a couple weeks ago we received this UC that migrated from Nicaragua, which is not unusual, we receive UC from a variety of countries down from the South America regions. However, this UC at the time was the youngest (five years old) and would not listen to instructions, run away from classes, and aggressive towards others and himself, which immediately marked him as an at-risk UC, meaning 1 on 1 supervision only.

Oh, almost forgot, the UC had an brother as well who was there (seven years old) whom was also placed on a 1 on 1 care for the same reason, heck i even accompanied that UC to the hospital when he was put to sleep due to destroying his room and attacking the other Youth Care Workers. I worked from 2pm to 4am that day ugh because we got released (kicked out) of the hospital after he was visited by a mental health specialist and we waited in the visitor room till one of the directors came.

Agh- back to the point. Supervisors realized that both UC respinded well to me so they started placing them under my care.

However, kids are unpredictable, especially an at-risk one so it's difficult to prepare for the mood swings. I'm so sorry for all of this but if you're still reading this, thank you for your patience.

The at-risk UC attacked an another UC, but i was able to lessen the blow by grabbing the UC arms as he strucked the other UC.

Qhat ended up happening was that the supervisors, did not let me write an IR (Incident Report) right away, which is a must in the protocol/policy, and where trying to aggressively admit that i coached the kid into thinking he was hit which was extremely disrespectful to me because right away i knew they just didn't want to document the incident and where being irresponsible. I ended up standing my ground, called them out, and told them "if im wrong, the video, (which there was a camera outside when ot happened) will prove that, but we're going to agree to disagree here." And they just left it as it was.

The next day, i spoke to the director who oversees the supervisors and ycw and she told me that i did everything right and that i should have been allowed to submit the IR immediately.

Before work started, the supervisors reiterated that and they definitely got in trouble. I was really proud of myself because i stood up against them in defense of a UC who was attacked but they didn't want to acknowledge it.

Its a rollercoaster but there you go.

Hopefully i made sense.

*****

Thank you so much for saying that ♥️ I'll do my best in protecting my heart and not allowing those who don't care about my friendship or effort continuing to be a part of my life.

Also, NEW MUSIC!!!?! yay!! I'll be sure to write them down and give them a shot 😊😊

Again, I appreciate this ask, thank you.

—

Send me a number!!

[ricisidro]

May is Hypertension Awareness Month ! ♥️

#Hypertension or #HighBloodPressure is considered as the number one contributing risk factor for global deaths, causing strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular complications.

Let's focus on keeping our hearts healthy !

[madame-fear]

Can we get scarecrow with partner in crime s/o?-🐰

Hello 🐰 anon! Of course. Sorry requests are taking a little bit of time to write 😭 hope you like it!🥰🥰

(Y/V/N) = Your Villain Name

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

• You two already knew each other before he became The Scarecrow. You were childhood best friends and have always been there for each other.

• You were the only person that made him feel less lonely and like someone did truly care for him, especially when he was taken to the hospital because his dad injected him with the fear toxin and then he was taken to Arkham. You were the only one who always stood by his side, and even planned his escape from Arkham.

• So, considering all of that, after he became Scarecrow he thought of you as a great partner in crime, sidekick and companion! Since he knows you well and trusts you with all his heart and soul.

• You obviously agreed to be his partner in crime, and he immediatly taught you how to use his fear gas and scythe, so you can properly defend yourself.

• At this point honestly you had to be injected with the fear toxin, because he doesn't want you to ever feel fear again or even worse, be accidentally fear-gassed while attacking someone🥴 Now, if you accidentally got fear-gassed, you won't be so vulnerable to it's effects.

• After that, the two of you would literally be UNSTOPPABLE. You two are now oficially well-known as Gotham's most iconic duo ♥️

• You would paint each others eyes with dark makeup before leaving your home to do your criminal activities

• Since both of you live together in your apartment/house, after you two became The Scarecrow and (Y/V/N) your home is now like your villain base and your safe space as well 🙌

• Always patching each other up after getting injured at an attack ♥️ (And sometimes you scold him for getting some injuries because he's the one who gets the most hurt during an attack 😅)

• Despite knowing that you can take care of yourself, he can't help but still be very protective of you and kind of worry about you getting kidnapped, hurt, or even getting involved in something you shouldn't!

• So if he perceives someone or something as a threat or that might endanger your safety, he'll immediatly get in the way. He's very fond of you and doesn't want anything to risk your well being🥺

• Poor baby honestly gives a shit if you know how to take care of yourself, he'll protect you at all costs 😭

• He'll let you be as creative as possible when you murder someone. If you brutally murder someone you two are attacking he'll respect it and let you do your thing

• When you two are in a room that's full of people, he'll be fine by just looking at you. When you notice him staring, you'll flash him one of your big and warm smiles that never fails to lighten up his day and his heart, and he'll obviously return the smile with his cheeks red from blushing 💞 Even if he's using the Scarecrow mask, you can always tell when he smiles at you 🥰

• He's kind of impressed when he watches you defend yourself by kicking some asses and using his fear gas 😆

• He really loves how cool you look while using his fear gas! Sometimes you fear gas someone and he uses his scythe against that person, or vice versa.

• And sometimes when you attack someone, you hide near the shadows so that person doesn't sees you, so while he distracts them you can either attack that person from behind, or he gives you a sign so you can come out of the shadows and fear gas him/her!

• As I said earlier, you two are Gotham's most iconic duo. The GCPD can already tell when you've been messing around Gotham because everything is a bloody chaos 😅

• Nobody actually dares to mess around any of you...

• ...But, if someone hurts you in ANY WAY possible, he'll make that person regret it, and make him or her live in constant nightmare... but only IF said person escapes away from him. If not, poor asshole would be killed in the most brutal and cold way possible.

• You're like his gang second's leader 🥰 Both then and the J squad loves and protects you

• He can be awkward & shy when it comes to affection, so the only way he can show he loves you and cares about you is by hugging you, holding your hand, patting your head and giving you kisses on your head & cheeks ♥️ so expect him to randomly hug you and give you a shy kiss on your head to show his affection for you 🥰

• While you two work on the fear toxin, you probably listen to either rock, metal, or just clasical music.

• As you two spend more and more time together, his love for you keeps growing more & more 🥺

• He really never goes anywhere without taking you with him, and so do you. You're practically inseparable

• I think that by now it's quite obvious that you two have each others back, and that you two are closer than anyone else 🥰🙌

[happyheidi]

Hey fam, hope you're taking care of yourself. I know firsthand just how exhausting and challenging it is to be a caretaker to someone- especially someone who's family or in a semi-authoritative position. So nothing is worse than caring for a parent. Even if you have the most perfect parent in the world, caring itself is so draining, in more ways than one. I see you. And I also know what it feels like to break your phone and for it to be the straw to break the camel's back. You're doing great, and this isn't forever. Sending you all my love! 💞💟💕💓💗💖💝💙❤️💚💜🖤♥️💘💛

Wow, I gotta tell ya this and the other two anons who sent me messages regarding this made my eyes water - seriously! It feels good to be seen. It’s been a struggle. Yikes. My father fell late October and got a triple-break (don’t know the English) in his ankle so he had to stay at the hospital for 2 weeks then come home and have this almost medieval instrument strapped (drilled into his foot and leg) inside him to have the foot/leg “stay” a certain way thus making him immobile. So I moved up with my dog Moffe and started being his full time caretaker. Chef. Nurse. Errand-boy. Health care worker. Psychologist. Cleaning lady. + all the other -not to mention- things… I’m on welfare because of my anxiety, depression ++. So yeah, this has been one hell of a time. I’ve had breakdowns and behaved and done things I would normally never do or/say (which was weird for me but apparently not so uncommon with situations like these) but I’ve managed quite fine, considering. This blog has been (and is) my escape way more than ever before! It’s tough being the one who has to do it all, especially when ur sick yourself. And it was so very sudden! It was the same day the lounge specialist called me and said I could stop my antibiotics (I had puss/fluid in my lounge + hardcore pneumonia, and had to stay at the hospital for 9 days (in august). They drained 4 liters out of it. No explanation as to why. My heart was healthy and everything else - “you’ve been incredibly unlucky”… (yeah.. thanks. kinda used to that..) - but I was on antibiotics for such a long time after that and THE SAME DAY I got the “all clear” this bs happened to my dad… you gotta laugh cus if u don’t u almost lose ur mind. I spent my birthday having Moffe with epilepsy attacks and showering my dad and going to sleep early cus he had an operation the day after. Welcome to adulthood girl 😅 like damn. Haha. But I applaud you all that’s left ur life behind to take care of someone else, seriously! This is HARD WORK! Everyone tells me to take care of myself and I am, but I’ve had to put myself “on hold” for my father, u know? I can’t really focus on myself these days because I have him to focus on… but it’s amazing to get such sweet messages like these! U have no idea!

This was long. Sorry. I haven’t slept. I get my alone time at night so sometimes I don’t sleep. The apartment is very little (35 kvm) and I don’t even have my own room here it’s a sleeping “alcove” (sp?) with just a curtain for privacy.. and I’m a person who cherishes my privacy so very much and truly enjoy being by myself so in that way it’s also been a struggle. If I had mentioned every way this is and have been a struggle this post would never end tho.. and it’s already getting lengthy 😅 but it’s SO GOOD to let out! To get out of my system/to feel seen & heard in this way! I could go on and on like a diary here, but at the risk of being spammy I’m gonna shhh up but THANK U SO MUCH for this! Seriously you are all so incredibly kind and I can’t even begin to tell you all how you’ve helped me during this time without even knowing it! <3

Btw, look who wanted to say hi! 🤪

[ricisidro]

Are you ready to keep your ♥️ beating?

Preventing heart disease starts with knowing your risk factors and making positive lifestyle changes to lower your risk.

Most heart attacks and strokes can be prevented with healthy choices. This can include eating a heart-healthy diet, being active and smoke-free.

Here are 10 important steps to reduce your risk of heart disease for a healthier life.

https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/your-heart/are-you-at-risk-of-heart-disease

#LiveBetterLonger #HealtyAging #BlueZones #NoSmoking #NoAlcohol #healthyfood #healthyeating #vegan #water #exercise #sleep #CheckUp #BMI #ManageStress #Pray #BePositive #HealthyLife #healthylifestyle #HealthyPilipinas #HealthyPinas #healthychoices