#Safety Critical Medicals

[lcgoccupationalhealth]

Why is employee well-being important for an organisation?

Fostering employee well-being is crucial because it helps prevent stress, creates positive working environments, and allows both individuals and the organisation to thrive. Investing in well-being leads to increased resilience, improved performance, reduced absence, enhanced work-life balance, a healthier and more inclusive culture, and better employee morale and engagement.

[alwaysbewoke]

[dizzydispatch]

Time-Life Critical

Content warning: emergency medical situations, death

Today I took my first time-life critical call. The first thing I have to establish with any call, no matter what type of call it is, is the location. If I can only get one piece of information, it HAS to be where I'm sending people. If I don't know what's going on, I can send everyone, and let them hash out the situation. But if I don't know where you are, I can't do anything to help.

Once I know the type of call (police, fire, EMS, or a combination of the three), I get the appropriate help started. Most of the Reg towns have policies where police respond to everything, but I still need to let them know whether they're walking into a domestic (statistically the most dangerous call type for responders), a house fire, an overdose-- whatever it is, I want them to be prepared and walk in with the right mindset and an appropriate level of precaution.

In EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch), we have a set of cards that we read off of to give medical advice when necessary and appropriate for a situation. They're stored on what looks like an old Rolodex, except instead of dates and contacts, it's sorted by medical scenario. Different PSAPs will have different cards based on their protocol, but usually they look about the same.

The first few tabs are for getting enough baseline information to be able to get me to the right situation card. The green cards are for medical situations like allergic reactions and chest pain, while the purple are for traumas, where the patient may be injured rather than sick. Each card will have questions designed to help me decide ALS or BLS response, as well as provide clarifying information to responders so they can have the right tools ready when they arrive on scene. Once I have enough information, I give pre-arrival instructions, which are usually something along the lines of: 

    "Have the patient stay calm, and do not allow them to exert themselves. Allow them to find a position of comfort. Do not allow them to have anything to eat or drink. If they take medication, have a list of their prescriptions or the bottles ready to show responders."

At this point, if it's a low-stakes situation, I can gather the patient and caller's names, a call-back number (which I ought to have confirmed before now, but sometimes things just move too fast), and the patient's date of birth, and then hang up. I usually advise the caller to call back if anything changes, or I keep them on the line so I can keep an ear on the situation until the ambulance shows up.

Those first few cards, though, the all-callers information, also ask for something else. Different people have different nicknames for it, but I call it "C/A/B" status: is the patient Conscious and Alert, and are they Breathing? This is crucial information, as a 'no' to any of these questions will trigger a "hot" response from responding units. Meanwhile, I jump down to those Time-Life Critical cards. There are tabs for CPR, AED, childbirth, and airway control instructions, and they're the only cards where all I do is read them word for word. The other cards I can skip around a little, depending on the nature of the call. 

Today's call would have included CPR, although we never got to the point of giving compressions. By the time the PD had arrived, my caller was trying to get the patient flat on his back on the floor. From what it sounded like, he was struggling to get him out from behind something he was slumped against, possibly a dresser or cabinet. 

So, while it was a time-life critical situation, I didn't really do anything helpful except try to keep the caller occupied while we waited for responders. He was, of course, panicked, as a loved one was lying dead in the room next to him and he couldn't even get him out from behind a piece of furniture. The best I could do was keep him too busy thinking about how to help to have time to panic. 

From what I heard, I don't think the patient survived. Later, I texted my family group chat to tell them about my first (sort of) CPR call. My brother asked me if I was doing okay, and at first I thought he meant, had I performed well enough? Would my DOR (training evaluation) reflect a competent dispatcher, or would stay on remedial training until I eventually was terminated? 

Once I realized that he'd meant, "Are you okay?" as in "That's heavy; are you handling it emotionally?", my reaction was, "Hell yeah. I feel great." I was a bit worried I would freeze up or panic the first time I handled time-life critical. But I performed better than I expected to. The call went into the system quickly and accurately, help arrived in a timely fashion. I did my job well. 

"But," I amended, "Ask me again after my shift ends. I might feel differently once I’ve taken off the professional blinders and processed the human emotion side of things."

After work, I went home and really thought through the situation. I really was fine. Did that make me a bad person? Did it say something about my capacity for empathy that I was more focused on my performance than on the reality of the fact that somebody probably died today, and I had just spoken to likely the last person to see him alive? I've always thought of myself as a deeply compassionate person. So what did it mean that I was able to separate myself wholly from the gravity of a situation like that, and view it as nothing more than a day in the office for me?

That's when I realized that I wasn't cold, or unfeeling. The whole reason I wanted this job so badly was that all I wanted to be involved in the process of saving lives. I wanted to take pride in my work, and being the first step in the emergency response process was the way I could do that. It was the place my skills and aptitudes would best serve those in need.

The fact that I could be so distant was a professional skill I've developed rapidly over the last few months. The key to not being "thrown" by calls like this is to break convention: make the situation about yourself. 

We as people try to avoid taking another person’s problem and making it about ourselves, because that’s considered selfish and unkind. If your friend confides in you she's been struggling with something, you don't say "hey me too, let me tell you about it!" You can offer your experience to her if doing so will establish a bond between you, but this conversation is about her, and you do your best to keep it that way.

But in this line of work, you have to make it about you. Thoughts like: that guy was in such a hard situation, and man, a human life might’ve been lost tonight, will weigh you down, and the job will swallow you whole. 

Instead, you think: how does this affect me? Did I do my job well? What do I stand to gain (experience, perspective, professional acumen)? It goes against social convention, but it keeps you from internalizing the stuff you see (or rather, hear) every day. It’s not about them; it’s about me, and my job, my performance and my success at the situation. Thus, I am no longer emotionally involved in the situation.

It's difficult to override your instincts like that, to subdue for even just short stretches of time the parts of you that feel. But each day I get a little bit better at this job, and though at times I may worry about what that means for my soul, in the end I truly believe the payoff of saving lives will be well worth it.

[abeer-adel]

Help my family survive

Hello, I am Abeer, 33 years old, from Gaza. I hope you read this message. 🙏🚨This message is from my daughter Lian, 11 years old, and my son Wael, 6 months old, to the whole world. 💔🙏Please help Lian, Wael, and my family to get out of Gaza as soon as possible. Donate to give her a safe life. Please do not ignore the message. 🍉💔❤️

My husband's father and mother also live with us. They are 70 years old and suffer from chronic diseases. Treatment is not available for them and they cannot walk forward due to their old age.

On a dark night at the beginning of the war, our area was subjected to massive bombing. The explosions reached our home, forcing us to flee into the night, running amidst periodic explosions and searching for survival. We made our way to southern Gaza by morning, seeking refuge in Rafah

This is our home, filled with our memories and moments of joy and happiness, now reduced to rubble. Its destruction shattered our hearts.

A fragment of what it once was, and now, what it has become

Our situation is dire, and we need your support to rebuild our lives and provide a future for our children. Your kindness and generosity can make a profound difference. Your contributions will help us secure safe shelter, access to medical care, and the basic necessities of life.

Please, consider helping us during this critical time. Every donation, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to safety, stability, and a chance to rebuild our lives.

Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #79 )

@90-ghost

@aces-and-angels

@nabulsi

@gazagfmboost

@ibtisam @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vakarians-babe @7amaspayrollmanager @fairuzfakhira @fallahsart @sayruq @humanvoreture @kaapstadgirly @sar-soor @dimonds456-art @plomegranate @commissions4aid-international @nabizboslugu @stil-macher @soon-palestine @communitythings @palestinegenocide @vakarians-babe @ghost-and-a-half @7amaspayrollmanager @kaapstadgirly @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka @marnosso-blog @toughenthefcukup @flower-tea-fairies @the-stray-liger @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vivisectedgirl @communistchameleon @troythecatfish @the-bastards-of-the-barrel @4ft10tvlandfangirl

[brittlebutch]

actually, much to think about re: Brian's relationship with Tim and Jay's relationship with Tim being complete mirrors of each other

[anasfamilys]

Hello,

🛑🚨🚨🚨

My name is Anas Al Burri. I am 17 years old, and I live in Gaza. My sister has jaundice because she gave birth to her child in an unhygienic area during the war. She has no medication, and her condition is worsening, almost life-threatening. She is too ill to produce milk for her son, and we can't get milk from anywhere else. I have no medication for my diabetes! I am missing insulin, and my blood sugar is critically high, often above 180 and sometimes even 400. I suffer from hyperglycemia attacks and can't get to a hospital because we are in the northern part of Gaza.

https://www.tiktok.com/@pali.liberation?_t=8pPrgadb4sr&_r=1. My campaign documentation number here is 25.

Three months ago, my 14-year-old brother Ahmad was searching for something to eat when he was sh*ot in the ch*est by sni*pers from a kilometer away. The bul*let went straight through his body. He was just a CHILD! We still can't believe it and keep thinking he will come back any moment. We didn't even have time to mourn him before the next family members were kill*ed.

The hardships my family and I face are beyond what words can describe. This is our last resort.

We are reaching out to you with a desperate plea. We need your help to survive. Your donation can provide us with the life-saving medications and food that we desperately need. Every act of kindness brings us closer to safety and restores a glimmer of hope in our hearts.

With your support, you can give us and many other families in Gaza a chance to survive and rebuild our shattered lives. Help us survive and leave Gaza so that the last of our family does not perish.

Thank you for your empathy and kindness.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Anas Al-Burri and Family

❤❤

[i-am-aprl]

🚨 Dozens of Palestinians have been killed and wounded by the occupation forces as they stormed the complex at dawn today.

🚨 2 violent explosions happened inside the hospital complex.

🚨 Israeli forces assaulted Al Jazeera journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul and his crew then abducted all of them.

🚨 More than 30 thousand displaced people inside the complex.

🚨 Israeli forces have forcibly entered the hospital and have already abducted more than 150 civilians into custody.

🚨 Israeli forces have also forced many critically ill patients to vacate the hospital and relocate to the south under threat of gunfire and bombings.

🚨 Israeli forces are currently bulldozing the courtyard around the hospital.

🚨 The surrounding land is mostly graves of Palestinians who were killed when the Israeli forces attacked the hospital the first time.

🚨 Homes surrounding Al Shifa medical complex are now being targeted.

“Israeli occupation forces attacked Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Ismail Alghoul in Gaza whilst he was performing his journalistic duties. Following the attack, he was arrested, and the broadcast vehicle along with cameras and equipment was destroyed.

Al Jazeera Media Network demands the immediate release of its correspondent and the other journalists who were detained alongside him, and holds the occupation forces fully responsible for their safety.”

[chilewithcarnage]

please do not ignore this y'all

Noor @nooourashour has reached out to me for help to spread his gofundme to get him and his family to safety. his case is especially dire because his toddler son Muhammad is multiply disabled & is in critical need of safe housing, food, clean water and medical care. despite his original post having thousands of notes, his campaign is extremely far from it's end goal.

he's counting on us to help him save his child's life. we can't let him down. even if you can't donate, please share and reblog this as much as you can 💫 (for anyone concerned, he has been vetted by @90-ghost )

[noor-family]

Rebuilding Live: A Mother's Plea for Hope and Safety in Gaza🙏♥️

I'm Nour Alanqar, and reaching out to you during a time of unimaginable hardship. I am 26 years old, married to Ashraf Ismail, who is 32, and together we have three beautiful children: Hussein, 6, Rajaa, 5, and Youssef, just 10 months old. Our lives have been turned upside down by the devastating war in Gaza, and we desperately need your help.

• My daughter Rajaa is a radiant beam of sunshine, bringing boundless joy, warmth, and love to everyone she meets.

On a dark night at the beginning of the war, our area was subjected to massive bombing. The explosions reached our home, forcing us to flee into the night, running amidst periodic explosions and searching for survival. We made our way to southern Gaza by morning, seeking refuge in Rafah.

•This is our home, filled with our memories and moments of joy and happiness, now reduced to rubble. Its destruction shattered our hearts.

In Rafah, we found shelter in a crowded warehouse filled with strangers, all of us struggling to find basic necessities like food, water, safety, and cleanliness. Despite these challenges, we were again hit by direct bombardment. My husband was injured in the shoulder, and the scene around us was filled with blood and corpses. The cries of my children in those moments still echo in my head.

•A fragment of what it once was, and now, what it has become.

We moved several times to places described as safe, only to face new tragedies. During this period, my precious daughter Raja contracted hepatitis, adding to our suffering.

It was incredibly difficult for me to endure these disasters, especially as I was in the process of giving birth. Youssef was deprived of proper breastfeeding and the necessary nutrition for his age. Hussein's right to education and a safe childhood have been cruelly taken from him.

•My baby Youssef, whom I clung to throughout the war, running with him through the rubble of shattered homes to escape.

•At an age when Hussein should have been enjoying his childhood, all his rights were taken away from him.

Our situation is dire, and we need your support to rebuild our lives and provide a future for our children. Your kindness and generosity can make a profound difference. Your contributions will help us secure safe shelter, access to medical care, and the basic necessities of life.

Please, consider helping us during this critical time. Every donation, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to safety, stability, and a chance to rebuild our lives.♥️🙏

Thank you

For vetted ♥️🙏🌷. @90-ghost 🌷🙏♥️

Vetted link 🖇️

[slyandthefamilybook]

since we now know that all those "my blog is safe for Jewish people" posts are bullshit, here are some Jewish organizations you can donate to if you actually want to prove you support Jews. put up or shut up

FIGHTING HUNGER

Masbia - Kosher soup kitchens in New York

MAZON - Practices and promotes a multifaceted approach to hunger relief, recognizing the importance of responding to hungry peoples' immediate need for nutrition and sustenance while also working to advance long-term solutions

Tomchei Shabbos - Provides food and other supplies so that poor Jews can celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish holidays

FINANCIAL AID

Ahavas Yisrael - Providing aid for low-income Jews in Baltimore

Hebrew Free Loan Society - Provides interest-free loans to low-income Jews in New York and more

GLOBAL AID

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - Offers aid to Jewish populations in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the Middle East through a network of social and community assistance programs. In addition, the JDC contributes millions of dollars in disaster relief and development assistance to non-Jewish communities

American Jewish World Service - Fighting poverty and advancing human rights around the world

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society - Providing aid to immigrants and refugees around the world

Jewish World Watch - Dedicated to fighting genocides around the world

MEDICAL AID

Sharsheret - Support for cancer patients, especially breast cancer

SOCIAL SERVICES

The Aleph Institute - Provides support and supplies for Jews in prison and their families, and helps Jewish convicts reintegrate into society

Bet Tzedek - Free legal services in LA

Bikur Cholim - Providing support including kosher food for Jews who have been hospitalized in the US, Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Israel

Blue Card Fund - Critical aid for holocaust survivors

Chai Lifeline - An org that's very close to my heart. They help families with members with disabilities in Baltimore

Chana - Support network for Jews in Baltimore facing domestic violence, sexual abuse, and elder abuse

Community Alliance for Jewish-Affiliated Cemetaries - Care of abandoned and at-risk Jewish cemetaries

Crown Heights Central Jewish Community Council - Provides services to community residents including assistance to the elderly, housing, employment and job training, youth services, and a food bank

Hands On Tzedakah - Supports essential safety-net programs addressing hunger, poverty, health care and disaster relief, as well as scholarship support to students in need

Hebrew Free Burial Association

Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services - Programs include early childhood and learning, children and adolescent services, mental health outpatient clinics for teenagers, people living with developmental disabilities, adults living with mental illness, domestic violence and preventive services, housing, Jewish community services, counseling, volunteering, and professional and leadership development

Jewish Caring Network - Providing aid for families facing serious illnesses

Jewish Family Service - Food security, housing stability, mental health counseling, aging care, employment support, refugee resettlement, chaplaincy, and disability services

Jewish Relief Agency - Serving low-income families in Philadelphia

Jewish Social Services Agency - Supporting people’s mental health, helping people with disabilities find meaningful jobs, caring for older adults so they can safely age at home, and offering dignity and comfort to hospice patients

Jewish Women's Foundation Metropolitan Chicago - Aiding Jewish women in Chicago

Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty - Crisis intervention and family violence services, housing development funds, food programs, career services, and home services

Misaskim - Jewish death and burial services

Our Place - Mentoring troubled Jewish adolescents and to bring awareness of substance abuse to teens and children

Tiferes Golda - Special education for Jewish girls in Baltimore

Yachad - Support for Jews with disabilities

[alihelles2]

Help Ali's Situation in GazaCan you donate money? If not, please share my page? Thank you. Look at the children with compassion and save us from despair. We desperately need money. Our fishing net was destroyed by the war and it was our livelihood 😭 Share my page so donors can come please 😭😭

Gaza 🇵🇸🇵🇸. On October 7th, the fragile semblance of normalcy that my family was clinging to was shattered. They were forced to evacuate our home, and a horrific journey of suffering began that shows no sign of ending. Over the past months, they have been moved from place to place in search of safety, but they have faced constant danger. They have been evacuated more than seven times now. Now, they find themselves in a makeshift tent in Deir al-Balah, exposed to the harsh sun and walking miles to get clean water. The war has taken more than just our home. The neighborhood we lived in has been completely destroyed, and the physical spaces of our childhood memories and dreams have been erased. We have lost everything we once knew and loved. The pain of these losses is compounded by the grief over the loss of my cousin, Khesar, and the pain of knowing that my brother Mohammed has been critically injured with limited access to medical care. With a heavy heart but an optimistic spirit, I am launching this GoFundMe campaign. I am determined to get my family to safety here in Egypt, where we can begin to rebuild our lives. Your support can make an immeasurable difference. Funds raised will go directly to securing their safe passage out of Gaza and ensuring they have access to basic necessities – food, shelter, and medical care – once they arrive. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to reuniting them.

https://gofund.me/36240bc1

[communistkenobi]

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ne9gzx-help-them-to-survive?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Dear Friends,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to share an urgent plea for help. Due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, my family and I have been forced to flee our home and seek refuge in Khan Younis. My mother, who is pregnant, is in critical need of assistance to ensure her safety and the safety of her unborn child.

We are facing severe hardships and are struggling to provide her with the necessary medical care and basic necessities. I have launched a campaign to raise funds for my mother's survival during this perilous time.

Your support in sharing our campaign on social media could make a life-saving difference. Please help us spread the word and gather the support we desperately need.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely,

Please help us by sharing the post on your page so that we can collect donations and get out of the war. You are our hope. I will be very grateful to you . ❤️🙏🏼

"this fundraiser is vetted by nabulsi, fallahifag, el-shab-hussein, ibtisams, sayruq"

yes of course!

this fundraiser is vetted on @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi’s google sheet of vetted fundraisers (it’s #152, which is row 156 on the sheet). Please spread this!

[sayruq]

Hi world, it’s Eman Please read this as if I’m a member of your family, may be your sister , daughter or a friend and as if my family who’s under death now is yours.Today, I reach out with a heavy heart and a place for your kindness and support . I am not just seeking to fundraise. I am seeking to save the lives of my beloved family members who are currently trapped in a nightmare. All of whom depend on your generosity to escape Gaza Strip to Egypt , get the medical help needed and begin a new life where we are seeking safety. This is me Eman

My name is Eman , a girl in her thirties (39- years old) and a computer science graduate .Iam speaking from the heart of Gaza, a place that was once vibrant with life and has now become painfully marked by the effects of wars that spared no war. I live with my mother, Etemad (60 years old ) and my father, Saed (70 years old . My mother and my father

My sister Khaleda is ( 41 years old ) She has four children. Three sons .Saed ,3 years old. Abdul Rahman, 5 years old ,and Adam, 9 years old .Her daughter, Lyan, is (4 years old) .

Khaleda's Children

Iam suffering of one of the most common generic disorders which is thalassaemia. It’s so tiring and difficult disease. And due to the war, I lack medical care and treatments. My health is getting worse and deteriorating as treatment became insufficient. Iam in need to plasma exchange regularly ,the thing that my family find so difficult because of blockage and destruction of hospitals , in addition to the risks of going out our shelters every day as the bombs everywhere . My family deserve the opportunity to live a full life. I can’t bear the thought of losing any member of them.

My father, Saed, is suffering from heart disease .He has blockage of the heart arteries . Doctors advised him not to expose himself to the news and events that affect his mental and physical health. He urgently needs to undergo the necessary tests and surgery.

My mother, Etemad, has chronic diseases (blood pressure and diabetes ) . She needs regular follow up and medical treatment .She is struggling to obtain the necessary medications , waiting too long in clinics for subpar alternatives if found.

My family and I were very close knit enjoying simple pleasure and cherishing moment together. Now all that remains are memories scattered among the rubble of our destroyed home in Gaza. We witnessed death with our own eyes and were forced to flee our home in fear of our lives .During this time , we also received the news of the deaths of several relatives and friends due to indiscriminate bombardments. Now, I find Myself with my family displaced in a plastic tent in Al-Zawaydah , our last refuge, living inhuman conditions and enduring unimaginable hardships along the way.

We’re currently sleeping on the ground in a tent that does not protect us from the heat of summer or the cold of winter . We are located there ,with no access to essential items like clean drinking water , electricity , healthy food and cooking gas .Death and destruction followed us everywhere , Our home was bombed and bulldozed and our hopes and dreams were shattered along with it .We are enduring a suffering that is beyond anything you can imagine. Me with my family are in a very critical situation in tents .Tasks are divided among us to sustain ourselves. My father fetches water if ever found from a distant area early every morning. My mother cooks and washes our clothes using traditional methods .This is why we are asking for your help, as we are still in danger in South Gaza and can’t receive the medical care needed. Our new life in tents

Since the beginning of Israel’s assault on Gaza, we were forced to evacuate several times leaving behind our home and the future we had been working towards. Walking without carrying our personal belongings, our clothes or even money in search of a safe place until we managed to escape to the south of Gaza Strip .

Gaza, a place that I call home has been transformed into a landscape of destructions and despair . The reality we live in is one of the constant fear, where the sounds of explosions drown out the dreams and aspirations of its people .In what seems like an instant , everything my family and I held there had been ripped away by the chaos of war . A side of our suffering in tents

This campaign is not just about escaping Gaza. It’s about reclaiming a future where my family can live without the shadow of fear , where we can get the medical care and treatment needed and where we can once again embrace the joys of life without grief . The price of leaving Gaza is high and far beyond my family means. so I have initiated this fundraising campaign to urgently gather funds to help my family leave Gaza as soon as possible. The funds collected will be carefully allocated for the following purposes: Firstly , it will contribute to providing a safe passage to Egypt , which is a vital step for the family’s safety. Secondly: covering the medical treatment. Costs and medications for me , my father and my mother . In addition to the need for comprehensive examinations in Egypt to ensure our safety after the war. Thirdly : the funds will be allocated to provide temporary accommodation for the family in Egypt, giving them stability and the opportunity to explore the best path for their future . Finally , it will cover initial living expenses in Egypt granting the family the time and space needed to relax and rebuild their lives after the ordeal of the genocide in Gaza .

Eman's family has only raised $610 USD out of $50,000 goal. Please support the family by sharing. Donate if you can

[reasonsforhope]

"In a highly-anticipated world-first, the Texas Heart Institute has successfully implanted an artificial titanium heart that uses the same technology as bullet trains to pump blood mechanically throughout the body.

Called the Total Artificial Heart (TAH), the feat is seen as a major step in keeping people alive for longer and longer periods while they wait for heart transplants.

Texas Heart partnered with the medical tech company BiVACOR to create the TAH. It’s a titanium-constructed biventricular rotary blood pump with a single moving part that utilizes a magnetically levitated rotor that pumps the blood and replaces both ventricles of a failing heart.

The benefit of using magnetic levitation is that none of the moving parts ever scrape or slide against each other, reducing friction, and dramatically increasing the longevity of the device. But what’s really cool is the TAH can pump blood at a rate of 12 liters per minute, enough to allow an adult male to engage in exercise.

The first-in-human clinical study, overseen closely by the FDA, aims to evaluate the safety and performance of the BiVACOR TAH as a bridge-to-transplant solution for patients with severe bi or univentricular heart failure. Following this first implantation completed at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center, four additional patients are to be enrolled in the study.

“The Texas Heart Institute is enthused about the groundbreaking first implantation of BiVACOR’s TAH. With heart failure remaining a leading cause of mortality globally, the BiVACOR TAH offers a beacon of hope for countless patients awaiting a heart transplant,” said Dr. Joseph Rogers, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Texas Heart Institute and National Principal Investigator on the research.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of this medical breakthrough, working alongside the dedicated teams at BiVACOR, Baylor College of Medicine, and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center to transform the future of heart failure therapy for this vulnerable population.”

Heart failure is a global epidemic affecting at least 26 million people worldwide, 6.2 million adults in the US, and is increasing in prevalence. Heart transplantations are reserved for those with severe heart failure and are limited to fewer than 6,000 procedures per year globally. Consequently, the US National Institutes of Health estimated that up to 100,000 patients could immediately benefit from mechanical alternatives.

The successful implantation of BiVACOR’s TAH highlights the potential of innovative technologies to address critical challenges in cardiac care, such as long transplantation waitlists.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the courage of our first patient and their family, the dedication of our team, and our expert collaborators at The Texas Heart Institute,” said Daniel Timms, founder and CTO of BiVACOR."

-Article via Good News Network, August 1, 2024. Video via 7News Australia, July 26, 2024.

[undeadcourier]

Ghouls are, put simply, humans suffering from advanced, prolonged radiation sickness and whose bodies have mutated such that gamma radiation extends their lifespan past natural limits.

The process of ghoulification is outlined in canon sources, but I wanted to make a guide that goes into more detail on the effects of radiation sickness in various cases, since the level and type of exposure significantly affects the outcome.

This is the first in what will be a series of posts exploring both real-life cases of radiation sickness and the sci-fi concept of ghoulification in some depth. Graphic descriptions of the physical deterioration of the body are included for informative purposes; reader discretion is advised.

For this first case study, I examine the effects on the human body of exposure to high levels of radiation in a short period of time, with a focus on the real case of Hisashi Ouchi.

On September 30, 1999, a lack of appropriate safety measures and the proper materials resulted in an accident that caused three workers at the nuclear power plant in Tōkai-mura, Japan, to suffer from severe radiation poisoning while purifying reactor fuel.

Point of Criticality

An uncontrolled fission reaction was produced when technicians poured nearly seven times the legal limit of uranium oxide into an improper vessel containing nitric acid. The men reported seeing a bright blue flash—indicative of Cherenkov radiation—when the mixture reached critical mass, flooding the room with radiation. The workers evacuated to the decontamination room, but already, the two who had been handling the reactive solution were overcome with intense pain from radiation burns, severe nausea, and difficulty breathing. Hisashi Ouchi, who suffered the highest level of exposure, also experienced rapid difficulties with mobility and coherence. Upon reaching the decontamination room, he vomited and fell unconscious.

~1 Hour Post-Exposure

Ouchi regained consciousness in the hospital about 70 minutes after the criticality accident, where doctors confirmed that he had been exposed to high doses of gamma, neutron, and other radiation.

The maximum allowable annual dose of radiation for nuclear technicians in Japan was 50 millisieverts. Exposure to more than 7 sieverts is considered fatal. Yutaka Yokokawa, the supervisor, had received 3 sieverts. The technicians who had been handling the uranium, Masato Shinohara and Hisashi Ouchi, received 10 sieverts and 17 sieverts, respectively.

~1 Day+ Post-Exposure

During the first few days in the ICU, Ouchi appeared to be in remarkably good condition, given the circumstances: the skin of his face and right hand was slightly red, as if by a sunburn, and swollen. His eyes were bloodshot, and he reported pain under his ear and right hand, which had received the most direct exposure, but he could speak normally, and he joked with the doctors and nurses attending to him.

6 Days Post-Exposure

Tests revealed that the high energy radiation that Ouchi had been exposed to had obliterated the chromosomes in his bone marrow. They were unrecognizable—some severed, some fused, all out of order. This damage meant that his body was unable to create new blood cells. The red blood cells that transport oxygen could not be replaced, and Ouchi's white blood cell count was near zero, leaving him extremely vulnerable to infection.

~1 Week+ Post-Exposure

Intensive treatments, including numerous skin grafts, blood and bone marrow transfusions, and revolutionary stem cell transplants were conducted in an attempt to stabilize Ouchi, but ultimately without lasting success.

The skin grafts couldn't hold; when medical tape was peeled from his skin, his skin came with it, and the marks left behind couldn't heal. Blisters like those of a burn appeared on his right hand.

Ouchi reported frequently that he was thirsty.

~10 Days Post-Exposure

By this point, Ouchi's oxygen levels were so low that even speaking required tremendous effort. Ouchi was placed on supplemental oxygen and required sedatives to be able to sleep.

2 Weeks+ Post-Exposure

Ouchi was no longer able to eat and required an IV. By day sixteen, most of the skin on the front side of his body had fallen off.

His low platelet count and lack of healthy skin meant that his blood and bodily fluids leaked through his damaged pores, resulting in unstable blood pressure.

Donor stem cells that were meant to allow his body to create new tissue were also destroyed by the radiation present in his body.

~1 Month Post-Exposure

On the 27th day following the accident, Ouchi suffered from intense diarrhea. The mucus layer of his large intestine had vanished, exposing the red submucosal layer beneath. His body could no longer disgest or absorb anything he ingested; even water was excreted as diarrhea.

The skin of Ouchi's right hand was almost entirely gone, leaving the surface of his hand raw and dark red. Blisters spread across his right arm and abdomen, then over his entire body. Gauze was required to replace his skin, and his fingers had to be individually wrapped to prevent them from sticking together. Without skin to keep him warm, Ouchi required an electrothermic device to maintain his body temperature while his bandages were changed—a daily procedure that took hours. Every time the gauze was removed, more of Ouchi's remaining skin went with it. His eyelids could not shut, and his eyes bled. His nails fell off.

Ouchi's right arm was necrotizing, leading to an increasing amount of myoglobin—a protein in muscle tissue—flowing in Ouchi's blood. Untreated, this could result in renal failure as the kidneys could not process the amount of myoglobin present.

Ouchi's body could not regenerate the platelets that form scabs, meaning the risk of hemorrhage was extreme.

By day 50, more than two liters of fluid seeped from Ouchi's damaged skin each day. The amount of fluid prevented skin grafts from adhering. Furthermore, he began to suffer from blood in his stool, and permeated blood seeped between his inflamed small and large intestines.

2 Months+ Post-Exposure

On the 59th day after the accident, Ouchi suffered the first of many heart attacks. His kidneys and liver were also failing. He no longer showed reactions to stimuli.

By day 63, Ouchi's macrophages—the immune cells that normally attack and consume bacteria and viruses—were attacking his own healthy blood cells.

After 67 days, Ouchi suffered internal hemorrhage. He bled from his mouth and intestines.

Ouchi would continue to suffer from heart attacks, as many as three in one hour. Each time, he was revived, but he suffered increasing brain damage, until multiple organ failure ended his life after 83 days in the hospital.

Ouchi's colleague Masato Shinohara underwent numerous successful skin grafts and a stem cell transfusion as well as radical cancer treatment, but he, too, died of multiple organ failure after seven months. Their supervisor, Yutaka Yokokawa, was treated for minor radiation sickness and was released from the hospital within three months of the accident.

This detailed chronology was referenced from the book A Slow Death: 83 Days of Radiation Sickness by Iwanami Shoten, translated by Maho Harada. My post, of course, focuses on Ouchi's physical condition in his final months, but it’s important to remember him not just as a victim or a patient. He was a loving husband and father whose sense of humor and resilience left an impression on everyone he came into contact with. The book is available in its entirety here and provides a moving, nuanced account of the incident and the efforts to save Ouchi's life.

[anasfamilys]

Hello,

My name is Anas Al Burri. I am 17 years old, and I live in G*za. My sister has jaundice because she gave birth to her child in an unhygienic area during the war. She has no medication, and her condition is worsening, almost life-threatening. She is too ill to produce milk for her son, and we can't get milk from anywhere else. I have no medication for my diabetes! I am missing insulin, and my blood sugar is critically high, often above 180 and sometimes even 400. I suffer from hyperglycemia attacks and can't get to a hospital because we are in the northern part of G*za.

Three months ago, my 14-year-old brother Ahmad was searching for something to eat when he was sh*ot in the ch*est by sni*pers from a kilometer away. The bul*let went straight through his body. He was just a CHILD! We still can't believe it and keep thinking he will come back any moment. We didn't even have time to mourn him before the next family members were kill*ed.

The hardships my family and I face are beyond what words can describe. This is our last resort.

We are reaching out to you with a desperate plea. We need your help to survive. Your donation can provide us with the life-saving medications and food that we desperately need. Every act of kindness brings us closer to safety and restores a glimmer of hope in our hearts.

With your support, you can give us and many other families in Gaza a chance to survive and rebuild our shattered lives. Help us survive and leave G*za so that the last of our family does not perish.

https://gofund.me/ecf94b00

Thank you for your empathy and kindness.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Anas Al-Burri and Family

❤❤