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#Senior Foot Care Treatments
herespaaa · 6 months
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Unlocking the Secrets of Senior Nail Care and Haircuts: HereSpa's Ultimate Guide
As we age, self-care becomes increasingly important. At HereSpa, we understand the unique needs of seniors, which is why we've curated a range of services tailored specifically for our senior clientele. From Senior Nail Care to Anti Aging Revitalization Facials, our goal is to help seniors look and feel their best. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the benefits of senior-focused spa treatments and how they can contribute to overall well-being.
Understanding the Importance of Senior Nail Care
Nail care is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health, especially for seniors. As we age, nails can become brittle and prone to infection. Our Senior Nail Care services are designed to address these concerns, providing gentle trimming, shaping, and moisturizing to keep nails healthy and strong.
The Art of Senior Haircuts
A good haircut can do wonders for confidence and self-esteem, regardless of age. Our experienced stylists at HereSpa specialize in Senior's Haircuts, understanding the unique needs of aging hair. Whether it's a simple trim or a complete style overhaul, we tailor each haircut to complement our clients' features and lifestyle.
Pampering Pedicures for Seniors
Foot care is essential for seniors, especially those who may have mobility issues or circulation problems. Our Senior Restorative Pedicure goes beyond basic nail care, incorporating massage techniques to improve circulation and alleviate tension. With regular pedicures, seniors can enjoy improved foot health and overall comfort.
Rejuvenating Facials for Ageless Beauty
Aging skin requires special attention and care to maintain its youthful glow. Our Anti Aging Revitalization Facial is a luxurious treatment designed to combat the signs of aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness. Using advanced techniques and high-quality products, our estheticians provide personalized facials to address each client's specific concerns.
Conclusion : Experience the HereSpa Difference
At HereSpa, we believe that everyone deserves to feel pampered and rejuvenated, regardless of age. Our senior-focused services are designed to provide exceptional care and attention to detail, ensuring that each client leaves feeling refreshed and revitalized. From Senior Nail Care to Anti Aging Revitalization Facials, we invite seniors to experience the HereSpa difference and discover the transformative power of self-care. Book your appointment today and embark on a journey to wellness and beauty with HereSpa.
Unlock the secrets of senior beauty and wellness at HereSpa. Schedule your appointment today at https://www.herespa.com/services?scgid=100.
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itsawritblr · 8 months
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Holy shit, the New York Times is FINALLY interviewing and listening to detransistioners.
The tide is turning.
Opinion by Pamela Paul
As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do.
Feb. 2, 2024
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Grace Powell was 12 or 13 when she discovered she could be a boy.
Growing up in a relatively conservative community in Grand Rapids, Mich., Powell, like many teenagers, didn’t feel comfortable in her own skin. She was unpopular and frequently bullied. Puberty made everything worse. She suffered from depression and was in and out of therapy.
“I felt so detached from my body, and the way it was developing felt hostile to me,” Powell told me. It was classic gender dysphoria, a feeling of discomfort with your sex.
Reading about transgender people online, Powell believed that the reason she didn’t feel comfortable in her body was that she was in the wrong body. Transitioning seemed like the obvious solution. The narrative she had heard and absorbed was that if you don’t transition, you’ll kill yourself.
At 17, desperate to begin hormone therapy, Powell broke the news to her parents. They sent her to a gender specialist to make sure she was serious. In the fall of her senior year of high school, she started cross-sex hormones. She had a double mastectomy the summer before college, then went off as a transgender man named Grayson to Sarah Lawrence College, where she was paired with a male roommate on a men’s floor. At 5-foot-3, she felt she came across as a very effeminate gay man.
At no point during her medical or surgical transition, Powell says, did anyone ask her about the reasons behind her gender dysphoria or her depression. At no point was she asked about her sexual orientation. And at no point was she asked about any previous trauma, and so neither the therapists nor the doctors ever learned that she’d been sexually abused as a child.
“I wish there had been more open conversations,” Powell, now 23 and detransitioned, told me. “But I was told there is one cure and one thing to do if this is your problem, and this will help you.”
Progressives often portray the heated debate over childhood transgender care as a clash between those who are trying to help growing numbers of children express what they believe their genders to be and conservative politicians who won’t let kids be themselves.
But right-wing demagogues are not the only ones who have inflamed this debate. Transgender activists have pushed their own ideological extremism, especially by pressing for a treatment orthodoxy that has faced increased scrutiny in recent years. Under that model of care, clinicians are expected to affirm a young person’s assertion of gender identity and even provide medical treatment before, or even without, exploring other possible sources of distress.
Many who think there needs to be a more cautious approach — including well-meaning liberal parents, doctors and people who have undergone gender transition and subsequently regretted their procedures — have been attacked as anti-trans and intimidated into silencing their concerns.
And while Donald Trump denounces “left-wing gender insanity” and many trans activists describe any opposition as transphobic, parents in America’s vast ideological middle can find little dispassionate discussion of the genuine risks or trade-offs involved in what proponents call gender-affirming care.
Powell’s story shows how easy it is for young people to get caught up by the pull of ideology in this atmosphere.
“What should be a medical and psychological issue has been morphed into a political one,” Powell lamented during our conversation. “It’s a mess.”
A New and Growing Group of Patients
Many transgender adults are happy with their transitions and, whether they began to transition as adults or adolescents, feel it was life changing, even lifesaving. The small but rapidly growing number of children who express gender dysphoria and who transition at an early age, according to clinicians, is a recent and more controversial phenomenon.
Laura Edwards-Leeper, the founding psychologist of the first pediatric gender clinic in the United States, said that when she started her practice in 2007, most of her patients had longstanding and deep-seated gender dysphoria. Transitioning clearly made sense for almost all of them, and any mental health issues they had were generally resolved through gender transition.
“But that is just not the case anymore,” she told me recently. While she doesn’t regret transitioning the earlier cohort of patients and opposes government bans on transgender medical care, she said, “As far as I can tell, there are no professional organizations who are stepping in to regulate what’s going on.”
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Most of her patients now, she said, have no history of childhood gender dysphoria. Others refer to this phenomenon, with some controversy, as rapid onset gender dysphoria, in which adolescents, particularly tween and teenage girls, express gender dysphoria despite never having done so when they were younger. Frequently, they have mental health issues unrelated to gender. While professional associations say there is a lack of quality research on rapid onset gender dysphoria, several researchers have documented the phenomenon, and many health care providers have seen evidence of it in their practices.
“The population has changed drastically,” said Edwards-Leeper, a former head of the Child and Adolescent Committee for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the organization responsible for setting gender transition guidelines for medical professionals.
For these young people, she told me, “you have to take time to really assess what’s going on and hear the timeline and get the parents’ perspective in order to create an individualized treatment plan. Many providers are completely missing that step.”
Yet those health care professionals and scientists who do not think clinicians should automatically agree to a young person’s self-diagnosis are often afraid to speak out. A report commissioned by the National Health Service about Britain’s Tavistock gender clinic, which, until it was ordered to be shut down, was the country’s only health center dedicated to gender identity, noted that “primary and secondary care staff have told us that they feel under pressure to adopt an unquestioning affirmative approach and that this is at odds with the standard process of clinical assessment and diagnosis that they have been trained to undertake in all other clinical encounters.”
Of the dozens of students she’s trained as psychologists, Edwards-Leeper said, few still seem to be providing gender-related care. While her students have left the field for various reasons, “some have told me that they didn’t feel they could continue because of the pushback, the accusations of being transphobic, from being pro-assessment and wanting a more thorough process,” she said.
They have good reasons to be wary. Stephanie Winn, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Oregon, was trained in gender-affirming care and treated multiple transgender patients. But in 2020, after coming across detransition videos online, she began to doubt the gender-affirming model. In 2021 she spoke out in favor of approaching gender dysphoria in a more considered way, urging others in the field to pay attention to detransitioners, people who no longer consider themselves transgender after undergoing medical or surgical interventions. She has since been attacked by transgender activists. Some threatened to send complaints to her licensing board saying that she was trying to make trans kids change their minds through conversion therapy.
In April 2022, the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists told Winn that she was under investigation. Her case was ultimately dismissed, but Winn no longer treats minors and practices only online, where many of her patients are worried parents of trans-identifying children.
“I don’t feel safe having a location where people can find me,” she said.
Detransitioners say that only conservative media outlets seem interested in telling their stories, which has left them open to attacks as hapless tools of the right, something that frustrated and dismayed every detransitioner I interviewed. These are people who were once the trans-identified kids that so many organizations say they’re trying to protect — but when they change their minds, they say, they feel abandoned.
Most parents and clinicians are simply trying to do what they think is best for the children involved. But parents with qualms about the current model of care are frustrated by what they see as a lack of options.
Parents told me it was a struggle to balance the desire to compassionately support a child with gender dysphoria while seeking the best psychological and medical care. Many believed their kids were gay or dealing with an array of complicated issues. But all said they felt compelled by gender clinicians, doctors, schools and social pressure to accede to their child’s declared gender identity even if they had serious doubts. They feared it would tear apart their family if they didn’t unquestioningly support social transition and medical treatment. All asked to speak anonymously, so desperate were they to maintain or repair any relationship with their children, some of whom were currently estranged.
Several of those who questioned their child’s self-diagnosis told me it had ruined their relationship. A few parents said simply, “I feel like I’ve lost my daughter.”
One mother described a meeting with 12 other parents in a support group for relatives of trans-identified youth where all of the participants described their children as autistic or otherwise neurodivergent. To all questions, the woman running the meeting replied, “Just let them transition.” The mother left in shock. How would hormones help a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression? she wondered.
Some parents have found refuge in anonymous online support groups. There, people share tips on finding caregivers who will explore the causes of their children’s distress or tend to their overall emotional and developmental health and well-being without automatically acceding to their children’s self-diagnosis.
Many parents of kids who consider themselves trans say their children were introduced to transgender influencers on YouTube or TikTok, a phenomenon intensified for some by the isolation and online cocoon of Covid. Others say their kids learned these ideas in the classroom, as early as elementary school, often in child-friendly ways through curriculums supplied by trans rights organizations, with concepts like the gender unicorn or the Genderbread person.
‘Do You Want a Dead Son or a Live Daughter?’
After Kathleen’s 15-year-old son, whom she described as an obsessive child, abruptly told his parents he was trans, the doctor who was going to assess whether he had A.D.H.D. referred him instead to someone who specialized in both A.D.H.D. and gender. Kathleen, who asked to be identified only by her first name to protect her son’s privacy, assumed that the specialist would do some kind of evaluation or assessment. That was not the case.
The meeting was brief and began on a shocking note. “In front of my son, the therapist said, ‘Do you want a dead son or a live daughter?’” Kathleen recounted.
Parents are routinely warned that to pursue any path outside of agreeing with a child’s self-declared gender identity is to put a gender dysphoric youth at risk for suicide, which feels to many people like emotional blackmail. Proponents of the gender-affirming model have cited studies showing an association between that standard of care and a lower risk of suicide. But those studies were found to have methodological flaws or have been deemed not entirely conclusive. A survey of studies on the psychological effects of cross-sex hormones, published three years ago in The Journal of the Endocrine Society, the professional organization for hormone specialists, found it “could not draw any conclusions about death by suicide.” In a letter to The Wall Street Journal last year, 21 experts from nine countries said that survey was one reason they believed there was “no reliable evidence to suggest that hormonal transition is an effective suicide prevention measure.”
Moreover, the incidence of suicidal thoughts and attempts among gender dysphoric youth is complicated by the high incidence of accompanying conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder. As one systematic overview put it, “Children with gender dysphoria often experience a range of psychiatric comorbidities, with a high prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, eating disorders and autism spectrum conditions, suicidality and self-harm.”
But rather than being treated as patients who deserve unbiased professional help, children with gender dysphoria often become political pawns.
Conservative lawmakers are working to ban access to gender care for minors and occasionally for adults as well. On the other side, however, many medical and mental health practitioners feel their hands have been tied by activist pressure and organizational capture. They say that it has become difficult to practice responsible mental health care or medicine for these young people.
Pediatricians, psychologists and other clinicians who dissent from this orthodoxy, believing that it is not based on reliable evidence, feel frustrated by their professional organizations. The American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have wholeheartedly backed the gender-affirming model.
In 2021, Aaron Kimberly, a 50-year-old trans man and registered nurse, left the clinic in British Columbia where his job focused on the intake and assessment of gender-dysphoric youth. Kimberly received a comprehensive screening when he embarked on his own successful transition at age 33, which resolved the gender dysphoria he experienced from an early age.
But when the gender-affirming model was introduced at his clinic, he was instructed to support the initiation of hormone treatment for incoming patients regardless of whether they had complex mental problems, experiences with trauma or were otherwise “severely unwell,” Kimberly said. When he referred patients for further mental health care rather than immediate hormone treatment, he said he was accused of what they called gatekeeping and had to change jobs.
“I realized something had gone totally off the rails,” Kimberly, who subsequently founded the Gender Dysphoria Alliance and the L.G.B.T. Courage Coalition to advocate better gender care, told me.
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Gay men and women often told me they fear that same-sex-attracted kids, especially effeminate boys and tomboy girls who are gender nonconforming, will be transitioned during a normal phase of childhood and before sexual maturation — and that gender ideology can mask and even abet homophobia.
As one detransitioned man, now in a gay relationship, put it, “I was a gay man pumped up to look like a woman and dated a lesbian who was pumped up to look like a man. If that’s not conversion therapy, I don’t know what is.”
“I transitioned because I didn’t want to be gay,” Kasey Emerick, a 23-year-old woman and detransitioner from Pennsylvania, told me. Raised in a conservative Christian church, she said, “I believed homosexuality was a sin.”
When she was 15, Emerick confessed her homosexuality to her mother. Her mother attributed her sexual orientation to trauma — Emerick’s father was convicted of raping and assaulting her repeatedly when she was between the ages of 4 and 7 — but after catching Emerick texting with another girl at age 16, she took away her phone. When Emerick melted down, her mother admitted her to a psychiatric hospital. While there, Emerick told herself, “If I was a boy, none of this would have happened.”
In May 2017, Emerick began searching “gender” online and encountered trans advocacy websites. After realizing she could “pick the other side,” she told her mother, “I’m sick of being called a dyke and not a real girl.” If she were a man, she’d be free to pursue relationships with women.
That September, she and her mother met with a licensed professional counselor for the first of two 90-minute consultations. She told the counselor that she had wished to be a Boy Scout rather than a Girl Scout. She said she didn’t like being gay or a butch lesbian. She also told the counselor that she had suffered from anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. The clinic recommended testosterone, which was prescribed by a nearby L.G.B.T.Q. health clinic. Shortly thereafter, she was also diagnosed with A.D.H.D. She developed panic attacks. At age 17, she was cleared for a double mastectomy.
“I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m having my breasts removed. I’m 17. I’m too young for this,’” she recalled. But she went ahead with the operation.
“Transition felt like a way to control something when I couldn’t control anything in my life,” Emerick explained. But after living as a trans man for five years, Emerick realized her mental health symptoms were only getting worse. In the fall of 2022, she came out as a detransitioner on Twitter and was immediately attacked. Transgender influencers told her she was bald and ugly. She received multiple threats.
“I thought my life was over,” she said. “I realized that I had lived a lie for over five years.”
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Today Emerick’s voice, permanently altered by testosterone, is that of a man. When she tells people she’s a detransitioner, they ask when she plans to stop taking T and live as a woman. “I’ve been off it for a year,” she replies.
Once, after she recounted her story to a therapist, the therapist tried to reassure her. If it’s any consolation, the therapist remarked, “I would never have guessed that you were once a trans woman.” Emerick replied, “Wait, what sex do you think I am?”
To the trans activist dictum that children know their gender best, it is important to add something all parents know from experience: Children change their minds all the time. One mother told me that after her teenage son desisted — pulled back from a trans identity before any irreversible medical procedures — he explained, “I was just rebelling. I look at it like a subculture, like being goth.”
“The job of children and adolescents is to experiment and explore where they fit into the world, and a big part of that exploration, especially during adolescence, is around their sense of identity,” Sasha Ayad, a licensed professional counselor based in Phoenix, told me. “Children at that age often present with a great deal of certainty and urgency about who they believe they are at the time and things they would like to do in order to enact that sense of identity.”
Ayad, a co-author of “When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents,” advises parents to be wary of the gender affirmation model. “We’ve always known that adolescents are particularly malleable in relationship to their peers and their social context and that exploration is often an attempt to navigate difficulties of that stage, such as puberty, coming to terms with the responsibilities and complications of young adulthood, romance and solidifying their sexual orientation,” she told me. For providing this kind of exploratory approach in her own practice with gender dysphoric youth, Ayad has had her license challenged twice, both times by adults who were not her patients. Both times, the charges were dismissed.
Studies show that around eight in 10 cases of childhood gender dysphoria resolve themselves by puberty and 30 percent of people on hormone therapy discontinue its use within four years, though the effects, including infertility, are often irreversible.
Proponents of early social transition and medical interventions for gender dysphoric youth cite a 2022 study showing that 98 percent of children who took both puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones continued treatment for short periods, and another study that tracked 317 children who socially transitioned between the ages of 3 and 12, which found that 94 percent of them still identified as transgender five years later. But such early interventions may cement children’s self-conceptions without giving them time to think or sexually mature.
‘The Process of Transition Didn’t Make Me Feel Better’
At the end of her freshman year of college, Grace Powell, horrifically depressed, began dissociating, feeling detached from her body and from reality, which had never happened to her before. Ultimately, she said, “the process of transition didn’t make me feel better. It magnified what I found was wrong with myself.”
“I expected it to change everything, but I was just me, with a slightly deeper voice,” she added. “It took me two years to start detransitioning and living as Grace again.”
She tried in vain to find a therapist who would treat her underlying issues, but they kept asking her: How do you want to be seen? Do you want to be nonbinary? Powell wanted to talk about her trauma, not her identity or her gender presentation. She ended up getting online therapy from a former employee of the Tavistock clinic in Britain. This therapist, a woman who has broken from the gender-affirming model, talked Grace through what she sees as her failure to launch and her efforts to reset. The therapist asked questions like: Who is Grace? What do you want from your life? For the first time, Powell felt someone was seeing and helping her as a person, not simply looking to slot her into an identity category.
Many detransitioners say they face ostracism and silencing because of the toxic politics around transgender issues.
“It is extraordinarily frustrating to feel that something I am is inherently political,” Powell told me. “I’ve been accused multiple times that I’m some right-winger who’s making a fake narrative to discredit transgender people, which is just crazy.”
While she believes there are people who benefit from transitioning, “I wish more people would understand that there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution,” she said. “I wish we could have that conversation.”
In a recent study in The Archives of Sexual Behavior, about 40 young detransitioners out of 78 surveyed said they had suffered from rapid onset gender dysphoria. Trans activists have fought hard to suppress any discussion of rapid onset gender dysphoria, despite evidence that the condition is real. In its guide for journalists, the activist organization GLAAD warns the media against using the term, as it is not “a formal condition or diagnosis.” Human Rights Campaign, another activist group, calls it “a right-wing theory.” A group of professional organizations put out a statement urging clinicians to eliminate the term from use.
Nobody knows how many young people desist after social, medical or surgical transitions. Trans activists often cite low regret rates for gender transition, along with low figures for detransition. But those studies, which often rely on self-reported cases to gender clinics, likely understate the actual numbers. None of the seven detransitioners I interviewed, for instance, even considered reporting back to the gender clinics that prescribed them medication they now consider to have been a mistake. Nor did they know any other detransitioners who had done so.
As Americans furiously debate the basis of transgender care, a number of advances in understanding have taken place in Europe, where the early Dutch studies that became the underpinning of gender-affirming care have been broadly questioned and criticized. Unlike some of the current population of gender dysphoric youth, the Dutch study participants had no serious psychological conditions. Those studies were riddled with methodological flaws and weaknesses. There was no evidence that any intervention was lifesaving. There was no long-term follow-up with any of the study’s 55 participants or the 15 who dropped out. A British effort to replicate the study said that it “identified no changes in psychological function” and that more studies were needed.
In countries like Sweden, Norway, France, the Netherlands and Britain — long considered exemplars of gender progress — medical professionals have recognized that early research on medical interventions for childhood gender dysphoria was either faulty or incomplete. Last month, the World Health Organization, in explaining why it is developing “a guideline on the health of trans and gender diverse people,” said it will cover only adults because “the evidence base for children and adolescents is limited and variable regarding the longer-term outcomes of gender-affirming care for children and adolescents.”
But in America, and Canada, the results of those widely criticized Dutch studies are falsely presented to the public as settled science.
Other countries have recently halted or limited the medical and surgical treatment of gender dysphoric youth, pending further study. Britain’s Tavistock clinic was ordered to be shut down next month, after a National Health Service-commissioned investigation found deficiencies in service and “a lack of consensus and open discussion about the nature of gender dysphoria and therefore about the appropriate clinical response.”
Meanwhile, the American medical establishment has hunkered down, stuck in an outdated model of gender affirmation. The American Academy of Pediatrics only recently agreed to conduct more research in response to yearslong efforts by dissenting experts, including Dr. Julia Mason, a self-described “bleeding-heart liberal.”
The larger threat to transgender people comes from Republicans who wish to deny them rights and protections. But the doctrinal rigidity of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is disappointing, frustrating and counterproductive.
“I was always a liberal Democrat,” one woman whose son desisted after social transition and hormone therapy told me. “Now I feel politically homeless.”
She noted that the Biden administration has “unequivocally” supported gender-affirming care for minors, in cases in which it deems it “medically appropriate and necessary.” Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told NPR in 2022 that “there is no argument among medical professionals — pediatricians, pediatric endocrinologists, adolescent medicine physicians, adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, et cetera — about the value and the importance of gender-affirming care.”
Of course, politics should not influence medical practice, whether the issue is birth control, abortion or gender medicine. But unfortunately, politics has gotten in the way of progress. Last year The Economist published a thorough investigation into America’s approach to gender medicine. Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor, put the issue into political context. “If you look internationally at countries in Europe, the U.K. included, their medical establishments are much more concerned,” Beddoes told Vanity Fair. “But here — in part because this has become wrapped up in the culture wars where you have, you know, crazy extremes from the Republican right — if you want to be an upstanding liberal, you feel like you can’t say anything.”
Some people are trying to open up that dialogue, or at least provide outlets for kids and families to seek a more therapeutic approach to gender dysphoria.
Paul Garcia-Ryan is a psychotherapist in New York who cares for kids and families seeking holistic, exploratory care for gender dysphoria. He is also a detransitioner who from ages 15 to 30 fully believed he was a woman.
Garcia-Ryan is gay, but as a boy, he said, “it was much less threatening to my psyche to think that I was a straight girl born into the wrong body — that I had a medical condition that could be tended to.” When he visited a clinic at 15, the clinician immediately affirmed he was female, and rather than explore the reasons for his mental distress, simply confirmed Garcia-Ryan’s belief that he was not meant to be a man.
Once in college, he began medically transitioning and eventually had surgery on his genitals. Severe medical complications from both the surgery and hormone medication led him to reconsider what he had done, and to detransition. He also reconsidered the basis of gender affirmation, which, as a licensed clinical social worker at a gender clinic, he had been trained in and provided to clients.
“You’re made to believe these slogans,” he said. “Evidence-based, lifesaving care, safe and effective, medically necessary, the science is settled — and none of that is evidence based.”
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Garcia-Ryan, 32, is now the board president of Therapy First, an organization that supports therapists who do not agree with the gender affirmation model. He thinks transition can help some people manage the symptoms of gender dysphoria but no longer believes anyone under 25 should socially, medically or surgically transition without exploratory psychotherapy first.
“When a professional affirms a gender identity for a younger person, what they are doing is implementing a psychological intervention that narrows a person’s sense of self and closes off their options for considering what’s possible for them,” Garcia-Ryan told me.
Instead of promoting unproven treatments for children, which surveys show many Americans are uncomfortable with, transgender activists would be more effective if they focused on a shared agenda. Most Americans across the political spectrum can agree on the need for legal protections for transgender adults. They would also probably support additional research on the needs of young people reporting gender dysphoria so that kids could get the best treatment possible.
A shift in this direction would model tolerance and acceptance. It would prioritize compassion over demonization. It would require rising above culture-war politics and returning to reason. It would be the most humane path forward. And it would be the right thing to do.
*~*~*~*~*~*
For those who want tor ead more by those fighting the cancellation forquestioning, read:
Graham Lineham, who's been fighting since the beginning and paid the price, but is not seeing things turn around.
The Glinner Update, Grahan Linehan's Substack.
Kellie-Jay Keen @ThePosieParker, who's been physically attacked for organizing events for women demanding women-only spaces.
REDUXX, Feminst news & opinion.
Gays Against Groomers @againstgrmrs, A nonprofit of gay people and others within the community against the sexualization, indoctrination and medicalization of children under the guise of "LGBTQIA+"
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doromoni · 10 months
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A Rivalry Misunderstood | LN4
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Ships : Lando Norris x McLaren Driver! Reader
Genre : Angst , Romance
Warning : Toxic! Lando , Possessive! Lando
Summary : You’re the new Golden Rookie of McLaren F1 , a driver loved and accepted by everyone. But Lando may beg to differ.
masterlist
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅ .𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅ .𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅ .𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅
Quickly passing by every motorhome as you joyfully skip through the paddock , signing merchandise and taking photos with the fans. The Sprint race had just finished — with you getting your first Formula 1 win as a rookie! Well technically, but you were happy either way. Congratulations and pats on the back were constant from your team and even competitors as you made your way towards your own motorhome.
Life as a rookie in formula 1 had its ups and downs , majority of the people around have been supportive. However, oddly enough, you expected the least person to be against you would be your teammate … yet, here we are. You never understood Lando’s dislike towards you , it was so out of the blue and you could not think of anything you could have done to earn his mistrust.
You were always on your best behavior, and you always made an effort to be friendly towards your senior driver. You always made sure that you were cautious and that you didn’t step on any toes.
Busy with your thoughts, you reached your motorhome. So here you are, walking towards your designated driver room. Nearing the hallway of your destination.Head filled with thoughts but at the same time empty, not noticing the built figure as you turned the corner. Both bodies weren't aware of the other person, bumping into each other with a thump.
The person was heavy for sure, a built composed of lean and hard muscles. How would you know? He was currently lying on top of you. You were pressed by his chest, while he was on top of you. Yup … definitely muscled, you can feel it through your fireproofs
" Urghh, watch where you're going " you groaned in pain. Suddenly , you were face to face with the your teammate, Lando Norris.
His face was painted with an expression you cannot understand ... His toned arms were beside your head, trapping you between him and the floor . You stared at your co-driver, his hazelnut brown wavy hair, dark emerald eyes as green as the amazon forest, and a jawline that could rival a sword.
Unconsciously, your hand trailed the bridge of his nose to the soft and plump lower lip that the man possessed.
" What the hell are you doing" Stopping yourself from examining him more, and finally connected the dots. You were pressed on the floor by Lando Norris! The person who hated you and wanted you gone.
Almost automatically, you put your hands on his chest — an effort to push him . But alas, your efforts were null, when he suddenly pinned your hands above your head.
Struggling from his iron grip, and sighing into submission and decided to use your brain rather than brawn. Since trying to force yourself out would do you no good, knowing that he was much stronger than you were.
Having enough of his attitude and his harsh treatment , you realized being nice was never going to work— and that you don’t actually care about what he thought of you. And for the first time with him , you set your foot down and served him the attitude that he served you all the time that you were his teammate.
"I think your male bravado is content now, right? having a girl defenseless and restricted. I suggest letting me go now " you felt his hold on your wrist grow even tighter.
Steeling your front , you stared back into his glare, challenging his piercing glare.
"Why? Do you have somewhere to go? Have more people to suck up to? Don't you think that's low ,even for you?" A dangerous glint in his eyes. And an animosity in his voice that you couldn't decipher. He drew his face closer to yours, you felt his breath on your cheeks , an inch more his lips would touch yours.
Suddenly finding the situation amusing, a chuckle slipped your lips. Your chuckling then turned into laughter, and this stunned Lando, as he stared at your face, still sharing the same breath.
He can’t beat you on track, so he now uses other tactics to up you. Funny.
"Funny, such accusation are done by you , don't you think? Oh that's right its because the team actually prefers me now over you. Now that I’ve actually given them a win... hmm or maybe we all should be like you and bow and cower when max’s car shows in the mirror? “
Of course that wasn’t true, you just wanted to aggravate the English driver more. Once again, you tried prying your hands off his grip.
"Shut the fuck up . You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. " Lando bit back with so much animosity. You were definitely scared now .
Realizing that you are in the middle of a hall way and is still beneath Lando, you once again struggled to push him off.
" You know what, let go of me! I need to go to the debriefing for Pete's sake" You started squiggling trying to move away from under him, when an deep growl vibrated through your ear, causing shivers down your spine and goosebumps littering the nape of your neck.
"Don't.Move" Hearing him swallow and steady his breath, you smirked as you lay still below him and glared into his eyes challenging him further
Lando finally lets go of you as he stood up. Scrambling to your feet and dusting yourself off ; adjusting your driver suit and fixing your hair. You the felt his stare on you.
"What? The hell are you staring at?" With a scowl, you folded your arms and returned his stare with a glare.
"You changed your fireproofs" You looked down at your clothes . Your race suit was half open and your fireproofs were showing.
"What? Even my uniform you've got issues with? Should I also have my uniform exactly like yours instead? " you asked with a sneer as you patted the crease on your pants
"Stop trying to be different from everyone on the team! Fucking mooching on every mechanic . Know. your. fucking. place “ The British driver said scathingly.
Suddenly pissed, you decided to provoke Lando even further. Having enough of his bullshit. You drew your body near his , going on your tippy toes and placing a delicate hand on his chest, slowly dragging your fingernails to draw patterns on his fireproofs, feeling him tense under my touch. Fuck it! You were already a slut in his eyes anyway.
Slowly moving your lips to his jaw then towards his ear and whispered
"Does that make you angry, hmm, Lando? little ol me taking your precious spotlight? People adoring me instead of you. “ You tutted , making sure your voice held rotting sweetness
“All eyes on me. Does that make your blood boil? You getting nothing while I have everything, Lando?" Adding emphasis on his name, you gently moved your hand towards his hair and pulled.
Feeling Lando freeze and grow rigid from your touch you chuckled, you were about to move away, when you felt a hand wrap around your waist and suddenly pinning you against the wall with force.
" Don't fucking test me princess. Your playing a dangerous game. No one will look at you, I'll make sure of that.... Don’t prance around trying to win everyone to your side, you’re only mine to look at “ His lips ghosting the shell of your earlobe as he pulled you into his embrace even tighter.
Your breath hitched when you felt his teeth nip your ear. His lips traveled down your jaw to your neck, harshly biting the skin he traveled. He licked the junction of your neck and your shoulder, sucking and lapping his tongue over the bite. He let out a moan while you whimpered.
" Baby? I Never knew you could taste this good" Speechless , you stared at him as he licked his lips, your mind trying to gather any thought it could process.
"Win all the races you want, I don’t care. But don’t fucking flirt with anyone … and I don’t care if he’s your engineer. " With a kiss on the cheek and a squeeze on your waist , Lando was gone
You stood shocked, heart pounding, in the deserted hallway,trying to piece everything that just happened.
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masiethewriter · 1 month
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Honored Eternal Path of Demise CH. 12 - Regaining Health
Instead he moves closer to Shen Qingqiu’s head. taking hold of his hand and shoulder, he pulls him up, so he is forced to sit back up again. Luo Binghe does not release his grasp, but even with his support, Shen Qingqiu can’t manage more than a slouch. "Senior Shen. We need to get you somewhere dry. And find medical supplies. You think you can manage that?" Luo Binghe gently asks.  Shen Qingqiu does not think he can manage that. But for whatever reason, his head still nods.
First Chapter ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ AO3 Link
Low hanging branches and sharp leaves grasp at them as they run through the garden forest. There is no road to guide their way and their only light is a far away lamp post, whose glow only barely allows them to see the way.
They are moving too slow.
Shen Qingqiu can only limp as Luo Binghe carries most of his weight. What is left of his leg is stuck in hell and the world around him becomes more blurry with each second. Were Luo Binghe to let go of him now, he would definitely fall, unable to get up or move away. The entirety of his survival hinging on Luo Binghes kindness.
A kindness that puts them both in danger. 
The shrill screams of the Killer have turned into roars of rage. The pain from the poisonous bushes can only distract him for so long, having instead left him a hunger for revenge. 
He is on their trail. 
They have no hope of outrunning him.
Shen Qingqiu can’t think. Mindlessly he can only follow wherever Luo Binghe goes. When he suddenly throws them both to the side, he can only fall along.
They land in between two tall bushes with barely an opening between them. Trees from above cover them with their long branches, water drops dripping down from them. Luo Binghe is quick to drag them further in, until they barely can see the way they came from.
His foot howls for mercy at the rough treatment, but Shen Qingqiu almost bites his hand bloody in an attempt to keep in his cries of pain. Only when he believes he can control his voice, does he instead move to cover the bleeding of his leg. Warm blood spills through his fingers as he does his utmost to keep it from further pouring out.
His foot is still attached. But with how deep and destroying the axe went, it might have been more of a blessing if it had just been cleanly cut off.
Luo Binghe leaves him to it. Once certain Shen Qingqiu is hidden behind him, he moves forward to peek through the bushes. A hand held to his mouth keeps his breathing quiet as he looks out. 
Shen Qingqiu can see nothing from his vantage point. The crashing of the underbrush tearing apart as the Killer bursts through is not possible to miss, though.
The Killer stops. Only his strained breathing can be heard in the silence. Luo Binghe stands completely still. Shen Qingqiu holds his breath.
Seconds that last eons tick by. The Killer walks in a careful circle around the area, twigs cracking under his heavy weight. Slowly, oh so slowly, does he move closer to their hiding spot. With each step, the tension in Luo Binghes body tightens. With each splitting stick, Shen Qingqiu runs out of air. With each beating of their terrified hearts, they both come closer to their doom.
In the distance, splintering can be heard. With not a second of hesitation, the Killer follows the sound.
Finally he has lost their trail.
Shen Qingqiu gasps for breath. He is cold, he is dirty and he is in so much pain that he should not be conscious. Nothing of what he is doing seems to hinder him bleeding out.
But without the Killer to worry about at the moment, Luo Binghe returns his attention to him. Crouching by his side he assesses the situation at hand.
"Fuck," He curses. Shen Qingqiu couldn't agree more.
Words are too much for him, though. He can't tell Luo Binghe what they need to do next. Not that he would even know what that would be. Their current predicament is nothing like anything that has happened in the game before. 
"Okay. Okay! We can work through this. We just need-" Luo Binghe mutters as he looks around the small space. Suddenly his eyes catches on Shen Qingqiu’s jacket. 
"Sorry Senior, but please let me get that. My own got lost earlier."
Shen Qingqiu is too exhausted to fight him. He lets Luo Binghe pull off his jacket, limp body going along with the movement. Letting go of his leg releases a burst of pain that catches his breath. Unable to react with more than a weak whimper, he can only let Luo Binghe continue whatever he is doing.
Luo Binghe does not put on Shen Qingqiu’s jacket. Before he can return to provide pressure against the bleeding, Luo Binghe delicately picks up his leg. 
That slight movement is enough for the agony to sap the last of Shen Qingqiu’s strength. Falling back into the mud, his mind is pure static, blurry eyes dumbly watching Luo Binghe and his actions.
As carefully as he can muster, he ties Shen Qingqiu’s jacket around the wound. First he covers the foot with the cloth, wrapping it up like a cocoon. Afterwards he ties the sleeves around it, pulling them as tightly as he can. Each jolt breathes life in the inferno that is Shen Qingqius leg, the jacket quickly reddening with his blood. But as Luo Binghe finishes the improvised bandage, he does not put the leg down.
Instead he moves closer to Shen Qingqiu’s head. taking hold of his hand and shoulder, he pulls him up, so he is forced to sit back up again. Luo Binghe does not release his grasp, but even with his support, Shen Qingqiu can’t manage more than a slouch.
"Senior Shen. We need to get you somewhere dry. And find medical supplies. You think you can manage that?" Luo Binghe gently asks. 
Shen Qingqiu does not think he can manage that. But for whatever reason, his head still nods. 
"Good. Then we need to go. Can you keep your leg up? I will help you in a moment, but I don't want it getting in the mud."
Another nod. Luo Binghe releases his hand and gets up. Shen Qingqiu manages to keep his foot above the ground, using both hands to hold its weight. Once Luo Binghe is standing again he hurries to lift Shen Qingqiu, once again throwing their arms around each other so he can keep his weight. A stable force, he keeps them both balanced as they move on once again. 
Without the Killer chasing them, their pace is slower. Luo Binghe is much more careful about not hurting Shen Qingqiu further, no matter how impossible an act it is. Still, he finds each bump along the way only leaves a flaming ember instead of the blazing hell that consumed his foot before.
Once again his mind goes static as Luo Binghe leads the way. His only focus is his breathing, unable to think further than the pain in his leg and the kinder warmth seeping through from Luo Binghe. 
He must lose some time. Suddenly they are no longer surrounded by trees and plants, instead finding themselves in a small clearing. The first strand of moonlight lights the area, revealing their sorry states. Both are drenched to the bone, Shen Qingqiu almost completely covered in mud. Each of their steps have left footprints in the grass, the muddy ground breaking apart under their weight.
Miraculously, Luo Binghe has managed to find a shed.
While it can be argued whether Luo Binghe is the actual protagonist of Honored Eternal Path of Demise, he certainly bears the halo of one. Shen Qingqiu can only think of this, as Luo Binghe carries them both inside.
The inside isn't particularly remarkable. A single lightbulb hangs from the ceiling, which releases weak fluttering light as they turn it on. It reveals that the shed mostly contains tools for gardening and the like. Still, there is a small stool on which Luo Binghe places him on. Once he is certain Shen Qingqiu can carry his own weight and won’t fall over, he turns to sort through the mess.
Shen Qingqiu leans his head against the cold wall. It is a relief to no longer be under the onslaught of the harsh weather. He also finds it easier to deal with his leg when he isn’t moving around. Really, if there is any place where Luo Binghe could leave him, this wouldn't be the worst...
The luck of a hero continues to impress. From his search, Luo Binghe manages to find a small medical kit. Hurrying back to Shen Qingqiu's side, they both open it to see what it contains. 
It is not much. A few rolls of bandages and an almost empty package of pain killers. Looking at the supplies, Shen Qingqiu hardly thinks about it for a moment before he reaches out for the pills. 
"Give me those."
"Are you sure Senior?" Luo Binghe asks, but only hesitates for a second before he does as he is told.
Shen Qingqiu knows the pills could be a trap. He doesn't care. They are going to relieve his pain either way, whether that is by doing their function or putting an end to his suffering. He does not care which.
Swallowing the pills dry, his head returns to the wall. Luo Binghe has rolled out one of the bandages and carefully unties the bloody mess that is Shen Qingqiu's jacket. For the first time, both of them can get a clear view of the damage. 
His foot looks horrible. There is too much blood to clearly see the wound, but angry red skin still reveals the edges of the cut. His pant leg also got sliced, with bits of it mixing in with his open meat. How he hasn't died from blood loss yet is a mystery. Likely the same forces that kept him alive long enough to fully experience his grotesque deaths are the ones behind this. 
"We have nothing to clean it with," Luo Binghe mutters as he studies his foot. "If we don’t find anything else we risk it getting infected."
Risk it getting infected? Shen Qingqiu could laugh. He has barely managed to survive for half an hour in this wretched game, when would he have time to get it infected? If he survives the next couple of hours that would be impressive in itself.
"We can worry about that later. We need to deal with what we can for now," he manages to grit out. The painkillers will take a while to kick in, so it still leaves him exhausted to speak. Luo Binghe seems to understand though.
"Don't worry Senior Shen," he tries to reassure. "Just give me a minute."
Then Luo Binghes full attention is on Shen Qingqiu’s foot. The first thing he does is try to loosen Shen Qingqiu shoe. At his harsh intake of air, he hesitates. Instead he checks his pockets until he pulls out a small pocket knife. 
Ahh, this Shen Qingqiu recognizes. The small knife is a tool unique to Luo Binghe. The backstory is that he got it from his foster mother before she died. It is cheaply made, the plastic handle meant to imitate that of jade stone. The blade itself is so short that it could never be used as a weapon, requiring to be almost in an embrace to reach anything vital. Still, Luo Binghe has kept it in good condition, edges sharp as he cuts open Shen Qingqiu's shoe. 
Like this he is able to peel it off. Soon after he does the same to his sock and pant leg, until his foot is completely free. They don't have the supplies to remove the fabric already caught in his wound, but now more won't get stuck in it. 
The entire process is agonising. Shen Qingqiu has his eyes closed through most of it, his focus on controlling his breathing. He must remain patient as Luo Binghe does his best to patch him back together. 
With the cloth out of the way, Luo Binghe begins to roll the bandage around his foot. His movement is precise, showing that clearly this is not his first time tying a bandage. The pressure he has to apply to stop the bleeding is enough that Shen Qingqiu can't hold in his sobs, fists clenched at his sides. 
But finally, after a lengthy process, Shen Qingqius leg has been properly dressed. Or as properly as is possible given the circumstances. 
Now they just have to wait for the painkillers to kick in.
Luo Binghe prepares to wait. Sitting down on the floor and leaning against the wall he puts the bandages away. Quietly Shen Qingqiu watches him through hooded eyes.
Luo Binghe looks like a mess. His shirt is almost see-through from the rain and multiple curly locks have slipped out of his ponytail. Mud is splattered across his pants, which is still not as horrible to see as the blood splatter covering his hands. 
His face is pale, dark shadows under his eyes. But considering the traumatising experience he has just gone through, he seems mostly put together. Staying strong in the face of adversity like a hero should.
Shen Qingqiu himself on the other hand must look like a total nightmare.
The dirt and blood on Binghe is nothing compared to Shen Qingqius appearance. Even when looking past the state of his foot, he is covered with mud from head to toe. It is impossible to wipe any of it off as his hands are just as dirty. It sticks to his clothes, it sticks to his hair and no matter how he tries to move to loosen it, it sticks to his skin through his uniform. Nothing but a full bath could save the sorry state that he is in. Though that is not likely to happen anytime soon. Especially since he still has no trust in any body of water they might stumble upon.
Basically, there is nothing Shen Qingqiu or Luo Binghe can do but wait. Until Shen Qingqiu is in less pain, he is in no state to decide on their next course of action. Even now, Shen Qingqiu is still unable to really focus his attention enough to analyse what has happened or why Luo Binghe would save him. Instead, he just rests his head against the wall, carefully breathing in and out, as he exhaustingly slowly waits for his agony to lessen.
Suddenly Luo Binghe breaks the silence with the last statement Shen Qingqiu would have ever thought he would make.
"You shouldn't have come back for me." 
Shen Qingqiu has to take a minute to get his mind on track and return to the here and now. His first instinct is just to yell "What the fuck?!" at Luo Binghe. Why would you ever say something like that? That is fucked up!! What the hell protagonist??? 
But before it can be released, he manages to remember that it is not Shen Yuan that Luo Binghe is talking to, but Shen Qingqiu. And even in his miserable state, he has to play the role he has been given.
Wishing they could have this conversation when his foot isn't a mess of burning suffering he manages to grit out: "And what exactly... would you want me to have done instead?"
"You should have run away, like I told you to!"
Luo Binghe isn't exactly angry. Rather the eyes he sends Shen Qingqiu's way are confused and upset. Like he couldn't imagine any world where the other would run back for him. Were it the original goods, he would have been right. Shen Qingqiu, on the other hand, can only feel pity at what he sees. Still, he has to muster out much harsher words.
"Tell me, what would I then have said to Ning Yingying? That I just abandoned you to a crazy killer? Don't be stupid-" He first tries to dismiss, but Luo Binghe interrupts. 
"That you had no choice! The killer was between you and me, what could you have done? Isn't you being hurt like this proof that this was the stupid thing to do?"
"Not as stupid as you dying! I am your senior. It is my responsibility to keep my juniors safe. What exactly would you have done if I hadn't turned back?!"
"I would have been fine! I had already seen an opening and knew how to get away. You coming back only put you in unnecessary danger!"
Shen Qingqiu finally can't keep it in and explodes: "Are you really so incapable of a simple thank you that you argue for your own abandonment!?"
Luo Binghe is silenced, eyes as wide as saucers. When he tries to open his mouth to argue further, Shen Qingqiu refuses to let him.
"I turned back. I got hurt. We got away. We can't change any of these actions. So instead of telling me everything I did wrong, the least you could do is show some goddamn gratitude!"
Luo Binghes mouth snaps shut. It takes him a second to fully take in Shen Qingqiu’s words. Then he turns his face away, in what Shen Qingqiu can only assume to be shame.
The shouting match stole his breath away. First when it becomes clear that Luo Binghe has nothing more to add, does Shen Qingqiu allow himself to rest again. Pure calm is hard to reach though, his temper still prickling at him underneath his skin. What was before a somewhat comfortable silence between them is now thick with tension, awkward and bitter.
The thing is, Shen Qingqiu doesn't need Luo Binghe to tell him how much of a moron he is. He knows! Of course he knows! He risked everything to save a character that can't permanently be damaged! And every time he is about to forget it, a flare of pain from his leg reminds him of it all over again! This was totally not worth it!
And that just leads to the question of what their next course of action will be. 
They have to get back to Ning Yingying, first of all. In order to correctly progress through the game, they have to solve the upper floor of the mansion. They have already wrecked the sequence more than once and the faster they can return back on track the better. If they can just find their way back from where they came while watching out for the Killer then-
Suddenly Shen Qingiu's entire body runs cold. Everything around him is forgotten as he has one horrible realisation.
In the original order of the cutscene, Ning Yingying would be forced to run back from where she came. The same as Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe needs to do. And in order to do so, she would have to navigate back through the maze of poisonous bushes until she was safe on the other side. 
This navigation only possible with the use of the flashlight.
The same flashlight that Shen Qingqiu yeeted at the Killers head, sealing his fate, as it broke and turned into pieces of junk. 
(Which, BTW, wouldn't have been changed by the fact that he had actually been aiming for the Killers back. Luckily he didn’t completely miss his target.)
Broken flashlight = No going back through the bush maze.
No going back through the bush maze = No way to return to the entrance of the mansion.
Shen Qingqiu has softlocked them!
Motherfucking, goddamn, shitty ass bullshit of a-
Nope! Nope, Shen Qingqiu is not going there. This is completely, undoubtedly his fault. Of all the things he could have thrown, the flashlight was the absolutely worst! What can he do now? What can they do now? Luo Binghe is maybe meant to spend his time outside, but that is by himself! Not only is Shen Qingqiu not meant to be here, but with his leg crippled as it is, he will only drag them down! Also, he doesn't even have any idea where they can go from here? He doesn't know where they are and he doesn't know where anything is. This is completely uncharted territory, even when compared to when he first played the game. 
For the first time since he woke up in this world Shen Qingqiu has absolutely no idea what to do. 
He doesn't want to break the game further and worsen their situation, but they also can't just stay here and do nothing, that will lead them nowhere, and if they go out they might stumble into the Killer, but maybe that would be for the best, maybe reseting and returning everything back to the start is the best solution, if Shen Qingqiu just dies once more, in the grand scheme of things, another death would make no difference-
"Thank you Senior Shen."
His thoughts halt. Looking down, he is almost shocked to find Luo Binghe staring directly at him. He looks almost shy, head slightly bowed and words hesitant like he is not used to muttering them. But as Shen Qingqiu’s eyes are caught by his, he finds himself unable to look away, the honesty too pure.
This time it is Shen Qingqiu that is left speechless. Mouth slightly open he tries to formulate a response. A tiny voice in his mind screaming at him to stay in character. But nothing sticks and Shen Qingqiu is stuck just staring back at Luo Binghe.
This serves to strengthen Binghe's resolve. He adjusts his posture so he is properly kneeling. Like a student looking up at his master, he gives a determined nod before he bows down once.
"Thank you for coming back to save me!"
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cinerins · 5 months
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Another Road – Expedition Overview
This is a general look at the direction and structure of the Atlantis expedition in my AU "Another Road" — I thought I might as well share my own ideas and concepts for a slightly different SGA setting here!
The team embarks on their journey about a year later, August 2005, after a 16 month period of training and preparation, following the discovery of Atlantis.
With an initial count of 200 volunteers, the expedition is comprised of several researchers previously stationed at the antarctic outpost, as well as additional candidates and military personnel approved by the IOA and HWC.
Expectations
Given what they have thus far learned about the Ancients and the experiences gained in the Stargate program, there are a number of potential points of interest and expected risks to consider, before stepping foot into another galaxy.
As an international scientific project, the primary focus of the expedition is the gathering of information pertaining to the Ancients and research of their technological advancements. However, due to the unknown nature of the Pegasus galaxy, the research of any extraterrestrial life and technology is a general goal.
Peaceful, undisruptive exploration may be the ideal direction of such an undertaking, but the International Committee and Homeworld Command have come to agree, that a military component would be necessary as a precaution. Should they find it unwarranted, the selected personnel could simply aid in emergencies and the overall operations of the group.
The 16 month buffer serves to prepare for anything the team might find on the other side of the event horizon — be that a thriving society, or another abandoned outpost left to sleep in a wasteland. All members would've been required to learn the Ancient language (Alteran) and the basics of Gate travel, if they weren't familiar already.
Since the Ancients are genetic cousins, originating from Earth in this setting and have left a grand network of habitable locations throughout the Milky Way, it gives our team the hope of establishing a reliable base, even if they don't find anything alive.
The possibility of no return is a risk they are well aware of.
Composition
Each and every volunteer has been selected and vetted by the agencies involved, either with Weir's recommendation or approval.
Key factors are an extensive understanding of relevant fields (particularly regarding the Stargate and Ancients) and/or the possession of the ATA gene. There is much overlap of expertise among expedition members, the idea being to employ a wide array of knowledge and skills in as few people as possible.
Senior staff manages the overall decisions and is comprised of the representative leader of their given division, with Dr. Weir as head of the expedition as a whole.
The team features seven divisions, color-coded for convenience and each with departments as subsections, covering specific fields.
Cultural Division (red)
Head: Elizabeth Weir
Departments / Fields
Anthropology
Archaeology
Philosophy
Politics
Linguistics
-> Initial numbers: 15
Technical Division (purple)
Head: Peter Grodin
Departments / Fields
Technology & Engineering
Stargate Operations
Computer Science
Robotics
Electronics
-> Initial numbers: 31
Physical Science Division (blue)
Head: Rodney McKay
Departments / Fields
Astrophysics
Quantum Physics
Wormhole Physics
Astronomy
Chemistry
Thermodynamics
-> Initial numbers: 20
Life Science Division (green)
Head: Veronica Weaver*
Departments / Fields
Astrobiology
Microbiology
Biochemistry
Botany & Agriculture
Zoology
Ecology
Genetics
-> Initial numbers: 24
Environmental Division (yellow)
Head: Mercedes Torres*
Departments / Fields
Geology
Hydrology
Geography
Oceanography
Atmospheric Science
-> Initial numbers: 12
Medical Division (white)
CMO: Carson Beckett
Handle primary medical treatment and care, ensuring the overall well-being of all expedition members in the following points:
Medicine
Surgery
Physical Therapy
Anesthesiology
Dentistry
Pathology
Psychiatry
-> Initial numbers: 14
Military Division (black)
CO: Marshall Sumner / John Sheppard (later)
Offer assistance to the other divisions and the expedition as a whole, cover following responsibilities:
Security
Logistics
Emergency Management
Emergency Medical Treatment
Decontamination
Military Operations
-> Initial numbers: 84
*unoffical characters added to fill these positions.
Management
The team is provided with enough supplies to cover each division's general needs, both work-related and personal, for about a year. If necessary, their use of equipment and gear can easily be extended, but water and food production would depend on the environment and resources they're met with.
Complete, long-term self-sufficiency should be possible, with access to the needed materials, but is not the intended goal of this expedition.
An emergency transmitter would've been used to send a signal to Earth, in case they cannot dial back and have found themselves trapped, with no means to support themselves beyond what they brought along. It would've taken a while to be received, but by then the Daedalus should've been fully operational and able to retrieve them, before their supplies run out.
If they are not heard from in any way within their first year (taking communications delay into account, given their distance) Earth would've presumed them dead and the mission a failure. However, if the mission was at least partially a success and they have access to safe food and water, but still no way to return, a number of satellites would've been launched to act as relay stations between the galaxies.
Sending a ship to and fro would be off the table, unless it was really worth the cost of such a long trip — say, if it was to rescue the group, or to transport artifacts and materials of significant value. The IOA would be reluctant to send off one of Earth's limited number of interstellar vessels, while they have more pressing uses among our own stars.
Either way, unless they found more convenient alternatives, the expedition would've expected to rely mostly on themselves.
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By: Pamela Paul
Published: Feb 2, 2024
Grace Powell was 12 or 13 when she discovered she could be a boy.
Growing up in a relatively conservative community in Grand Rapids, Mich., Powell, like many teenagers, didn’t feel comfortable in her own skin. She was unpopular and frequently bullied. Puberty made everything worse. She suffered from depression and was in and out of therapy.
“I felt so detached from my body, and the way it was developing felt hostile to me,” Powell told me. It was classic gender dysphoria, a feeling of discomfort with your sex.
Reading about transgender people online, Powell believed that the reason she didn’t feel comfortable in her body was that she was in the wrong body. Transitioning seemed like the obvious solution. The narrative she had heard and absorbed was that if you don’t transition, you’ll kill yourself.
At 17, desperate to begin hormone therapy, Powell broke the news to her parents. They sent her to a gender specialist to make sure she was serious. In the fall of her senior year of high school, she started cross-sex hormones. She had a double mastectomy the summer before college, then went off as a transgender man named Grayson to Sarah Lawrence College, where she was paired with a male roommate on a men’s floor. At 5-foot-3, she felt she came across as a very effeminate gay man.
At no point during her medical or surgical transition, Powell says, did anyone ask her about the reasons behind her gender dysphoria or her depression. At no point was she asked about her sexual orientation. And at no point was she asked about any previous trauma, and so neither the therapists nor the doctors ever learned that she’d been sexually abused as a child.
“I wish there had been more open conversations,” Powell, now 23 and detransitioned, told me. “But I was told there is one cure and one thing to do if this is your problem, and this will help you.”
Progressives often portray the heated debate over childhood transgender care as a clash between those who are trying to help growing numbers of children express what they believe their genders to be and conservative politicians who won’t let kids be themselves.
But right-wing demagogues are not the only ones who have inflamed this debate. Transgender activists have pushed their own ideological extremism, especially by pressing for a treatment orthodoxy that has faced increased scrutiny in recent years. Under that model of care, clinicians are expected to affirm a young person’s assertion of gender identity and even provide medical treatment before, or even without, exploring other possible sources of distress.
Many who think there needs to be a more cautious approach — including well-meaning liberal parents, doctors and people who have undergone gender transition and subsequently regretted their procedures — have been attacked as anti-trans and intimidated into silencing their concerns.
And while Donald Trump denounces “left-wing gender insanity” and many trans activists describe any opposition as transphobic, parents in America’s vast ideological middle can find little dispassionate discussion of the genuine risks or trade-offs involved in what proponents call gender-affirming care.
Powell’s story shows how easy it is for young people to get caught up by the pull of ideology in this atmosphere.
“What should be a medical and psychological issue has been morphed into a political one,” Powell lamented during our conversation. “It’s a mess.”
A New and Growing Group of Patients
Many transgender adults are happy with their transitions and, whether they began to transition as adults or adolescents, feel it was life changing, even lifesaving. The small but rapidly growing number of children who express gender dysphoria and who transition at an early age, according to clinicians, is a recent and more controversial phenomenon.
Laura Edwards-Leeper, the founding psychologist of the first pediatric gender clinic in the United States, said that when she started her practice in 2007, most of her patients had longstanding and deep-seated gender dysphoria. Transitioning clearly made sense for almost all of them, and any mental health issues they had were generally resolved through gender transition.
“But that is just not the case anymore,” she told me recently. While she doesn’t regret transitioning the earlier cohort of patients and opposes government bans on transgender medical care, she said, “As far as I can tell, there are no professional organizations who are stepping in to regulate what’s going on.”
Most of her patients now, she said, have no history of childhood gender dysphoria. Others refer to this phenomenon, with some controversy, as rapid onset gender dysphoria, in which adolescents, particularly tween and teenage girls, express gender dysphoria despite never having done so when they were younger. Frequently, they have mental health issues unrelated to gender. While professional associations say there is a lack of quality research on rapid onset gender dysphoria, several researchers have documented the phenomenon, and many health care providers have seen evidence of it in their practices.
“The population has changed drastically,” said Edwards-Leeper, a former head of the Child and Adolescent Committee for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the organization responsible for setting gender transition guidelines for medical professionals.
For these young people, she told me, “you have to take time to really assess what’s going on and hear the timeline and get the parents’ perspective in order to create an individualized treatment plan. Many providers are completely missing that step.”
Yet those health care professionals and scientists who do not think clinicians should automatically agree to a young person’s self-diagnosis are often afraid to speak out. A report commissioned by the National Health Service about Britain’s Tavistock gender clinic, which, until it was ordered to be shut down, was the country’s only health center dedicated to gender identity, noted that “primary and secondary care staff have told us that they feel under pressure to adopt an unquestioning affirmative approach and that this is at odds with the standard process of clinical assessment and diagnosis that they have been trained to undertake in all other clinical encounters.”
Of the dozens of students she’s trained as psychologists, Edwards-Leeper said, few still seem to be providing gender-related care. While her students have left the field for various reasons, “some have told me that they didn’t feel they could continue because of the pushback, the accusations of being transphobic, from being pro-assessment and wanting a more thorough process,” she said.
They have good reasons to be wary. Stephanie Winn, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Oregon, was trained in gender-affirming care and treated multiple transgender patients. But in 2020, after coming across detransition videos online, she began to doubt the gender-affirming model. In 2021 she spoke out in favor of approaching gender dysphoria in a more considered way, urging others in the field to pay attention to detransitioners, people who no longer consider themselves transgender after undergoing medical or surgical interventions. She has since been attacked by transgender activists. Some threatened to send complaints to her licensing board saying that she was trying to make trans kids change their minds through conversion therapy.
In April 2022, the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists told Winn that she was under investigation. Her case was ultimately dismissed, but Winn no longer treats minors and practices only online, where many of her patients are worried parents of trans-identifying children.
“I don’t feel safe having a location where people can find me,” she said.
Detransitioners say that only conservative media outlets seem interested in telling their stories, which has left them open to attacks as hapless tools of the right, something that frustrated and dismayed every detransitioner I interviewed. These are people who were once the trans-identified kids that so many organizations say they’re trying to protect — but when they change their minds, they say, they feel abandoned.
Most parents and clinicians are simply trying to do what they think is best for the children involved. But parents with qualms about the current model of care are frustrated by what they see as a lack of options.
Parents told me it was a struggle to balance the desire to compassionately support a child with gender dysphoria while seeking the best psychological and medical care. Many believed their kids were gay or dealing with an array of complicated issues. But all said they felt compelled by gender clinicians, doctors, schools and social pressure to accede to their child’s declared gender identity even if they had serious doubts. They feared it would tear apart their family if they didn’t unquestioningly support social transition and medical treatment. All asked to speak anonymously, so desperate were they to maintain or repair any relationship with their children, some of whom were currently estranged.
Several of those who questioned their child’s self-diagnosis told me it had ruined their relationship. A few parents said simply, “I feel like I’ve lost my daughter.”
One mother described a meeting with 12 other parents in a support group for relatives of trans-identified youth where all of the participants described their children as autistic or otherwise neurodivergent. To all questions, the woman running the meeting replied, “Just let them transition.” The mother left in shock. How would hormones help a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression? she wondered.
Some parents have found refuge in anonymous online support groups. There, people share tips on finding caregivers who will explore the causes of their children’s distress or tend to their overall emotional and developmental health and well-being without automatically acceding to their children’s self-diagnosis.
Many parents of kids who consider themselves trans say their children were introduced to transgender influencers on YouTube or TikTok, a phenomenon intensified for some by the isolation and online cocoon of Covid. Others say their kids learned these ideas in the classroom, as early as elementary school, often in child-friendly ways through curriculums supplied by trans rights organizations, with concepts like the gender unicorn or the Genderbread person.
‘Do You Want a Dead Son or a Live Daughter?’
After Kathleen’s 15-year-old son, whom she described as an obsessive child, abruptly told his parents he was trans, the doctor who was going to assess whether he had A.D.H.D. referred him instead to someone who specialized in both A.D.H.D. and gender. Kathleen, who asked to be identified only by her first name to protect her son’s privacy, assumed that the specialist would do some kind of evaluation or assessment. That was not the case.
The meeting was brief and began on a shocking note. “In front of my son, the therapist said, ‘Do you want a dead son or a live daughter?’” Kathleen recounted.
Parents are routinely warned that to pursue any path outside of agreeing with a child’s self-declared gender identity is to put a gender dysphoric youth at risk for suicide, which feels to many people like emotional blackmail. Proponents of the gender-affirming model have cited studies showing an association between that standard of care and a lower risk of suicide. But those studies were found to have methodological flaws or have been deemed not entirely conclusive. A survey of studies on the psychological effects of cross-sex hormones, published three years ago in The Journal of the Endocrine Society, the professional organization for hormone specialists, found it “could not draw any conclusions about death by suicide.” In a letter to The Wall Street Journal last year, 21 experts from nine countries said that survey was one reason they believed there was “no reliable evidence to suggest that hormonal transition is an effective suicide prevention measure.”
Moreover, the incidence of suicidal thoughts and attempts among gender dysphoric youth is complicated by the high incidence of accompanying conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder. As one systematic overview put it, “Children with gender dysphoria often experience a range of psychiatric comorbidities, with a high prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, eating disorders and autism spectrum conditions, suicidality and self-harm.”
But rather than being treated as patients who deserve unbiased professional help, children with gender dysphoria often become political pawns.
Conservative lawmakers are working to ban access to gender care for minors and occasionally for adults as well. On the other side, however, many medical and mental health practitioners feel their hands have been tied by activist pressure and organizational capture. They say that it has become difficult to practice responsible mental health care or medicine for these young people.
Pediatricians, psychologists and other clinicians who dissent from this orthodoxy, believing that it is not based on reliable evidence, feel frustrated by their professional organizations. The American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have wholeheartedly backed the gender-affirming model.
In 2021, Aaron Kimberly, a 50-year-old trans man and registered nurse, left the clinic in British Columbia where his job focused on the intake and assessment of gender-dysphoric youth. Kimberly received a comprehensive screening when he embarked on his own successful transition at age 33, which resolved the gender dysphoria he experienced from an early age.
But when the gender-affirming model was introduced at his clinic, he was instructed to support the initiation of hormone treatment for incoming patients regardless of whether they had complex mental problems, experiences with trauma or were otherwise “severely unwell,” Kimberly said. When he referred patients for further mental health care rather than immediate hormone treatment, he said he was accused of what they called gatekeeping and had to change jobs.
“I realized something had gone totally off the rails,” Kimberly, who subsequently founded the Gender Dysphoria Alliance and the L.G.B.T. Courage Coalition to advocate better gender care, told me.
Gay men and women often told me they fear that same-sex-attracted kids, especially effeminate boys and tomboy girls who are gender nonconforming, will be transitioned during a normal phase of childhood and before sexual maturation — and that gender ideology can mask and even abet homophobia.
As one detransitioned man, now in a gay relationship, put it, “I was a gay man pumped up to look like a woman and dated a lesbian who was pumped up to look like a man. If that’s not conversion therapy, I don’t know what is.”
“I transitioned because I didn’t want to be gay,” Kasey Emerick, a 23-year-old woman and detransitioner from Pennsylvania, told me. Raised in a conservative Christian church, she said, “I believed homosexuality was a sin.”
When she was 15, Emerick confessed her homosexuality to her mother. Her mother attributed her sexual orientation to trauma — Emerick’s father was convicted of raping and assaulting her repeatedly when she was between the ages of 4 and 7 — but after catching Emerick texting with another girl at age 16, she took away her phone. When Emerick melted down, her mother admitted her to a psychiatric hospital. While there, Emerick told herself, “If I was a boy, none of this would have happened.”
In May 2017, Emerick began searching “gender” online and encountered trans advocacy websites. After realizing she could “pick the other side,” she told her mother, “I’m sick of being called a dyke and not a real girl.” If she were a man, she’d be free to pursue relationships with women.
That September, she and her mother met with a licensed professional counselor for the first of two 90-minute consultations. She told the counselor that she had wished to be a Boy Scout rather than a Girl Scout. She said she didn’t like being gay or a butch lesbian. She also told the counselor that she had suffered from anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. The clinic recommended testosterone, which was prescribed by a nearby L.G.B.T.Q. health clinic. Shortly thereafter, she was also diagnosed with A.D.H.D. She developed panic attacks. At age 17, she was cleared for a double mastectomy.
“I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m having my breasts removed. I’m 17. I’m too young for this,’” she recalled. But she went ahead with the operation.
“Transition felt like a way to control something when I couldn’t control anything in my life,” Emerick explained. But after living as a trans man for five years, Emerick realized her mental health symptoms were only getting worse. In the fall of 2022, she came out as a detransitioner on Twitter and was immediately attacked. Transgender influencers told her she was bald and ugly. She received multiple threats.
“I thought my life was over,” she said. “I realized that I had lived a lie for over five years.”
Today Emerick’s voice, permanently altered by testosterone, is that of a man. When she tells people she’s a detransitioner, they ask when she plans to stop taking T and live as a woman. “I’ve been off it for a year,” she replies.
Once, after she recounted her story to a therapist, the therapist tried to reassure her. If it’s any consolation, the therapist remarked, “I would never have guessed that you were once a trans woman.” Emerick replied, “Wait, what sex do you think I am?”
To the trans activist dictum that children know their gender best, it is important to add something all parents know from experience: Children change their minds all the time. One mother told me that after her teenage son desisted — pulled back from a trans identity before any irreversible medical procedures — he explained, “I was just rebelling. I look at it like a subculture, like being goth.”
“The job of children and adolescents is to experiment and explore where they fit into the world, and a big part of that exploration, especially during adolescence, is around their sense of identity,” Sasha Ayad, a licensed professional counselor based in Phoenix, told me. “Children at that age often present with a great deal of certainty and urgency about who they believe they are at the time and things they would like to do in order to enact that sense of identity.”
Ayad, a co-author of “When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents,” advises parents to be wary of the gender affirmation model. “We’ve always known that adolescents are particularly malleable in relationship to their peers and their social context and that exploration is often an attempt to navigate difficulties of that stage, such as puberty, coming to terms with the responsibilities and complications of young adulthood, romance and solidifying their sexual orientation,” she told me. For providing this kind of exploratory approach in her own practice with gender dysphoric youth, Ayad has had her license challenged twice, both times by adults who were not her patients. Both times, the charges were dismissed.
Studies show that around eight in 10 cases of childhood gender dysphoria resolve themselves by puberty and 30 percent of people on hormone therapy discontinue its use within four years, though the effects, including infertility, are often irreversible.
Proponents of early social transition and medical interventions for gender dysphoric youth cite a 2022 study showing that 98 percent of children who took both puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones continued treatment for short periods, and another study that tracked 317 children who socially transitioned between the ages of 3 and 12, which found that 94 percent of them still identified as transgender five years later. But such early interventions may cement children’s self-conceptions without giving them time to think or sexually mature.
‘The Process of Transition Didn’t Make Me Feel Better’
At the end of her freshman year of college, Grace Powell, horrifically depressed, began dissociating, feeling detached from her body and from reality, which had never happened to her before. Ultimately, she said, “the process of transition didn’t make me feel better. It magnified what I found was wrong with myself.”
“I expected it to change everything, but I was just me, with a slightly deeper voice,” she added. “It took me two years to start detransitioning and living as Grace again.”
She tried in vain to find a therapist who would treat her underlying issues, but they kept asking her: How do you want to be seen? Do you want to be nonbinary? Powell wanted to talk about her trauma, not her identity or her gender presentation. She ended up getting online therapy from a former employee of the Tavistock clinic in Britain. This therapist, a woman who has broken from the gender-affirming model, talked Grace through what she sees as her failure to launch and her efforts to reset. The therapist asked questions like: Who is Grace? What do you want from your life? For the first time, Powell felt someone was seeing and helping her as a person, not simply looking to slot her into an identity category.
Many detransitioners say they face ostracism and silencing because of the toxic politics around transgender issues.
“It is extraordinarily frustrating to feel that something I am is inherently political,” Powell told me. “I’ve been accused multiple times that I’m some right-winger who’s making a fake narrative to discredit transgender people, which is just crazy.”
While she believes there are people who benefit from transitioning, “I wish more people would understand that there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution,” she said. “I wish we could have that conversation.”
In a recent study in The Archives of Sexual Behavior, about 40 young detransitioners out of 78 surveyed said they had suffered from rapid onset gender dysphoria. Trans activists have fought hard to suppress any discussion of rapid onset gender dysphoria, despite evidence that the condition is real. In its guide for journalists, the activist organization GLAAD warns the media against using the term, as it is not “a formal condition or diagnosis.” Human Rights Campaign, another activist group, calls it “a right-wing theory.” A group of professional organizations put out a statement urging clinicians to eliminate the term from use.
Nobody knows how many young people desist after social, medical or surgical transitions. Trans activists often cite low regret rates for gender transition, along with low figures for detransition. But those studies, which often rely on self-reported cases to gender clinics, likely understate the actual numbers. None of the seven detransitioners I interviewed, for instance, even considered reporting back to the gender clinics that prescribed them medication they now consider to have been a mistake. Nor did they know any other detransitioners who had done so.
As Americans furiously debate the basis of transgender care, a number of advances in understanding have taken place in Europe, where the early Dutch studies that became the underpinning of gender-affirming care have been broadly questioned and criticized. Unlike the current population of gender dysphoric youth, the Dutch study participants had no serious psychological conditions. Those studies were riddled with methodological flaws and weaknesses. There was no evidence that any intervention was lifesaving. There was no long-term follow-up with any of the study’s 55 participants or the 15 who dropped out. A British effort to replicate the study said that it “identified no changes in psychological function” and that more studies were needed.
In countries like Sweden, Norway, France, the Netherlands and Britain — long considered exemplars of gender progress — medical professionals have recognized that early research on medical interventions for childhood gender dysphoria was either faulty or incomplete. Last month, the World Health Organization, in explaining why it is developing “a guideline on the health of trans and gender diverse people,” said it will cover only adults because “the evidence base for children and adolescents is limited and variable regarding the longer-term outcomes of gender-affirming care for children and adolescents.”
But in America, and Canada, the results of those widely criticized Dutch studies are falsely presented to the public as settled science.
Other countries have recently halted or limited the medical and surgical treatment of gender dysphoric youth, pending further study. Britain’s Tavistock clinic was ordered to be shut down next month, after a National Health Service-commissioned investigation found deficiencies in service and “a lack of consensus and open discussion about the nature of gender dysphoria and therefore about the appropriate clinical response.”
Meanwhile, the American medical establishment has hunkered down, stuck in an outdated model of gender affirmation. The American Academy of Pediatrics only just agreed to conduct more research in response to yearslong efforts by dissenting experts, including Dr. Julia Mason, a self-described “bleeding-heart liberal.”
The real threat to transgender people comes from Republicans who wish to deny them rights and protections. But the doctrinal rigidity of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is disappointing, frustrating and counterproductive.
“I was always a liberal Democrat,” one woman whose son desisted after social transition and hormone therapy told me. “Now I feel politically homeless.”
She noted that the Biden administration has “unequivocally” supported gender-affirming care for minors, in cases in which it deems it “medically appropriate and necessary.” Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told NPR in 2022 that “there is no argument among medical professionals — pediatricians, pediatric endocrinologists, adolescent medicine physicians, adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, et cetera — about the value and the importance of gender-affirming care.”
Of course, politics should not influence medical practice, whether the issue is birth control, abortion or gender medicine. But unfortunately, politics has gotten in the way of progress. Last year The Economist published a thorough investigation into America’s approach to gender medicine. Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor, put the issue into political context. “If you look internationally at countries in Europe, the U.K. included, their medical establishments are much more concerned,” Beddoes told Vanity Fair. “But here — in part because this has become wrapped up in the culture wars where you have, you know, crazy extremes from the Republican right — if you want to be an upstanding liberal, you feel like you can’t say anything.”
Some people are trying to open up that dialogue, or at least provide outlets for kids and families to seek a more therapeutic approach to gender dysphoria.
Paul Garcia-Ryan is a psychotherapist in New York who cares for kids and families seeking holistic, exploratory care for gender dysphoria. He is also a detransitioner who from ages 15 to 30 fully believed he was a woman.
Garcia-Ryan is gay, but as a boy, he said, “it was much less threatening to my psyche to think that I was a straight girl born into the wrong body — that I had a medical condition that could be tended to.” When he visited a clinic at 15, the clinician immediately affirmed he was female, and rather than explore the reasons for his mental distress, simply confirmed Garcia-Ryan’s belief that he was not meant to be a man.
Once in college, he began medically transitioning and eventually had surgery on his genitals. Severe medical complications from both the surgery and hormone medication led him to reconsider what he had done, and to detransition. He also reconsidered the basis of gender affirmation, which, as a licensed clinical social worker at a gender clinic, he had been trained in and provided to clients.
“You’re made to believe these slogans,” he said. “ Evidence-based, lifesaving care, safe and effective, medically necessary, the science is settled — and none of that is evidence based.”
Garcia-Ryan, 32, is now the board president of Therapy First, an organization that supports therapists who do not agree with the gender affirmation model. He thinks transition can help some people manage the symptoms of gender dysphoria but no longer believes anyone under 25 should socially, medically or surgically transition without exploratory psychotherapy first.
“When a professional affirms a gender identity for a younger person, what they are doing is implementing a psychological intervention that narrows a person’s sense of self and closes off their options for considering what’s possible for them,” Garcia-Ryan told me.
Instead of promoting unproven treatments for children, which surveys show many Americans are uncomfortable with, transgender activists would be more effective if they focused on a shared agenda. Most Americans across the political spectrum can agree on the need for legal protections for transgender adults. They would also probably support additional research on the needs of young people reporting gender dysphoria so that kids could get the best treatment possible.
A shift in this direction would model tolerance and acceptance. It would prioritize compassion over demonization. It would require rising above culture-war politics and returning to reason. It would be the most humane path forward. And it would be the right thing to do.
[ Via: https://archive.md/ercav ]
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A shift in this direction would model tolerance and acceptance. It would prioritize compassion over demonization. It would require rising above culture-war politics and returning to reason. It would be the most humane path forward. And it would be the right thing to do.
It would, but that's also why activists won't do it. This isn't about "healthcare" and it's not even about "rights." As Duchess Lois of Alberta asked "what rights do I not have as a transsexual?"
It's about conducting a social revolution, and revolutionaries don't compromise.
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reasoningdaily · 7 months
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‘We’re hemorrhaging money’: US health clinics try to stay open after unprecedented cyberattack
For more than two weeks, a cyberattack has disrupted business at health care providers across the United States, forcing small clinics to scramble to stay in business and exposing the fragility of the billing system that underpins American health care.
“We’re hemorrhaging money,” said Catherine Reinheimer, practice manager at the Foot and Ankle Specialty Center in the suburbs of Philadelphia. “This will probably be the last week that we can keep everybody on full-time without having to do something,” she told CNN. The center is considering taking out a loan to keep the lights on.
The cyberattack disrupted the computer networks of Change Healthcare, which serves thousands of hospitals, insurers and pharmacies nationwide. It prevented some insurance payments on prescription drugs from processing, leaving many care providers footing the bill up front and hoping to get reimbursed.
Change Healthcare, part of UnitedHealth, is one of handful of companies that make up the central nervous system of the US health care market. Its services allow doctors to look up patients’ insurance, pharmacies to process prescriptions, and health clinics to submit claims so they can get paid.
Health care groups have pleaded with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to offer medical practices a financial lifeline. The department on Tuesday said it was taking extraordinary steps to help get claims processed, but some care providers say it’s not nearly enough.
Mel Davies, chief financial officer of Oregon Oncology Specialists, told CNN she is worried that the private clinic that treats 16,000 cancer patients annually could be forced to close if she doesn’t get financial relief soon.
Cash flow has dropped by 50% in the two weeks since the cyberattack, she said. “The magnitude of this is off the charts for us.”
On Thursday night, half a month since the saga began, Change Healthcare announced plans to have its electronic payment platform back online by March 15 and its network for submitting claims restored the following week.
But the financial wreckage caused by the cyberattack will take a lot longer to clean up, health providers and analysts say.
“The prospect of a month or more without a restored Change Healthcare claims system emphasizes the critical need for economic assistance to physicians, including advancing funds to financially stressed medical practices,” Jesse Ehrenfeld, president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement Friday.
Reinheimer, who works at the foot treatment center, said Change Healthcare’s plan to bringing systems back online was a “light at the end of the tunnel … However, it doesn’t solve the immediate issue, which is lack of money today, tomorrow and next week.”
The chaos caused by the cyberattack is prompting a reckoning for senior US cybersecurity officials about the vulnerabilities in hugely important companies that underpin the health care system.
The Change Healthcare hack “is an evolution beyond” other ransomware attacks on individual hospitals “that shows the entire system is a house of cards,” a senior US cybersecurity official told CNN.
Health care executives have been sounding the alarm for several days that the cyberattack is causing severe financial strain on the sector.
The Medical Group Management Association, which represents 15,000 medical practices, has warned of the “devastating” financial fallout from the hack and of “significant cash flow problems” facing doctors. The ransomware attack has “had a severe ongoing impact on cancer practices and their patients,” the nonprofit Community Oncology Alliance said this week.
A week ago, Change Healthcare announced plans for a temporary loan program to get money flowing to health care providers affected by the outage.
But Richard Pollack, head of the American Hospital Association representing thousands of hospitals nationwide, slammed the proposal as “not even a Band-Aid on the payment problems.”
The cyberattack could end up costing Change Healthcare billions of dollars in lost revenue and clients, said Carter Groome, chief executive of cybersecurity firm First Health Advisory.
“This is a huge, huge moneymaker being essentially the middleman or the intermediary between the insurance companies,” Groome told CNN.
Change Healthcare has blamed the hack on a multinational ransomware gang called ALPHV or BlackCat that the Justice Department says has been responsible for ransomware attacks on victims around the world.
A hacker affiliated with ALPHV this week claimed that the company had paid a $22 million ransom to try to recover data stolen in the hack. Tyler Mason, a spokesperson for Change Healthcare, declined to comment when asked if the company had paid off the hackers.
Private experts who track cryptocurrency payments said the hacking group had received a $22 million payment, but it was unclear who made the payment. “A cryptocurrency account associated with ALPHV received a $22 million payment [on March 1],” Ari Redbord, global head of policy at blockchain-tracing firm TRM Labs, told CNN.
For Joshua Corman, a cybersecurity expert who has focused on the health sector for years, the Change Healthcare cyberattack is clear evidence that the US health sector is not as resilient as it needs to be in a crisis.
Acquisitions that have merged multibillion-dollar healthcare companies have accentuated the problem so that “a single point of failure can have outsized, cascading reach and consequences,” said Corman, who helped lead a federal taskforce to protect coronavirus research from hacking.
If federal officials “don’t identify the systemically important entities proactively, our adversaries will continue to do it for us … while we burn,” he told CNN.
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allseniors · 7 days
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seventhchakra01 · 12 days
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Hospital Bed on Rent in South Surrey: Affordable Solutions for Home Care
Home care is essential for individuals recovering from surgery, managing chronic conditions, or requiring long-term medical attention. In South Surrey, families seeking comfort and care for their loved ones can benefit greatly from the option of hospital beds on rent. Renting a hospital bed offers convenience, flexibility, and cost-effective solutions for those in need of quality home care without the high expenses of purchasing medical equipment.
In this blog, we’ll explore the key benefits of renting a hospital bed in South Surrey and how it can enhance the care experience for patients and caregivers alike.
Why Choose a Hospital Bed on Rent?
Hospital beds are designed to provide comfort, safety, and ease of use for patients who need extended periods of rest or medical treatment at home. Renting a hospital bed in South Surrey comes with several advantages:
1. Cost-Effective Solution
Affordability: Hospital beds can be expensive to buy outright, especially if they are only needed for a temporary period. Renting provides a much more affordable option without compromising on quality.
No Long-Term Commitment: Renting allows flexibility in terms of how long you need the bed, whether it’s for a few weeks or several months, with no permanent financial obligation.
2. Enhanced Patient Comfort
Adjustability: Hospital beds offer adjustable settings, allowing the head and foot sections to be raised or lowered to suit the patient’s comfort. This feature is particularly beneficial for individuals who need assistance with mobility or prefer customized sleeping positions.
Safety Features: Many hospital beds come with side rails, easy-to-use remote controls, and safety locks, ensuring that patients remain secure and comfortable throughout the day and night.
3. Convenient for Caregivers
Easy Transfers: Adjustable height settings make it easier for caregivers to assist with transfers from the bed to a wheelchair or other mobility devices, reducing strain on both the patient and the caregiver.
Mobility and Functionality: Hospital beds on wheels allow for easy movement within the home, making it more convenient to relocate the patient’s bed as needed.
When Is Renting a Hospital Bed Necessary?
Renting a hospital bed is an ideal solution for a variety of medical and home care situations. Some common circumstances where renting a bed in South Surrey may be necessary include:
Post-Surgery Recovery: After surgery, patients often need bed rest and mobility support to recover. A hospital bed’s adjustability helps maintain a comfortable posture, aiding in recovery.
Chronic Conditions: Patients with long-term illnesses, such as arthritis, respiratory issues, or degenerative diseases, benefit from the comfort and support a hospital bed provides.
Palliative Care: Those receiving end-of-life care at home may require specialized beds that improve comfort and reduce pain during this sensitive time.
Elderly Care: Seniors who face mobility challenges, are at risk of falling, or need assistance with day-to-day tasks often find hospital beds essential for improving their quality of life.
Benefits of Renting a Hospital Bed in South Surrey
South Surrey residents have access to a variety of reliable rental services that provide top-quality hospital beds for home care. Here are some of the benefits that come with renting a hospital bed in this area:
1. Prompt Delivery and Installation
Fast and Easy Setup: Many rental companies offer quick delivery and free installation services, ensuring that the bed is assembled and ready for use within your home.
Expert Assistance: Professional setup ensures that the bed is safe to use and correctly adjusted for the patient’s needs, without requiring you to figure it out yourself.
2. 24/7 Customer Support
Emergency Assistance: Reputable hospital bed rental providers offer round-the-clock customer service to address any concerns or issues with the bed, providing peace of mind.
Maintenance and Repairs: Should any part of the bed malfunction or need adjustment, rental companies typically offer maintenance and repair services, ensuring that your equipment remains in top condition.
3. Access to Modern Equipment
Up-to-Date Features: Renting a hospital bed allows access to the latest models and technology, including advanced adjustability, remote controls, and ergonomic designs that enhance patient comfort and safety.
Clean and Sanitary: Reputable rental companies ensure that their beds are cleaned, sanitized, and well-maintained, adhering to high standards of hygiene and safety.
Choosing the Right Hospital Bed Rental Service in South Surrey
Finding the right rental provider is essential to ensuring you receive high-quality service and equipment. Here are some tips to help you choose the best hospital bed on rent in South Surrey:
1. Check Reviews and Reputation
Look for companies with strong reviews and positive feedback from customers. This will give you an idea of their service quality and reliability.
2. Compare Rental Plans
It’s important to compare the rental terms offered by different providers. Some companies offer flexible pricing based on the duration of use, while others may have flat rates for short-term and long-term rentals.
3. Consider Customer Support
Ensure the rental company provides 24/7 customer support and prompt assistance in case of technical issues. Responsive support can make a big difference in ensuring a smooth rental experience.
4. Ask About Features
Inquire about the features of the hospital beds available for rent. Some patients may require additional functions like motorized adjustments, safety rails, or specific mattress types to improve comfort.
Conclusion
For residents of South Surrey seeking a cost-effective and convenient solution for home care, renting a hospital bed is an excellent option. It offers the flexibility, safety, and comfort necessary for patients recovering from surgery, managing chronic conditions, or receiving long-term care.
By choosing a reliable rental provider, you can ensure that you receive top-quality equipment and support, enhancing the care experience for both patients and caregivers. Whether for short-term recovery or extended use, renting a hospital bed in South Surrey is a practical and affordable way to provide the best possible care in the comfort of your own home.
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magimark1 · 1 month
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Treating Difficulty Walking in the Elderly: A Comprehensive Approach to Mobility and Independence
As we age, maintaining mobility becomes increasingly important for overall health, independence, and quality of life. However, many elderly individuals face challenges with walking, which can lead to a decline in physical activity, social isolation, and an increased risk of falls. Understanding the causes of difficulty walking and exploring effective treatment options can help seniors stay active and engaged. In this blog, we'll discuss the common causes of walking difficulties in the elderly, various treatment approaches, and tips for maintaining mobility and independence.
Common Causes of Difficulty Walking in the Elderly
Several factors can contribute to difficulty walking in older adults. Identifying the underlying cause is the first step in developing an effective treatment plan.
1. Arthritis
Impact on Joints: Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affects the joints, leading to pain, stiffness, and swelling. This can make walking painful and difficult, especially in the hips, knees, and feet.
2. Muscle Weakness
Loss of Strength: Muscle mass and strength naturally decline with age, leading to muscle weakness that can affect balance and gait. This can result in shorter steps, slower walking speeds, and a greater risk of falls.
3. Balance Issues
Inner Ear and Neurological Conditions: Conditions that affect balance, such as vertigo, inner ear disorders, or neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease, can make walking difficult and unsteady.
4. Foot Problems
Bunions, Plantar Fasciitis, and Neuropathy: Common foot problems, including bunions, plantar fasciitis, and neuropathy (nerve damage often caused by diabetes), can cause pain and discomfort, making it hard to walk.
5. Neurological Disorders
Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke, and Dementia: Neurological conditions can affect coordination, muscle control, and cognitive function, leading to difficulty walking. Symptoms may include shuffling gait, rigidity, or an inability to lift the feet properly.
6. Chronic Conditions
Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Respiratory Issues: Chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory issues can lead to fatigue, reduced stamina, and difficulty walking long distances.
Treatment Approaches for Difficulty Walking
Treating difficulty walking in the elderly requires a multifaceted approach, often involving a combination of medical treatment, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and assistive devices. Here’s a look at some effective treatment options:
1. Medical Treatment
Medications: Anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers, and medications to manage chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease can help alleviate symptoms that make walking difficult.
Joint Injections: For those with severe arthritis, corticosteroid injections into the affected joints can reduce inflammation and pain, improving mobility.
2. Physical Therapy
Strength and Balance Exercises: Physical therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for mobility issues. A physical therapist can develop a customized exercise program to strengthen muscles, improve balance, and enhance flexibility.
Gait Training: Gait training exercises can help correct walking patterns and improve coordination, making it easier and safer to walk.
3. Assistive Devices
Canes, Walkers, and Orthotics: Depending on the severity of the walking difficulty, assistive devices like canes, walkers, and orthotic shoe inserts can provide support, improve balance, and reduce pain.
Mobility Scooters: For those with significant mobility impairments, mobility scooters or wheelchairs can help maintain independence and access to the community.
4. Foot Care
Proper Footwear: Wearing supportive, well-fitting shoes can reduce discomfort and improve stability. Custom orthotics may also be recommended to address specific foot problems.
Podiatry Care: Regular visits to a podiatrist can help manage foot conditions like bunions, calluses, and diabetic neuropathy, which can all contribute to walking difficulties.
5. Surgery
Joint Replacement and Corrective Surgeries: In cases of severe arthritis or structural issues, surgical interventions like joint replacement or corrective surgery may be necessary to restore mobility.
Tips for Maintaining Mobility and Independence
In addition to the treatments mentioned above, there are several lifestyle changes and preventive measures that can help elderly individuals maintain their mobility:
Stay Active: Regular physical activity, such as walking, swimming, or tai chi, can help maintain muscle strength, flexibility, and balance. Even light activities, like gardening or stretching, can be beneficial.
Healthy Diet: A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D supports bone health, while adequate protein intake helps maintain muscle mass. Staying hydrated is also important for overall health.
Fall Prevention: To reduce the risk of falls, ensure the home environment is safe. Remove tripping hazards, install grab bars in bathrooms, and use non-slip mats. Adequate lighting is also essential.
Regular Check-Ups: Regular medical check-ups can help manage chronic conditions that affect mobility. Early intervention for any new symptoms can prevent further deterioration.
Social Engagement: Staying socially active and engaged with the community can boost mental and physical health, encouraging seniors to stay mobile and connected.
Conclusion
Difficulty walking in the elderly علاج صعوبة المشي عند كبار السن is a common issue, but it doesn’t have to lead to a loss of independence. By understanding the underlying causes and exploring a range of treatment options, elderly individuals can improve their mobility, reduce their risk of falls, and maintain an active, fulfilling lifestyle. Whether through medical treatment, physical therapy, or simple lifestyle changes, there are many ways to support and enhance mobility in older adults.
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diagnosticpoint · 1 month
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Comprehensive Health Check-Up Test Packages and Home Health Test Services in Odisha
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining good health is more important than ever. Regular health check-ups play a crucial role in early detection and prevention of various diseases, ensuring that you stay on top of your health. For residents of Odisha, particularly in Bhubaneswar, the availability of comprehensive health check-up test packages and home health test services is a boon. These services offer convenience and thoroughness, catering to the modern lifestyle where time is often scarce.
Why Regular Health Check-Ups are Essential
Before diving into the specifics of health check-up packages available in Odisha, it’s important to understand why regular health check-ups are so vital.
Early Detection of Health Issues: Many serious health conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, can be managed more effectively if detected early. Regular screenings can catch these conditions before they become severe.
Preventive Healthcare: Health check-ups often include tests that assess your risk factors for various diseases. By identifying these risks early, you can make lifestyle changes or start treatments that prevent the disease from developing.
Peace of Mind: Knowing that you are in good health or that any potential issues are being monitored provides peace of mind. It’s easier to focus on other aspects of life when your health is not a constant concern.
Cost-Effective: Detecting and treating diseases in their early stages is often less expensive than dealing with advanced conditions. Regular check-ups can save you money in the long run.
Health Check-Up Test Packages in Bhubaneswar
For those living in Bhubaneswar, there are a variety of basic health check-up packages available that cater to different needs. These packages are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of your health, ensuring that nothing is overlooked.
Basic Health Check-Up Packages in Bhubaneswar The basic health check-up packages in Bhubaneswar are ideal for individuals who want to monitor their overall health without undergoing an extensive number of tests. These packages typically include:
Blood sugar level tests
Complete blood count (CBC)
Cholesterol level check
Blood pressure measurement
Basic urine analysis
Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation
These tests offer a snapshot of your current health status and can help identify any early signs of illness. Regular monitoring through these basic packages can help keep your health on track.
Comprehensive Health Check-Up Packages For those looking for a more detailed health assessment, comprehensive health check-up test packages in Odisha are available. These packages include a wider range of tests that cover all major aspects of your health:
Full body examination
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
Thyroid function tests
Heart health assessments, including ECG
Vitamin and mineral deficiency tests
Screening for specific diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart conditions
These packages are particularly beneficial for individuals with a family history of chronic diseases or those who are over 40 years old. By opting for a comprehensive package, you can get a deeper insight into your health and take necessary actions to prevent any serious health issues.
Specialized Health Check-Up Packages In addition to basic and comprehensive packages, there are specialized health check-up packages designed for specific health concerns or demographic groups, such as:
Women’s health check-up packages: Focus on reproductive health, breast cancer screening, and osteoporosis risk.
Senior citizen health packages: Include tests for bone density, cognitive health, and other age-related conditions.
Diabetes health check packages: Tailored for individuals at risk of or managing diabetes, including HbA1c tests, kidney function tests, and foot care assessments.
These specialized packages address the unique needs of different individuals, ensuring that your specific health concerns are monitored and managed effectively.
Health Test Packages at Home in Odisha
One of the most significant advancements in healthcare services is the availability of health test packages at home in Odisha. This service is particularly beneficial for those who find it challenging to visit a diagnostic center due to time constraints, mobility issues, or simply a preference for the convenience of home-based care.
Convenience and Comfort
The primary advantage of opting for a health test package at home in Odisha is the convenience it offers. You can schedule your tests at a time that suits you, without having to worry about traveling to a diagnostic center. The entire process is conducted in the comfort of your home, making it ideal for elderly individuals or those with busy schedules.
Safety and Hygiene
In the post-pandemic world, safety and hygiene have become paramount. Home health test services adhere to strict protocols to ensure that the tests are conducted in a safe and sanitized environment. The healthcare professionals who visit your home are trained to maintain high hygiene standards, giving you peace of mind.
Personalized Care
When you opt for home health test services, you receive personalized care. The healthcare professional can provide you with undivided attention, ensuring that all your questions and concerns are addressed. This personalized approach enhances the overall experience and ensures that you are comfortable throughout the process.
Same-Day Reporting
Another significant advantage of home health test services is the quick turnaround time for reports. In many cases, you can receive your test results on the same day, allowing you to take swift action if any issues are detected.
How to Choose the Right Health Check-Up Package
With so many options available, choosing the right health check-up package can be a daunting task. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision:
Assess Your Health Needs
The first step in choosing a health check-up package is to assess your health needs. Consider factors like your age, family history, lifestyle, and any existing health conditions. For example, if you have a family history of heart disease, you might want to opt for a package that includes heart health assessments.
Consult Your Doctor
It’s always a good idea to consult your doctor before selecting a health check-up package. Your doctor can provide valuable insights into which tests are necessary for you based on your medical history and current health status.
Compare Packages
Take the time to compare different health check-up packages offered by various diagnostic centers in Bhubaneswar and Odisha. Look for packages that offer a comprehensive set of tests at a reasonable price. Don’t hesitate to ask for details about what each package includes.
Consider Home Health Test Services
If convenience is a priority for you, consider opting for a health test package at home in Odisha. This service allows you to undergo necessary tests without disrupting your daily routine. Plus, the added comfort of being at home can make the process less stressful.
Check for Accreditation
Ensure that the diagnostic center you choose is accredited and follows strict quality standards. Accredited centers are more likely to provide accurate test results, which are crucial for effective health management.
DiagnosticPoint: Your Trusted Partner in Health
When it comes to comprehensive health check-up packages and health test packages at home in Odisha, DiagnosticPoint stands out as a trusted provider. With a commitment to quality and patient care, DiagnosticPoint offers a range of packages designed to meet the diverse needs of individuals across Bhubaneswar and Odisha.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
DiagnosticPoint is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, ensuring accurate and reliable test results. The center’s commitment to using the latest technology means that you receive the best possible care.
Experienced Healthcare Professionals
The team at DiagnosticPoint comprises experienced healthcare professionals who are dedicated to providing personalized care. Whether you visit the center or opt for home health test services, you can expect a high level of professionalism and expertise.
Convenient Home Health Test Services
DiagnosticPoint’s health test packages at home in Odisha are designed to offer maximum convenience without compromising on the quality of care. The home visit service is perfect for those who prefer to undergo tests in the comfort of their own home.
Affordable and Transparent Pricing
Transparency is a key value at DiagnosticPoint. The center offers clear and upfront pricing for all its health check-up packages, ensuring that there are no hidden costs. Plus, the packages are priced affordably, making quality healthcare accessible to everyone.
Comprehensive Packages
Whether you’re looking for a basic health check-up package in Bhubaneswar or a more comprehensive health assessment, DiagnosticPoint has you covered. The wide range of packages available ensures that you can find one that suits your specific needs.
Conclusion
Taking charge of your health doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the availability of basic health check-up packages in Bhubaneswar, comprehensive health check-up test packages in Odisha, and convenient health test packages at home in Odisha, maintaining your health is easier than ever. Regular check-ups are an investment in your future well-being, and with providers like DiagnosticPoint, you can rest assured that you’re receiving top-notch care.
Remember, your health is your greatest asset. Don’t wait for symptoms to appear—stay proactive and make health check-ups a regular part of your routine. Whether you choose to visit a diagnostic center or take advantage of home health test services, the key is to stay informed and take action when necessary. With the right health check-up package, you can ensure that you’re always on the path to a healthy and fulfilling life.
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starsincline · 2 months
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Hello, I am Noha Al-Habil. My father was martyred in the 2014 war. In this war, my older brother was martyred and my younger brother was injured. I became responsible for a family of 5 people and I am 22 years old. My mother is a woman who suffers from chronic diseases and needs special attention and care, and my little sister. She has a heart condition and needs special treatment. My brother, who is currently injured, is paralyzed and needs to travel for an operation so he can walk normally. Our house was bombed and destroyed, and we are currently living in a tent, which is an environment not suitable for living. Please help me to save my family and get out of Gaza.
Please donate 🙏 🙏
🔗🔗https://www.gofundme.com/f/4qzqg-help-a-family-from-gaza
#157 on the Vetted Gaza Fundraiser List by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi
hello, sorry for the delay in posting. I really, really hope your fundraiser picks up and your family reaches safety soon.
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verified here
This fundraiser has yet to reach even 20% of its goal. Please donate and share! Funds will be used to support this family, including multiple injured children.
On the morning of the sixteenth of November, the tragedy of my life occurred and my heart was broken by the martyrdom of Omar, who was like a father to his brothers... he was the breadwinner for me, his brothers, and his wife! He went to get firewood to cook food when the place was bombed. His little brother was injured and had more than a hundred stitches. His eardrum was punctured, and the tendons in his foot and hand were cut, and his body was filled with shrapnel. I and my children were left without support and without shelter.
The shelter school is an unsuitable environment for living, and it is full of diseases and hepatitis. Nour suffers every day due to diseases. She's immunocompromised, and I must take her to the hospital every day. I hope for help to save my remaining children from this war and for my daughter to complete her university studies, as she was a senior pharmaceutical student before the war, to complete her studies and help me build our lives again, from scratch.
(indented text taken from gfm page)
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giftstour · 2 months
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The Comprehensive Guide to Finding the Best Podiatrist Near You: PRINE Health’s Expertise in Pediatric and Senior Foot Care
Introduction
When was the last time you thought about your feet? They’re easy to overlook, yet they support us every day, taking us where we need to go. Proper foot care is crucial, and that’s where podiatrists come in. If you’re searching for terms like pediatric podiatrist, podiatrist doctor, or podiatrist near me, you’re in the right place. Let’s explore the world of podiatry and how PRINE Health can help you maintain healthy, happy feet.
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What is a Podiatrist?
Definition and Scope of Practice
A podiatrist is a medical professional specializing in diagnosing and treating conditions related to the foot, ankle, and lower extremities. Their expertise ranges from common issues like bunions and ingrown toenails to complex conditions like foot deformities and diabetic foot care.
Types of Podiatrists
There are various types of podiatrists, each focusing on different aspects of foot care:
General Podiatrists handle everyday foot problems.
Pediatric Podiatrists specialize in children’s foot health.
Sports Podiatrists treat sports-related injuries.
Geriatric Podiatrists focus on foot care for seniors.
Why You Might Need a Podiatrist
Common Foot Problems
From blisters to bunions, many common foot problems can benefit from professional care. Issues like plantar fasciitis, athlete’s foot, and flat feet can significantly impact your quality of life.
Specialized Foot Care Needs
Certain conditions require specialized care. Diabetic patients, for example, need regular foot check-ups to prevent severe complications. Similarly, athletes might need specific treatments to stay in peak performance.
Pediatric Podiatrists: Caring for Young Feet
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Importance of Pediatric Foot Care
Children’s feet are constantly growing and developing. Ensuring proper foot care early on can prevent long-term issues. Pediatric podiatrists are trained to address the unique needs of young patients.
Common Pediatric Foot Issues
Conditions like flat feet, in-toeing, and heel pain are common in children. Pediatric podiatrists can provide treatments that guide proper foot development and alleviate pain.
Finding a Pediatric Podiatrist Near You
Searching for a pediatric podiatrist near me can help you locate specialists in your area. Look for practitioners with experience in pediatric care and positive reviews from other parents.
Senior Foot Care: Podiatrists for Seniors
Challenges of Senior Foot Health
As we age, our feet undergo changes that can lead to pain and mobility issues. Seniors often face problems like arthritis, reduced circulation, and decreased sensation.
Services Offered by Podiatrists for Seniors
Senior podiatrists offer services tailored to older adults, including diabetic foot care, treatment for arthritis, and custom orthotics to improve mobility and comfort.
Locating a Senior Podiatrist Near You
When searching for a “podiatrist for seniors near me,” consider factors like the podiatrist’s experience with geriatric patients and their ability to provide comprehensive care.
Choosing the Right Podiatrist
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Qualifications and Certifications
Ensure your podiatrist is board-certified and holds the necessary qualifications. This ensures they have the expertise required to provide high-quality care.
Experience and Specializations
Look for podiatrists who specialize in your specific needs, whether it’s pediatric care, sports injuries, or senior foot health. Experience in these areas can make a significant difference.
Patient Reviews and Testimonials
Reviews from other patients can provide insight into a podiatrist’s competence and bedside manner. Positive testimonials are a good indicator of quality care.
Podiatrist Services: What to Expect
Initial Consultation
Your first visit typically involves a thorough examination and discussion of your medical history. The podiatrist will assess your condition and recommend a treatment plan.
Treatment Plans
Treatment plans can vary from lifestyle changes and orthotics to more intensive interventions like surgery. Your podiatrist will tailor the plan to your specific needs.
Follow-Up Care
Regular follow-up appointments ensure that your treatment is effective and allows for adjustments as needed. Consistent care is key to maintaining foot health.
The Benefits of Regular Podiatric Visits
Preventative Care
Regular check-ups can catch problems early, preventing more serious issues down the line. Preventative care is especially important for diabetic patients and seniors.
Managing Chronic Conditions
For those with chronic conditions like diabetes or arthritis, podiatrists provide ongoing management to prevent complications and maintain mobility.
Enhancing Mobility and Quality of Life
Healthy feet contribute to overall well-being. Regular visits to a podiatrist can help you stay active and enjoy a better quality of life.
Finding a Podiatrist Near You
Online Directories and Reviews
Online platforms like Google and Yelp can help you find local podiatrists and read reviews from other patients. Look for highly-rated practitioners in your area.
Insurance Networks
Check with your insurance provider to find podiatrists covered under your plan. This can save you money and ensure you receive care from reputable professionals.
Personal Recommendations
Word of mouth is a powerful tool. Ask friends, family, or your primary care physician for recommendations.
PRINE Health: Your Trusted Podiatry Partner
Overview of PRINE Health
PRINE Health is dedicated to providing top-notch podiatric care. With a team of experienced podiatrists, they offer comprehensive services for all ages.
Services Offered by PRINE Health
PRINE Health provides a wide range of services, including pediatric and senior foot care, sports injury treatment, and diabetic foot management.
Why Choose PRINE Health
With a focus on patient-centered care, PRINE Health stands out for its commitment to improving foot health. Their experienced team and state-of-the-art facilities ensure you receive the best care possible.
Pediatric Podiatrist Near Me: How to Search
Using Search Engines
Start with a simple search for “pediatric podiatrist near me.” Look for specialists with good reviews and relevant experience.
Local Community Resources
Local health departments and community centers can provide information on pediatric podiatrists in your area. They often have lists of recommended practitioners.
PRINE Health’s Pediatric Services
PRINE Health offers specialized pediatric podiatry services. Their team is experienced in treating common childhood foot issues and ensuring proper development.
Podiatrist for Seniors Near Me: How to Find the Best Care
Online Search Tips
Use search terms like “podiatrist for seniors near me” to find local specialists. Check their websites for information on their services and experience with senior patients.
Community Recommendations
Community groups and senior centers can be valuable resources for finding a good podiatrist. They often have firsthand experiences to share.
PRINE Health’s Senior Services
PRINE Health provides comprehensive care for seniors, addressing common issues like arthritis and diabetic foot care. Their experienced team ensures seniors receive the attention they need.
Common Treatments Provided by Podiatrists
Orthotics and Insoles
Custom orthotics can alleviate pain and improve foot function. Podiatrists can design orthotics tailored to your specific needs.
Surgery and Non-Surgical Interventions
From minor procedures to complex surgeries, podiatrists offer a range of treatments to address foot issues. Non-surgical options might include physical therapy and medication.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can help strengthen the muscles and improve mobility. Podiatrists often recommend it as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
FAQs About Podiatry
What conditions do podiatrists treat?
Podiatrists treat a wide range of conditions, including bunions, plantar fasciitis, diabetic foot problems, and sports injuries.
How often should I see a podiatrist?
For general foot health, an annual visit is recommended. However, if you have specific conditions, more frequent visits may be necessary.
What should I expect during a podiatry visit?
Expect a thorough examination of your feet, discussion of your medical history, and a personalized treatment plan. Your podiatrist will explain the next steps clearly.
How do I prepare for a podiatry appointment?
Bring any relevant medical records, wear comfortable shoes, and prepare a list of questions or concerns you have about your foot health.
Can podiatrists help with sports injuries?
Yes, sports podiatrists specialize in treating injuries related to physical activity. They can provide treatments to help you recover and improve performance.
Conclusion
Foot health is vital to overall well-being. Whether you need a pediatric podiatrist for your child or a specialist for senior foot care, finding the right podiatrist can make all the difference. PRINE Health is here to provide expert care for all your foot health needs. Don’t wait — take the first step towards healthier feet today.
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comfort-podiatry · 3 months
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Comprehensive Mitcham Podiatry Care at Comfort Podiatry Clinic
Mitcham’s Leading Podiatry
At Mitcham Podiatry, we specialize in providing personalized foot care solutions. Our dedicated podiatrists are here to help you walk comfortably. The owner, Rhys Potter, is an Adelaide podiatrist with over a decade of experience. Rhys strives to improve the South Australian healthcare sector by improving the podiatry experience for clients. 
Our team cares about you and can do home visits to provide clients with the foot care they need in the comfort of their homes. We use a holistic approach that ensures we provide professional services, whether for routine visits or complex foot injuries. Rhys loves advancing his knowledge to provide the best possible care. He regularly undertakes post-graduate courses like dry needling, lower limb strength, and conditioning to leave no stone unturned in his treatment plans. Choosing Comfort Podiatry gives you peace of mind when dealing with a highly trained podiatrist. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.
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Learn More About Our Mitcham Podiatry Services
Comfort Podiatry provides people with the option of a complete and professional podiatry service in the comfort of their homes. We offer exceptional communication, high-quality services, and a seamless experience to ensure you get exceptional foot care. Our podiatry services in Mitcham include the following;  
· General foot care
· Foot pain treatment
· Biomechanics assessment 
· Orthotics
· In-growing toenail treatment
· Diabetes foot health assessment 
· Children’s foot assessment  
· Lower limb strength and conditioning  
Our clinic has the resources and knowledge to provide lasting and immediate relief, whether you need toenail surgery or foot pain treatment. We will ensure our treatment keeps your feet happy and improves your overall health and quality of life. Our podiatrist works with people of all ages, from children to senior citizens. We approach every appointment with professionalism, patience, and the highest level of care. Please call us today to book an appointment or for a consultation. 
For more details, please visit us at link:
Website - https://www.comfortpodiatry.com.au/mitcham-podiatry
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casspurrjoybell-25 · 3 months
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Cold as Ice - Chapter 8 - Part 2
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*Warning Adult Content*
Landon Reilly
I wished that getting back on the ice would have given me some sort of relief, like I was back on my feet again and feeling like I belonged but that really wasn't the case.
With hockey practice starting up, I now had no excuse to avoid any of my teammates.
I would have to start seeing them every day and endure them trying to get me to become one of them when I really just wanted to be left alone.
Most of the team was just standing around on the ice while we waited for practice to officially start.
Some of us were doing laps around the ice.
I was one of those, skating around the perimeter of the rink with the hopes to keep myself busy and have no one try to talk to me but when the coaches made their way to the ice, everyone gathered.
Coach Foreman and Assistant Coach Carter stood in front of the team.
There were about thirty or forty of us and only half of us would actually get to play in games.
The coaches might rotate the roster a bit and allow for some of the younger guys like me to have some ice time in games with our less competitive opponents but the reality was that most of us wouldn't get to play that much.
"I want all of us to have a good season on and off the ice," Coach Foreman started, gathering the attention of all the players.
"And that means I expect everyone's best efforts for the entire duration and for the veteran players, I expect you to take care of the rookies, guide them. Remember how you felt your freshman year."
Coach Foreman went on to talk about all his expectations for the season.
The many practices during the week, that we had to keep our grades up, that no one's position was permanent and we had to earn it.
The team seemed to perk up once we started doing some drills.
The team Captain, senior Chris Rojas, was leading the drills.
He had been someone I had kept tabs on while I was still in high school and watching college hockey from home, though I never thought I'd play with him.
Back then I was still thinking I'd be going to Notre Dame.
By the time practice was over, I was ready to shower and get into bed but before I could get off the ice, Rojas skated in front of me and caused me to halt.
"What's your name again?" he asked me.
He was the type to look at you with so much attention with he was talking to you, like the whole world around you was a blur.
"Landon Reilly," I said, my voice bland and my expression blank.
"You're quite good, Reilly," Rojas replied.
Everyone around here went by their last names, I had noticed.
This wasn't something we did at my high school.
It was really only reserved for the guys who had the same first names.
There were way too many Johns and Noahs and Jameses for those to go by their first names.
"Thanks," I muttered in response to Rojas.
He patted me on the shoulder twice before turning to leave the ice.
"Keep it up."
I waited a moment before following him to the locker room.
I used to never dread going to the locker room but since my sexuality was not exactly a secret anymore, it became a stressful situation.
Part of the problem was that I had no idea who exactly knew about my sexuality, who just ignored it or who didn't know at all.
These thoughts of worry also made me think about what I had done to Elijah in this situation.
Micah telling me in a hush that he was worried for Elijah because of what he had told him, me getting angry and letting the whole team know just because of how Elijah's sexuality made me feel, hitting him, letting others hit him.
It all came back and it made me want to throw up every time I stepped foot in a locker room.
It made me simultaneously scared for that treatment and wishing for it just to get a taste of what I put him through but of course, nothing happened.
All the guys were in good spirits after our first practice and were making plans to go out together this weekend.
That was what I wanted to avoid.
I wanted to play hockey and go home.
Cooper, who I had learned was actually John Cooper, clapped me on the shoulder as I stood at my own stall after I had quickly showered and changed into my clothes.
"Landon," he exclaimed.
"You'll go out with us this weekend, right? Jess said she saw you on Friday and you went home with someone. Good for you."
I shook his hand off me and did my best not to snap at him.
He was one of the ones that left me there.
He was why I had to get dragged back to Wren's dorm.
"Maybe," I said shortly, hoping to stop the conversation there.
Luckily, my cell-phone started ringing and I had never been so happy for Micah to call me.
"Gotta take this, see you later," I said before grabbing my bag and rushing out of the locker room and answering the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, you haven't called in a while," Micah replied.
"Dad said you went home this weekend. How was it?"
I let out a long breath as I stepped outside and started walking back to my dorm.
"It was good," I told him.
"I spent some time with Olivia."
"Oh yeah? How is she?"
"She seemed good," I replied.
I didn't want to tell him that I thought she was hiding how bad things really were at home.
Even Micah and his parents didn't know exactly how horrible our parents actually were.
"Did you start hockey yet?" Micah asked, though I knew he already knew the answer to that.
I was sure he had my whole schedule memorized better than I did.
"Just left practice," I told him.
"Did you call for anything in particular?"
"You know I like to check up on you."
"Yeah, I know."
"Elijah said he saw you," Micah added and I stopped in my tracks.
"You talked to Elijah?"
"We keep in touch," he replied.
"He just mentioned it."
I didn't respond, wanting to get off the topic of Elijah immediately.
"Anyway, you'll have to keep me up to speed with what's going on with you now that we're both starting hockey," Micah continued.
He probably knew the mention of Elijah made me uncomfortable.
"Yeah, sure, Micah," I said, jogging across the street to get to my building.
"Maybe I'll come down there some time when we both have a little time off," he suggested.
He would be sorely disappointed if he did.
All I did to pass the time was work out and sit in my room doing nothing and of course there was the fact that he would most likely find out that I haven't set up any appointments with a counselor here like my therapist wanted and he would be on me about it.
"Yeah. If you want," I replied as I stepped into my building. 
"Listen, Micah, I gotta go, okay?"
"Alright," he said.
"Promise me you'll call soon?"
"Sure."
Though I was sure I'd forget and he'd be the one to end up calling anyway.
He probably knew that too but just wanted to seem like he wasn't being overbearing by calling my phone all the time.
"Okay. Talk to you later."
"Bye."
Kyle wasn't in the room when I got back and I was grateful for that.
After seeing him with Stella that morning, I was hoping not to see him again for a while.
After changing into pajamas, I turned all the lights off, pulled the curtains over the window and went to sleep.
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podiatryfootsole · 3 months
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Podiatrist Home Visits: Convenient and Comprehensive Foot Care with Foot & Sole Podiatry
Maintaining foot health is crucial for overall well-being, especially for individuals with mobility issues, chronic conditions, or busy schedules. Recognizing the need for accessible and convenient foot care, Foot & Sole Podiatry offers professional podiatrist home visits. This service brings expert foot care directly to your doorstep, ensuring that you receive the same high-quality treatment in the comfort of your home. Here’s an in-depth look at how podiatrist home visits work and the benefits they offer.
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The Need for Home Podiatry Visits
For many individuals, visiting a podiatrist’s clinic can be challenging due to various reasons such as:
Mobility Issues: Seniors, disabled individuals, or those recovering from surgery may find it difficult to travel to a clinic.
Chronic Conditions: Patients with chronic illnesses like diabetes often require regular foot care but may struggle with transportation.
Busy Schedules: Professionals and caregivers may not have the time to visit a clinic during regular working hours.
Convenience: Home visits offer the flexibility to receive care without leaving the comfort of your home, making it an ideal option for many.
What to Expect During a Podiatrist Home Visit
Foot & Sole Podiatry ensures that home visits provide comprehensive care equivalent to what you would receive in a clinic. Here’s what you can expect during a home visit:
Initial Assessment: The podiatrist will conduct a thorough assessment of your foot health, including your medical history, current symptoms, and any concerns you might have. This helps in diagnosing any underlying issues and tailoring the treatment plan accordingly.
Diagnostic Procedures: If necessary, the podiatrist may perform diagnostic tests such as gait analysis, nail and skin examinations, or even use portable equipment for more detailed assessments.
Treatment Services: Home visits cover a wide range of treatments including:
Nail Care: Trimming and treating ingrown toenails, fungal infections, and other nail disorders.
Skin Care: Addressing issues like corns, calluses, warts, and cracked heels.
Diabetic Foot Care: Specialized care to prevent complications such as ulcers and infections.
Orthotic Assessments: Evaluating and fitting custom orthotics to relieve pain and improve foot function.
Wound Care: Managing and dressing wounds to promote healing and prevent infection.
Education and Advice: The podiatrist will provide personalized advice on foot care routines, footwear choices, and lifestyle modifications to maintain optimal foot health. They may also demonstrate exercises and techniques to alleviate pain and improve mobility.
Follow-Up Appointments: Depending on your condition, the podiatrist will schedule follow-up visits to monitor progress and adjust the treatment plan as necessary.
Benefits of Podiatrist Home Visits
Choosing home visits for podiatry care offers numerous benefits:
Convenience: Receive professional care without the hassle of traveling to a clinic.
Personalized Attention: One-on-one attention in your own environment allows for a more personalized approach to treatment.
Comfort: Being treated at home can reduce anxiety and stress, particularly for those with mobility issues or chronic pain.
Continuity of Care: Regular home visits ensure ongoing monitoring and management of foot health, which is essential for chronic conditions like diabetes.
Accessibility: Provides access to high-quality foot care for individuals who might otherwise be unable to attend clinic appointments.
Why Choose Foot & Sole Podiatry?
Foot & Sole Podiatry is committed to providing exceptional foot care with a focus on patient convenience and comfort. Our team of experienced podiatrists is equipped with the latest knowledge and tools to deliver effective treatments at home. We prioritize patient education, ensuring that you are well-informed about your foot health and the steps needed to maintain it.
Conclusion
Podiatrist home visits by Foot & Sole Podiatry offer a convenient and comprehensive solution for maintaining foot health. Whether you have mobility challenges, chronic conditions, or a busy lifestyle, our home visit service ensures you receive top-quality care in the comfort of your home. Don’t let mobility issues or a hectic schedule compromise your foot health. Contact Foot & Sole Podiatry today to schedule a home visit and take the first step towards healthier, happier feet.
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