#Why kidney stones form

[ivy-saurs]

good news: i had an ultrasound today and it showed that i passed the kidney stone without even realising it after i was discharged from the hospital

bad news: the scan showed that i have some more small kidney stones 😭 really hoping that those ones won't cause me as much pain

[paper-mario-wiki]

Could you explain how Ambrosia is able to come back after dying?

1

Sure yeah, I'll give it a shot.

[Fursona Lore/ Mild Existential Horror presented in charmingly primitive MS Paint style under the cut]

2

[At the top of the panel there is the label "conceptual space (currently being created. The middle is labeled "THE UNIVERSE, REALITY (the other)". The bottom is labeled "CONSCIOUSNESS, REFLECTION (the self). The very bottom of the panel reads "OTHER, FREAKIER BUT LESS IMPORTANT STUFF" ]

To keep it brief, a person is when a certain amount of consciousness slips upwards into reality. Consciousness is, like the laws of thermo dynamics [sic], a fundamental property of the universe.

3

I'm sure you've heard of the sticking-a-pencil-through-paper metaphor for theoretical wormhole travel, right? Staying within that visual metaphor, imagine the moisture in the air around that "piece of paper" as what consciousness is. It creates tiny, imperceivable changes in the surface and makeup of the paper. Imagine a microscopic rain cloud making a tiny fraction of the paper a little bit soggy. That's what you are in the universe. A tiny soggy fraction of a massive piece of paper. (That's why you feel so small btw).

Of course, putting it into that metaphor IS greatly simplifying it, since in real life things like time and space sorta overlap, ya know? Because they're entirely separate dimensions of measurement. Consciousness is the same, it is everywhere in the universe all at once, but only after it seeps in from a place that is exactly where we are, but elsewhere. 4D stuff is complicated sorry if that's not super clear ha ha.

4

Normal people happen when a bunch of that stray potential-consciousness starts stacking more and more layers of reality on top of itself. Sort of like those pastries that you fold butter into and then fold it like 10 times and that makes it so theres like a billion layers of butter and dough and butter and dough and butter and dough and on and on and on. But with, uh. The other stuff. Consiousness and matter from the universe.

Speaking semantically, that's all the little tiny organisms that work really hard to make you alive. Like the biome in your gut, or the bacteria in your tissue and blood cells. Look it up, 43% of the human body is made of bacteria. Like, that's just on google.

Anyway, all their effort culminates in an increasingly complex meat shell that constitutes a person.

5

For the sake of practicality, we can imagine the way consciousness "seeps in" to the universe is like heat coming off the sun. The two overlapping infinite planes radiate into each other like heat radiates off the sun.

That clear? Heat from the sun. Remember that, it's important for the next part.

6

I'm sort of like a solar flare.

My consciousness, in its raw form, was so concentrated that it was like a tiny shooting star straight from the source.

Also kind of like a kidney stone, I guess.

7

Since my consciousness (which, to be clear, is approximately the same "amount" of consciouessness as anyone else, just all smooshed together into a single clump) is smooshed together into a single clump, the shell forms naturally as "reality" settles onto it. The "shape" the consciousness takes is basically the same as your body or anyone else's since the framework of both entities are the "same" on the "outside". Thus the "shells" turn out "similar" too.

Sorry for all the quotation marks, it's hard to talk about concepts outside of the third dimension in third dimensional terms, and like. I also am not super sure about this stuff either. I'm only relaying what I've learned from the scientists but some of it goes over my head.

I like to think I'm clever but like. I'm not a genius.

8

So here's the part where me and you are different: When your shell breaks apart (when you die) it's because the consciouessness had been escaping your shell, like air from a balloon, and the physical structure can't support itself anymore. Or, like, maybe you just fall over and hit your head on the concrete one day and pop the balloon all together.

Either way, the consciousness escapes from the pressure, and either goes back "down" where it came from, or goes upward into conceptual space, which is sorta being constituted through forces exerted in the physical universe. Well, I mean, really it's more of a product of a reaction between consciousness and physical space. Whatever I'm getting off topic.

The point is the shell breaks cuz the balloon pops. I think that was my point.

9

Now that you get all that, you can probably deduce on your own how and why I'm able to keep "coming back".

It's cuz I'm not really "coming back", I'm still here! The shell representing me here was just lost.

10

And while the facade may not look precisely the same every single time...

11

I remain the same.

[opennwindows]

If you can, could I request BEN Drowned fluff / smut headcanons like about himself, with his headcanon age, hobbies, facts, what he is into or would like & want in a relationship, and what he would be like with a gamer girlfriend/ s/o?

If ya taking requests rn still?✨😇😊💖

Ben Drowned general + NSFW hcs

A/N: yes!! absolutely. i love getting to talk about how the pastas do their pastaing in my mind. i have so many headcanons for everyone that im excited to share!! also sorry i forgot to include the gamer gf part but i don't think it would change a lot of what i wrote!!

btw sorry for fucking dying i have been busy 😭😭 but no one worry i will still continue to work on requests!! if anyone has any marble hornets stuff they wanna request i will zoom you to the front of the queue so fucking quick. anyways enough of me yapping.

cw: 18+ nsfw, toxic relationships, crying kink,

GENERAL

ben is mentally and physically 22, but he can be quite emotionally immature at times. when he died he never stopped growing and maturing, his soul was just stuck in limbo. think like the worst waiting room ever.

he's surprisingly tall, standing at about 5'9. he's lanky but not bone thin. could easily get pretty far in a fight without his ghost powers.

the link costume only appears when he’s in his ghost form. so for example, when he’s messing with someone on their computer he’ll appear as the canon BEN we’re most familiar with. when he’s just chilling in his physical body, he mostly wears beat up hoodies and sweatpants.

contrary to popular belief, ben's not the hardcore gamer everyone thinks he is. sure, he'll play some overwatch or whatever when he's bored but he honestly just prefers to watch tv and browse the internet. understandably REFUSES to play any zelda games. if you were trapped in a video game for decades would you ever wanna touch it again? exactly.

ben loves to draw little comics and troll (see: horrifically traumatize) people online. god forbid you get into twitter beef with this man because he will crawl through your monitor at 3am and leave you with a crippling fear of technology. dude thinks it's absolutely hilarious. a true knee slapper.

lowkey has a sugar addiction. will slam down 4 cans of pepsi in one sitting. he's very lucky that he's basically a ghost because the kidney stones would be plentiful.

ROMANTIC

you know that guy with the blown out speakers in his car, lives off of energy drinks and burnt blue razz ice elfbars, swears aphex twin is the modern mozart and works on the grill at your local wendy’s? yeah thats ben. or at least would be him if he was still human.

“why would you need a chair, my lap is literally right here babe.”

would absolutely wear your skin if given the opportunity. not in a weird way. he’s just EXTREMELY touchy.

he needs someone who is significantly more organized and motivated than him. he can go almost a week without showering and it should honestly be considered biological warfare when he tries to smother you with affection during these episodes.

after awhile of you guys dating he LOVES the idea of y’all showering together. he has a fear of water and while showers aren’t too much of a trigger, your presence helps ease his anxiety.

favorite pet names: bro, dude, dawg, babe, bitch (non derogatory)

not really a romantic but he tries his best. a perfect date for him is just getting some takeout, watching youtube, talking about stupid shit and play fighting. if you want something more traditional or extravagant then he’ll oblige to make you happy but those types of dates make him feel quite suffocated and nervous. try to save those for special occasions.

now let’s talk about his problems because just like the other creeps he is ANGSTY.

he’s probably the most emotionally stable and healthiest of the group but he definitely still has his toxic traits, after all this man is a ghost that mentally tortures and kills his victims through manipulation.

ben would never ever get physical with his partner no matter how enraged he is but he absolutely is the type to do some mental damage when he gets carried away. ben drowned? more like ben gaslighted.

the type to say some shit that would keep you up for years and then kiss you the next morning like the argument never happened. he finds it easier to ignore problems than to actively talk and fix them. you’re gonna have to teach him some important communication skills or else you’ll grow to resent him after all the bottled up rage.

a bit too brutally honest and blunt for his own good so if you have thin skin the relationship would fall apart pretty quickly. he wants someone who can drag him twice as hard as he dragged you. bonus points if your insults are consistently funny as hell.

please watch anime with him and discuss it. he would propose on the spot, especially if you play with his hair.

pro player tip: if you want him to clean his disgusting room, help him and make it fun! he just needs a little push and motivation at times. and being around you makes him want to get his shit together.

big fan of late night make-out sessions. i’m talking like 45 minutes straight of just slobbering on each other’s faces with tongues down throats. if you don’t want his hands running over every inch of your body then you’ll probably have to chain him to the wall.

NSFW

okay. so he’s a little inexperienced with his hands. he’s just a slow learner. be vocal with him about what you like!!

ben's about 7inches and slightly skinnier than average but he will have you seeing stars in record time. the dick game is no joke. he tends to go fast and deep most times.

i can see him being a switch in the idgaf-as-long-as-i’m-fucking way. dude will go with the flow and will try mostly anything.

definitely one of the least aggressive pastas during sex. he has sadistic tendencies but he’s more of a edge/overstimulate you until you cry versus a beat the shit out of you and rip hair out of your scalp type. he’s pretty vanilla given his occupation.

despite his love of roasting the fuck out of you on a daily basis, the only words that come out of this man’s mouth is heavenly praise. he looks at you like you’re the most gorgeous being on the planet and he’ll let you know it.

he loves to whisper praises into your ear while you ride him.

he's more of a receiver than a giver when it comes to oral. he'll absolutely spend hours between your legs if given the chance but nothing beats the sight of you on your knees and teary eyed with his length in your mouth.

he can be a bit of a head pusher but just let him face-fuck you every now and then, hearing his loud moans will be worth it.

did i mention how much of a crying kink this man has? you guys could be on round three and if he stares at your teary eyed fucked-out face for longer than 10 seconds he'll immediately get hard again. you'll have to beg him to give your poor body a break.

he's also into choking but only if he's the one doing it. if you try to restrict his breathing he'll panic and the mood would get ruined.

[scientia-rex]

Good morning! I have a question. When I look up info about vitamin D, I come across many claims that people generally don't get enough of it. In a recent episode of Maintenance Phase, however, the hosts called it a "scam" or overblown, at least (I don't remember the exact wording). So, like, what's the deal with vitamin D? Do Americans get enough of it?

Probably, mostly. At the very least, people should be tested before starting repletion. It probably has a role in osteoporosis treatment and prevention, BUT how much to take and what form and when is HOTLY debated and frequently conclusions are changing.

Just to take you on a spin through the most recent Cochrane reviews (THESE ARE NOT SINGLE STUDIES, in case any of the research-naive out there want to get pissy about them; look up what a Cochrane review actually is before trying to shit on it; also note that I did NOT say this will cover every fucking person and every hypothetical they can come up with, jesus CHRIST):

No role for vitamin D in asthma

Insufficient evidence to recommend it in sickle cell

Raising vitamin D levels in cystic fibrosis patients is not beneficial

No evidence of benefit of vitamin D in MS

Supplementing vitamin D in pregnancy may have small benefits but also risk of harms

No clinically significant benefit from vitamin D supplementation in chronic pain

Insufficient data on vitamin D in inflammatory bowel disease, but no evidence of benefit

No evidence of benefit of vitamin D supplementation in liver disease

Vitamin D does not appear to prevent cancer in general population

No evidence for benefit in supplementation of vitamin D in premenopausal women to prevent bone density loss

Possible small mortality benefit of D3, but not D2, in elderly patients, but also increased risk of kidney stones and hypercalcemia

Vitamin D alone ineffective, but combined with calcium may be effective, in preventing bone fractures in older adults

Insufficient evidence for vitamin D improving COVID-19 outcomes

Now, vitamin D plus calcium in people who have post-menopausal bone density loss does seem to prevent fractures. This is why doctors routinely recommend it. However, dosage and formulation are still debated as data are insufficient, and uncertainty still large.

So, do you need to supplement? Probably not. There is some fairly weak evidence that vitamin D supplementation may help with depression, but I would argue that it's going to be most relevant in people with pre-existing deficiencies, which Medicare is just hellbent on not letting me test for anymore. They've narrowed the coverage codes for testing so now even know vitamin D deficiency isn't considered a good enough reason to test. So Medicare has very clearly decided it's not relevant, for whatever that's worth, I spit on their graves, etc. Of course, then you get into the question of what counts as a deficiency, which we also really don't know.

And to be clear, I wasn't looking through the Cochrane review results with an angle--those are most of the first page of search results on their site, with the only one skipped being similar to another one I mentioned, and I stopped when I got bored. These should not be paywalled, as I am not logged into anything and I can read it all, so try clicking the side menu on the right if you have trouble getting into the weeds.

If anything, running through this little exercise has made me less likely to recommend vitamin D supplementation, so do with that what you will.

[genderqueerdykes]

re: gallbladder stuff i'm sorry you're dealing with all that, I know you already know it's all BS, but i just wanted to share my experience with gallbladder surgery that really emphasizes how BS it is: -my surgeon didn't ask me to lose weight in order to operate even though i was also over 300lbs at the time -they treated it as an urgent surgery even though i had to get it done during COVID lockdowns -the doctor told me that it was almost certainly genetics that caused me to have gallstones, there was nothing i could have done to cause it -the doctor told me i should stick to a plain diet leading up to the surgery to reduce the chances of passing another gallstone, but told me that once you pass one stone it's not a matter of if but when you'll pass another. the only way to stop it completely is to remove the organ your doctors are treating you terribly for actually no reason and i'm sorry they're doing that to you. i wish there was a way to hold healthcare workers accountable for these things.

thank you SO much for this ask, holy shit

i'm so glad they didn't ask you to lose weight and treated it like an emergency, which it was. i'm really glad they actually treated you. nobody should have to put up with having a diseased organ stay in their body because of someone else's prejudice. i've been considering asking fatphobic doctors why they are even in the medical field to begin with if they can't wrap their heads around the fact that fat people need medical help as well, whether it's related to their fatness or not doesn't matter. many fat people WILL need some form of medical attention in their lives. why would anyone who actually cares about helping others go into medicine if they knew they couldn't handle a little bit of cellulose

also thank you for confirming that there's a genetic factor and that if it happens once, it'll happen again. that's what i was showing in my research. i mean it makes sense, it's not going to do that just once, and i have multiple stones in my gallbladder. i don't understand why multiple stones isn't cause for concern. my mother had to have her gallbladder removed as well. and i've also shown in my research that there's very little to nothing a person can do to cause themselves to develop gallstones, unlike kidney stones which can be caused by severe and repeated dehydration

thank you so much, i've felt absolutely horrible in the wake of this. it made me feel as though my pain was somehow my fault, as if it wasn't worth looking into. i don't think anyone should have to feel like that, especially when they have a diseased organ that needs removed. it was like she didn't even see it as a matter of disease and illness, but rather something completely caused by me. i could tell she thought it was my fault due to eating a "high fat diet" and not because there's a genetic factor.

the "high fat diet" affects my liver way more than my gallbladder, and even then: i do not routinely eat a high fat diet. my liver is the one who got upset when i ate a lot of high fat and processed foods while i was homeless. my gallbladder is not the one who's having a hard time with anything that i choose to do of my own volition. the organ itself is literally diseased and no amount of kale smoothies and celery could ever fix that

thank you, i really appreciate you. i'm glad you were able to get treated without pushback. i think what i'm going to do is call that office and ask to consult with one of their other surgeons to see if they all believe that, or if it's just the one surgeon i spoke to. i also want to report her for medical malpracitce because she's choosing to let me continue to get violently ill because of her own personal issues. she's allowing me to remain sick and potentially be subject to even worse things like you mentioned

again, i really appreciate the amount of support i've gotten over this. i didn't realize that i was being treated this poorly. i really appreciate you, i'm going to do whatever i can to advocate for myself so i can get this removed ASAP. i want to be able to eat regular meals again without pain or vomiting. i want to be able to sit and stand upright without severe stabbing pain in my abdomen. i want to live my life again. i appreciate you, take care of yourself, thank you for your kindness and reassurance

[patron-saint-of-emesis]

also in my ER notes the doctor used he and she interchangeably for me

also also I HAVE TWENTY FOUR STONES TOTAL. 24. HELLO

beep boop update i was RIGHT it was kidney stones. i went to my doctor and she was like ‘hm! hold on!’ and left came back 5 mins and was like ‘ok. drive immediately to the er’ so i did and its not as severe as it all was last year (my organs r not leaking 🥳) but i still have many rocks inside of me. they gave me meds tho and im going back to another doctor soon so im hoping i caught it in time before it got like last year

[watchingthegregoryandjamesshow]

S1:E3 Occam’s razor

Okay first of all, what did I just watch? A guy is coughing, and than He and this girl start banging and than one of them passes out,

Woohoo! Here comes Greg and James!

James and the giant peach is like, “So there’s a person in the emergency room.” (The guy form earlier) and Greg Heffley is like “Alright.”

James: How was that so easy? Gregory: You know why ;)

James: Blood pressures not responding to IV fluids? Gregory: Yeh

James: *Smiles*

Gregory: That’s just WEIRD.

(What does this even mean? 😭)

So the House named Greg says “This guy has too many symptoms.”

He shows the other docs all the symptoms the guy has on a whiteboard.

The girl doc with a pony tail is like, “No condition accounts for all the symptoms.”

and Greggy goes, “Oh good, I thought he was sick, but it turns out he’s not!” Than says they need to treat the guy with a bunch of big doctor words I do not understand.

So now it cuts to a scene where the kid is coughing up a storm, his girlfriend is like, “Stop testing him, start treating him!” A doc says “Erm, actually we need to test him before he make him better sooo….”

Then Greg house guy introduces himself to a waiting room full of people, and says “Hi, I’m stoned, who wants me?” And then proceeds to look at the people like this….

Then the guys girlfriend goes up to the Australia doctor and says, “did I give that guy this sickness?? Me and that guy were having sex, and I was very rough.” And he looks at her, very concerned.

So now a lady is with Greg and says, “My mucus was pale golden rod a week ago, and I don’t like being told what to do.” Greg says “We’ll do a full body scan later this week.”

so than the Australia doctor, says to two other docs “That girl thinks she rode him to death.” and the girl doc says, “I hope you got some specifics! If she thinks it could kill him, It’s worth knowing about.”

and he goes “have you ever taken a life??”

Then the other guy Doc goes, “THERES FLUID FILLING HIS LUNGS, HIS KIDNEYS ARE SHUTTING DOWN!”

*Super epic realistic blood cell CGI*

“Our treatment isn’t making him better. it’s killing him.” *Dunn Dunn duuuuuunnn*

Gregory tells a guy he thinks his tie is ugly

The patient Guy’s parents arrive. He tells his parents “Hi. This is my fiancé.” And shows them the girl who Rode him to death.

The tests show the antibiotics didn't cause the kidney failure. Greg tells them the patient is getting better.

Greg is with a patient, but he’s busy playing on his game boy. ”My THRoAT HUrTS.” Says the patient

“Yeah, so you said.” Greg rolls his eyes. “HoW LOng Do I HAVE to WaIT?” ”Two minutes less than when you asked me two minutes ago.” 🙄

Australia is pouring coffee, but spills some because he was staring at the doc girl. Then she starts talking to him in very very graphic detail about talking about what sex does to the human body. “Did you know That WomEn Can HaVE An HoUR lOnG OrgASM?” Australia man just stares at her.

than this just happens:

Greggy boi meets with the family. He accuses them of giving the patient the "cough medicine" (He thinks the patient was taking an illegal drug instead of cough medicine) after he arrived at the hospital. The mother admits to it and finds the medicine bottle. Australian doc goes to the pharmacy. The guys mom says “Yas, those are the SAME pills I gave my son.” It turns out they did give the patient the cough medicine after all not illegal drugs.

Gregory says,

“I was not wrong everything I said was true, it fit! It was elegant!”

James: “so reality was wrong?”

“Reality is almost always wrong.” Greg says before he downs a ton of pills.

They start to prepare the patient for surgery. Then the patient goes crazy, and almost dies, They get his heart started again, But, they have to cancel the surgery. The patient now also has pain in his fingers. A doc guy tells Greggory, and he starts thinking of something.

Greggy goes into the clean room without preparation. He still thinks the patient was poisoned because of a new symptom, the guy is losing hair 🫨He thinks the kid has been using illegal drugs contaminated with Colchicine and orders treatment. The patient starts getting better.

But Gregory is STILL not satisfied - he still can't figure out the source of the poisoning. the patient guy starts coughing again. They give him cough pills, and he realizes they aren't the same as the old pills he was taking; the new pills have the letter "L" on them but the other pills did not.

Australia says to girl “wanna get some food?” but she cuts him off right away and says “Nah.”

It ends with a scene showing Greggy Pooh in the pharmacy after hours, he’s sitting on the floor searching through the bottles. He holds two similar-looking pills, they both have the same shape, only one has writing on it and one does not. He smirks, He was RIGHT. *happy music 🎉🎊🎉🎉🎊🎊🎉*

This show is the bomb.com guys 💯 🔥

[kryptickiss]

frank x ana/joey ramble

sooooooo. i watched 'Abigail' (great movie, i recommend if u like a tiny vampire child murder a group of adults and a bunch of chaos :D) and i've been thinking of a tiny thought of the ending, or at least the near ending with frank attempting to turn joey/ana into a vampire and mind control her (practically foaming at the mouth pls--)

so here's me rambling about the end i wished was real, or at least a thought concept;

❝ Frank's successful in turning Joey into a vampire. (i always liked to think the two had some sort of chemistry together in a sort of enemies and lovers type shit bc the looks they be giving each other. like how when lambert had joey by her neck and she's looking at frank to not give in, help her, and then the look frank gives her as he's thinking about what she's thinking but decides to say fuck it and just go on and let himself be born anew).

The wounds Frank created, that little stab on her shoulder, the bite on her neck. They fade, her skin is free of any sort of blemishes. She's convulsing slightly as she tries to breathe. (if this WAS the ending, i'd like to think Frank thought he fucked up something somehow. like shit, was he supposed to just bite her longer or something? y'know a silent inner panic that's only shown in his eyes as he leans down to her, nudging her convulsing body with her foot as she looks at him with fear in her eyes. something along the lines of a plead for help because she can't get air into her lungs and the little air she is getting she's calling out for his name and maybe a 'help' here and there).

His voice echoes into her mind. "Joey." is all he'd say in her mind until she finally stops. When she stops, her eyes are reflective like a mirror. Pretty, Frank would think. Gorgeous, is when he sees that her mind is blank. (Frank has a God Complex i'm pretty sure bc he's controlling and dominant and somewhat of an asshole when he wants power, so when he sees Ana pretty much mindless, i'd like to think he's into that because even though -- and pls have me be delusional when i think this -- he has a SLIGHT and when i say SLIGHT i mean it's like... a tiny dot like a kidney stone of a soft spot for her bc hell, she saved his ass and pretty much stayed with him throughout this shitty night).

"You're mine." Joey would have her morals twisted, her personality is slightly the same as Frank's except she doesn't have his God Complex (if he does have one, may i add) but she views him as a God. He gave her new life, her mind is empty. She understands that this is wrong, to all Gods this is fucked up to the third degree, but she doesn't care because it feels good. It's wrong, but it's right in her now messy, mindbroken mentality. (i have a headcanon when Sammy was turned into a puppet for Abigail, she seemed more into doing what Abigail wants. which is to kill everyone, which is the reason why she lured Joey and Frank there. yeah, she's under Abigail's control, but like, she's also fixated on Abigail because Abigail is her God(dess) and she wants to serve her. so basically; turned into a vampire puppet, be mindless, still have your form of identity and personality. they're just twisted).

Frank gets Joey to kill Abigail. "Frank says, kill her." And for the sake of simplicity because Istg these people forgot her dad was coming, they got out before Kristoff came. Joey's stuck being under Frank's control, but it's not like she cares at this point because it's so much more better than the shit she was before. ❞

im still mad that this didn't happen but eh. the endings still cool tho.

[sgiandubh]

Lionsgate/*** quarter call - not so good as it seems

While I am still fumbling around with the strike's aftermath, let me just quickly say a word or two about ***'s last quarter call, yesterday. Nobody does it as @cb4tb, but FWIW, here goes:

I should immediately say I could not watch the replay on the link provided by the initial press release (here: https://investors.lionsgate.com/news-and-events/press-releases/2023/10-19-2023-140125017), despite my total good will to take one for the team, go to bed early and wake-up at ungodly hours. I have no idea why - maybe access is somehow limited? I would never know, I had no 403 error in my browser, so... 🤷‍♀️. Instead, I could peruse the paper version of the standard Company Quarterly Report (US SEC Form 10-Q), along with some scarce press comments, for a bit of context.

The document is damn long (94 pages) and it reads exactly like I presumed: a kidney stone would be easier to pass (https://investors.lionsgate.com/financial-reports/sec-filings). It's perhaps worth for this phrase alone (on page 43), which really made me stop in my tracks:

At the time of the document's public release, it is technically true and accurate that the tentative deal between AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA still has to be approved by the union's members. However, given the horrendous impact of the strike on almost all things Hollywood and California, for that matter (more on this in a separate post), it's more than likely the deal will hold. The rest is dire: more slashing of content to come, 'if the Company is unable to efficiently complete the production of the film, TV show or program or decides to abandon the production'.

While this does not seem to affect Season 8, this could (I repeat: could) mean that: a) BOMB is gone and b) MIK3 is no longer a priority (the fact that MIK 2, as OL, was listed among the last quarter premieres is not a guarantee it will be continued - not the same amplitude as OL). If so, Season 8 might start shooting as soon as January 2024, since it already has all the needed infrastructure and staff readily available at Cumbernauld (yes, Mordor, the peasant you all love to hate managed perhaps to save the day again!). So OL is doing ok on that side, unlike other productions of other studios, who reportedly started a mad scramble for location scouting and staff recruiting, just before the festive season - that is a big competitive advantage and one of the main reasons I believe it's still entirely possible to pull it off.

The 'thriving' future (according to Feltheimer, that genius 🙄) of *** as a standalone company is still something we severely lack data on, as Lionsgate kept its commitment to go on with the acquisition of Entertainment One (you know, the Peppa Pig people), for a mere 375 million USD, to be completed by January 31, 2024. At the same time, *** is not the only actor on the US media & tech market to proceed to lay-offs and it seems to fare better than many, as I already supposed and told you:

(Sourced at: https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/starz-layoffs-exit-uk-australia-lionsgate-1235779627/).

Something to be closely monitored in the upcoming weeks. I think it's going to be worth it. Sorry for not bringing any sensational content today and I know it's dull and probably uninteresting AF, but it's there and it has to be taken into account, for sure. So yes, 'not as good as it seems' (profit is now mainly driven by motion picture, not television production), but not as bad as expected by the prophets of doom across the street, who - as usually - have no damn idea of what they are talking about.

[ayushleaf]

10 Reasons Why Water Is more important for a Healthy Lifestyle

Here is Why Drinking Water is More Important for Your Immune System?

Hydration: Staying hydrated is fundamental for the proper functioning of every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. Water helps maintain the balance of bodily fluids, which is necessary for digestion, circulation, absorption, and transportation of nutrients.

Temperature Regulation: Water helps regulate body temperature through processes like sweating. When you’re active or in a hot environment, your body sweats to cool down, and water loss can lead to dehydration and overheating.

Digestion and Nutrient Absorption: Water is essential for breaking down food in the digestive tract and facilitating the absorption of nutrients. It aids in the movement of food through the intestines and supports proper bowel function.

Circulation: Blood is primarily composed of water. Proper hydration ensures adequate blood volume, which in turn supports efficient circulation, oxygen delivery, and nutrient transport to cells.

Joint Lubrication: Adequate hydration helps keep the synovial fluid in joints viscous, which lubricates and cushions the joints, reducing the risk of joint pain and injury.

Kidney Function: Benefits of drinking water for the proper functioning of the kidneys, which filter waste products and excess substances from the blood to form urine. Staying hydrated helps prevent kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

Skin Health: Hydration contributes to maintaining healthy skin. Proper hydration can improve skin elasticity, moisture, and appearance.

Energy and Cognitive Function: Dehydration can lead to fatigue, reduced energy levels, and impaired cognitive function. Drinking enough water helps you stay alert and focused throughout the day.

Detoxification: Water aids in the elimination of waste products and toxins from the body through urine, sweat, and other processes.

Weight Management: Drinking water before meals can help you feel fuller, potentially leading to consuming fewer calories and aiding in weight management.

Prevention of Dehydration: Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it takes in. Severe dehydration can have serious health consequences, so maintaining proper fluid balance is crucial.

Exercise Performance: Adequate hydration improves exercise performance by maintaining electrolyte balance, preventing cramps, and enhancing endurance.

Heart Health: Staying hydrated supports cardiovascular health by maintaining blood volume and preventing blood from becoming too viscous.

Preventing Headaches: Dehydration can lead to headaches and migraines in some individuals. Health benefits of water may help reduce the frequency and severity of these symptoms.

To maintain good health and prevent dehydration, it’s important to drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day. The recommended daily intake varies depending on factors like age, sex, activity level, and climate, but a general guideline is to aim for around 8 glasses (8 ounces each) of water per day. However, individual needs may vary, so pay attention to your body’s signals and adjust your fluid intake accordingly.

[mwolf0epsilon]

Shower Thoughts & Discussions

Summary: After sustaining an injury that limits their range of movement temporarily, Sponge decides to ask Geoduck for a very personal favour. Some things come to light and now Gooey's certain that the guilt of alienating his sibling will never go away.

Warnings: Discussions of mistreatment of intersex people and non-consensual body modifications, vague mentions of nudity and sex.

[Was about time Geoduck found out the extent of Sponge's mistreatment at the hands of the Kaminoans and Trainers. It's not an easy topic and it's one that leaves him reeling, but it was a very important step in the right direction to mend Sponge's and Geoduck's ruined relationship as siblings.]

---

It takes even longer for Sponge to finally explain why they were taken out of Scuba Training to begin with. Unfortunately it's a conversation that happens purely out of necessity rather than spontaneously. And, once that threshold is well behind them, the sinking feeling in Geoduck's gut that had been steadily growing turns into a proper sort of pain. Like passing a particularly stubborn kidney stone that won't go without an excruciating fight.

Since day one of being in their care, the little offhanded remarks had made him nervous whenever he caught on to them. The ones that implied Sponge had some form of unaddressed medical trauma of their own that they didn't necessarily hide, but that most others didn't really seem all aware of.

Or perhaps the rest of their battalion was just too polite to question them on it? Like some sort of unspoken oath? Whatever the case, the clear shame and discomfort of topics relating to nudity were the thing that gave it away.

But to hear it from their mouth? It put things into perspective...

All clones were raised communally. Knew each other's bodies top to bottom by mere fact that they were identical, and because you inevitably saw a naked vod either in the shower or getting dressed in the locker room. The logistics behind their heavily scheduled lives made privacy a rare luxury that only high ranking officers got to have, so every one of them learned very early on to accept open nudity between them.

They were so comfortable with it, in fact, that sometimes the particularly bold liked to show off scars they'd acquired in missions, as if they were medals to be proud of and flaunted. Others liked to show off their tattoos. Cosmetic things that set them apart as individuals, like haircuts and hair-dyeing, contact lenses, piercings and other such changes that most clones eagerly partook in to set their own unique styles.

From what Geoduck had witnessed since becoming their patient, Sponge detested that sort of exhibitionism. Absolutely abhorred whenever they had to ask anyone to undress for this or that standard procedure. They clearly didn't like staring at vode in any sort of state of undress, and in retrospect it kind of made sense after Geoduck learned just why that was.

After all, a visual comparison was a stark reminder of just why they'd ended up where they had. Of why they were isolated from their batch. How the way their body had formed would always set them apart from everyone else. And knowing the rest of it only made Geoduck feel worse about his part in extending that trauma.

Perspective and context were inseparable brothers in arms.

The reason why they tell him is due to an injury that leaves them with a temporarily limited range of movement. Nothing to write home about, since there are no broken bones nor muscle tearing involved. And, as easily recoverable after a dip in bacta as a dislocated arm and badly bruised back were, the medic had still opted for a few weeks of rest and a splint instead.

A mission gone south had left the 501st with several wounded vode that needed the tanks way more than they did, and Sponge was not one to put their health above anyone else's. Typical of medics. They would prefer to suffer through a slower recovery process if it meant their patients were well tended to, and left with little to no alteration of their quality of life or usefulness in the field.

The Jedi may have put an end to decommissionings, but Sponge (like most medics) did not trust the Kaminoans not to try something funny if the 501st was forced to send back troopers who'd been significantly crippled. They always did everything in their power to make sure that a trip to Kamino was their very last resort. Something Coric seemed to help them with, being a veteran medic and the acting CMO.

For the most part Sponge did not need help getting around, even when they only had their non-dominant arm and hand at their disposal. And, when they did need some assistance, Beautiful helped them out with most things. She was a very intelligent service beast after all, and knew the difference between quite a lot of objects as well as their names. She couldn't, however, wash her master's back...

Which is why Geoduck was now trying not to throw up as Sponge told them the absolute ethical abomination that had been their treatment on Kamino. The things the long-necks and trainers had subjected them to. The lifelong feelings of wrongness in their own skin. The longing for someone they could confide in without fear of being seen as something other. Of being seen as some kind of disgusting mistake.

He couldn't even begin to understand just what that might feel like. To live among several hundreds of others who were almost exactly like you, except for one small thing. And yet that small thing still got them into a whole lot of trouble and grief...

The two of them are alone in the showers. Both sitting on two very stiff plastic stools that had been requisitioned for this particular task. While Sponge's injuries did not extend to their legs, it was apparently unwise for them to stand for too long. So the stool were a necessity despite not providing much comfort.

The medic could wash up fairly well on their own (which made things much less awkward for the two of them in the end), but reaching their back was a technical impossibility at the moment. That chore was left to Geoduck who took the opportunity to quickly shower himself (allowing Sponge the necessary time to wash themselves without feeling scrutinized), before settling down to help his sibling.

His eyes had very briefly landed on the very noticeable discrepancy of his sibling's anatomy, before shied away completely in embarrassment. He'd felt his ears heating up and his heart-rate quicken with slight guilt when he'd seen the obvious discomfort in Sponge's eyes after the fleeting slip-up.

And then as he silently began to lather the wounded medic's back in soap, they'd just started talking. What they had to say was not pleasant in any way, and made his slight mistake all the more difficult for him to let go of.

"They used to make me undress for a crowd of training medics...Said it'd be useful to study my 'anomalous anatomy' if they ever found themselves in the presence of beings like me out in the field..." Sponge snorted, refusing to meet his eye as he helped wash their back. The bitterness behind their words was palpable. "Stopped doing that after I started... 'Developing' down there..."

They shudder and Geoduck nearly drops the loofah he's using to wash their back. The bruises still look nasty and he's scared he's accidentally pushed too hard on them. It turns out Sponge is just disgusted by the memories.

"They had to have me fixed after that day..." The word 'fixed' is spat out like it's something vile, and Geoduck suspects it very much is. No one who found themselves on an operating table on Kamino was subjected to niceties by their not so kindly hosts. "Nothing cosmetic, as you've seen... Not worth the effort since the Kaminoans didn't think I'd want to do anything after everything they put me through."

Most likely, they had hoped Sponge would come out of the ordeal sex-repulsed. From the conversations they'd had before this one... Well Geoduck knew his vod was no virgin. Seemed quite into the horizontal tango even. Their partner must be exceptionally fantastic at making them feel good too, if they're so happy to go back for seconds and thirds.

Geoduck envies them in that aspect. He wishes he had a man like that in his own life...

"But they had to make sure the 'Anomaly' didn't go out and use their very functional uterus and ovaries..." And at that the words turn less venomous and more mournful. Sponge wanted kids. Wanted biological kids. And that had been stolen from them. "I don't even know what they did... I just know they cut me open and did something... And no matter how much I try, nothing ever happens... Which shouldn't be upsetting because I'm a clone soldier and I can't expect to get leave for THAT, but... At the same time..."

The scar was there of course. Geoduck could see where they'd cut to reach what they wanted to reach. To change in his vod'ika what the long-necks had considered such a hassle.

A clone bearing children was dangerous for business, more so than them siring them, so they'd made sure it wasn't a problem for them. And Sponge was the one left to deal with the trauma of their body being violated time and time again. Of having their one biggest desire barred from them before they could even make that choice.

It wasn't fair. And worst of all, they'd had no one to turn to about it. Jelly had been cruelly ripped away from them and then their batch had turned their back on them. Geoduck had turned his back on them...

Only a few medics of the 501st knew (for health reasons) about Sponge being intesex. You could tell which of them knew just from the way Sponge seemed to gravitate towards them. Seeking attention and tactile comfort in a way they never did with any other trooper.

And yet, it was Geoduck Sponge had turned to for help with something so undeniable intimate as their hygienic habits. Geoduck who had helped to alienate them by throwing his misplaced anger at them, and allowing Conch to bully them relentlessly until all contact was cut. Geoduck who was trying to be a better brother, but who didn't quite deserve that trust just yet

"Those monsters took something valuable from you." He says, instead of asking why they're being so honest with him. Of asking why they are telling him something this big when he doubted he'd earned the right to know. "You're allowed to grieve it, Vee-Vee'ika..."

"It's not like my only valuable aspect was the damn eggs..." Sponge huffed as they vaguely gestured downwards. It takes all of his willpower not to glance downwards like he'd done before, but Geoduck manages to focus on their back. A small victory.

"I didn't say that." He sighed in exhasperation, trying not to roll his eyes at their snarky tone. "I'm just saying... It's your body. They had no right to change it just because something came out a way they didn't particularly like... Or expect... Or respect..."

"No... They didn't." They look over their shoulder at Geoduck, and they look so very tired. Burdened by something that'd likely stay in between them, their partner, and now Geoduck as well. "But what can I do, Gooey? I can't undo whatever the hell it is they did to me..."

"Hm..." And this was him being optimistic, which never worked out well for most clones. But who knew? Best to seek comfort in the fact you don't know what you don't know, than fret over the uncertainty of it. Sponge deserved hope of any kind. Or at least Geoduck thought so. "Maybe you can. Or, maybe you can at least find out what they did, as closure? Can't be that hard since you got access to any functional medbay on planet..."

"And risk getting caught on record?" Sponge snorted, rolling their eyes at the idea. "Next you'll be telling me to sign my own decomm paperwork and deliver it to the Chancellor's office while tap-dancing in clown shoes..."

"Slicers." Geoduck pointed out. Beginning to rinse the soap off his sibling's back. "One good Slicer or two must owe you a favour. What with how much the 501st gets banged up all the time... Surely doing something for a medic wouldn't hurt their reputation much."

"... Are you saying I should hack my way around the medbay safeguards?!" Sponge sounded flabbergasted.

"All I'm saying is, it's your body and what Kamino and the GAR don't know won't hurt them at all..." He got up from the uncomfortable plastic stool to get Sponge a large towel. Even though they were alone in the showers, he still wanted to make sure they were covered up for their comfort.

He didn't need to see more of them than they were comfortable with, after all.

"... You're a terrible influence." The medic muttered as they attempted to wrap themselves in the offered towel with just one arm. He only helped when he was sure they couldn't reach properly.

"I've been told I wasn't very good at keeping my kih'vode from wanting to kill each other violently..." Geoduck shrugged. "Luckily I only have one menace sibling to deal with now, the rest are semi-tame enough to be left to their own devices..."

"I can't believe Crayfish is somehow less of a menace to society than Conch..." Sponge snorted. "I think it was better when we used to try to smother each other with a pillow. At least then whatever nonsense came out of his mouth was heavily muffled."

"Can't argue with that." The Scuba trooper laughed as he brought their fresh set of grays over to where they were currently seated. Beau was still seated at the door serving as lookout, Pearl blissfully asleep next to her. "Maybe if I empty his tanks a tick, the oxygen deprivation might humble him a bit..."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

The roles swap once Sponge is done freshening up. It's back to a more professional setting, with his vod looking through some of the recent facial recognition tests he'd undergone. They seem completely at peace despite having ripped off the proverbial bandage and bled their problems out for the world to see. Or at least for Geoduck to hear and mull over...

The ache of knowing doesn't go away. Neither does the weight in his conscience.

But he does delight in one thing: Sponge trusts him. And while it doesn't fix everything, its enough for now.

[gaypiratebrainrot]

i know i am cursed bc i love porn, i've always loved porn, like, according to my own beliefs about art, porn is maybe the highest and purest form of art and we have only scratched the surface of what is possible for human creative expression through porn, and also my gift is writing so i must write porn, i have a deep compulsive need to write porn and have been doing it for many years, and the curse comes bc i hate writing sex scenes. every sex scene i write i'm like why did i do this again, this is excruciating, like extracting my own kidney stones or some shit, but then i finish and i'm like OH HEY PORN i made a porn, my favorite art!!! and the cycle repeats.

[textingtroublesanswers]

Ooops sorry Mike- I swear I have some form of dyslexia, or the ADHD just plays Scrabble with every word. Also how was the latte? Why won’t Fritz let you have it?

"It was delicious, don't listen to that madman!"

Fritz sighs, "I am trying to detox him from coffee, thank you very much. The idiot thought he could one-up the RED Sniper by taking more bladder enlargement pills, & by drinking more coffee, & ended up giving himself kidney stones! What use is he to us if he can't even piss straight & can't walk because of the constant pain!"

Mike bristles, "You don't have to tell everyone my medical issues!"

"Apparently I do! Maybe shaming you in front of others will finally make you take your health more seriously!"

[twentydaysofdrabbles]

The Concierge Presses On (Part 50D)

"I've been waiting for this," Undyne snarls, holding her hand out to summon another golden spear. She twirls it, sinks into a combat stance, and roars, "I'm gonna rip you apart!"

"I think not," is your even reply as you whip out your gun and fire three shots right into her chest while moving swiftly towards the duelling Papyrus and Chidi. It's not going to stop her, or even wound her, but it's enough to get the monster to hesitate in charging at you. "Swap!"

Without giving you a signal that he heard you, Papyrus seizes Chidi by the collar of his suit and throws the human man into a wall. His red eye lights burn bright as he swings his masked and hooded head to a charging Undyne.

He cracks open his maw and snarls, magic thrumming in his every word as he advances on the former Captain, "I AM WHO YOU SHALL FACE!" Red magic gathers in his hands to form into a familiar shape of his bone sword.

"Papyrus?!" Undyne gasps, her fierce expression turning aghast. But as quickly as that expression formed, it changes into a fierce, hurt scowl. "Traitor!"

You jog past Papyrus to take his place fighting Chidi, watching the massive man pick himself up from the ground.

Papyrus pays you no mind as he prowls towards the former Captain, snarling, "I SERVE THE THRONE, NOT THE MONSTER WHO SITS UPON IT. YOU. YOU DISHONOUR THE TITLE OF CAPTAIN!" His voice rattles the glass and chandeliers, causing the lights to flicker too.

Already, the air between the two monsters is tense, thick, heavy with magic. You can only imagine what a clash between them would be like, and you hope that the dining room isn't completely destroyed once all is said and done.

Chidi finally gets to his feet and groans, shaking his head once. "You have one, too," he grunts, rolling his shoulders. "Fine. No more games."

You couldn't agree more.

In a flash, you draw your gun and fire at the same time Chidi does. Most shots ricochet off stone and wood and shatter glass, but a good few pepper your and Chidi's raised jacket lapels as you both split in different directions. You're not surprised that you fail to wound him, and likely he is not surprised he had the same amount of success.

This will be a close quarters fight, you think to yourself as you slide behind a flipped table, ejecting your empty magazine and sliding another in. You only have one more magazine as well as the gun you lifted off the Myrmidon earlier, but you can't blow all your ammunition on this fight. There is far more to do.

But Chidi also thrives in close combat - you have heard tell of his lightning fast kicks, how he moves a lot faster than his size belies. But if you got inside his guard...yes, that's a plan.

Patting your coat to locate your garotte - in case you need it - you flex your hands and stretch them to alleviate the slight ache from your rapid firing. The red fabric is soaked in blood, now turning tacky and sticky and providing just a little bit of resistance. The thick scent of copper is thick in your nose, but it doesn't disgust you. Not in the slightest.

Quick footsteps advance on your position at a quick clip and you know you're out of time.

Chidi rounds your cover and advances on you with his gun raised, squeezing off shots to keep you on the back foot. You rush from cover to cover, your head shielded by your coat as you weave in and out of gunfire, responding with three shots that you fire with your free hand. Your clothes might be bulletproof, but it certainly hurts.

The bruises from earlier throb in protest as you move quickly. One that borders your spine, right over where your kidney is, is particularly annoying and it twinges as you whirl around to land two precise shots to take advantage of Chidi reloading. Why the man would do this out in the open, you have no idea, but you're certainly not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

It's hard to shoot accurately while moving. Even harder to account for his greater height while moving. But your aim is true. One gets him in the groin, and the other his lower belly. Non-fatal, considering the tactical weave that he wears - far more superior to that of the High Table soldiers, as your bullets fail to penetrate to the skin. But of the same quality as yours, as he howls out in pain and nearly buckles to his knees.

The Chilean somehow grits his teeth through the pain and stays on his feet. Damned pain tolerance. You don't waste the opportunity, though, and rush him.

Your gun disappears back into its holster to free your hands as you spring forward and up to slam into Chidi's upper body. Your feet find purchase on his hips. Your knees and legs squeezing his ribs and sides tight to balance and cling, squeezing a cry of pain from him as you tighten your legs. Your thumb hooks into the back of his collar and you fist his suit tightly. All to anchor yourself as you rear back with a bladed fist raised high, to try and sink your blade into his eye.

Alas, Chidi is too fast. His hands fly up. One to fist in the back of your coat, the other catch your punch before your blade can sink into his head. It's close. So, so close. Close enough that the razor sharp edge of your knife nicks just under his eyebrow.

You bare your teeth at him in a silent snarl and bear down on him with all your might, even pulling on the back of his collar to gain more leverage. The nick under his eyebrow deepens as you push the point of your blade into it, blood welling up and joining the drying streaks of blood that already colour your weapon.

But just as you cannot defeat Chidi's strength, neither can he defeat you with his. In the end, the Myrmidon elects to hurtle himself, and by extension you, into the same pillar that you had taken cover behind before.

Your back hits the stone hard, hard enough to knock the wind out of your. But your training keeps you from losing your grip on Chidi entirely even as your strength falters in the fight to sink your blade in his skull. You're somewhat mollified that the force of the thump actually drags your knife across his eyebrow and off to the side of his temple, drawing a long, weeping red line across his face.

Chidi roars and rips you off his chest with a heave and a burst of power. The force of his action throws you onto the hard wood floor like a ragdoll, and it is only instinct alone that makes you twist and land in a way that doesn't immediately break your back or your shoulder. It still drives the breath from your lungs as you roll and roll and manage to roll onto your feet from the momentum.

Holy stars, this hurts. Your shoulder throbs and so do the bruises littering your body, and even the small of your back and sides of your hips where you store the extra magazine and the stolen gun. The one blood streaked blade is still bared, scratching the wood as you heave yourself to your knees and crouch warily as you catch your breath.

Chidi likewise has collapsed against the pillar, his fingers touching the blood trailing from the long but shallow cut with a grimace on his face. He breathes shallowly, holds himself in a way that indicates that if you haven't bruised his ribs, you have at least made them very, very sore.

You both eye each other carefully as you each nurse your own hurts, as you each ease into a ready stance.

"We are not here for you," Chidi finally bites out, shuffling his feet to inch closer towards where he had dropped his gun.

With deft, but aching, hands, you draw yours and dissuade him from doing so with a warning shot. "Then leave," you say lowly, eyes hard.

It's hard not to look over at Papyrus to check if he needs any help, but the sudden shockwave of magic that ripples from his side of the room tells you that you are better off keeping away. The shockwave makes you stumble and stagger, and though Chidi does the same, he uses your momentary distraction to lunge for his gun.

This time, he's faster than you.

Pop pop!

"Give up John Wick and we will!" he raises his voice to be heard over gunfire and magic spells both. Though with the way you raise your jacket over your face and run for cover, you can barely hear him.

Of fucking course.

You duck and weave and run for cover as you fire blindly in his direction. It's not sustainable. Not only because it eats up far more bullets than you can spare, but also because your hand cramps and seizes on the trigger. Fuck.

A room comes up to your left and you dive into it with only a moment to think. It takes another moment to pry your fingers open and to stow your gun, and then another to figure out where you have ducked into.

A wash station - tall cabinets and stainless steel plate washing machines and sinks. All structures tall enough and sturdy enough to bear your weight. Good.

Rather than stay on the ground, you leap up and catch the edge of the cabinet which is thankfully screwed into the wall. You scramble up and crouch on your perch just in time for Chidi to come charging in after you.

The man doesn't immediately look up, his head instead swinging from side to side to see where you had went. Rookie mistake on his part.

Chidi has but a moment to register the red shadow flying towards him from above. This time, you are faster...along with the element of surprise. Bowling him over onto his back, you care little for the way he hits the ground hard with your weight on him.

He lashes out and tries to rip you off, but he's still stunned from the impact. You take the opportunity to shift so you're kneeling on his arms, freeing your hands which now sport your unsheathed blades. Your first strike doesn't land as he manages to move his head enough that he dodges the blade, but not your knuckles. They impact the side of his face with a heavy thud, reverberating through your forearm.

Not a clean hit, and certainly not a fatal one. Trying again with your other fist, you raise it and bring it down, but this time it misses completely as bullets slam into your throbbing shoulder at the same time as Chidi yanks at your belt to unbalance you.

It results in you losing your balance just enough that Chidi can throw you away from him and further into the room.

You roll onto your back and slide on your side, reaching for a gun with aching fingers and hands to train your sights on the Myrmidon leader who staggers to his knees.

Pop pop...pop!

Two to the chest - blocked by raised, clothed arms. One to the head, delayed by your aching, uncooperative trigger finger, blocked by a raised jacket.

Damn damn damn.

You can hear more booted footsteps from outside the washing area. Reinforcements. For Chidi and Undyne, most likely, given the way that the Myrmidon leader keeps his back to the door and his face to you. And also given the fact that they shot at you - none of your staff would dare.

Fuck, if that's the case, you can't be found on your back. Grunting with effort and pain, you heave yourself to your feet through gritted teeth. One more. Just one more try.

Charging towards Chidi with a deep snarl on your face, you watch his body language as he braces himself to have you barrel into him. You see his arms raise, his hands open. He's preparing to grab you.

But you don't use the same trick twice.

This time, you drop and slide between his legs, skidding on the wooden floor right up onto your knees behind him. Fingers hook onto his belt and you growl with the effort needed to yank him off balance. With the help of a strategically placed knee, Chidi goes down with a shout, slamming onto his shoulder on the floor.

Yeah, you hope that hurt.

Flicking your eyes around, you look for an escape route.

Two more squadrons of High Table soldiers bear down on you with their rifles raised, a sea of black advancing towards you. You swear lowly and get your feet under you to get the hell out of there.

Higher calibre bullets slam into your back and thighs as you run for cover, hard and painful enough to knock the breath out of you with every blow. One catches you just as you slide into cover, and that's the one that winds you. Wheezing for breath, you crawl up onto your backside and scoot to put your back to a sturdy half wall, your face twisting with pain that rains fire up and down your back and thighs.

Fuck, none of the bullets penetrated your clothes and you're alive, but hell if this is the better alternative.

Fumbling for the gun in its holster, you push through the haze of pain to register the hail of gunfire upon your shelter...or lack thereof. Now that you're paying attention, you can feel the heavy taste of magic on your tongue. Thick enough that you can feel it on your skin.

What on earth...

Carefully, you lean and peek from behind your cover to find a curious sight. Eight High Table soldiers fanned out in formation, all with their sights trained on your position, frozen in space with fields of red-tinged blue cloaking them.

Papyrus?

You look past the frozen soldiers to see the tall skeleton monster still clashing with Undyne, his mask cracked in two and revealing the left side of his face. If it's not him, then...

"aw, eight on one? that ain't very fair. how's about i even the odds a li'l, eh?" A deep, baritone voice echoes oddly in the air, coming from all directions. But it is the loudest from the entrance from which the soldiers clearly came, a broad, stocky figure topped with a fedora silhouetted in the entryway. Bright, glowing red eyes flare bright in the shadows of their face, and magic ripples in the air at every word. "ya boys are gonna have a bad time."

You sigh in relief and crumple against the wall.

Sans. He made it.

[jenroses]

How do people with chronic illness and no background in advocacy or research survive? I know the answer is often, "they don't." But I'm marveling at the amount of executive function I'm having to aim at simply maintaining access to the medications and supplements I need to find existence tolerable, the length of time the system is willing to shrug about severe new pain and the diagnostic tests for it, and the amount of research I need to have in hand in order to have a hope of getting what I need covered by insurance and if I'm daunted, with my background and skill in these specific areas, what hope does someone have if they don't have those skills?

That said, here's a list of things I've found that have helped that were hard to get or challenging to learn about:

1. Topical metformin in lipoderm cream is a compounded version of metformin that can assist in blood sugar control which has few-to-no intestinal side effects.

2. For insulin resistance, a combination of liraglutide and topical metformin has worked better for me than insulin.

3. If you have painful fat on your body (not just fat, but fat that it's very pressure sensitive with trigger points that rival fibro and are frequently misdiagnosed as such) you NEED to research lipedema. My pt does lymphatic drainage that is life changing and drastically reduces pain in reasonably lasting ways.

4. If you go low carb for glucose control, do not rely on almonds as a major replacement for wheat, especially if you also have POTS and need a lot of sodium as the combination is a recipe for kidney stones which suck a lot. Almonds are very high in oxalates.

5. Genetic testing can point out some weird ways in which your body differs from the norm and this may explain weird medication results. For example, long after I realized that swimming pools made me sick and warfarin was a dangerous drug for me, genetic tests discovered that I do not process certain chlorine byproducts normally and that I have multiple genes that cause me to process warfarin very slowly. I'm also bad at turning t4 into t3 which is probably why synthroid was so bad. And we discovered an extra, rare recessive blood clotting disorder. This was from running my raw 23&me thru Promethease.

6. If you don't tolerate a medication, check the inactive ingredients. Things like povidone and sodium lauryl sulfate are used to help solubility but can cause allergic reactions/intolerances. I found this out after years on Xarelto, which was exacerbating my joint pain, probably from the sls. Switching to injectables fixed the problem and I've been more stable on my ra meds since.

7. Not all supplements work as advertised and there are many garbage brands out there but there are also better companies which have quality products and some supplements can be very helpful.

Vitex: chaste tree berry can drastically improve hormonal balance and normalize cycles. This means more regular periods and often less pmd.

Magnesium (doesn't have to be fancy, even cheap mag works) can drastically improve chronic asthma. You don't have to use it instead of drugs, but I found I just didn't need the drugs once I started supplementing a normal amount daily.

Turmeric: I went off this due to the whole herb having high oxalates but the extract form is lower oxalate and the anti inflammatory properties are a mercy for me. I can't take nsaids, but I tolerate turmeric well and it reduces my pain level quite dramatically, improving sleep quality.

Milk thistle products are helpful for liver function and since my liver is always kinda iffy the milk thistle is super important to me continuing to tolerate my medication load. When I was on warfarin the stabilizing effect of milk thistle was quite dramatic and measurable until other factors kicked in.

A negative: if you are on any medications that process through the liver, CBD can be dangerous to your health. This varies by drug and pathway. Natural is not always safer. Do your homework beforehand.

I take other things but those are some of the most dramatic helps. I can do a list of supplement manufacturers I trust if people are interested.

What I currently do for pain is a combination of lidocaine patches, very low dose oxycodone, turmeric, physical therapy, ergonomics, and mobility/accessibility aides. I'd be happy to do a different post just about that.