#Winter health tips pharmacy

[vimdrugs]

Stay Cozy and Healthy: Winter Essentials from the Pharmacy!

As the winter chill sets in, it's essential to prioritize your well-being. Your local pharmacy is a treasure trove of winter health essentials that can keep you warm and healthy throughout the cold season. Let's dive into the must-have products and winter health tips that will ensure you stay cozy and well this winter.

Winter Health Tips Pharmacy! Top 10!

According to a recent survey, a staggering 85% of individuals find themselves more susceptible to health issues during the winter months, underscoring the crucial importance of proactive winter self-care.

Bundle Up with Cozy Winter Wellness Products

As the mercury plummets, it becomes imperative to invest in a comprehensive array of cozy winter essentials. Seek out snug scarves, insulated gloves, and thermal hats to effectively combat the biting cold. At VIM Drugs, you can explore a remarkable selection of such products, ensuring both warmth and style align seamlessly.

Stock Up on Cold Season Pharmacy Supplies

Preparedness is key when it comes to common winter ailments. Maintain a well-stocked pharmacy at home, equipped with essentials such as cough syrup, throat lozenges, and nasal decongestants. These staples prove invaluable in tackling the symptoms of colds and flu effectively.

Staying Warm and Healthy in Winter

Create a haven of warmth and comfort within your home. Consider investing in high-quality space heaters or enveloping blankets. For an extensive range of heating pads and blankets, look no further than VIM Drugs, ensuring you remain snug during frosty nights.

Pharmacy Winter Self-Care Items

Indulge in pampering winter self-care with a selection of essentials. Explore moisturizers, lip balms, and hydrating masks to combat dry skin aggravated by harsh winter winds. VIM Drugs presents an array of skincare products to maintain the health and radiance of your skin.

Winter Wellness Essentials

Fortify your immune system with a regimen of winter wellness essentials. Seek out vitamin C supplements, immune-boosting teas, and multivitamins to safeguard your health through the colder months. Navigate to http://vimdrugs.com/ for a diverse selection of such products.

Cold Weather Health Pharmacy

Place your trust in the local pharmacy for solutions tailored to cold weather health. From thermometers to humidifiers, these establishments provide everything necessary to cultivate a health-conscious environment at home.

Pharmacy Winter Wellness Guide

Leverage the expertise of your pharmacy's winter wellness guide for invaluable advice on maintaining health during the colder months. VIM Drugs offers insights and product recommendations to guide you through the intricacies of the winter season.

Seasonal Wellness Pharmacy Products

Embrace seasonal wellness with pharmacy products crafted specifically for winter. Explore immune-boosting herbal supplements and other seasonal remedies designed to ward off illnesses.

Winter Health Tips Pharmacy

Stay well-informed with winter health tips from your trusted pharmacy. Regularly check their website for updates and recommendations to successfully navigate the challenges posed by the colder months.

Pharmacy Remedies for Winter Ailments

In the unfortunate event of falling ill, turn to pharmacy remedies for effective relief. VIM Drugs offers a range of over-the-counter medications and expert advice to facilitate a swift recovery.

Surge in Online Pharmacy Sales

Reflecting the growing preference for convenient and reliable healthcare solutions, online pharmacy sales have surged by an impressive 30% during the winter season. This surge underscores the increasing reliance on digital platforms for accessing healthcare products and information.

Continue Reading: https://vimdrugs.com/index.php/blog/post/stay-cozy-and-healthy-winter-essentials-from-the-pharmacy

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

An astonishingly simple and comprehensive guide to avoiding airborne illness while traveling. Many of these tips work for trips to the pharmacy or grocery store too. Stay safe out there!

By Korin Miller

Whether you’re traveling domestically or heading abroad, feeling your best at your destination means you’ll get the most out of your trip. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still out there, and cases are expected to climb again as we head into the winter months. By now you’re likely aware of basic COVID prevention strategies, but air travel presents unique challenges that can be tricky to navigate.

Luckily, you can take steps to lower the odds of picking up the illness on your next flight. To help you do just that, we asked doctors and health policy researchers how they lower their COVID risk while flying. Here’s what they recommend.

Wear a mask—before you’re even on the plane Many of us know this already, but it’s worth recalling: Research has found that wearing a well-fitting, high-quality mask like an N95 or KN95 lowers your chances of picking up COVID-19 by 83%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But when you wear a mask during your travels matters, says William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

“You really want to use your mask consistently around others, whether you’re in the airport or on that plane,” he says. Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University at Buffalo’s medical school, agrees. “Think about the whole process when you fly—going through the airport, checking in, boarding the plane, and being on the plane—you’re going to interact with people from all parts of the world… There’s a risk you might get COVID,” he says.

You can help protect yourself by always keeping your mask on—and wearing a relatively new one. Compared to a mask that’s gotten a lot of use, a fresh one will fit more snugly around the nose, cheeks, and chin and, in turn, catch particles more effectively.

Put the air vent to good use If you prefer not to wear a mask, you should take steps to protect yourself in other ways. For example, after you get to your seat, adjust the vent so the air blows over your face, suggests Sheldon H. Jacobson, PhD, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor and researcher whose work includes using data-driven risk assessments to inform public health policy.

Dr. Jacobson says most airplanes use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that catch microbes. Plus, cabin air is refreshed every few minutes, and a good portion comes from outside the aircraft. As a result, what blows out of the vents is pretty fresh. This strategy also keeps the air around you moving faster, meaning there’s less time for you to inhale any possible germs in the cabin, according to Dr. Jacobson. Still, if the person sitting next to you is coughing and sneezing, it’s best to wear a mask if you have one, he says. The filtration system can only do so much in that instance—and it’s not always on before takeoff and after landing.

Be mindful about how you eat and drink If you can, Dr. Russo suggests eating before you get to the airport to lessen the number of times you’ll need to remove your mask when you’re around other people. If you need to dine at the airport, Dr. Schaffner recommends looking for seating away from crowded areas.

When masks were still required for air travel, the suggested strategy for eating and drinking on board was to wait until your fellow fliers finished their snacks and refreshments. But now, Dr. Russo points out, the people around you may not mask up at all. Instead, he suggests dropping your mask, taking a sip or bite, and immediately pulling it back up. This lowers the odds you’ll breathe in viral particles that may be floating around, he explains.

Plan your vaccine around your trip Dr. Schaffner and Dr. Russo recommend getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine about two weeks before your trip. “It’s a good strategy,” Dr. Russo says. It usually takes 14 days or so for your body to build up immunity to COVID after getting vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization. This means your body should be ready to fight the virus by the time you fly, Dr. Russo says. Immunity also fades over time, making the timing of your shot important, he says.

Wash your hands…a lot Experts say you’re more likely to get COVID-19 from breathing in infectious droplets and particles than from touching things. But there’s still a chance you could get sick if you happen to touch a contaminated surface and then your eyes, nose, or mouth.

“What we’ve learned is that transmission from this virus from inanimate objects is very low, but it’s not zero,” Dr. Russo says. That’s why he recommends good hand hygiene while flying. You should wash your hands with soap and water, making sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds, and do so often: before and after security, whenever you use the bathroom, and before eating or touching your face. Hand sanitizer is also a good option in a pinch, Dr. Russo says. But he stresses that keeping your hands clean shouldn’t replace masking up. “It’s much, much less helpful than wearing a mask,” he says.

[adora721]

Mental health tips

🌻DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ANYTHING IN THIS POST BEFORE ACTING ON IT.

November 25, 2024

So, I’ve been dealing with clinical depression for about two years now. I’m not currently on medication, but I won’t rule it out if things get worse. A year ago, I met a retired older woman at church who is on medication. We’ve become close friends because of our mutual time spent in what she calls, “The Pit.” IYKYK.

As a progressive Christian, I feel the need to state that I’m progressive, it’s been frustrating trying to get support from the church. Although the people who know about my mental health issue are kind and express empathy, their advice has been lackluster. Not one could refer me to a trained therapist, but they can give me ten thousand referrals to dentists. Some offer quotes like, “Just give it to God.” or “Trust in God to give you the peace that passes all understanding.” Others, I suspect, think I’ve committed some sin that brought this on me. Thankfully, last summer, a friend from New Jersey introduced me to his cousin. She’s a Doctor of Pharmacy, who lives with depression and took medication. She is also a church member, who doesn’t assume my depression is a personal failing.

BTW: A mental health issue is NOT a personal failure or sin.

Because of the lack of support, I’ve made it my mission to do what I can for myself. Below are the things that have helped me to improve. When possible, I’ve provided one or more links to Pubmed.gov or other trustworthy sources that support the use of the tactic. You might already know to eat a diet high in unprocessed foods and to exercise, but below are things that might also help.

Massage – once a month, if affordable or free, if you have a partner or friend willing to do it

Warm bath or warm foot bath – 2 times a week for 20 minutes each; add Epsom salt and aromatherapy oils to make it a spa treatment

Forest bathing (being out in nature) – 20 minutes each day.

Sunlight (even in winter) – 30 minutes a day; bonus is that it helps a bit with hormone balance.

Get a therapist – If affordable, I highly recommend a therapist. Having someone who is empathetic, objective, and trained to deal with your issue is such a Godsend. My insurance covers therapy, but there are online options to find an affordable therapist, even if just for one session a month.

Calcium (Ca) – I don’t eat much dairy (gives me zits), so I take Now Red Mineral Algae calcium. To help calcium go where it’s needed and not end up in the blood vessels, I also take boron, D3 (2000 IU), and vitamin K2 as MK4 and MK7 (100 mcg). I take the calcium (and its supporting supplements) in divided doses of 500 mg of calcium two times a day for a total of 1000 mg of calcium. Strontium citrate also helps with calcium absorption; but the research I found said to take it two hours before or after taking calcium. A bonus from taking this calcium has been reduced menstrual cramps. Yay! Edited to add: Vitamin K is fat soluble; so take it with a meal that has some fat in it.

Magnesium (Mg) – I take the oxide form in divided doses with calcium for a total of 400 mg of magnesium a day. Bonus is that Mg keeps you regular 😊.

Vitamin T (touch) – hugs, hand holding, and other forms of caring touch help. Just 10 to 20 seconds of hugging can improve your mood.

Lower your histamine levels – This one is a bit weird. I started having sensitivity or negative reactions to many healthy foods I’ve eaten for years. These include avocado, tomato, citrus, fermented foods, chocolate (ugh! ☹) and more. Turns out I had developed a histamine intolerance. One of the ways to lower histamine is vitamin C, but I had to avoid citrus fruits. So, I take magnesium ascorbate powder from Source Naturals. The studies said 2000 mg of vitamin C lower histamine in the body. I take 2K twice a day (4000 mg total) .You might have to build up to that amount. Also, it took trial and error to figure out what kind of vitamin C worked for me. There’s also a diamine oxidase (DAO) supplement you can buy; it’s pricey, but I only take once in a while or when I eat out. Seriously, the extra vitamin C keeps my histamine levels closer to normal for less cost.

Undermethylation – Another oddity. Finding out about my histamine issues led me to learn about undermethylation and MTHFR. Because of this, I had to be careful of taking in too much folate (natural form in foods) or folic acid (synthetic form in enriched foods). Undermethylators, like myself, trap folate in the body instead of converting it to its active, methylated form. Because of this, that trapped folate lowers my serotonin level. Since I eat a high plant-based diet, I had to kick high folate foods out of my diet. When I have salads, it’s iceberg lettuce for me. I do still eat enough folate; I just stick closer to the 400 mcg levels. I do not react well to the methylated forms of B vitamins, like methyl folate or methyl B12. I take an adenosylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin (combo) for B12 from the Seeking Health brand.

Salicylate intolerance – One more odd thing. I’m now sensitive to foods high in this compound, which increased my inflammation. I’ve also found out that I had low iron levels, which also increases inflammation. That inflammation might contribute to depression. I have reduced foods high in salicylate and added supplemental iron. Doing this has lowered my inflammation as shown on my recent C-reactive protein high sensitivity test. I also use the No-Fenol enzyme supplement by Houston Enzymes when I can't avoid eating moderate or high-salicylate foods. The Cleure brand has skin and hair care products that are salicylate-free.

Microbiome (gut bacteria) – There’s some evidence that eating probiotic foods is helpful in mood disorders. The problem for me is that fermented foods are very high in histamine. Taking the vitamin C has helped me to put a few ounces of foods like kefir, raw sauerkraut, kombucha, and yogurt back into my diet. I eat A2 kefir and yogurt (goat, sheep, and some A2-producing cows). And, of course, fiber is your microbiome��s BFF, especially soluble fiber from fruits and vegetables.

Self-talk – Learn to practice positive, compassionate self-talk. What you say to yourself about you and your world matters. No need to deny reality but refocus on what you have to be grateful for, speak hopeful words, watch, read, and do things that lift you up or make you laugh. And watch what you say to others; you never know what someone is going through.

Final tip: Remove from your life, if it’s safe to do that, anyone or anything that worsens your mental health and find better people and things to add. You’ll know who these people are because you’ve expressed your distress about how they mistreat you, but they refuse to change. Bid them adieu and love them from afar.

I hope you get the support you need and know that you are needed in this world. God bless! 🌻

[masonrxpharmacy]

As the colder months approach, it's time to prioritize the health and well-being of your family by understanding the importance of flu vaccines. Flu shots are a crucial line of defence against the influenza virus, which can cause severe illness, hospitalization, and even death. At Mason Pharmacy, we emphasize the significance of protecting your family from flu and provide comprehensive flu season health tips to ensure a safer and healthier winter season.

Understanding the Influenza Vaccine

The influenza vaccine, commonly known as the flu shot, is a safe and effective way to prevent the flu. It works by exposing your immune system to inactivated or weakened strains of the influenza virus, allowing your body to build antibodies and fight off the infection if exposed. The flu vaccine is updated annually to target the most prevalent strains circulating each season, making it essential to get vaccinated every year.

[fahrni]

Saturday Morning Coffee

Good morning from Charlottesville, Virginia! ☕️

Another week and month in the books. We’ve crossed into February and Punxsutawney Phil says six more weeks of winter. I’m ok with that. Coffees ready, let’s get going.

MARK KENNEDY • Yahoo

Carl Weathers, linebacker-turned-actor who starred in ‘Rocky’ movies and ‘The Mandalorian,’ dies

I remember seeing Rocky as a kid and I didn’t much like Apollo Creed. He was arrogant, cocky, and besides, the star of the show was Rocky, the underdog. Of course they eventually became friends and I liked him then.

I loved him as Al Dillon in Preditor and as Chubbs in Happy Gilmore.

R.I.P.

Amanda Richards • Netflix

NASCAR: Full Speed Is Coming to Your Screen at 200 Miles per Hour

I blew through the five episode season in a couple days. Why’d they only order up five episodes in the first season? I mean, F1: Drive to Survive has had 10 episode since season 1.

They focused on the playoffs but they could’ve done more leading into the playoffs. It’s a long season full of drama and I wanted more.

Overall it was really good and I hope we get a full 10 episodes in season 2.

Pkl

Define all your data in Pkl, and generate output for JSON, YAML, Property Lists, and other configuration formats.

Pkl is an Apple project. They’re trying to become a services company and having a better means of managing things sounds like a good idea.

It’s odd to see Apple using Java and Kotlin for this but it does make sense given it’s meant to be portable to different platforms. And by different platforms I mean actual different platforms like Linux, Windows, and Mac. Not Mac, iPhone, and iPad. 😄

Jason Parham • WIRED

Black Twitter Remains Unbothered in Elon Musk’s X

I’ve seen folks on Mastodon talking about how difficult it is for Black Mastodon to get started.

When I setup Curmudgeon Cafe there was a large contingent — and still is — of LGBTQ+ instances.

If memory serves it was more a matter of discoverability.

I’d love to see multiple BIPOC instances spring. We need more diversity, not less.

Miguel de Icaza • blog.la-terminal.net

My current effort is slightly different: how to build a native iPadOS (and hopefully VisionOS) experience for Godot. So rather than rewriting the existing Editor codebase with Swift, this effort is about making a SwiftUI on top of the existing Editor.

I don’t keep up with Godot but I do keep up with Miguel. It’ll be fun to watch his effort evolve into a finished product.

Robert Downen • Texas Tribune

Texas' standoff with the feds in Eagle Pass is igniting calls for secession and fears of violence

The MAGA crazed are ready for war and his orangeness is egging them on. Not only that he’s actively working with leaders in the House and Senate to blow up a bipartisan bill that would be the best deal the GOP has seen on the border. All to get that orange dumbass re-elected.

David Nield • Lifehacker

It’s 2024, and I’m here to extol the virtues of using an RSS reader.

Of course everyone should use an RSS reader! Might I recommend Stream for iOS? 😘

Yes, yes, it’s my app, but you should give it a try and if you like it, please, leave me a tip. 🙏🏼

Tim Hardwick • MacRumors

NHS App users in England can now collect medication from a pharmacy without having to visit a GP or health center, according to NHS Digital.

Man oh man would I love to have a national healthcare system that’s fully integrated and lets me manage how I interact with doctors and other healthcare providers.

I’d like it to work like Facebook. Doctors should invite me to join, or I invite them to join, my medical record.

American Healthcare is still stuck in the past. I’d love to see it fixed.

Nick Barclay • The Verge

Spotify accuses Apple of ‘extortion’ with new App Store tax

Spotify and others didn’t get what they really wanted. They don’t want to pay a single cent to Apple. Which from a business perspective makes perfect sense.

Guess we’ll see what the law says.

Aki Ito • Business Insider

In the two years I’ve been writing about Americans' changing relationship to work, there’s one theme that’s come up over and over again: loyalty. Whether my stories are about quiet quitting, or job-hopping, or leveraging a job offer from a competitor to force your boss to give you a raise, readers seem to divide into two groups.

There are so many factors to loyalty. The true believers exist and they have little to fear. Then there are the masses who quietly do their jobs and aren’t really seen.

We had a layoff at work last May and it destroyed morale, destroyed the company culture, and left loyalty at an all time low.

I hate to be so cynical but companies aren’t there for you. They’re there to make profit. Loyalty from the company only extends so far to the employee.

I still love my job and work hard at it everyday but I fear being laid off.

Jakub Porzycki • The Verge

Microsoft says Apple’s new App Store rules are ‘a step in the wrong direction’

Of course they think it’s going in the wrong direction! They’re a huge corporation in the business of selling software. They don’t want to hand any of it over to Apple.

Epic’s Tim Sweeney referred to it as “Malicious Compliance.”

Get out the popcorn! 🍿

Vadim Kravcenko

New libraries. New languages. New Frameworks. New Intern coming in and thinking he can rewrite better parts of the code himself. It’s easy to get swept away. But is the newest framework always the best choice? Is a rewrite really going to make everything better? Or is there wisdom in the code that has been around for years, has been tested with crazy edge cases, and has evolved together with the business?

I understand why folks are tempted to rewrite thing, I really do. When I wasn’t a dinosaur of a developer I hand that tendency. “I can make this better”, my brain would say. Sure, there’s occasion to “turn the soil” once in a while and I believe that’s good for a code base. But a full rewrite? No. 🌹

Nikita Prokopov

As you can see, even the checkmark wasn’t always there. But one thing remained constant: checkboxes were square.

A square checkbox is something us old timers are accustomed to seeing and changes can be confusing.

The Vision Pro’s checkboxes are confusing but I kind of like UIKit’s toggles as long as you don’t go crazy styling them. 😃

Nilay Patel • The Verge

It sounds amazing, and sometimes it is. But the Vision Pro also represents a series of really big tradeoffs — tradeoffs that are impossible to ignore. Some of those tradeoffs are very tangible: getting all this tech in a headset means there’s a lot of weight on your face, so Apple chose to use an external battery pack connected by a cable. But there are other, more philosophical tradeoffs as well.

I think Nilay did a great job balancing his review of Vision Pro.

It’s a great start but has a really long way to go as a general computing device. That’s my opinion having never used one.

I really believe we’ll get a sense for how we should be using it if we see pictures of Apple Executives wearing it daily to do their jobs. I kind of doubt we’ll see that for anything other than articles written about it.

The iPhone, Watch, and AirPods are devices those same executives probably use everyday. I just can’t see them using Vision Pro as much.

When/if they’re ever able to make them look like regular glasses and they cost around $500-800 I’d consider wearing them all the time. Until then they’re way too expensive for my blood. I would rather spend that kind of green on a new MacBook Pro.

Will Stream support Vision Pro? I think so. I have no idea when, but I think it will.

[restorationwellnessinc]

Title: "Naturopathic Nuggets: Your Winter Guide to Beating the Blues Naturally"

Embrace the winter blues with open arms and a cup of herbal tea! In this blog, we'll explore naturopathic principles that can help keep those winter blues at bay. Here are 10 simplified tips for a naturally happier and healthier winter season.

Sunshine Vitamin Boost: Spend time outdoors to soak up the winter sun and boost your Vitamin D levels. It's a natural mood enhancer and supports overall well-being.

Hydration Station: Stay hydrated with herbal teas, warm water with lemon, and nourishing broths. Hydration is key to maintaining energy and focus.

Move and Groove: Incorporate light exercises into your routine, like yoga or brisk walks. Physical activity releases endorphins, lifting your spirits.

Mindful Moments: Practice mindfulness and meditation to calm the mind. Apps like Headspace and Calm can guide you through quick, effective sessions.

Nature's Pharmacy: Explore natural remedies like St. John's Wort or adaptogenic herbs known for their mood-balancing properties.

Sleep Sanctuary: Prioritize a good night's sleep. Create a cozy sleep environment, limit screen time before bed, and consider herbal teas like chamomile.

Gut Health Matters: Support your gut with probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kefir. A healthy gut is linked to a healthy mind.

Connect and Communicate: Socialize regularly, even if it's virtual. Human connection is vital for emotional well-being.

Aromatherapy Haven: Use essential oils like lavender or citrus to create a calming atmosphere at home.

Tech Detox: Take breaks from screens to reduce eye strain and mental fatigue. Opt for a digital detox day to refresh your mind.

Recipe: Nourishing Bone Broth Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef or chicken bones

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Roast bones in the oven for 30 minutes.

Place bones in a large pot, add vegetables, garlic, and herbs.

Cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 12-24 hours.

Strain the broth, season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy a cup of this nutrient-rich broth daily for its immune-boosting and mood-enhancing benefits.

Remember, these tips are gentle ways to support your mental health, but if you're experiencing persistent feelings of depression, it's important to consult with a medical professional. Stay well, stay happy!

Resources:

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians

Mind.org

[newstfionline]

Sunday, July 30, 2023

Volunteer Sleuths Are Out Hunting for Your Stolen Car (NYT) At the end of a quiet residential street in north Portland, Titan Crawford took a calming drag off his cigarette, and then shuffled past the gutted shell of a stolen Nissan pickup truck and into the patch of hulk-filled woodlands beyond. For much of the past year, Mr. Crawford, 38, has led a growing network of volunteer sleuths who scour Portland’s streets, alleys and forests, racing against time in hopes of finding stolen vehicles before they end up shredded for parts. There is no shortage of work to be done. Vehicle thefts in Portland are on track to reach well over 10,000 this year, more than triple the number the city recorded a decade ago, part of a nationwide trend that accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic. In Portland, the brazenness of the crimes, inattention from the police and desperation of residents who suddenly find themselves missing one of their most valuable possessions have led many to take matters into their own hands. Similar groups have popped up and grown around the country as vehicle thefts have soared. Neighbors share pictures of license plates, keep watch during commutes to work and hunt online for reports of stolen vehicles. Nearly every day, the group, PDX Stolen Cars, helps a resident reconnect with a vehicle in Portland or the surrounding suburbs.

Nearly 4 million in U.S. cut from Medicaid, most for paperwork reasons (Washington Post) The notice arrived in an envelope stamped “important information,” telling Kristin Fortner she needed to prove that she and her husband still deserved Medicaid. She filled out the form within a week of receiving it this past winter and mailed it back. So she was perplexed by a phone call almost three months later from the Arkansas Department of Human Services alerting her that she had neglected to renew the couple’s Medicaid and, unless she sent the paperwork, their health insurance would end. Fortner quickly resubmitted the same form, this time in person. Except Arkansas already had cut them off. She discovered in May that her insurance had vanished as she tried to pick up a prescription for Suboxone, the medicine that helps her stay off opioids. Suddenly, she owed $380. Her Medicaid coverage, the pharmacy’s records showed, had expired. A 33-year-old waitress earning $3 an hour plus tips, Fortner walked out of the drugstore without the pills. She is among nearly 4 million Americans who have been lopped off Medicaid since the end of a pandemic-era promise that people with the safety-net health coverage could keep it, requiring every state to begin a herculean undertaking of sorting out who still belonged on the rolls. Three-fourths of these people have been removed because of bureaucratic factors. Such “procedural” cutoffs—prompted by renewal notices not arriving at the right addresses, beneficiaries not understanding the notices, or an assortment of state agencies’ mistakes and logjams—were a peril against which federal health officials had cautioned for many months as they coached states in advance on how best to carry out the unwinding.

Uruguay/Argentina Drought fallout (Foreign Policy) The ongoing drought that has plunged Uruguay into a water crisis in recent weeks is also projected to severely hurt neighboring Argentina’s agriculture sector as well as its GDP. Citing the drought, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered Argentina’s GDP forecast for 2023, projecting a contraction of 2.5 percent, a reversal of its previous forecast for 0.2 percent growth this year. Argentina is already struggling to curb massive inflation and repay its outstanding IMF debts. Meanwhile in Uruguay, consecutive years of low rainfall and poor management of a key reservoir have caused water levels to dwindle, worsening the quality of tap water around the capital of Montevideo to a level that may be unsafe for people with hypertension and other medical problems. The government has bought bottled water for some 500 thousand people and is working to engineer new access to water resources from a previously untapped river.

Germany used to be the world’s export powerhouse. Now, it’s not growing. What happened? (AP) The German economy is still failing to grow, figures showed Friday, as the country that should be the industrial powerhouse for all of Europe struggles with high energy prices, rising borrowing costs and a lagging rebound from key trading partner China. The International Monetary Fund forecast this week that Germany would be the globe’s only major economy to shrink this year, even with weak economic growth around the world amid rising interest rates and the threat of growing inflation. In Germany, the economy has been buffeted by several challenges. Above all, its long-term dependence on Russian natural gas to fuel industry backfired when the invasion of Ukraine led to the loss of most of Moscow’s supply and to higher costs for energy-intensive industries such as metals, glass, cars and fertilizer. Higher interest rates from the European Central Bank have weighed on construction projects that depend on borrowing.

Ukraine’s Stepped-Up Assault Grinds Forward, but Scale Is Unclear (NYT) Battles raged in southern Ukraine on Thursday, as Kyiv’s stepped-up offensive against the Russian occupation made small gains, according to Russian, Ukrainian and Western analysts and officials, but the scope of the assaults and their toll remained unclear. There was minimal, and sometimes contradictory, information about how many troops and armored vehicles Ukraine had committed so far to its attempt to punch holes through Russia’s daunting defensive network. Crucially, it was also unclear what kind of losses either side was suffering, in soldiers and weaponry. What is clear is that Ukraine has significantly ratcheted up its seven-week-old counteroffensive, along two southward thrusts apparently aimed at cities in the Zaporizhzhia region: Melitopol, near the Sea of Azov, and Berdiansk, to the east, on the Azov coast. In both cases, the Ukrainians have advanced only a few miles so far and have dozens of miles to go. In the short run, success would mean getting behind Russia’s defenses, where its forces would be far more vulnerable, and taking major towns farther south. Longer term, it would mean taking back Melitopol, a major transportation hub, or Berdiansk, an important port, or both—effectively cutting the Russian-occupied territory in half, complicating Moscow’s strategy and logistics.

U.S. to provide up to $345 million in military aid to Taiwan (Washington Post) The United States will provide Taiwan with up to $345 million in military assistance, using a similar presidential authority to the one in which it sends weapons to Ukraine, the White House announced Friday. The package comes as China continues efforts to increase its authority over democratically-governed Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory. “The drawdown includes self-defense capabilities that Taiwan will be able to use to bolster deterrence now and in the future,” Sue Gough, a Department of Defense spokesperson, said by email. Systems in the package “address critical defensive stockpiles, multi-domain awareness, anti-armor and air defense capabilities,” she added. The announcement follows complaints from the Taiwan defense ministry over delays in the delivery of U.S. arms that Taiwan already purchased. The new aid package marks the first time the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which expedites the process of supplying arms and pulls directly from stockpiles, has been used for Taiwan. It has been used dozens of times for Ukraine, under a separate provision allowing for emergency support.

Aid group official warns that impasse at the UN on border crossing puts 4.1 million Syrians at risk (AP) An impasse at the United Nations over a border crossing with Syria’s last rebel-held enclave is putting 4.1 million Syrian there in danger, the president of the International Rescue Committee warned this week. David Miliband’s comments came more than two weeks after the U.N. Security Council failed to renew the mandate for the Bab al-Hawa border crossing between Syria and Turkey, which secures aid for Syrians in the enclave. The vast majority of people in northwestern Syria live in poverty and rely on aid to survive—a crisis that was further worsened by a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria in February. The earthquake killed more than 50,000 people, including over 6,000 in Syria, according to the United Nations. The quake also displaced hundreds of thousands of others. The paralysis comes as donor fatigue has led to aid cuts in aid to both northwestern Syria and neighboring countries hosting millions of Syrian refugees who fled the ongoing conflict, now in its 13th year.

Unhappy With Right-Wing Leaders, Some Israelis Hatch Escape Plans (NYT) Naama Levin and her partner had always dreamed about taking a break from Israel and going on an extended vacation abroad. But they did not start making concrete plans until late last year, when Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power and formed a coalition with extreme right-wing and religiously conservative partners. In recent months, Netanyahu has put an ultranationalist who has been convicted of inciting anti-Arab racism in charge of national security, taken steps to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank and initiated an overhaul of the judicial system, angering secular Israeli Jews like Levin and setting off months of protests across the country. The passage of the new law was the last straw for some Israelis, who have been struggling with a high cost of living and underfunded schools. Businesses that help relocate corporations and families have seen a sharp uptick in demand in recent days. Financial advisers say they are being flooded with questions about how to move assets overseas and how to establish bank accounts abroad.

Jordan lawmakers move to criminalize some online speech. Rights groups accuse kingdom of censorship (AP) The lower house of Jordan’s parliament passed legislation Thursday to punish online speech deemed harmful to national unity, drawing accusations from human rights groups of a crackdown on free expression. The measure makes certain online posts punishable with months of prison time and fines. These include comments “promoting, instigating, aiding, or inciting immorality,” demonstrating “contempt for religion” or “undermining national unity.” It also punishes those who publish names or pictures of police officers online and outlaws certain methods of maintaining online anonymity. Lawmakers have argued that the measure, which amends a 2015 cybercrime law, is necessary to punish blackmailers and online attackers. But opposition lawmakers and human rights groups cautioned that the new law will expand state control over social media, hamper free access to information and penalize anti-government speech.

Aided by A.I. Language Models, Google’s Robots Are Getting Smart (NYT) A one-armed robot stood in front of a table. On the table sat three plastic figurines: a lion, a whale and a dinosaur. An engineer gave the robot an instruction: “Pick up the extinct animal.” The robot whirred for a moment, then its arm extended and its claw opened and descended. It grabbed the dinosaur. Until very recently, this demonstration, which I witnessed during a podcast interview at Google’s robotics division in Mountain View, Calif., last week, would have been impossible. Robots weren’t able to reliably manipulate objects they had never seen before, and they certainly weren’t capable of making the logical leap from “extinct animal” to “plastic dinosaur.” But a quiet revolution is underway in robotics, one that piggybacks on recent advances in so-called large language models—the same type of artificial intelligence system that powers ChatGPT, Bard and other chatbots. Google has recently begun plugging state-of-the-art language models into its robots, giving them the equivalent of artificial brains. The secretive project has made the robots far smarter and given them new powers of understanding and problem-solving.

[manorlake22]

Merry Heart Senior Care Companies In Succasunna, New Jersey

When I visited the congregation members leading this effort, they informed me of an unanticipated side profit. While working on the plans, they realized the church itself had turn out to be age-segregated — for instance, there have been children’s companies and grownup companies, typically held on the identical time in separate rooms. Prompted by the analysis that’s gone into Project Spring-Winter, they’re pondering how finest to age-integrate the congregation. When complete, the project could also be much more spectacular than St. Joseph’s. This redesign was prompted by the expiration of the church’s lease on government-owned land. Margaret’s was required to “intensify” its use of the land — to do more social good.

Their providers for writing academic english essay essays have provided help to more than one hundred,000 students. Nurses caring for the aged set of vector illustrations isolated on a white background. Residents create their own living space and work with a care coordinator to form a customized and private care plan. To see what precautions and measures we're taking before planning your go to click here. 3) Skilled Nursing Homes – residences with 24/7 care by licensed well being professionals, together with all housekeeping, medical, and social wants.

They supply a minimum of 1 meal per day and are licensed by the State Department of Health. Many companies, like meal planning, medicine administration, and help working errands may be provided by a care professional without the want to transfer away from home. Services like these are now not just out there in nursing homes, although this feature continues to be out there to seniors who need or want round the clock care. Today, many more choices are available to seniors who want somewhat further care, however don’t want to move into a nursing home.

Catholic Health provides job opportunities in a selection of healthcare settings, including hospitals, major care centers, home care, nursing properties and extra. Catholic Health's personal infusion pharmacy provides compassionate take care of sufferers receiving IV remedy providers both at home or in a skilled nursing facility. Skilled nursing is the best degree of care a patient can receive exterior of a hospital. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and different healthcare professionals present 24/7 care for seniors who're recovering from an illness, damage, or living with a chronic condition. We don’t prefer to name ourselves a nursing home…instead, we are a home with nursing care. We don’t simply take care of you, we care about you—and collectively, we make every day the most effective it could presumably be.

We embrace a holistic strategy by treating all aspects of the person including their psychological, social, recreational, and religious needs. Depending on the extent of care needed, our compassionate care planning team will work with you and the one you love to develop an individualized care plan that supports their distinctive needs. The Foundation exists due to the generosity of organizations & people dedicated to strengthening the standard of care and neighborhood for residents and caregivers. Yesterday, the Biden Administration announced its plans to end the COVID-19 nationwide and public well being emergency on May 11, 2023. This administration guidance meets the Administration’s promise of 60 days’ discover of the tip of the PHE. ProMedica

Specially trained employees assist residents with day by day actions similar to bathing, eating, laundry and housekeeping. They might specialize nursing home canton in short-term or acute nursing care, intermediate care or long-term expert nursing care. Next to a hospital, a skilled nursing facility presents the highest degree of care.

The good news is, most states put all the knowledge you’ll want on their own website. You’ll need to get a license before you'll be able to accept the first affected person into your house, but first you’ll have to make certain you have set up your surroundings to state specifications. If you go to the State of Nevada’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health web site senior care center, for instance, you’ll discover not only utility packets, however data on regulations relating to the setup of health care facilities. The Gunnison Valley Health Senior Care Center proudly provides daily transportation companies for our elders as well as seniors residing within the Gunnison community.

Our professionals specialize in senior care, permitting us to supply a few of the handiest and progressive senior living programs in Wisconsin. Our award-winning group makes a speciality of aiding seniors in their homes by offering caregivers you can trust assisted living residence. Some seniors just need a few hours per week and others want a lot more. We do it all and tailor our services to satisfy the unique wants of every of our clients. We believe that there’s no higher place to be than within the comfort of your personal home.

For care facilities, the most important finding is that March's financial efficiency was abysmal, with a median operating margin of adverse 8.7%. If March is indicative of all of 2022, the typical care center will lose almost $900 thousand on operations, which is a substantial drawback when a lot of them have already used some or all of their reserves. If you're canton nursing home a caregiver considering transferring the one you love into an assisted living community, approach this move with a positive outlook. Our day care services are designed for busy working professionals who wish to be sure that their parents are in save hands.

[svastha-hospitals]

SURVIVING TIPS FOR ARTHRITIS IN WINTER

CONTACT: 9044337799 SVASTHA EMERGENCY AND MULTI SPECIALITY HOSPITAL MANDAPETA #hospital #hospitals #clinic #doctor #doctors #wellness #health #healthylifestyle #nurse #pharma #pharmacy #pharmaceutical #healthcare #healthworker #mandapeta #mbbs

[vimdrugs]

A unique set of difficulties arises with winter, particularly for the elderly, who require additional attention to maintain their health amid the lower temperatures. This thorough blog delves into crucial advice for seniors winter wellness, including a carefully curated list of suggestions from pharmacies to keep them happy, healthy, and active all winter long.

Read More: https://vimdrugs.com/index.php/blog/post/winter-wellness-for-seniors-pharmacy-recommendations

[astocare]

Winter is all about taking good care of yourself. What better way to nourish yourself than eating good food!

This winter focus on the  consumption of hot soup, tuna, broccoli and cauliflower, oatmeal and root veggies the most.

Take good care of yourself for a healthy and happy winter!

For further medical assistance please contact hello@astocare.com.

[where-s-all-blue]

More University Headcanons!

Straw Hat Pirates Edition

Luffy

He's studying to become a photographer because he looked up to Roger, who himself was a professional photographer during the time he was alive.

Another reason for this is the fact that photographers get to see a lot of things their life, sometimes even danger, it's like an adventure.

Like most of his friends, he resides in Gold dorm and has done his fair share of stealing furniture for it.

He keeps a diary which he decorates with cute stickers and Polaroids.

He has a good eye, which helps him with setting the camera in just right way to get the perfect shot.

He's one of the louder residents which often makes people who need the silence to concentrate, like Law, go absolutely bonkers.

He's banned from the kitchen.

He keeps dragging people into the dorm.

Somehow? You just can't hate him.

Zoro

Decided to study social work when he realised how unfair the world could be.

Is also in the kendo club which he joined upon learning that the person who is seen as the best is its captain, he intends to best him.

Currently he supports one hundred and fifty-one wins and one loss.

The only loss was against Mihawk.

He's naturally good when it comes to dealing with people, but he truly shines when he's around kids.

He's often helping around the dorm by moving large objects in/out.

He was the one to clear the large area which later on came to support the workout area and the garden.

He often takes strolls on the woods located behind the dorm, he's easily the scariest being there.

His sense of direction is so bad that he was given his own device which tells him his location and how to get to the place he wants to go to. This device was made by Eustass and Usopp with Law telling them to turn it into a wrist watch which also measures Zoro's vitals so he can monitor his own health and sport related achievements. The data of his vital signs is transferred into his phone.

Usopp

He majors in engineering and thrives when it comes to inventions, his secondary is English literature.

He writes plays and stories on his spare time, some of them are pitched to the theatre club and art majors.

He's good at crafting and thus is often seen working on something for the dorm like name signs that all match the personalities of the residents.

He was the one who thought of turning the street sign poles into a fence around the dorm's garden.

He's also in charge of modifying the stolen property to ensure that nobody realises where they originally came from.

He was the one who turned that one car into a bed after he moved it inside in pieces. The car bed is in a room called "Silence Room" which was made to have no sounds get in or out of it. He and Killer designed the interior of it to help those who have hyper senses and are more proun to headaches (or just can't stand being around people too long). It's also used as a guest room from time to time.

He works the best with people who are smart like Sanji, Law and Eustass, he also gets very well along Chopper, the therapy dog that goes around the campus.

He's free spirited goof ball with very wide interests who gets along with almost everybody.

Being the jokester of the lot is his attempt to have people think of him as a good guy to be around with and to see that he's not just brain.

He struggles with seeing his own self worth and is very proun to feeling melancholic due to his high Intel making him realise things that he'd rather not know of. He has a low self-esteem because of being dismissed as a child due to his dreams and goals being too ahead of his time.

Sanji

Culinary arts and management major.

He was raised in a foster home, more specifically by the owner of the Baratier restaurant Zeff who he considers to be his dad more than his biological father.

He was kicked out of the Vinsmoke estate by his father Judge due to his wish to be a chef instead of becoming a lawyer or a doctor or a politician.

Technically he's still eligible of inheriting the throne of Germa Kingdom even if he was exiled.

He's still expected to marry a high class member of the society and thus Judge keeps messaging him about his choices, fully believing that Sanji will one day see his way and abandon his dream of being a chef in favour of the kingdom.

He even has a fiancé, Charlotte Pudding, though he never agreed to the scheme that was orchestrated by Vinsmoke Judge and Charlotte Linlin. Pudding also isn't too happy about the situation.

His foster father is the actual lecturer in charge of the culinary studies, but as he was in an accident and thus hospitalised, Charlotte Linlin is subbing him much to Sanji's demise.

He's one of the few people who who can cook in the dorm and he takes notice of other people's likes, dislikes and allergies.

Sanji's kindness is often noticed by others.

Nami

She's a architecture major, her second interest being banking.

When she moved into the dorm, she quickly noticed that the students who renovated it had no idea how things worked, so she had them redo few things. The dorm is now a lot easier to keep warm during the winter.

She was the one to pitch the idea of the Silent Room upon noticing how Law was struggling because of how loud the dorm had become as a result of the new first years moving in.

She works part time as a waitress at Baratier and she is known for her ability to negotiate the costs a lot lower that they usually would be.

She's a bit of a kleptomaniac, result of her growing up on a poor and unsafe area dictated by gangs.

She's also a honours student, who's part of the special program which basically ensures that she has enough money to buy her school items and food.

She often chats with the local witch coven to obtain more information, she also likes to hangout with Killer and Usopp.

Her best friend Vivi Nefertari is currently in an exchange program.

Chopper

A golden retriever akita mix.

He was originally Sabo's therapy dog, nowadays he's more or less the therapy dog of anyone who needs him. He still sticks by Sabo for the most of the time.

He's broken into the classrooms during lectures to deliver forgotten items to Sabo so often that he has his own attendance record and he's almost considered to be a student at this point.

His job includes going to the local pharmacy every Friday to pick up a specifically constructed herbal infusion packet and bring it to the Lair.

He's highly intelligent dog who was capable of deducing which herbs were part of the herbal infusion treatment and then retrieve the plants based on their scent.

He picked these herbs and spices from the garden of Gold Dorm.

His bestfriend is Bepo, a samoyed owned by Law, who also happens to be the only other dog on the campus.

Robin

Social Work major, secondary studies in history.

She chose her line of studies due to wanting to prevent other kids being forced to go through the same kind of neglect and abuse as she did.

She's fluent in multiple languages and writes her notes in one of the dead languages, which she self taught herself to read.

She prefers to keep her information confidential and she enjoys the confusion some of her antics cause.

She takes part in the weekly movie night and enjoys them greatly.

Franky

Robotics major.

The only member of the group who doesn't live in a dorm. Nobody knows if he even sleeps or eats, but if you need him, you can always find him form the workshop.

You need to drag him out forcibly to have him even leave the room.

Thanks to Luffy, he now visits the Gold dorm few times a week to hangout, but the second he sees something that gives him an idea, he bolts out back to the workshop.

100% workaholic, 0% sleep, 120% Cola.

Brook

Actual university cryptid.

Is literally dead and walking around.

Formerly a music major.

Nobody knows how long he's been there and frankly nobody cares, his flamboyant style is a mood and his cravings for food and drinks is something we all relate to.

He knows every nook and cranny of the campus.

He's been there so long that nobody even questions it and he even gets invited to university parties and to hang out.

The only time someone freaked out was when the group went to a fast food restaurant and forgot that the outside world isn't aware of him. He tipped the waiter generously with something that looked like an old coin. It was probably worth more than the whole restaurant.

If you talk to him, there's 80% chance of you triggering his natural response to anything which is singing and dancing.

He's literally a walking musical.

He's one of the few who has heard Katakuri's doughnut song and lived to tell the tale. Except that he's dead already yohohoho.

He's very likely to console you if you're not feeling okay.

When it comes to the modern technology and stuff, he's a bit confused, but has the right spirit.

Jinbe

The current captain of the karate club.

Nobody knows what he majors in nor from which dorm he's from.

When Shirahoshi from Atlantis (=Fishman Island) started her studies in the University, he was quick to form a protection team to her and her brothers from the members of the karate club.

He might be the instructor of the club? Apparently he's one of the strongest.

I woke up one morning and he was eating soba noodles in the kitchen, why and how is he in our dorm. Is he even a student here?!

Oh my god he's now fighting against Ace, I swear to god sport majors are so dramatic.

It was a tie. How am I supposed to feel about this.

They both are now emptying our fridge, someone please get them out.

[healthcaremd]

Feeling unproductive and drowsy? Let’s figure out the reason and the solution

I believe people who are constantly energetic and manage to do a lot of things in a day are quite rare. At least, among people I know, there are just a few highly productive and active individuals. In this post, I decided to collect several reasons that can make you sluggish and the tips on how to cope with them or at least figure them out.

Conditions related to daytime sleepiness

The conditions that can make an individual sleepy are primarily divided into two groups: primary hypersomnias, i.e. stand-alone sleepiness disorders not related to other conditions, and secondary hypersomnias, i.e. when daytime sluggishness is caused by a health condition.

First, let’s discuss the most basic, frequent, non-life threatening conditions that can be the cause of daytime drowsiness:

- Iron deficiency leads to the low count of red blood cells that is accompanied by general weakness, tiredness, poor night sleep, and respectively, daytime sleepiness. Besides, studies show that iron deficiency can trigger a disorder called restless leg syndrome, i.e. an uncontrollable urge to move legs especially during sleep which also affects its quality. The simplest and cheapest blood test can show if you have iron deficiency and you can treat it easily with a diet rich in iron or taking supplements.

- Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with chronic weakness and tiredness, difficulty focusing, as well as poor night sleep. Besides, in some cases, it can cause a disorder called sleep apnea which is characterized by short respiratory arrests during the night and bad night rest. To ensure your body produces vitamin D, you need to spend as much time outside as possible as it is produced under the effect of sunlight. You can suspect that you have this vitamin deficiency if you spend little time outside or during the winter when your exposure to the sun is minimal. In this case, you can easily obtain vitamin D supplements without a prescription at any drugstore.

- The seasonal affective disorder is similar to depression but is milder and usually occurs in fall, winter, in rainy, gloomy weather. It is related to minimized exposure to sunlight. This disorder doesn’t require medications and can be coped with by the exposure to sunlight or taking vitamin D. But if you feel that the symptoms do not improve, you should certainly seek a specialist’s help.

- Low blood pressure is associated with fatigue and daytime sleepiness. Other typical symptoms are temporary darkening in the eyes when standing up and dizziness. To find out whether you have hypotension, you need to measure your blood pressure. You can ask at a pharmacy to get this done, talk to your physician or buy blood pressure monitor.

- Waking up at the start or middle of the sleep cycle. Sleep scientists believe that people feel refreshed if they wake up at the end of the sleeping cycle but if they wake up at the start of the middle of it even if it means more hours of sleep, they feel exhausted. It is proven that sleeping for 6 hours can be more beneficial than 8 because one sleep cycle is 1.5 hours so if you sleep for 6 hours, you wake up at the end of the 4th cycle. However, the optimal number of sleep cycles is 5 which is 7.5 hours. If you fall asleep difficulty, go to bed 8 hours before waking up or even earlier to sleep for complete 7.5 hours and see how it makes you feel.

Primary hypersomnias

If none of the reasons described below and their elimination helps you, you should consider getting checked for narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia.

- Narcolepsy is a rare sleepiness disorder with five major symptoms which can be of different severity: excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, cataplexy (sudden muscle weakness), hallucinations upon awakening or when falling asleep, and trouble falling asleep. If you have all of these symptoms, don’t waste your time and money on general practitioners and go to the sleep specialist, somnologist. General practitioners, physicians, neuropathologists, and other doctors rarely encounter narcolepsy and it can take years for them to make a correct diagnosis. But a professional can quickly and correctly assess the situation and appoint the crucial tests: Polysomnography, multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the head. These tests allow excluding any organic lesions of the brain and identify sleep patterns that distinguish narcolepsy from other sleepiness disorders.

- Idiopathic hypersomnia is another sleepiness disorder that lacks cataplexy among its symptoms but can also have hallucinations before/right after sleep, trouble falling asleep, and of course, excessive daytime sleepiness. Besides, while in narcolepsy the waking up from naps is easy and leaves a person refreshed, in idiopathic hypersomnia it is vice versa, i.e. upon waking up a person is sleepy and has a kind of “mind fog” for many hours. If you have these symptoms and your general tests are fine, you should also consider going to a somnologist and get tested using the same tests that are used for narcolepsy.

How is excessive sleepiness treated?

It all depends on what causes sleepiness. If there is a reason such as a certain condition or a deficit of some elements, the treatment is aimed at the elimination of the reason. But if the diagnosed disorder falls into the category of primary hypersomnias – basically, there is no cure because the reasons for these disorders occurrence are not fully understood. Fortunately, today potent and safe medicines based on Modafinil are available. These drugs help people with excessive daytime sleepiness stay awake during the day without causing any adverse effects. Their principle of effect is the maintenance of the naturally released wakefulness-promoting chemicals in the brain in their active form once they tend to be deactivated by the unknown mechanisms that occur in narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.

I hope this post can help you find the reason for your lack of productivity and sleepiness and guide you in the right direction for solving the problem!

[oasishealthclub-blog]

7 Ways to Clear Up Sinus Congestion

You can go weeks without food and days without water. But you won’t last even a few minutes without breathing. Even so, we tend to forget how important air is. Winter respiratory infections, sinus problems, allergies, pollution, asthma, and even stress and tension can make it hard to breathe easy. If your breathing is anything less than deep and full, try these seven tips to breathe better now.

1. Hydrate and humidify.

Cold air and indoor heating can dry out delicate respiratory tissues, xacerbating respiratory illness and asthma, and increasing the risk of sinus or upper respiratory tract infections. In winter months, or if you live in a dry climate, use a humidifier—the warm, moist air helps clear excess mucus from the lungs and sinuses and lessens irritation of the respiratory tract. Steam vaporizers are inexpensive and easy to maintain, and can be used with essential oils. Just add a few drops of eucalyptus, peppermint, pine, or spruce essential oil to the medicine cup on the mister, and infuse your bedroom or office with healing scents.

To prevent the growth of bacteria and mold, be sure to clean your humidifier properly—use equal parts of warm water and vinegar, and scrub off residue with a soft brush—and be careful not to overhumidify, which can lead to mold growth. Stay well-hydrated to keep the respiratory tract moist. If you’re sick of chugging water, try spiking it with juice, lemon or cucumber slices, or electrolyte-enhanced drink tablets or powders.

2. Flush with a nasal irrigation.

Nasal irrigation, a traditional Ayurvedic treatment, has been used for thousands of years to treat congestion and sinus problems by removing mucus and debris from the nasal cavities. You can find a variety of nasal irrigation devices at natural grocers or pharmacies. Try a neti pot, a small ceramic pot specially designed to irrigate sinuses, or a squeeze bottle. Fill either one with 1 pint of lukewarm distilled water mixed with 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Check the health department guidelines in your area; your tap water may contain low levels of bacteria and protozoa that can stay alive in the nasal passages and cause potentially serious infections in some individuals. During the day, keep nasal cavities clear with sprays designed to moisturize and soothe sinuses. Look for formulas made with xylitol, a sugar alcohol derived from fruits and vegetables that’s been shown to reduce the risk of sinus infections.

3. Use healing herbs.

A variety of herbs and supplements can ease congestion, combat allergies, fight respiratory infections, and help you breathe easier. Butterbur, a shrub that grows in Europe and North America, has been used for hundreds of years in traditional medicine to treat cough, asthma, and breathing difficulties, and it’s been shown in studies to ease allergic rhinitis and other respiratory issues. Look for tinctures and capsules standardized for petasin and isopetasin, and choose a formula certified and labeled “PA-free,” meaning it doesn’t contain liver-harming pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs).

Additionally, medicinal mushrooms, can help promote healthy respiratory and lung function. And eucalyptus contains myrtol and cineole, compounds that have been shown to treat sinusitis and bronchitis; look for it in combination formulas with other respiratory herbs such as grindelia, dong quai, skullcap, mullein, ginger, peppermint, and wild cherry bark. Or make your own breathe-easy beverage: combine fenugreek, hyssop, juniper, and licorice, and sip as a soothing tea.

4. Get moving.

Exercise may not sound appealing when you’re feeling like it’s hard to breathe, but moving your body can improve lung function and capacity, and clear congestion. Start small: take gentle walks or ride your bike. An elliptical trainer or step machine is a great way to exercise inside when cold weather may exacerbate your symptoms. Work your way up to more vigorous exercises, such as skiing, racquetball, jogging, or dancing. Aerobic exercise increases breathing rate and works the heart and lungs, improving their endurance and helping the body use oxygen more efficiently—which, in time, improves breathing. Running and other aerobic exercises also improve the tone of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, which improves breathing. If you’re short of breath from a virus, wait until you’re well before exercising.

5. Eat to breathe.

A Mediterranean diet��rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, with moderate amounts of dairy, fish, and poultry—has been shown to protect against allergic respiratory diseases, and diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce asthma symptoms.

Foods that boost respiratory health:

Omega-3 fatty acids in fish, walnuts, flax, and hemp are associated with improved lung function and decreased symptoms of asthma.

Apples, onions, citrus fruits, and tea are high in quercetin, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation and helps prevent sinus problems.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce asthma symptoms and improves pulmonary function.

Cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, ginger, and horseradish break up congestion, thin mucus, and clear excess mucus.

6. Take your vitamins.

A handful of common vitamins are critical in preventing respiratory infections, reducing the risk of allergies and asthma, and improving pulmonary function.

What vitamins are good for the respiratory system?

Vitamin E is important for immunity, and has been shown to reduce allergic airway inflammation and improve pulmonary function. In the Women’s Health Study of 38,597 women, the risk of developing chronic lung disease was reduced by 10 percent in women using vitamin E supplements.

Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, has been linked to asthma prevention; studies also show increased vitamin C can reduce wheezing, improve lung function, and protect against bronchitis and sinusitis.

Flavonoids, a group of antioxidants found in many fruits, vegetables, coffees, and teas, have anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the prevalence and severity of asthma and allergies. Pycnogenol, a supplement that contains a mixture of flavonoids, can be especially effective, and has been shown to increase lung function and improve breathing.

Vitamin D protects against respiratory infections and sinusitis, and low levels of vitamin D have been shown to impair normal lung function and exacerbate symptoms of asthma.

7. Practice breathing exercises.

One of the easiest, fastest ways to breathe better is to … breathe better by retraining your body to breathe in a way that increases lung capacity and improves respiratory function. Try this simple exercise: lie down in a comfortable position, and place your hands on your upper and lower belly. Then breathe in slowly through your nose to the count of five, letting your belly rise and fully expand as you inhale. Slowly breathe out, letting your belly deflate and releasing all the air. Do this for at least 10 full rounds of inhaling and exhaling, gradually working your way up to 5 minutes, morning and night. While lying down is best, you can also practice this technique at your desk, or even standing in line at the grocery store. The idea is to make it a habit—so you’re breathing better all day long.

[justanotherwannabeclassic]

What Kind of Day Has It Been

Author’s Note: It’s time for the presentation of my Hub SS. A very long time ago (aka a few months) @distant-rose​ prompted me with a series of political CS AU prompts. One of them involved Killian working at the White House, and Emma getting a job there, but she was worried he somehow pulled strings. Anywayyyyyy, I finally wrote it.  Ro, I apologize for being the worst question-asker, but I am so so glad to be your Santa. It was almost as cool as being your friend. I hope this brings cheer to your busy holiday season, and provides a useful study break. <3 Summary: Emma Swan was one of Washington’s best lobbyists, and she is about to be offered the role of the lifetime: Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the President of the United States. But when her boyfriend, Killian Jones, the Press Secretary, lets it slip that he spoke to her potential boss about her, Emma questions if she’s receiving the position on her own merits or because of who she knows. Is it a giant misunderstanding?

Rating: T Read on AO3!

*cue The West Wing theme*

“Ohmigod, can we have a picture?” Emma hid a smile behind her travel mug of coffee, watching as her boyfriend became flanked by two starry-eyed undergraduate students. Killian flashed his winning smile — the one that landed him on the top of Washington’s Hottest Political Operatives last year, and she knew the young women by his side were swooning in more ways than just one.

“Apologies, love,” he said to her after. He slid his gloved hand into her free one, and pulled her closer to his side. Emma could still hear the girls excitedly commiserating, no doubt discussing which hashtags to use to show off their photo with the Press Secretary to the President of the Goddamn United States. She still wasn’t over that part. She doubted she ever would be.

“Please, you’re not sorry one bit.” She bumped her shoulder against his, reveling in the way the tips of his ears turned pink — and not because of the winter weather. “Don’t act like you won’t be scrolling through the OnlyatGW tag looking to see what they said about you.”

“I will not! I’m not that vain,” he argued, his voice taking the petulant tone of a teenager, which meant he — or more accurately, his assistant, Smee — would be doing just that over the next few days. “Besides, you don’t even know if they were GW students.”

“We’re literally on GW’s campus.”

“We’re in Foggy Bottom.”

“Which is GW’s campus,” Emma pointed out, no doubt waiting for him to whine about urban campuses. “Besides, it’s not like Georgetown students would deign hobnobbing around with the common folk to venture into the city proper.”

“I’ll have you know your President attended Georgetown,” Killian countered. Emma wanted to point out that it wasn’t necessarily a defense. Regina Mills, now Madame President, carried an air of haughtiness wherever she went. Not that it wasn’t totally deserved. The woman was incredibly intelligent, holding degrees from Georgetown and Princeton, not to mention accomplished. She’d had the titles of Mayor, Representative, and President. Regardless, that didn’t stop the various news pundits of skewering her on air for her pretentiousness and how she didn’t relate to ‘Real America’, whatever that meant.

“Yeah, well, your big boss isn’t here and the GW students are.” A strange, almost hopeful, expression crossed Killian’s face for reasons that Emma couldn’t quite place. Filing that thought away for later, she tugged his hand. “C’mon, walk me back to my office. I’m getting cold and I know you have to get back.”

They had met for a quick lunch at one of the many fast-casual salad places that popped up over the city seemingly overnight. Emma had been craving the totchos at Tonic, a pharmacy-turned-bar further into campus, but Killian had limited time with meetings and the endless corralling of the White House Press Corps, and she knew she had to take what she could get.

It wasn’t easy being in a romantic relationship with the most public facing staffer in the Mills Administration. He was constantly busy, always on call, and she thought he hair was turning prematurely grey — well, about as a premature as a thirty-six year-old-man could get — due to the stress of it all. But that’s what happened when you served at the pleasure of the President. Besides, it wasn’t as if she didn’t also have her stressful and busy periods. Whenever budget appropriations and major bills loomed on the horizon, leaving work before 10 pm felt like a luxury.

Such is the life of Washington’s Hottest Power Couple, she thought. Not that anyone outside of Mary Margaret, Emma’s roommate when she first moved to Washington, called them that — at least to Emma’s face, that is. Will Scarlet had tried, and Emma had dumped a glass of water over his head in retaliation.

She could play dirty in and out the courtroom, thank you very much. This was one of the many reasons why she was a pretty damn good lobbyist. “Assuming the political gods don’t conspire against me, I’ll try to be home at a somewhat decent hour tonight. Perhaps then we can crack open that bottle of wine we’ve been hoarding and relax for a spell?” Killian asked when they reached the building where The Queen Group was located. He quirked his brow in a way that Emma found to be most adorable, and she leaned up to kiss him before answering.

“I thought you wanted to save that for a moment worth celebrating?” she asked. The bottle in question had been a gift from Regina Mills herself, fermented with grapes grown in her family’s vineyard, after the close of her campaign. Killian, being the overdramatic and sentimental man that he was, had decided that he wasn’t going to open it until a time worthy of drinking wine gifted from the President of the United States.

“Every day I spend with you is worth celebrating.” Emma snorted. “And perhaps I found out some good news that I want to celebrate later.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“You’ll know soon enough.” The man had the audacity to wink. Asshole. “At any rate, I’m expected back at the office. I’ll see you tonight, love.” He placed a kiss on her cheek, and promptly darted off before she could attempt to ply him for more information. She had no idea of what he meant about ‘good news’. It wasn’t as if he was expecting a promotion. He already had a pretty ideal gig, and she knew he wasn’t planning on leaving for at least another year or two. She wondered if it had anything to do with any of the West Wing information he wasn’t allowed to share with her. Maybe it had nothing to do with work, but instead family. Maybe Liam and Elsa were expecting? They last time the couple visited, Elsa had confessed that they were trying to conceive.

God, they would have beautiful babies.

She and Killian had only discussed babies in the theoretical sort of way. It was something they both wanted, but at the current points in their careers, neither wanted to add the additional responsibility of caring for an infant. Besides, they weren’t married, or even engaged. Yet, a traitorous voice whispered in her eye.

Could that be Killian’s reason to celebrate? Was he planning on proposing? Emma pushed away the thought as quickly as it entered her mind. It was doubtful that Killian would propose on a random Wednesday night — he was far too dramatic for that sort of thing.. She walked back into her building somewhat in a daze and directly to the elevator, uncharacteristically forgetting to wave to Anton the Front Desk Security Guard. Now that she was thinking about Killian proposing, it was hard to get the idea out of her mind. Months ago, the thought of him dropping down to one knee would have, to quote Ruby, “sent her running to hills.” But now the idea made her feel warm inside, secure — and that was more terrifying than anything else. She’d always been a bit gun shy regarding interpersonal relationships. She could trace that flaw — because, though it was deserved, she still considered it a flaw -- back to the day she was born, to when her parents abandoned her on the side of road. She’d bounced from home-to-home after that, never really finding a place or close friends. She thought she had found one in Lily, but that went to hell. That lack of stability didn’t make for the most trusting of adults, even if things did work out in the end.

Emma honestly didn’t know where she would be had it not been for her final foster placement — the Nolans. David and Mary Margaret Nolan had welcomed her into their home with open arms. David was a state representative, so Emma was sure her placement had everything to do with wanting to score cheap political points instead of actually wanting to care for a disaffected teen.

Emma had never expected that she’d still be keeping the family photo Mary Margaret had insisted they take her first day with the family on her desk fifteen years later. And yet… The Nolans were not what she expected them to be.

She had assumed they’d be fake...plastic...only for show. She’d assumed Mary Margaret Nolan would have used to the family photo for some gain as a politician’s wife. But no, she was simply alarmingly sentimental. They asked about her favorite foods and books. Mary Margaret took her shopping for new clothes and assisted her with her homework. David filled her in on the inner-workings of government and secretly took her out for pizza whenever Mary Margaret was on a health kick.

They watched television shows together. Had family game nights. They offered help with homework. It was all so saccharine…

...which was why Emma attempted to screw it up as soon as she could. She’d learned before that even the “good” families never lasted. There was no use waiting around for them to kick her out, so she would force their hand. So, she stole a couple of watches from the pawnbroker in town. She made it so she would get caught, and caught she had been. Things were easier that way.

Only things didn’t turn out how she expected — par for the course of life with the Nolans.

David Nolan convincing Mr. Gold not to press charges hadn’t been a surprise — of course, he had to protect his optics. What surprised her was that they didn’t send her back. He should have sent her back. That’s what people like him and his wife were supposed to do. But they didn’t. The Nolans sat her down and had a long talk about it. They hugged her, like they were the family from fucking Full House. They also didn’t, however, let her off the hook completely.

They made her volunteer. “Community service,” they said. It would teach her a lesson while also giving her something to put on her college resume. (Because they actually cared about her getting into college.) So off Emma went to assist Mary Margaret in planning the Miner’s Day Festival — which she hated — and over the summer up the state capital to help David with constituent services.

“I don’t get why you do it,” Emma had said on day, watching as David mulled over the pros and cons of an upcoming pension bill.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not like most politicians, that’s all,” she’d replied. “You’re not soulless, like, you actually care.”

“Well, there’s your answer, Emma. I do it because I do care.” She remembered how he had sighed deeply and moved from his desk to sit by her side on the Nolan’s overlarge sofa. “I’m not in this for the money or fame, but because I believe this is the best way for me to make a difference, just like how Mary Margaret believes teaching is the best way for her to make a difference.”

“That’s pretty cheesy.”

“In the short amount of time that you’ve known me, when have I never not been cheesy?” The had been, and still was, “never.” David Nolan still encapsulated the concept of cheesiness well into retirement age as he did when he was younger. It had actually been him, and not Mary Mary Margaret, who bought the t-shirts emblazoned with “Nolan Family” on the back he insisted they all wear the day their adoption of Emma had finally gone through.

But even beyond the cheesiness, that conversation had always stuck in the back of Emma’s mind. How would I make a difference, Emma had pondered. She knew early on that she loathed teaching with every fiber of her being. Volunteering with David’s re-election campaigns never enthused her. It wasn’t until she was ‘forced’ to join a club — for which she chose Speech & Debate — that Emma found she was actually good at being persuasive. When she was accepted in college, she had decided to major in political science, because that was familiar. Soon, a path began to reveal itself to her, and after a couple of internships Emma knew how she would make a difference: lobbying.

Her career path was an odd mirror of David’s. Like him, she had chosen to work in field that was more or less considered a hive of scum and villainy, aiming to further line to the pockets of the top 1%. And, to a degree, that reputation was deserved. Many lobbyists did only care about corporate interests — but there were many who also advocated for prison reform, reductions in gun violence, healthcare reform, and the rights on minorities across the spectrum. The Queen Group, where she worked, tended to focus on lobbying for causes that primarily impacted women and children. Emma, herself, had successfully aided in lobbying for laws expanding the protection of victims of domestic and sexual abuse and increasing the adoption tax credit. This was how Emma made a difference, and she felt damn good about it.

“Hey Emma!” The eager voice of the firm’s top Policy Researcher, Belle French, pulled Emma abruptly from her thoughts. Belle approached her quickly, a stack of color-coded files in hand. “Here’s the stuff you requested. I think stats of trafficked kids might be particularly appealing to Senator Gold. You know how he gets about those things.” “Thanks, Belle. I really appreciate it.” Belle also wasn’t wrong in her assessment of Gold. He was a jackass tof the highest order, but Emma could also consistently count on him to sponsor or at least take interest in legislation dealing with children. And while supporting kids sounded like something everyone should agree on, the how of it was often a point of contention. “Do you have any information on a state-by-state breakdown? If we get some good stats on California, Fisher might also swing.”

“Will do.”

“What would I do without you?”

“Die, probably,” Belle replied with a wink. Emma wasn’t sure she could dispute that fact. “I’ll get that to you by COB.”

“You’re the best.” Emma weaved her way back to her desk, Killian’s whatever momentarily forgotten as she rant through a list of Representatives would might be open to listening about earmarking more money to efforts focused on curbing human trafficking. She was so focused on her thoughts, that by the time she got to her desk and dropped the stack of files and her phone down, Emma realized that she had missed two texts from Killian.

Heads up if you get any calls from the 202 code, don’t assume they’re spam. Please answer.

Followed by, in close succession:

I promise at least one won’t be spam.

Emma stared at her phone. What the hell was going on? Whatever it was involved someone from the local area code calling her, but what about? Knowing dwelling would do no good, and that she had too much work to do, Emma set her phone aside. That would be a ‘later’ problem —but she made sure to turn up her phone’s volume as not to miss a call.

An hour later as Emma working her way through her inbox, her cell began to ring, the default Apple ringtone startling her. Her screen indicated that it was an unfamiliar number, but from the 202 area code.

“Killian Jones, if this is spam, I’m going to murder you…” Emma muttered. She moved to close her office door, unsure of who was on the other line or what they were discussing before she answered. “Emma Swan speaking.”

“Emma? Hi, this is Mal Draco. How are you doing today?”

“Um, well, fine. Good. I’m good,” she sputtered. Mal Draco was the Director of Legislative Affairs at the White House. She was wicked smart with an incredibly impressive resume even ignoring her position within the Mills Administration. To Emma, she was sort of a professional role model — and Mal Draco was calling her. “How are you?”

“Excellent. I’m considering strangling Speaker Spencer, but what else is new?” She laughed, and Emma joined her, though she was sure her own voice sounded fake. “Listen, let’s cut to the chase. I’d like for you to take some time to come over to talk about the deputy position. I want as little time between Glass leaving and the new person coming on as possible. Is that something you would be interested in discussing?”

“Of course, yes, definitely.” Emma was sure if her heart was attached to a monitor, her pulse would be off the charts.

“Wonderful. I’ll have my assistant send you some times. I look forward to speaking with you. I’m particularly curious to hear your thoughts on the latest CR.”

“I have many.” Which was true. She had very many thoughts on the latest CR and what she thought the Democrats had to give up and what they should hold their ground on. “I look forward to speaking with you.”

“Same.” After exchanging a few final pleasantries, Mal Draco hung up on the other end of the line.

Emma leaned back in her office chair, her head spinning and heart pounding. Mal Draco, Director of Legislative Affairs at the fucking White House, wanted to discuss her soon-to-be open deputy position. It was her professional dream. She pinched herself to ensure that she wasn’t just doing that.

There was no way this could be real, could it? When news had gotten out that Draco’s deputy, Sidney Glass, was stepping down to take a Pharma lobbying position, she had entertained the idea -- as had practically every other Beltway lobbyist. But she never imagined…

“Holy fucking shit.”

Emma quickly opened her personal email account, where sure enough, a message from Draco’s assistant was sitting and waiting for answer. Emma cross-checked the the potential dates and times provided with her calendar, and fired an answer back. She would have to come up with an excuse explaining why she would be gone on Thursday afternoon, but that was doable. OBGYN appointment? No, people would assume she was pregnant. Dentist? People would absolutely know she was interviewing elsewhere. She had plenty of sick days saved up, but she had to ensure that she was seen lingering around the EEOB in professional attire. But that was just a small issue, dwarfed by the amazing opportunity that had fallen into her lap.

No, not fallen. She worked hard for this. She deserved this. She was Emma Swan. Potentially Emma Swan, deputy Director of Legislative Affairs. She liked the sound of that title.

She grabbed her phone.

You will never guess who just called me

Emma knew Killian was busy, and likely wouldn’t respond immediately, and she was correct. Another hour had passed by the time her phone began to buzz again. Emma was actually a little surprised that he was calling instead of texting, but she didn’t mind.

“Hey babe,” she greeted. She was still on cloud nine, and strategizing on what she could discuss with Draco. “Guess what?”

“Does what I’m guessing involve the Great Dragon of Capitol Hill?” His voice was teasing, though there was an undercurrent of pride; however, all Emma could focus on was that he apparently already knew she was getting the call.

“Um, yes, actually. It does.” She shouldn’t be surprised. He had warned her, without explicitly saying what it would be about. So why was a knot forming in her stomach. “She wants to talk to me about the deputy position.”

“That’s excellent, love! Truly. When Mal talked about it with me, I told her that—”

“Wait — you two discussed me?”

“Well, yes, why wouldn’t we?” he responded with a laugh. “No worries. I only said nice things and kept it decidedly PG.”

“I’m glad you didn’t tell the Director of Legislative Affairs about our sex life.” She kept her tone light, not wanting to let on that her excitement was quickly fading as their conversation continued. “Look, I’m a little busy at the moment, so maybe I can talk tonight?”

There was a pause. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just distracted by the CR, that’s all.” It was a lie, but she didn’t want to let on her feelings over the phone now. Besides, she actually was concerned about the upcoming CR vote.

“Aren’t we all?” Killian mused. “Well, I’ll let you go. Assuming that we don’t invade another country or a SCOTUS justice kicks it, we can celebrate.” His voice lowered. “And maybe rate things a little NC-17.”

“Reign it in, tiger. We don’t want the press pool assuming you’re trying to have sex talk in the oval. The last thing Regina needs is a sex scandal.”

“Look who’s worried about optics now. That’s usually my job.” Emma could practically hear his smile. “I love you, Emma.”

“I love you, too. Bye.”

Emma waited until the distinct sound of Killian ending the call before she sat her phone carefully on her desk. Her earlier giddiness had been replaced by a sense of gnawing self-doubt that she hadn’t landed the interview because of her credentials, but because of who she was sleeping with. She was well aware that politics was a “who you know” kind of field, built on networking and recommendations passed along. Hell, she been at one of those networking happy hours when she had met Killian. But still, she wanted Killian’s role in her maybe getting the job of a lifetime to be absolute zero.

Some might call it misplaced pride, but Emma considered it caring about her reputation. Politics as a whole was still a Good Old Boys club. She knew how people talked, especially when it involved women and sex. It had been one of the reasons why she’d initially been wary of even going out on a date with Killian, back when he was just the Communications Director to the Speaker of the House. She hadn’t wanted her integrity put into question. If she was sleeping with one Hill staffer, she was sure enough to get more passes and maybe the reputation that she slept with them all.

God, and with Killian being in the position he was in...he was the most public facing staffer. Even outside of the government-focused at the local universities, strangers people recognized him. Hashtags were dedicated to him. If she got a job at the White House, she wouldn’t be surprised if some blogger with an axe to grind with the administration would make a ‘thing’ out of it. What was even more maddening was that if their roles were reversed, she doubted anyone would question if Killian was the one who got the job.

“Fucking shit!” She slammed her hand against the desk.

Truth be told, Emma was also angry. Angry at the situation. Angry that Killian had talked to Mal Draco about her. Angry that she was dwelling on optics, and not on the amazing opportunity.

That anger carried over throughout the rest of the work day. She stayed late, partially because she wasn’t ready to head home, but also to prepare for a long day of meetings on the Hill the next day. It was cold when she left the building, the chill souring her mood even more. She took comfort in the fact that the late hour ensured she could find a seat on the metro. She attempted to read, as was her favorite pastime on the train, but her mind was far too distracted.

If she was offered the position, she would take it. There was no question about that. But she did not like the doubt that had seeded itself into her mind. She wanted to get by on her own merits. It was why she didn’t apply to the college her adoptive parents had attended, nor accept any internship opportunities back in Maine. She didn’t want to get by as David Nolan’s daughter, and she didn’t want to do the same as Killian Jones’ girlfriend. The many, many rom coms that Mary Margaret was obsessed with hadn’t prepared her for this.

She walked slowly from the metro station to the row house she and Killian rented together. She remembered when he had suggested moving in together. It had been the morning after Regina had won the election.

“I like this,” he had said that morning as he twisted his fingers through her hair. His voice had been thick with sleep, and God, they had both been so terribly hungover that morning. But they had been so happy.

“It’s called hair.”

“I meant waking up with you,” he’d replied. He then kissed her softly. “I would like to do it every morning.”

“Okay.”

“Yeah?” The surprise had been clear on his face, even has his smile dazzled. “Every morning?”

“Every morning.”

They had found a place during the transition. Killian had prioritized the Capitol Hill neighborhood, wooing her by pointing out that she could walk to the pretzel bakery she loved. They’d found a row house, its door painted bright red — “It’s your color, love,” Killian had teased. She always felt a bubble of warmth whenever she turned the corner and saw that house, and despite her foul feelings that night, she was unable to suppress a grin when she saw the lights shining bright in the winter night.

“Emma?” She heard Killian call out from the kitchen. Her favorite record was playing in the background. “Hope you don’t mind, but I picked up some Italian from that place in Bloomingdale! I ordered you the Saffron Mafalde.”

Also known as her favorite meal from her favorite restaurant in town. She had to remind herself that he was happy for her. The pride in his voice had been evident over the phone. He didn’t know about her tumultuous feelings. Emma hung up her keys and shed her coat, giving her a moment to brace herself a battle. She doubted he would understand.

“Emma, love?” Killian suddenly appeared before her, a bottle of wine in hand. He had long since changed out of the suit she saw him in this afternoon, and was now dressed in jeans and a dark sweater. He still wore his anchor socks, however. Killian, for as cool as he tried to appear, subscribed to the George H.W. Bush School of Patterned Socks. “What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a bit of an open book, darling,” he replied. His brows knitted in concern. “Did something happen at work? Is your family okay?”

Emma knew she that she should ask him to sit down so that they could calmly talk it out. That’s how David and Mary Margaret worked out their feelings. It was the mature way to handle conflict. Emma, however, wasn’t feeling particularly mature that night.

“Why the fuck would you talk to Mal Draco about me?” Her voice was louder than she intended it to be. “Look, I get that you want the best for me, and that’s nice—”

“Emma—”

“—but it’s important to me to get a job on my own merits. I want to be hired at the White House because I’m a fucking badass—”

“—you are a fucking badass—”

“—not because my boyfriend decided to pull some strings. My career and reputation are important to me—”

“I know.”

“—and having you going around and trying to hook me up with dream jobs isn’t what—”

“Emma, stop!” This time it was Killian who raised his voice. Emma abruptly stopped her argument, not fully surprised by Killian’s interjection. She watched as he sat down the bottle of wine on the entryway table, before he turned back to her and crossed his arms.

“For what it’s worth, I never once attempted to hook you up with a dream job. I knew you’d bite my head off if I even tried, which you are now,” he said pointedly.

“Then why did you say that you talked to Mal about it?”

“She was the one who talked to me about it. She thought I would find it interesting that you were at the top of their shortlist. And, just so you know, that reason I never told you that earlier was because I didn’t want you to accuse me of meddling,” Killian added. Emma’s anger was quickly dissipating, only to be replaced by regret. “She also wanted the Communication team to be aware of the situation, should anyone jump to conclusions...like yourself, apparently.”

She could feel Killian’s anger radiating hotly, even as his tone remain measured throughout the rest of his speech. “Killian, I--” The words died in her throat as she struggled to find the right words to say.

“At any rate, because you are such a ‘fucking badass’, I did pick up some dinner to celebrate, which is now probably getting cold. I don’t wish to argue any further, so let’s just eat.”

“Killian, come on.”

“Swan, you made you feelings apparent, and there’s nothing I can do to rectify that. So, please, let’s just have our dinner.”

She considered arguing further, but refrained. As dinner wore on, she realized she should have pushed for reheating the meal later. Conversation was stilted, and she could tell Killian was still wounded from her accusation. Besides…

“No offense to your boss, but this wine is not better than Two Buck Chuck...and it goes for a lot more.” Emma grimaced at the glass in her hand. So much for the Mills special label.

“It’s Three Buck Chuck now,” Killian corrected. He had a habit of going out of his way to correct her when he was annoyed. It was petty, and Emma hated it, but she let it go. “Besides, she’ll be your boss soon enough.”

“You don’t know that. I haven’t even sat down and interviewed with Mal yet,” Emma said as she stabbed rather forcefully at her pasta.

“You’ve got it. You know how these things go. This isn’t some hillternship. They wouldn’t bring you in if they weren’t serious, so unless you bungle it up significantly— which you won’t — you’ve got it.”

He was right. That was how these things went, which had only heightened her earlier excitement. This was almost certainly happening.

“So how long have you known I was up for the job?”

“Swan—“

“C’mon, you can at least tell me now,” she prodded. “Everything is already out there, and it’s not like this dinner is going super swell.”

He stared at her blankly for a moment before sighing deeply. “I’ve known for about a week. I didn’t know she was going to call you until this morning, however.”

“Which is why you were so giddy at lunch.”

“Which was why I was so giddy at lunch, yes,” he confirmed. “I was really looking forward to celebrating with you.”

“Until I fucked it up,” she replied, irritated.

“I really wish you didn’t put words in mouth. I never said that.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“You’re right. Sorry.”

The expression he gave her told her that he didn’t believe she was actually sorry, but he didn’t say it. He didn’t need to. He was being a bit of an ass, but it was reactionary. He honestly hadn’t started anything this time. Honestly, he’d been more blindsided than anything, something Emma regretted.

“Look, I get it, I know I’m the one who messed up tonight. I know that, Killian, and I truly am sorry about that,” she stressed. “I know I was being a bitch to you, but can you at least understand where I was coming from? Even you said that Mal was worried about the optics.”

“I just wish you would have trusted me not to interfere like that, love,” Killian replied. He tentatively reached out and grabbed her hand. “I know what your career means to you, and we’re honestly not worried about the optics. Your resume speaks for itself. That’s why they want you. We’ll also be in two completely different departments.”

“But still under the same White House.”

“Yes, still under the same White House. We’ll probably still have to meet with HR and fill out some paperwork, but it’s not like I’d be your boss and you my assistant. It’d all be above the board,” Killian answered. His expression shifted. “You want this, don’t you?”

“Are you kidding me? It’s The Dream,” she emphasized. “What political science nerd doesn’t dream of someday working at the White House? Jesus, I’ll have to figure out a way to tell David without him getting a gleeful heart attack.”

“They’ll be quite proud. I know I am,” Killian said, and Emma knew he meant it. “My girlfriend is going to work for the President.”

“That would be more impressive if you didn’t already work for her.”

“If you want to talk about optics, it’s honestly the kind of shit the press eats up. They’ll be having pools on when the Rose Garden wedding might be.”

“God, Mary Margaret would die.” She could just imagine it now, her parents flanking her sides as they escorted her down the makeshift aisle, Killian wearing a navy suit and smiling brilliant. She flushed when she noticed Killian staring at her with a twinkle in his eye. “Does the press really bet on that stuff?”

“When they’re bored,” he shrugged. “I’d rather them focus on that than trying to drudge up a pantsuit scandal.”

“I don’t even remember the last time I saw Regina in a pantsuit.”

“Exactly."

They laughed together, the earlier tension slowly dissipating into something more tender. Knowing there was more left to be said, she told him, “I really am sorry for freaking out at you. I recognize that wasn’t fair.”

“I appreciate the apology, and I do recognize that this is overwhelming. Remember when I first got my job?” Killian replied, his expression soft

“I believe you wore mismatched shoes immediately after you found out.”

“And I vomited in my office trash can both before and after my first briefing,” he said. He’d never told her that part. “I truly am looking forward to seeing what you accomplish for the administration. I have a feeling that you’re going to be extraordinary.”

“Going to be? I thought I already was extraordinary,” she said with a laugh. He called her that often enough. Extraordinary. Fantastic. Beautiful. All the adjectives in between.

“Haven’t you put me through enough tonight, woman?”

“Please, I’ve barely begun to put you through anything tonight,” Emma teased. She took triumph in the way his eyebrows practically disappeared into his hairline and the slight flush the colored his cheeks.

“Well then.”

“Someone did promise me that we’d make tonight a little NC-17."

“That I did.” He licked his lips. “Would that make this makeup sex or celebration sex?”

“Who says it can’t be both?” They both laughed as he chased her up the bedroom to truly celebrate the night.

[manning74mcguire-blog]

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