#also i like 100% believe she has ptsd- or at least symptoms- as a result of last resort and simple explanation

[greghatecrimes]

Did some ITD chapter planning during my lunch break. As a result I have this extremely specific image for like chapter five or six stuck in my mind: Thirteen waking up from a nightmare, gasping and disoriented, and House, who's been through this more than a handful of times in the months since she's moved in (and also dealt with Wilson having nightmares about the cancer/dying, and his own nightmares) telling her ever so gently: Thirteen. Look at me, I'm here. It's not real. You're okay.

[sage-nebula]

Some Steven Universe fandom salt I need to get off my chest below the cut. DO NOT reblog this under any circumstances, I don’t want to discourse about it, I just want to vent.

The fandom is ruining Spinel for me, mostly by virtue of using love and defense for her as a platform for more unwarranted hate for Lapis Lazuli.

At this point I should be used to the fact that Lapis attracts untoward amounts of unwarranted hate, and to an extent I am. When I saw people reacting with rage because she made an obvious joke about still being “on the fence” with regards to wanting to kill Steven (which should have been obvious it was a joke because she didn’t actually want to kill him in the first place!), I was disgusted, but not surprised. At the same time, though, it really, really grates on me that people are continuing to vilify Lapis, accusing her of everything from never recognizing her own flaws (incorrect) to being an abuser (MASSIVELY incorrect), while at the same time dismissing, downplaying, or excusing the actions of a character that Rebecca Sugar herself has said is toxic. 

Don’t misunderstand, what happened to Spinel was absolutely heartbreaking. The scene where Pink Diamond tricks her into staying in the garden is one that was, for me, reminiscent of when a dog is told to wait (or decides to wait) in one spot for their human to come back, only to wait forever because their human (usually unwillingly) never does. That Pink Diamond abandoned Spinel on purpose, not unlike how Damien abandoned Charmander in the PokéAni, made it really hard for me to get through, and made me furious at Pink Diamond. Of all the things Pink Diamond did, I think this is the one I personally can’t forgive her for.

But maybe it’s because I don’t personally relate to Spinel that I don’t think it at all justifies or makes her later actions understandable. Don’t get me wrong, I know full well what abandonment feels like. Unlike Spinel, I didn’t “happily” watch it happen, because I’m an incredibly perceptive person (who also happens to have Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria) and so I knew what was happening the entire time and as a result spent an entire summer in misery so profound I was sobbing myself to sleep almost every single night. I was in love with this woman, would have done anything for her, but all I could do was watch as our relationship completely fell apart because she never cared for me the same amount that I cared for her (i.e. even if she loved me the same amount but platonically it would have been fine, but she didn’t even when she claimed to). I know full well what it is to have my heart put through a meat grinder at the slowest speed possible and be able to do absolutely nothing to stop or change it, despite my best efforts. And again, I have Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria for a multitude of reasons (including past abuse), so it’s not as if that was a one-off experience for me. But the primary difference between myself and Spinel, apart from the fact that I knew what was happening and miserably watched as it did, is the fact that I never felt like hurting others just because I was hurt. I never wanted to hurt the woman I loved, even when she hurt me, because I loved her. And even in my moments of being angriest with her, I never wanted to hurt her because that’s just not who I am. Don’t get me wrong, I’m assertive at best and I’ve been known to throw hands curled into fists when the situation calls for it. But even in moments of flash-pan anger, I usually catch myself when my first is raised and stop (such as when a friend of mine who, because of a misunderstanding she had about me, wrote me a letter to tell me I was just like my abusive mother, whom she knew nothing about, and I---barely a year out of that hellhole---raised a fist to deck her . . . but then put it down and stormed off because I was furious, absolutely livid, but still didn’t want to cause hurt if I could avoid it). I don’t want to hurt others. I’d rather people who don’t like each other, myself included, to just leave each other alone rather than chase down and cause pain. Spinel is the opposite. Spinel was hurt, and hurt a great deal, and her reaction to that was to chase down people she knew weren’t involved and knew had nothing to do with it (e.g. she addresses Steven as “Steven Universe,” and says in her song, “. . . the loser of a game you didn’t know you were playing”) so that she could hurt them. It’s not just that she wanted revenge on the one who hurt her, something she knew was impossible; it was that she wanted to bring pain unto those who weren’t even involved, which is something I can’t relate to, because I’ve never wanted to do that. 

All of this does not mean that I think that Spinel is irredeemable or shouldn’t get a shot at a happy ending, because I don’t think that at all. Setting aside the fact that this is Steven Universe, a world where everyone can be redeemed if they want to be, I don’t think Spinel has done anything so heinous that she should never be forgiven, particularly in light of what she has been through (and why she went through that, which goes all the way back to the problems with the Gem hierarchy, et cetera). But it does mean that if we’re going to talk about characters who are (or were, but I don’t think Spinel is in a place where she’s going to be able to truly heal and grow at the end of the movie because the Diamonds don’t really encourage that sort of thing, and I think that will come back into play in season six and beyond) toxic, if we’re going to talk about characters who did terrible things for terrible reasons, then in the context of this show Spinel is going to top the list, next to characters like the Diamonds. It doesn’t mean she should be hated, but given that Sugar said that she wanted to show the toxicity and ridiculousness of taking out your pain and anger on those who had nothing to do with it with Spinel, ignoring that is . . . well, ridiculous.

But that said, all of that I could let slide if not for the fact that people were contorting themselves to reach for reasons to defend Spinel’s actions while simultaneously continuing to insist that Lapis is a selfish, abusive monster, when she is anything but. Setting aside Lapis’ own backstory, which to be honest is still worse than Spinel’s (sent to Earth to be part of the war when she was a terraformer and not a soldier; got poofed as a result; got captured by Homeworld, imprisoned in a mirror, and interrogated because they believed she was a Crystal Gem and would not believe her when she told them she wasn’t; was abandoned---still in the mirror---on the warp pad and got her gem cracked as the others escaped; was picked up by the Crystal Gems who knew she was in the mirror yet left her imprisoned for 5000 years and regarded her as an “it,” a tool to be used, and worst of all tried to stop Steven from freeing her; finally gets a chance to go back home only to be immediately captured by Homeworld again because they believed her to be allied (or at least have information on) the Crystal Gems again; accosted by Jasper when she tried to escape so Jasper could force her into a fusion; “chose” to fuse with Jasper to save Steven (it’s not much of a choice if there’s a metaphorical gun to a loved one’s head); kept in a toxic, abusive fusion at the bottom of the ocean for months with no hope of reprieve, only leaving the fusion when she was literally too exhausted to hold Jasper back any longer), Lapis never actually wanted to hurt anyone apart from Jasper, and that was only when they were already in the fusion and Jasper was hurting her, so Lapis wanted to hurt Jasper back to have some sort of mental / emotional reprieve from what was going on (which does not make it right, which Lapis herself acknowledges and recognizes in “Alone at Sea”, but she was trapped in a situation with no foreseeable escape, and Jasper was 100% the source of the situation she was in). All Lapis wanted to do was be left alone to live in peace. That’s it. When she fights Steven, the Crystal Gems, Connie, and Greg in “Ocean Gem”, she fights them because they come to her and refuse to leave (well, and because the Crystal Gems, as stated, kept her trapped in a mirror for 5000 years and regarded her as a tool to be used, i.e., they were very much the people who hurt her, or at least some of the people who hurt her). The situation with Jasper, as stated, was a mutually toxic relationship that Jasper herself instigated when she grabbed Lapis’ ankle was Lapis tried to escape and refused to let her leave, insisting they fuse instead (and, later, when Jasper wants to get back in that relationship, Lapis rebuffs her again and again because she doesn’t want to, she doesn’t want to go back to that, she just wants Jasper to leave her alone). Lapis had no idea that Peridot was withholding information to “keep her happy,” and in fact expresses shock and upset when she learns this, and again, chose to leave rather than stay and face the Diamonds or continue to conflict with Peridot.  Even when someone is triggering symptoms of her own complex post-traumatic stress disorder, such as Navy in “Room for Ruby”, Lapis removes herself from the situation as quickly as she can to avoid lashing out at / hurting Navy. Over and over again, Lapis only fights when backed into a corner.  This only changes when she returns and drops the barn on Blue Diamond. Then she did intend to hurt someone, but once more, Blue Diamond was the one who started the conflict to begin with.

So to see Lapis continuously vilified for her very real symptoms of C-PTSD (one of the best damn representations of it that I’ve seen in recent times, at that), particularly when she’s acknowledged her own faults, when she tries to avoid hurting others whenever she can, when she apologizes when she makes mistakes (e.g. when she almost smashed Peridot’s tablet because she thought Steven was trapped inside, just as she was trapped in the mirror, in that one short), while a character who actively wanted to hurt others who had nothing to do with her issues, hunted them down in order to do so, and continued to try even after realizing that what she was doing was wrong once already . . . is incredibly frustrating to me, and is really souring me on Spinel’s character. I wouldn’t care so much that people were downplaying or ignoring Spinel’s actions if they weren’t bashing Lapis in the same breath, but so far my experience has been that I cannot look at the notes on a single Spinel meta without someone taking the opportunity to bash Lapis once again. Particularly considering the fact that I do find Lapis to be quite relatable (right down to her deadpan humor; “I’m still on the fence” is a joke I would make), it really stings.

In the end I know none of this truly matters, in the sense that this is a cartoon and people’s opinions on it aren’t going to affect the world one way or another. But it’s still something I needed to get off my chest. Again, I don’t think Spinel is truly evil, that she’s undeserving of redemption, or any other nonsense like that. I don’t think she’s going to get the development she needs with the Diamonds, because they don’t encourage that kind of growth and immediately latching on to someone new can’t be good for her, but maybe at some point she’ll get what she needs, and I hope that she does in the future. But I do think that what she did was wrong, and toxic, and that she was definitely one of the most outright villainous characters we’ve seen on the show yet, second to the Diamonds (all four of them, imo) themselves. And I really think that nothing Lapis ever did came even close to what Spinel pulled, or wanted to pull, and the fact that so many in this fandom want to claim otherwise just . . . really makes me feel some kind of way.

Once again, do NOT reblog this, this is a vent post, I don’t want discourse, thanks.

[chromsai]

Sai, I just went and watched Yugioh Everything's video on Yusaku and Aoi having Autism and Depresson, respectively. While he makes some solids points and I agree with them having mental problems, he basically said Vrains is the first yugioh to talk about 'such dark topics.' If your up to it could you bring up some characters in previous ygo series (Arc-V or all your choice) that implied to have mental problems cause Vrains is not the first by a long shot lmao.

Lmao sorry this answer is kinda late since the past few days have been busy for me and ironically enough you sent this right when I just got back from a grad school info session (regarding psych programs ofc) which made me realize I kinda wanna pursue a career more along research in the field of abnormal psychology which is one of my stronger areas of knowledge in psychology already anyway. I just really like it that much.

So yeah I did see this ask like almost right when you sent it but it was late and I had just gotten home after a nice day and YE’s videos haven’t been making me too happy lately so ofc sorry I kinda avoided watching it that night cuz I didn’t wanna ruin my nice day (just in case). But now that I watched it, well as far as I can remember he didn’t outright say that this is the first time a Yugioh’s dealt with these issues before (but I can see how you got that he perhaps implied it).

That all being said, I still have just a, I’d say, general yet above-average knowledge in these subjects (hey I have a degree in Psych, yes, but that doesn’t make me an expert by any means and I’m not afraid to say that, hell I love learning new things about psych all the time) so please keep that in mind (also please keep in mind too that I cannot professionally diagnose anyone, but for the sake of discussion about the psychology in fiction, I can definitely give my thoughts on what would be the most probably diagnosis for certain characters). Besides that though, if YE does actually believe that this is the first time these kinds of issues have ever been dealt with in Yugioh, well wow idk how much he’s been paying attention before this...

(Long read with further examples + explanations from characters in each series under the cut)

Regarding his statements on the Vrains characters and the disorders he mentioned, I’ll give it to him. In fact, I too am pretty sure by now that all of Yusaku’s “quirks” point to Autism, though, and YE didn’t mention this so idk how knowledgeable he is regarding other personality disorders, he also seems to show symptoms of OCPD (obsessive-compulsive); these include being obsessed or preoccupied with making lists and keeping track of small details, over preoccupation with work or meeting goals to the point of neglecting your social life or forming close relations, unwillingness to see ethics or values in someone else�� light, being stubborn, etc. Wouldn’t surprise me if he has both since there’s a high co-morbidity between ASD and OCPD.

In regards to Aoi, again yes I agree. Girl has depression. It’s very obvious (this I can say with confidence as someone who has suffered previously from it [note: I sought help and let’s just say I’m very glad I did]. The Paranoid Personality Disorder... (I’m gonna be honest.... I didn’t pay enough attention to Aoi’s character enough to determine a firmer answer and I don’t really feel like rewatching the ep). According to him, it’s a possible thing. He did mention that she could just be acting that way because her whole entire life she’s been kinda used so she has a general distrust of people, but that’s just the thing. If in fact he’s correct about her symptoms matching up, it doesn’t necessarily matter if she’s acting this way due to her childhood trauma, in fact, that’s even more reason to validate her suffering from PPD (another area I feel more confident about in psych is child/adolescent development and hey guess what, lots of personality disorder symptoms start showing up during childhood or are even a direct cause of childhood trauma).

Speaking of childhood trauma, you wanted to know characters from other series that have mental illnesses/suffer from personality disorders? Well... (*cough cough* as a psychologist, why do you think I enjoyed Arc V so much?)...Here’s a quick list of just a few select characters I can think of:Arc V:-Yuya (remember, the childhood trauma I mentioned): Oh my poor boy suffers from dysthymia. Again, I’m pretty confident here because I can relate (because I suffer from it too ahaha). While we don’t know exactly for how long, it’s been at least three years with it (ugh) since his father’s disappearance and all the bullying. He shows so many signs of it throughout the show (it would be pointless to get screencaps because the signs are literally everywhere): dysthymia (sometimes called “persistent depressive disorder”) is noted by sadness, anger, irritability, mood swings, loss of appetite, insomnia (did you notice in Synchro when we was feeling depressed in his room he didn’t eat at all and stayed up all night despite being noticeably tired), indecisiveness, low self-esteem, among others. I’m sure people might argue against me, trying to say “oh well he’s energetic for the most part and still smiles a lot” well guess what, there’s lots of entertainers, comedians, performers, and just overall really sociable people who do a terrifyingly good job hiding it.I saw someone once mention that they headcanoned Yuya also has Histrionic Personality Disorder and well... he actually does show signs of it but not so much that he actually meets criteria. Even for being an entertainer tho, he shows this more than the others (either Dennis, Yuzu, or even Yusho), but again, can’t be diagnosed with it.Lastly, and this is more of a post-canon thought regarding the prognosis of his mental health... he’s definitely gonna deal with some dissociative symptoms for the rest of his life (or until somehow, some way they find a way to separate him and the other Yuus, and even then still...). There is just no way in hell you can convince me that he’s not gonna experience dissociation on a regular basis with 3 other people living inside him. Same goes for Yuzu. (Side note: RIP my heart.)

-Shun: He suffers from PTSD. Oh man he’s kind of textbook PTSD: irritableness, mistrust, social issolation, flashbacks, hostility, fear, anxiety, paranoia, agitation, hyper-vigilance, etc. (I’d also say Yuto and Kaito suffer this too).

-Reria: Also suffers from PTSD, but since Reira is much younger, coping with childhood PTSD is a lot harder and leads to more frequent panic attacks, flashbacks, intrusive or unwanted thoughts, nightmares, avoidant behavior, etc.

-Yuri: Conduct Disorder, aka the precursor to Antisocial Personality Disorder. He’s 14 so he can’t really be diagnosed as the second. Anyways, what really tipped me off about him having this is his blatant disregard for any remorse towards harming others. He just doesn’t feel it. On the contrary, he straight up says he enjoys it, says he needs it “just like breathing”, he’s an overall really violent kid and starts fights with literally anyone that gets in his way (like... it’s even his catchphrase “You’re in my way!”), has no knows long term close relationships with anyone (reeaaally wish they had given us more of him and Dennis together tho...), and he’s known to deceive, trick, or lie to others with no guilt at all. (He’s also seen as similar to past villains of Yugioh, outright disproving the implication that Vrains is the first Yugioh to deal with personality or mental disorder issues).

-Zarc: Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Again, another textbook example. And yes, similar to Aoi’s possible Paranoid Personality Disorder, this is canonically induced into his personality as a result of the society he lived in praising his violent duel style and eventual lust for power due in part to the same reason. But just because it was induced due to circumstance doesn’t make it any less valid. It’s another form of trauma, just like Aoi’s whole “being used all her life” led her to develop PDD.

And well there’s more examples in Arc V (you can also argue that Shingo also suffers from NPD to some extent, etc.) but I think those are the biggest ones I can think of right now.

And of course, though I’ve seen them all, I know Arc V the best + it’s just the one that’s in my most recent memory so it’s easier to talk about them, but some other quick examples from the series that I can think of:

DM:-Kaiba: Again, Narcissistic Personality Disorder.-Marik: I think he’s a strong candidate for being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (at least the way his villainous arc portrayed him as).-Bakura: Actually an adult so actual Antisocial Personality Disorder.

GX:-Judai: Depression & Dissociation. Yep.-Ryo Marufuji/Hell Kaiser: Definitely could argue that he displays signs of Sadisitic Personality Disorder, just keep in mind that it is no longer included in the DSM-V so it is not something someone would be typically diagnosed with professionally.-Manjoume: Another Narcissist.

5D’s:-Jack Atlas: Okay so he’s more of an accurate example of Histrionic Personality Disorder, minus the sexual criteria (which, if the Yugioh anime genre/audience allowed, I’m sure would be plausible since he also displays signs of NPD, implying that he might actually want that kind of physical/superficial attention).-Aki: Also like Aoi, displayed symptoms of PPD, though I’d argue she definitely has it and just learns to cope over time after befriending Yusei & co.-Sherry: Shows signs of high functioning ASD (being perfectionist and being obsessed with finding out about her parents murder), but ASD isn’t something I’m too confident talking about yet so maybe don’t quote me on this.-Divine: I’d say you can argue he’s has Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Zexal:-Vector: Another one with.... I mean... he’s not really 13 or 14, he’s actually, what, like 100s of years old? So instead of Conduct Disorder, he actually has Antisocial... technically...-Fuya: OOOOOHHHH You thought I wouldn’t remember a character like him??? (Again, as a psychologist, these are the characters I like the most). He’s memorable to me, despite being a minor character, cuz I’d say he definitely displays signs of having Avoidant Personality Disorder, especially with regards to using his Esper Robin personality to avoid all those intrusive, self-conscious thoughts he doesn’t find pleasant.-Shark/Ryoga/Nasch: Also has PTSD.-IV: He’s borderline Antisocial. Not quite. But almost there.

OOOKAYY Well anyways, those were just a bunch of examples. There’s way more, I’m sure that I missed A TON. But yes it’s as you said, Vrains is definitely NOT the first time in Yugioh history where characters have had to struggle with mental health / personality disorder issues. Far from it.

And wow actually thank you for the ask! This was really fun to think about and I welcome the discussion any time! Anyone, don’t be afraid to let me know if there’s stuff I might have left out or if there’s anything wrong with this or any arguments for or against any of this.

[mrlongkgraves]

Hurricane Michael stuns but doesn’t sideline nurses

North Florida hospitals and healthcare facilities took a hard hit Oct. 10 when Hurricane Michael, a category 4 storm with 155-mile-an-hour winds, made landfall on Florida’s Panhandle.

But nurses were ready with disaster plans designed to help them push through the trying times.

Hospitals were powerless against the storm’s fury. Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart in Panama City sustained severe damage from the storm and had to evacuate hundreds of patients, including ICU patients, according to a statement by the hospital.

The devastation was far reaching, with weather warnings or watches issued at Alabama’s border and the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas. But Florida endured the brunt, with the landfall location, Mexico Beach, being all but wiped off the map. Time.com reported that Hurricane Michael killed at least 20 people in Florida, alone.

The state’s capitol Tallahassee, which is about 100 miles from where the storm made landfall, suffered damage to buildings, roads, trees and the power grid.

Barbara Alford, RN

Barbara Alford, MSN, RN, CNO at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, was part of the team of nurses working on-site during the storm. Alford said all nursing units at the hospital implemented emergency preparedness and surge plans, and activated the Alpha and Bravo nurse teams.

“Before the storm, we have the Alpha nurses go home and pack a bag with 48 to 72 hours of personal hygiene products and supplies,” Alford said. “While Alpha is active in the hospital, the Bravo shift goes home and prepares to come and relieve them once the roads are open and it’s safe.”

Alford, who was on the Alpha team during Hurricane Michael, was at the hospital before, during and after any natural disaster.

“From a patient care perspective, there is no difference before, during or after Hurricane Michael,” she said. “Our nursing units are dedicated to providing the same high-quality care day in and day out.”

Tallahassee Memorial stayed open and remained fully operational throughout the storm. “We provided food, sleeping arrangements, child care, etc., to nursing colleagues,” Alford said.

The hospital, which serves 17 counties, has been busy in the weeks following the storm helping other hospitals that didn’t fare as well.

“Three hospitals in western counties were damaged or devastated during the storm and now we’re doing everything we can to support them, as we all work to rebuild and recover from Hurricane Michael across the Panhandle,” she said.

“Characteristics that bring people into the nursing profession are those same characteristics nurses have exhibited throughout this emergency — a spirit of teamwork, compassion, caring for and helping others,” Alford continued. “Nursing units are going above and beyond and volunteering in areas of housekeeping, bed assignments, transportation services, etc., just to lend a helping hand in a time of crisis. They’re really at their best during a disaster, and I truly believe they’re called to care.”

Alford said flexibility is important during a disaster.

“You think you are doing one thing, but at the drop of a hat completely switch gears, refocus and move forward with resiliency,” she said.

Prepare for anything

Mandy Hale, RN

Natural disasters can happen anytime and health organizations have to be prepared.

Mandy Hale, MSN, MBA, RN, vice president of nursing at DaVita Kidney Care dialysis clinics, oversees the organization’s 18,000 nurses — about 2,600 of which were affected by Hurricane Michael.

DaVita activated its emergency response plan in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia in the days leading up to when Hurricane Michael made landfall.

The organization deployed water tankers, fuel tankers, generators, supplies and medication to help ensure the centers could treat patients as quickly as possible post-storm.

“To dialyze patients, you actually have to have dialysis-safe water,” Hale said. “We bring in water trucks and run the water through filtration systems to be sure our patients can have dialysis the second our facilities get up and running again.”

Hale provides support in various forms before, during and after disasters, so the nurses can care for patients, she said. Part of that is preparing patients way ahead of time.

“We remind our patients as hurricane season approaches every year what they should do to keep themselves safe,” she said. “They should have three days of kidney-friendly foods available to them. We also make sure our patients have a paper copy of their dialysis prescription.”

DaVita gives patients and even nonpatients access to an 800-number hotline, which connects them to open dialysis facilities for treatment.

“We help our nurses as well as our patients identify safe shelters,” Hale said.

Call in reinforcements

DaVita also deploys generators for staff nurses to put in their homes, and sends nurses from around the country to the affected area to help when natural disasters strike.

Even if those nurses can’t practice because they aren’t licensed in the state, they’ll help local nurses get their homes in order so the local nurses can care for patients, according to Hale.

“That takes quite a bit of logistical energy,” Hale said. “We do that right away. Our nurses collaborate very closely with our physicians. Patients generally have predetermined dialysis schedules. So, we collaborate with our physicians to prioritize care for our patients when their schedules get disrupted.”

DaVita has locations in Panama City, which was among the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Michael.

An Orlando Sentinel reporter traveling to Panama City nearly two weeks after the hurricane made landfall described driving into Panama City as a “journey into total destruction.”

Susan Safdari-Sadaloo, LPN

Panama City resident Susan Safdari-Sadaloo, LPN, a peritoneal dialysis nurse at DaVita Lynn Haven Dialysis Center in Panama City, Fla., was scrambling to find dialysis patients and fellow staff.

In the days following the storm, Safdari-Sadaloo says it was difficult to get anywhere. “I was climbing over trees and powerlines,” she said. “Luckily, we found every teammate and patient.”

Communication was an issue because phone lines were down, so Sadaloo used prepaid phones to try and make contact with patients and staff.

Even getting to the DaVita facility, which was closed for two days post-hurricane because of a power outage and water-related problems, proved difficult after the storm. Her 30-minute commute turned into a 2.5-to-3-hour ordeal.

Like many nurses working in areas devastated by Hurricane Michael, Safdari-Sadaloo suffered losses. But personal loss hasn’t stopped her from trying to comfort others.

“I live on the beach and have a couple businesses in the Panama City area, so I was also trying to assess damage, as were many of my teammates,” she said. “I tell my teammates that have lost everything that objects can be replaced, but lives cannot. I try to comfort everyone that I can.”

  Takes these courses on disaster planning:

RNs Shelter Victims of Disaster (1 contact hr) Never in the history of the U.S. has disaster preparation and response been as vital as it is today. Disasters are frequently classified as manmade or from natural causes. In addition to the threat of manmade disasters — such as terrorist attacks — and natural disasters — such as fires, floods and earthquakes — the focus of disaster preparation has grown to include emerging infectious diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and avian influenza. This module will help nurses better understand the role of Red Cross nurses during major disasters and help nurses decide whether DHS nursing may be where they can best contribute their time and talents to help their fellow citizens.

Protecting Seniors in Disasters (1 contact hr) Major disasters affect everyone, but the senior population is particularly vulnerable to their devastating effects. Of the about 1,200 people who died in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, 74% were older than age 60, and 50% of those were older than age 75. Those who survived experienced stressful and sometimes inappropriate displacement and often a significant decline in health and functioning. Similar disproportionate deaths among seniors have been documented in other natural disasters. This module will inform nurses about how they can help protect the health and lives of older Americans when they are faced with disaster.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Part 2 — Interventions (1 contact hr) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) indicates at some point in their lives, 7% to 8% of the U.S. population will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, although more than half will experience a trauma. During any given year, about 8 million adults are diagnosed with PTSD. Trauma — whether resulting from a natural disaster (such as floods and fires) or human-made catastrophes — produces psychological as well as physical wounding. This educational activity will discuss management of PTSD-related symptoms.

The post Hurricane Michael stuns but doesn’t sideline nurses appeared first on Nursing News, Stories & Articles.

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[stimmy-chloe]

I still have thoughts regarding this whole thing. *Cue audience groaning*

I suffered so much after that night. I couldn’t handle monthly anniversaries for about the first 6 months after. The first anniversary, when it marked a month, I was literally convinced he was going to come back. I’m surprised I didn’t give myself a panic attack that night.

Forget me; we all suffered. Dad didn’t sleep for a while after that night. I don’t know how long, but I do know it was to the point of where he was having hallucinations. Kaiya developed social anxiety after that night and it appears she still fights it to this day. It’s almost definite she has PTSD as a result of that night as well (it makes a shit ton of sense, to say the least), but she’s been scared to visit a therapist and she’s only recently very reluctantly agreed to see one if I’m recalling correctly. Everything... caused stress to boil over for Mom. I imagine it played a role in her having to pay a visit to the mental hospital later on that year.

We isolated ourselves; I’m not kidding. Kaiya and I dropped out of girl scouts for multiple reasons that summer. I withdrew from all of my friends (hence why I was especially active during that summer. My way of coping, I guess). Social interaction often gave Kaiya panic attacks and drained me, causing "borderline-meltdowns” multiple times. Of course, what is the logical solution? To avoid the outside world and stay in the computer room and our room at all times, of course! I only really left for therapist appointments and later that summer, for trips to a pool and such with quite a bit of reluctance. I don’t think Kaiya left the house at all that much.

And the most freaky thing about all this is that he was going after some woman that he supposedly stalked and assaulted (stalking charges have been dropped due to lack of evidence, I believe. She’s got a restraining order against him, however, so It’s All Good). He just had the wrong house, so to say.

If I could say one thing to Him(tm)... I don’t know what I’d say, really. I have multiple ideas; “On behalf of everyone involved, fuck you” and “I hope they throw you behind bars. You deserve it” are the first two that come to mind. If I’m honest, if he ever set a foot near Kai, I’d be more than willing to actually tear him apart; and I probably would.

I’ve suffered a lot since this time. The consequences of autistic burnout still remain, as much as they have eased up. I’ve overcome most PTSD symptoms and the remainder of them are currently mostly in remission, but they, of course, could relapse any day. I believe this has played an indirect role in my depression. I feel unsafe in my room at night and when I’m home alone; I think it’s safe to say that the home invasion takes the blame for this type of anxiety. I haven’t been the same since then and I doubt I’m about to be. I can be like myself before then, but I’ll never be 100% me before then again; I’ve accepted this.

It still fucks me up when I think about how if something had been even slightly different, I really could’ve lost Kai that night- or Mom or Dad.

And it also fucks me up when I think about the fact I could’ve died that night, especially looking at my life as of right now; I could’ve missed out on all of this, all of you guys.

I’d say there are some good aspects to this, however. When we returned home on the 10th, I had it hit me that I really could’ve died then and that I have only this life. I hopped onto this Tumblr blog, finally managed to Say The Words “I’m autistic!”, and from then on, things have kinda grown and such.

I think the home invasion has taught me to appreciate the good things in my life more; I think my appreciation of these things has grown since then, in fact. I could’ve lost that all easily. But I didn’t; and I’m going to appreciate it while I can, because who knows when I’ll go?

I tried my best to never let him win; and I ain’t about to. That fuck-face can burn. I’ll be around to enjoy the warmth of the fire and groan at Kai’s puns involving it.

I don’t know if I have a favorite aspect of this shitty once-in-a-lifetime event, but I guess I can name a few possible candidates. Perhaps it’s how authentic I’ve tried to be since then or how I’m sure my empathy has likely grown following this or how loving I can be towards the people in my life.

I definitely have one big favorite aspect, however; and it’s saving not only that woman’s life, but her then-unborn baby boy’s life.

[sage-nebula]

Top 10 pokeani characters

Alan --- Surprising absolutely no one, especially since he’s my favorite character from anything ever, Alan tops the list. I cry and cry and ride and die for how much I love him. I’ll scream it from the rooftops, I’ll write it with a plane, I will find a way to design it in fireworks and I will love him ten times more fiercely for every ounce of ridiculous hate he gets. Alan is my light, my life, my love, my everything. I adore every part of this boy and probably always will.[deep breath]More specifically, I love so, so, so much of what Alan is. I love how absolutely determined (and he is, he’s a DETERMINATOR and that’s a big part of why Lysandre “liked” him so much!) he is, how his sheer determination to carry on and keep walking the path toward his goals is a big part of his character. I love how brave and courageous he is, how although that can easily slide into recklessness when people (especially those he loves) are in danger, he will still face the destruction of the world head on because it is the Right Thing to do. Alan is a Gryffindor, undoubtedly and absolutely, and his bravery and chivalry (as in knight code---I explain it in the linked essay) absolutely shine. Alan cares not just for his precious people, but for everyone. He cares about and wants to protect the whole damn world if possible, it’s just that sometimes he gets in over his head in his attempts. But oh, does he try. He tries so very, very hard. (To the point where, honestly, this conversation could take place:Person: “Alan, what are you doing?”Alan: “My best.”And tbh it would be 100% believable.)He’s incredibly intelligent, incorporating real-world strategies into his pokémon’s movesets and into his battles, and is shown to be pretty adept at thinking on his feet and coming up with solutions on the fly. He’s compassionate and kind, and just can’t let it go if someone needs assistance. Although he’s very intelligent and very strong, he’s not arrogant, and in fact we see on multiple occasions that pretentious, arrogant behavior actually annoys him and makes him quick to dislike people. And all of these things make him a very relatable character to me, because honestly, same, but I also find him to be extremely relatable because he is a character who has been abused, shows clear symptoms of C-PTSD as a result of that abuse, and who exhibits C-PTSD in very much the same fashion I do. I’ve never related to a fictional character the way I relate to Alan and I’m honestly so, so very grateful that he exists. Light of my life, quite honestly.I could on for like . . . twelve more paragraphs, but I’ll stop there. Alan is my favorite for everything ever, and definitely tops this list. My love for him is ineffable. I’ll leave it at that.

Ash Ketchum --- However, Ashy-boy is still at number two! And while I do love all versions of Ash forever, I think I should probably specify here that the Ash I really mean, the Ash in my heart, will always be the Ash from the OS. See, the thing is . . . as the seasons went on, I feel like they’ve taken the Ash that we had in the OS, and hyper-focused on certain characteristics there for entire sagas, ignoring everything else. In the XY&Z series they focused on his heroism, his idealism, and his bravery; the one time we were allowed to see him feel down and sulky about his recent loss-streak, he was punished for it and readily adopted a smile back in place by the end of the episode. In the SunMoon series, meanwhile, it seems like they’re focusing on his exuberance and his childlike awe and wonder for the world. And those traits, just like his heroism and bravery, are great traits! And he is ten and should be allowed to act like it (he didn’t in the XY&Z series, tbh---he acted more like he was 13/14). But again, there’s more to him than just that. He is, or at least he used to be, more well-rounded than that.People complain about OS!Ash losing battles or flailing his way through life, and let’s be honest: He did a lot of flailing back then. But I also feel that we saw so many more dimensions to Ash’s character back then. I mean, looking at the first episode alone:- He was idealistic and optimistic and excitable and full of awe and wonder when it came to the mere idea of starting his journey, but similarly when he met Pikachu for the first time (“Oh he’s so cute! He’s the best one of them all!”), and when he saw wild pokémon such as pidgey and rattata. - He was heroic and brave when he shielded Pikachu with his own body and faced down each and every spearow without flinching.- He was feisty and ready to fight both when Gary pissed him off, and when the spearow flock attacked once again.- He was aggravated and a snarky little sassmouth right back at Pikachu when Pikachu was, well, being a brat as well. - His eyes shined he was so happy when Pikachu finally licked his chin.And I could go on. Ash---the Ash I know and love---has so many dimensions to him. He can be excitable and cheerful sometimes, petulant and surly at others, righteous and determined at still others, uncertain and afraid at others, optimistic and confident at others, and depressed and broody at others. Part of Ash’s characterization is that his temperament was somewhat mercurial; he could go through a range of emotions throughout an episode depending on the situation. He was compassionate and all-loving toward pokémon from day one, but he also had his moments of screwing up, such as when he insulted practically everyone in Celadon City by insulting perfume and then refused to apologize about it (and then decided to cross-dress to sneak into the Celadon Gym . . . oh Ash). He didn’t flinch once as he led the originals back out to face Mewtwo in the first movie, but when faced with the pressure of being the Chosen One to save the world in the second, he was noticeably afraid. (“Right now I wish my mom had named me Bob.” Oh Ash. That’s a dub only line, I’m sure of it, but so good.) I still think that this Ash is in the Ashes we see nowadays---I still consider this to be his characterization regardless of what the show says, tbh, just more mature as time goes on---but either way, he’ll always be my Ash. The Ash who makes silly puns (“Maybe it’s a cowterpie!”), who can be absolutely savage with his insults (“Aside from you, what are the other two most disgusting things?”), who loves all pokémon but still doesn’t get why Misty thinks tentacool and tentacruel are cute. And by the way, fuck the haters, because he’s an excellent trainer, and I’ll stand by that.Alan may be my favorite, but Ash is still a close second and always will be. I love him. 

Lizardon --- Of course I cannot mention one of my dragon sons without mentioning the other. I love Lizardon (and it should be obvious, but just in case---I’m speaking specifically about Alan’s charizard, here). I love Lizardon for who he is as well as what he has done to reshape the image of charizard that fandom (and Nintendo themselves!) have held onto for so long. Because while Lizardon is proud of his power, while he is just as determined as his platonic soulmate, and while he likes battling just as much as Alan does, he also loves to be petted, loves to be cuddled, gets really happy and croons when he is praised (or outright cheers when he gets his medal at the end of the series). Lizardon is generally very friendly and open. He loves battling and is confident in his abilities, sure, but off the battlefield he’s a complete sweetheart and he’s not afraid to show it. (And I love the heavy implication that he is male, too, due to the language Alan uses to address him, because boys can be sweethearts! Boys can love cuddles! Boys can like snuggling! Just because he’s a big boy dragon doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate these things---look at Toothless from Dreamworks Dragons! Toothless is once called “big baby boo” by Hiccup, and you know that Lizardon can sometimes be a big baby boo sometimes, too. I love it and I love him.) Lizardon is a sweetheart, but he’s also fiercely protective of his boy (don’t even think he isn’t---there’s a reason Alan moves closer to Lizardon when he feels wary or anxious, as seen in XYZ036). He is a dragon, and a fierce one at that. He just also happens to be friendly and nice most of the time, and considering how charizard have been characterized for the bulk of the past twenty years (mostly thanks to Ash’s charizard), I appreciate it.

Pikachu --- And I can’t forget Pikachu, either. Like Ash, most of the Pikachu characterization I love is in the OS (and early OS, at that) thanks to how sassy and bratty he used to be back then, but also like Ash, I love Pikachu throughout the years as well. Pikachu has his moments of being spunky and sassy (especially earlier on, when he would electrocute someone for accidentally insulting him), but he also is protective and sweet to those he loves, has a hilarious fondness for ketchup (which was one of the very, very, very few bits of continuity referenced in XY&Z!), is brave, clever, and his relationship with Ash is one of the most iconic and most precious in animated history. Pikachu has received so much hate over the years, so much of it undeserved. I love him. He’s a Pikapal.

Misty Waterflower --- My girl Misty has to make the list. I already talked a lot about her last night, so I won’t go into it all again, but essentially what I love about Misty is that she was such a well-rounded character---she was allowed to be so much, in that she was a tomboy, sure, but she was also allowed to be feminine at times and this wasn’t disparaged, nor was she ashamed of showing those parts of herself. There were parts surrounding the writing around her that could have been better, but Misty herself was a great character and she, too, doesn’t deserve the hate she gets.

Jessie & James --- This is cheating, technically, but honestly they’re so inseparable in my mind that I can’t have them here any other way. Like, it doesn’t matter how they’re together, they just have to be together. I refuse to consider them separated. Jessie and James are soulmates, absolutely, and what I love most about them (aside from their individual backstories and the like) is the role they fulfill in the show---how they are, despite the times when they actually do terrible things (as they do sometimes) so very much like Ash’s weird big brother and big sister. Like, they’re frienemies, but at this point Jessie and James have been there with him the longest (aside from Pikachu, of course). They’ll continue to be with him the longest. And while I can understand criticisms that some people are tired of them, for me it’s hard to imagine the show without them. I love Jessie and James and, personally, I’m glad they’re here.

Professor Sycamore --- I was honestly surprised with how much I came to absolutely love Professor Sycamore considering the fact that I was not wild about him in the games, but here we are. Sycamore is great for a lot of reasons, but I would be lying if I said that the reason why he makes this list is any reason other than the fact that he is, without doubt, Best Dad™. I absolutely love how perfect of a father he is for Alan, how understanding and compassionate and encouraging he is, how you know that Alan’s life would have been very different without Sycamore’s presence in it, but how Sycamore himself obviously doesn’t feel like Alan owes him anything. (Alan’s feelings on the matter are a different story.) But at the same time, Sycamore’s still great with all the other kids, too. He readily picks Bonnie up so she can pet Gabrielle. He’s protective of all the other kids (Bonnie and Serena in the kidnapping episode, Manon when that Flare grunt tried to start some shit at the start of the Flare crisis), and he’s so openly encouraging of everyone finding their own path and their own thing to do. Sycamore is great. He is Best Dad™, and I’m so happy that he can be right there at the head of this dragon hugging family. (Well, almost everyone in the family has hugged dragons. //pointed look @ Meyer and Clemont)

Tracey Sketchitt --- HATERS WILL HATE, BUT I LOVE TRACEY. Tracey is so passionate and enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He’s Best Navigator™ and it is a crime that he was not brought along for Johto, honestly, I’m going to forever be salty about this. Pretty much all of the Tracey backlash was just because he wasn’t Brock (and I mean, Brock’s great too, but come on), and it was completely undeserved. Tracey is observant, smart, dedicated, and kind, and I love him, and he deserves more appreciation. TRACEY 4 ALOLA 2K17. (This is a joke, but if anyone was going to make a comeback . . .)

Iris --- Iris doesn’t deserve all the hate she gets, either, but like Misty, I talked a bit about Iris yesterday. Iris is adorable, sassy, brave, and smart; she has a well-written and interesting character arc, and to this day I have yet to see one legitimate reason for hating her (since most of it is outright senseless bashing). I’m still salty she never got her cameo in the Kalos series, and istg Serena better stay tf away until Iris gets her proper cameo. Iris 4 Alola 2k17. (Again, a joke, however . . .)

Bonnie --- Finally, I have to mention Bonnie, because I love this little girl. I love how Bonnie was allowed to act her age, how she doesn’t always know how to handle new pokémon, but how she is so enthusiastic about it, so full of excitement and awe and love for the world around her. This is a girl who found a Zygarde core, didn’t know it was a Zygarde core, named it Squishy, made up a song for it, and then used that song to get through to the rampaging dragon. She is the third member of the family to hug a dragon (and so far last---come on, Meyer and Clemont, snap to it!), and my god that was one of the most powerful moments in the series. That scene (in Japanese at least) still makes me tear up. Bonnie is amazing, and I still think she’ll make a fantastic Top Ranger one day, reaching pokémon the world over through the power of her feelings and friendship (rather than monster balls), and being an international superheroine while she’s at it. Rock the fuck on, Bonnie.