#also this isn't a complaint about medical treatment

[teoriaespacial]

I'm a bit sad bc my doctor told me to get laser hair removal on my armpits :(((((((

[tangents-within-tangents]

Thoughts on Echo as amputee/disability representation

First and foremost, I am not disabled or an amputee and I don’t claim to speak for those communities (and if I was I couldn't speak for everyone). What little I do know mostly comes from this youtube channel (@oakwyrm), this post, and other research I’ve done for my writing (and like one amputee I kinda knew in passing). By all means correct me and add to the conversation, I just have some thoughts I want to share because I haven’t really seen this discussed anywhere

Overview

So Echo is interesting. He is a triple amputee which is pretty rare in media. His disabilities come from extremely traumatic circumstances: injured in a near-death experience, imprisoned and dehumanized as an experiment with no autonomy over what happened to his body.

There are a few moments in the shows where Echo is treated… questionably. Like this bit where Rex uses him as an example of the Separatists' evils to convince the locals to fight back:

To be fair, yeah Echo’s treatment does prove that the Techno Union is not neutral like they claim. The modifications that everyone is gasping in horror at here obviously weren’t made with comfort and accessibility in mind, nor with Echo’s consent. But you still just want to be sure that “They took away his freedom, his humanity, they tried to turn him into a machine” is about using him as a living computer, not the fact that he is missing limbs. 

The Batch is also pretty insensitive toward him and his trauma imo, which is weird considering they've supposedly also faced discrimination for their mutations

Disabled people do have to deal with stuff like this in this day and age so I guess it can speak to those experiences. I think especially him being mistaken as a droid (and Hunter going along with it (bruh)) might resonate with some people. 

Aside from that stuff, Echo isn't really treated any differently as a character/person which is really good (as low of a bar as that is).

We get this moment in CW where Echo contemplates that yeah things are gonna be different now

While also (imo at least) showing that he is still the same person regardless, evidenced by the fact that he just echoed Rex :,) I also think it's significant that he joins the Bad Batch on his own terms and we're given a really emotional scene to specifically show that he's not just like 'lumped in with the other misfits' but that it is his choice to go where he feels his place is.

A lot of people, myself included, are disappointed that TBB didn't have more time to explore Echo's PTSD, but I think the one panic attack scene we did get is really good. Even thought it's minor it at least is an appropriate reaction from a guy who was medically tortured (which is more than I've come to expect from Star Wars shows lol)

And it's really sweet to see Omega showing Echo some empathy and consideration.

It would have been nice to see more of his adjustment period, and other side effects like chronic pain and maintenance, but there’s a lot of daily life stuff the show never had time for (i.e. we don’t know if he removed his prosthetics to sleep, but we also never saw him sleep anyway). His disabilities might take on a background role (much like the character himself sadly) but for the most part they aren’t invisible or erased, nor do they define his character and arc.

Physical Appearance

Okay this one is bit dicey, bc on the one hand, yes complaints that Echo’s paleness (most likely caused by burns from the explosion or chemical burns from the cryo-chamber) is whitewashing are totally valid. But I also think you can draw comparisons to real life conditions that affect pigmentation/complexion (like you know burns). So while I understand why a lot of fanart will depict him with his original skin tone and with hair, consider that there are real people who have to live with temporary or permanent changes to their appearance, and the idea of “fixing" him by making him look more like his old self can be problematic.

It's also interesting to note that Echo could act as a reversal of the 'disabled/disfigured = evil' trope. He's pale and bald and wears black and red, which is so often visually associated with villains, but we all know Echo is the bestest boy™

The Headpiece

Echo’s headpiece is interesting because within the show we don’t actually ever learn much about it (idk if there is more info in books or whatever bc i don’t have them so?). He didn’t have it in CW so we know it didn’t come from the Techno Union and therefore Echo probably had more choice with it. We don’t know its exact purpose but it’s most likely related to his scomping abilities. When he is hacking with his scomp in CW, before he has his headpiece, it’s clearly very mentally straining:

We don’t see him struggling like this in TBB once he does have it (though that could be bc he got more used to it over time). There doesn't seem to be much of an impact when he removes his headpiece in s3 ep14-15, except that he gets stuck in the ports every time he uses his scomp which is not something we’ve seen before: 

There might not be an exact real-world equivalent, but the headpiece is some kind of accessibility aid. It means that someone specifically designed a device to help him adapt to the changes the Techno Union made, as well as a helmet that integrates it. It’s removable and visually very present, much like a cochlear implant would be. (A lot of people actually headcanon it to act partially as a hearing aid, since it makes sense that Echo’s hearing would have been damaged in the explosion, but there isn't really any indication of this in canon.) The headpiece is never really acknowledged in the show, but I think that's a good thing. It's something he needs/wants and it just exists, completely normalized, and that's pretty cool 👍

Legs

Sigh... So from the very first episode of TBB I was really disappointed that the animation team or whoever completely visually erased Echo’s prosthetic legs (I think we all were, honestly, if fanart is anything to go by). It’s one thing when he’s in armor because he would probably want to protect his prosthetics, but we literally see him in his blacks and there is no indication whatsoever that he lost his legs even though it was not left up for debate at all in CW:

Like ??????!?

This is just really strange to me! Idk what went on behind the scenes with this decision but I don’t really see why it would be that much harder to animate or anything since it’s 3D and they've done it before. We do see some pretty sophisticated cybernetic technology in Star Wars canon that mimics real limbs:

But Luke’s fancy hand is technically 20ish years from now, so Anakin and Maul are more of a representation of what level we could expect here

So yeah, for no apparent reason, his leg amputation is effectively, visually and narratively nonexistent. Which is not great 👎

Arm!

The scomp on the other hand (uh lol!) is the complete opposite and I kinda love it!

At first I, like many others, thought it was a bit odd that they didn’t give Echo a prosthetic arm. Losing hands is basically a Star Wars tradition at this point, so robotic arms/hands are well established within the worldbuilding: 

We aren’t necessarily given a canon reason for why Echo doesn't get a cybernetic arm (again unless it's in some lore book I haven’t read, sorry). General fanon explanations I’ve seen are that he either couldn’t because the Techno Union wired the scomp too far into his nervous system, and/or the resources to give him one were deemed too expensive for a clone (what about his legs tho?), or that he chose not to, usually because he thought the scomping was useful. 

Regardless, I actually really love this choice (and it's the whole reason I made this post), because here's the thing: There’s a lot of problematic tropes out there that either erase/cure disabilities or compensate them with perks (like how pretty much any blind character is actually not blind by some sort of magic power). With amputees that is done with robotic arms. The character is still an amputee or course, and there is still value in that representation, if this story from Mark Hamill that makes me tear up is anything to go by:

but for the most part these characters function like anyone else, just with a limb that looks a little different. It’s no more than a video game skin, an able-bodied actor with a green screen glove. It “cures” the disability, or it actually makes the character even stronger than usual: 

It usually makes sense within the world of the story, but the reason it’s not so great in my opinion is that in the real world we just do not have technology anywhere close to that yet. Prosthetics can more or less replace any mobility from lost legs, but not for all the complexities of a hand (and even if they could the average person wouldn’t be able to afford it).

So

I think it's actually really super cool that Echo’s scomp bypasses the canonically-established amputee erasure and functions much like a stump would irl. He integrates it into his movements and everyday life and it’s (as far as I know) a lot closer to an everyday amputee’s experience. 

It doesn’t define his character, it doesn’t hold him back, he lives a full life, the other’s don’t treat him any differently, and he’s still a total karking badass 

The only additional thing is that he sometimes uses it as a weapon (which given his story, I think it’s cool to see him taking back autonomy in a way, and we only see that like twice)

And also the scomping, which could be seen as the 'added/compensating superpower' trope. But narratively it's no different than if he was plugging in with a hacking gadget of some kind (he didn't necessarily "need" to lose his arm for it) and it’s not like Echo is completely defined by this skill. Personally, I think it's well worth the positives of him actually having a visible and realistically impactful amputation. 

I see a lot of posts or comments out there that say stuff like “how come Echo doesn’t get a hand?” or fanworks that do give him one and I just think it’s a bit of a shame. If he did get a robotic hand, it just would have disappeared the same way his legs and Anakin’s arm did (aside from that one time he got yoinked by a magnet). When Echo did “get a hand” in the last two episodes there were comments like “yay he finally got a hand! but it doesn’t even work” but I was actually so relieved that it didn’t! Bc for one thing that wouldn’t make any sense, he grabbed it off a droid, it wasn’t designed to implement with his scomp, that would be really complicated. But more importantly because it again refused to erase/cure his disability! It functioned like a real-world cosmetic prosthetic (useless beyond appearance) which is exactly what he needed it for, so that he could blend in better with his disguise.

And he continually took it off throughout the episode and ditched it at the end. He only used it for the necessity of a stealth mission, he doesn’t feel the need to visually “fit in” in his daily life. 

And, last but very much not least, he made a dad joke and from my intel that is very accurate representation!

TLDR: Echo’s scomp is actually really cool from an amputee representation perspective, especially within Star Wars, and I think that deserves some appreciation 

[qwertyfingers]

this one is a vague complaint and not something I want to like append to anything specific but the whole claim about 'real chronic pain' vs 'the tumblr kind' is so fucking bizarre to me. for followers who don't know, I'm 29 and I've been out of education since before graduating high school bc I got incredibly sick (glandular fever induced M.E. immediately followed by worsening of lifelong migraines that left me bedbound for 2 years + almost completey housebound for 10 years) that have only responded to treatment within the last three years, specifically because they invented a new class of drugs.

right now I'm in the middle of completing my HS education and applying to study neuroscience or biomed at university. my main motivation for doing this is that I've been reading (bio)medical papers for self-study (and just for fun if I'm being honest, I really like this kind of science) for years but I've pretty much hit the wall of what it's possible to learn without Going To School For It. my secondary motivation is that I'd really like to do biomedical research, ideally into migraines because that's the shit that ruined my life, but I have a whole load of other areas of interest, one of which is chronic pain and the things that make it so complicated to understand and treat.

the idea that "chronic pain" is some monolithic condition with like one cause and one solution is insane and the idea of standing up and saying it with full-throated confidence doesn't make any sense to me for any person with even a shred of knowledge about how pain signalling works in the human body.

one of the core symptoms of autism — which a really high percentage of tumblr users have — is that your body responds to completely harmless sensory inputs as if they were painful, and there's enough research been published to say fairly definitively this happens largely because your body physiologically processes that sensation as a noxious stimulus.* autistic people are also among the most likely members of the population to develop myriad chronic pain conditions. these things are probably fucking related even if we don't have the exact biological mechanism by which it happens pinned down yet!

the whole reason I responded to those post is that i really fucking care about this shit, and being presented as some wanker who makes shit up to seem cool and interesting on tumblr does actually really upset me. i specifically spent quite a long time editing those responses to be, like, affable and not critical of the posters or possible to read as mean or snotty in any way. I know this wasn't my fault and it's clear from the tone of those posts that they have no intention of engaging in a way that isn't obnoxious and argumentative, but it feels pretty shitty anyway.

whatever man. i just want people to look after themselves. if you'll allow me one shoebox moment: if you find yourself having to take OTC pain medication on a daily or near-daily basis, something is wrong with your body or your lifestyle or both and you should seek help for that whenever you are able. it may seem obvious to say, but sometimes people need reminding that being in pain every single day is not normal. love you all.

*[not relevant, but the same thing happens in migraines with blue light (photophobia) and allodynia (where touch becomes painful)]

[witchofthesouls]

Nickel could and would 100% kill the half high command and, assuming she didn't start with him, Tarn would just be "it's not that big a deal she's just having a bad day 🥰" as she's covered in the entrails of the Trine

Nickel is absolutely dangerous. Not just in the "medics can be vicious" sentiment, but in the way that she's not hung up on their traditions and culturalisms.

In some ways, Nickel could have been Megatron's worst enemy. (Or for any of High Command...)

She won't give into the underlying homoerotic tension that would still her hand against action. Her very identity hasn't been groomed nor intensely shaped by Megatron's direct guidance or by the immense influence of his works as a mecha on a Functionist-held Cybertron. Nickel doesn't have an obsession with the guy.

She loathes organics, but it's understandable since the Black Block Consortia attacked her home planet, and she was the only survivor left.

I'm curious about Prion's culture as well since she doesn't have any troubles with the gratuitous violence that's the D.J.D.'s standand method. In anything, she's more annoyed and irritated by the mess and the lack of consistent good hygiene behavior. Shoot, she interrupted Tarn. Multiple times.

I'm also wondering if there's some sort of cultural misunderstanding going on with Nickel's role among them. She's not a full Decepticon. She probably falls under a "claimed spoils" category since the Decepticons is basically a kratocracy and developed culture of taking.

The Justice Division is treating rather kindly because she doesn't push against their worldview.

She's a trained medic who not only utilizes her full skillet upon them, she actively works with them. Her complaints aren't about their operations. It's about their own care and treatment and how it impacts them. Nickel's a quad-changer from a Lost Colony. She doesn't have the hangups that a classically-trained medic from Cybertron would have. If anything, she probably has tricks of Prion's trade to help out some of their issues.

She's loud, vicious, and isn't afraid to get in their faces as she can back up her considerable threats. The Justice Division can't help but adore their little acquisition.

Now, if Nickel had tried to leave them prior to Megatron's defection, that would be a different story...

[coldresolve]

rambling again but now its about trans healthcare and mental health. and the danish nhs' take on both those things which is, yknow, shit

its less rambling and more of a rant bc im tired lol

i read a statistic today that suicidal ideation for trans people who sought medical transition but were denied treatment rose by 67%. which was affirming in the sense it made me realize that maybe im not a pussy for being pretty badly affected by my last 2 denials, but also its depressing in the sense of like, good god, please just allow me to access the healthcare i need. what the fuck

i was at my GP a week ago and asked for another referral, and he was like "well its only been 5 months since they refused you last time". and i told him they wouldn't even agree to the 6 month full team psych eval that preceeds any actual prescriptions of hrt, they just called me "unstable" after a 1 hour conversation in which i specifically directly told them that i know myself, i was in a stable place in my life, im settled in my decision, i know the risks, i'm well aware of the scope of treatment, this trans thing isn't some recent thing for me, etc etc. they called me "unstable" and denied even evaluating me for treatment, because i was only 3 months in remission from a major depressive episode. which isn't a good prognosis for a trans guy who's had to deal with chronic depression for the last decade and a half. when will i ever be "stable" then? it's not like they gave me a clear timeline. (also - as if being denied treatment ever helped any trans person with depression lol. again, that statistic huh). i told my GP i want to put pressure on them, because that's literally the only option i have right now for recieving healthcare. and even after telling him all this it took a good 10 minutes of conversation before he agreed to give me a referral

and im not an unreasonable person but if they refuse treatment again im gonna file a complaint with the patient rights thingy, even though i have never filed a complaint about anything before in my life. im willing to go to the media, idgaf. i just want to be treated for dysphoria instead of being left to deal with it on my own, in the way i have been since the first time they denied me. i'm not "unstable". its been a year. i want medical care. that's it.

and the most infuriating thing is, this whole process is kinda showing me exactly why i'm not alone in this? a THIRD of transgender danes get prescriptions and surgery referrals outside the nhs, either gendergp or the black market or whatever. i don't understand how more people aren't appalled by that statistic, in a fucking supposed welfare state. like what do you want us to do? "they're self medicating" say the danish critics of gendergp, and yep, that's how it works. a person with chronic pain who gets denied treatment will probably also look for alternatives. what else do you expect them to do? are they supposed to just... be miserable?

moreover, what do you expect low income trans people like me to do, who can't afford gendergp because the cost of living crisis + insufferable rent leaves us with basically no disposable income? yo, quick question, bøgens fædreland,

what the fuck do you want me to do

[saintmeghanmarkle]

One of the things that annoys me the most about the current Kate situation : The Meghan comparison by u/BlueBell_02

One of the things that annoys me the most about the current Kate situation : The Meghan comparison Kate is literaly being harrased worldwide for actually trying to be private about a health issue and photoshoped picture while H&M have done nothing but talked about their private lives for the past 4 years while simultaneusly claiming to have been harrased by the press because of racism, and somehow these situation are made to be similar by the Sugars.HOW can that be similar?They are trying so hard to still make Meghan a victim and trying to keep her relevant when nobody is talking about her now that they keep inserting her in narratives that have nothing to do with her, like the current medical situation of Kate. They are so vindictive that you can see them saying Kate deserves this bulling because she was racist and mean to Megahn ( for ...* check notes* not wanting to share her lipgloss with her ) so she isn't allowed to privacy or complaint because to them Meghan faced the same and nobody did anything for her because of racism.In the past the montecito duo have relesed multiple photosoped pictures ( and its true, some of them where made fun of) but nobody question the motives of such corrections, nobody said they were dead or beaten because they added hair on their heads or erased wrinkles. Why with Kate has to be a hidden dark secret, and not maybe that she didn't feel great phisicaly after the surgery so she altered it so it could look better? is it really so strange?If anything this controversy has proven a point that has been made in the past but conviniently ignored in order to push the "racist royals bullied Meghan" narrative: the palace can't really control social media or what people say or what the press publish worldwide.There have been so many things said about them lately, William has a misstress, is a beater husband, is holding kate captive, etc, so, is this so diferent to the level of speculation that a newbi royal suffered when she arrived to the Royal family? was it really for her race or because she was the hot new thing of that moment so it was more profitable to talk abour her? If Meghan was "being feed to the wolves" as she claimed, what about Kate now then?is the palace able to protect her? is she being treated diferently than Meghan now? honestly she has been treated far worse, and not only now, they have hacked her cellphone, taking pictures of her naked, published really horrible magazine coverts and nasty nicknames, she has been chased and also speculated about her body and yet the Sugars wants us to believe that she had a special treatment that Meghan didn't have because of her race.The press is savage and has been savage to everyone, so the hypocresy and absurd comparison are the thing that annoys me the most in the middle of the internet conspiracies, fueled by the terrible PR team of the Wales ( seriously guys, at least try to do your job) so I really hope she recovers soon and makes an apereance so this can be only remembered as an insane internet moment. post link: https://ift.tt/HcWzGgX author: BlueBell_02 submitted: March 14, 2024 at 03:51AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[aridara]

So you know about the "WPATH Files", that collection of screenshotted posts taken from the WPATH forum, which supposedly expose how WPATH doctors are evil and out to get your children? You'd be surprised about how the claims anti-trans activists make about those posts are not supported by the posts themselves. Don't believe me? Then let's look at the NY Post article about the document. Specifically, let's look at what the article claims versus the actual reality of what is shown in those posts.

TL;dr:

WPATH doesn't authorize medical transition procedures for immature patient. They actually verify that the patient is mature enough, before allowing the procedure. They also need parental consent.

WPATH doesn't ignore the risks of gender-affirming care. They explain them to both patient and parents, in detail. And if issues do show up, they try to fix them instead of sweeping them under the rug.

WPATH isn't trying to "desex (sterilize) children". That's just the same, old, tired "they're coming for your children!" narrative used against Jewish people, gay people etc etc.

WPATH doesn't disbelieve detransitioners, they support them.

CLAIM: Not surprisingly, age comes up frequently in the WPATH files, from concerns about whether a developmentally delayed 13-year-old can start on puberty blockers to whether the growth of a 10-year-old girl will be stunted by hormones. (The article implies that WPATH doctors are pushing medical procedures on patients who are too young to understand them)

REALITY: The first case (section 21-A "ETHICAL GUIDELINES TO ADOLESCENT CARE - WPATH members discuss the Standards of Care (SOC) ethics for treating adevelopmentally delayed, 13-year-old") is about a 13yo who is already on puberty blockers. Specifically, patients who want hormone therapy need to reach enough emotional/cognitive maturity to provide informed consent to the treatment; but the specific patient in question will reach that maturity either way later than normal, or never at all. The poster asks what to do. Other users suggest a psychiatric evaluation to check whether the patient is capable of consenting or not, weighing the risks of continuing the blockers with the risks of stopping them, etc.

There is no evidence that the doctors gave hormones to that 13yo. Keep in mind that the NYP was complaining about the possibility of that 13yo getting hormones. The NYP had no complaint about the usage of puberty blockers, since the patient was effectively mature enough to get those, and the parents and doctors gave authorization.

Also, one of the posters point out that this kind of discussion also happens with cis (aka non-trans) kids with mental development issues who need access to surgeries. The normal approach is for the doctor, the parents and the patient to discuss together to reach a consensus: in order to approve the medical procedure, the doctor must believe that the procedure will be medically beneficial, the parents must provide full informed consent, and the patient must provide as much consent as possible. There are limit cases where one side can be overridden, like when a patient will never reach a sufficient level of mental maturity, and the doctor and parents are forced to evaluate the risk/benefits of each option. My point is that the NYP has no problems when this approach is applied to cis kids; it complains only when trans kids might get access to medical procedures.

The second case (section 5-A "PUBERTY SUPPRESSION TACTICS - A WPATH member questions the effects of puberty blockers on total height achievement for a 10-year-old patient") is about a patient who asked questions about puberty blockers. The 10yo patient in question was NOT on puberty blockers, nor he was given any - unlike what the NYP tries to imply.

CLAIM: During one conversation, a member asked for advice about a 14-year-old patient, a boy who identified as a girl and had begun transitioning at 4. The child insisted on a vaginoplasty...

REALITY: This is false. The original poster (section 1-A "GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY FOR MINORS - WPATH members discuss transition surgery for a 14-year-old") only talks about "Gender Affirming Surgery MtF". Christine N. McGinn talks about vaginoplasties she performed on minors, noting that they didn't have any more issues than adult patients: most of them went fantastic, a few of them got issue (mostly because they didn't follow the dilation schedule), and none of them regretted the surgery.

It should also be mentioned that multiple users agreed that 14 was too young. Which shoots a hole in the NYP's "WPATH tried to push vaginoplasty on a 14yo kid" narrative. Whoops.

CLAIM: President Bowers, for instance, said publicly in 2022 that puberty blockers are “completely reversible,” although in the internal forum she conceded it is “in its infancy.”

REALITY: The two quotes don't contradict each other. In the first quote, Bowers claims that blockers AS THEY ARE USED IN GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE (aka for maximum 1 year) are reversible - meaning that if you stop taking them, the effects should reverse themselves. But the second quote (in section 5-B "PUBERTY SUPPRESSION TACTICS - WPATH members discuss how puberty blockers preclude fertility options for trans patients") talks about what happens when puberty is blocked indefinitely. Two very different things.

CLAIM: What about children who are infertile for life since they started hormone blockers before they reached puberty? Bowers told her colleagues the “fertility question has no research.”

REALITY: The Bowers quote doesn't exist in any of the screenshotted posts. The NYP made that up.

CLAIM: At other stages, members talk frankly about the complications for the transition surgery for girls, a phalloplasty in which a nonfunctioning pseudo-penis is fashioned from either forearm or thigh tissue. It requires a full hysterectomy and surgical removal of the vagina. They also discuss other serious consequences, including pelvic inflammatory disease, vaginal atrophy, abnormal pap tests and incontinence.

REALITY: I can't find the screenshotted posts in question. But let's assume for a second that the NYP is telling the truth here; it doesn't actually explain why "WPATH doctors discuss the complications for transition surgery" is bad. As usual, anti-trans activists only focus on the negative effects and risks of any form of medical transition, while completely ignoring any possible positive effect - like, say, alleviating the patient's gender dysphoria.

As far as I can tell, the NYP is trying to imply that these doctors hide these risks from their patients. Which... isn't true. Like, at all. In fact, the fact that they talk about the negative effects so much on a web forum that anyone can access just by paying a fee should clue the reader that these doctors are NOT trying to hide these effects/risks from their patients.

CLAIM: A 16-year-old girl who had been on puberty blockers for several years before she was put on testosterone for a year had developed two liver tumors that an oncologist concluded the hormones had caused.

REALITY: Looking at the posts (section 3-B "SURGICAL OR HEALTHCARE COMPLICATIONS - A WPATH member discusses the development of hepatic adenomas on a client taking testosterone/estrogen"), it turns out that the patient was using both testosterone and oral contraceptives. Hepatic adenomas, also called hepatocellular adenomas, are rare but benign epithelial tumors of the liver frequently associated with oral contraceptive pill use. Meanwhile, there is no evidence that transmasculine people who use hormones are at risk of liver cancer. (Sources: 1, 2.)

CLAIM: Another member described “a young patient on testosterone for 3 years” who had developed “vaginal/pelvic pain/spotting . . . [and] atrophy with the persistent yellow discharge.” Several colleagues described patients with similar conditions, some with debilitating bowel problems or bleeding and excruciating pain during sex (“feeling like broken glass”). Vaginal estrogen creams and moisturizers as well as hyaluronic acid suppositories “can be helpful.” One WPATH member seemed surprised: “The transgender people under my surveillance do not complain about this matter. However, I confess that I have never asked them about it.”

REALITY: This part of the NYP article repeatedly jumps between section 3-C "SURGICAL OR HEALTHCARE COMPLICATIONS - A WPATH member reports their young patient is experiencing vaginal pain on testosterone"; and section 3-D "SURGICAL OR HEALTHCARE COMPLICATIONS - WPATH members discuss erection pain in a patient on estrogen". So there's some confusion here. The general gist of both discussions is: the original poster brings up an issue that their patient has, other users discuss similar cases, provide additional information, and offer possible solutions.

Again: this is a case where a patient got some negative side effects from the treatment, and doctors are trying to solve them. Cases like these happen all the time. There is no evidence that the patient wasn't properly informed before being allowed to get the treatment. The doctors are trying to fix the problem. So what, exactly, is the NYP complaining about? Because if ONE single case of negative effects is enough to condemn a medical treatment, then the NYP should condemn every single medical treatment ever. But no, instead they only focus the blame on treatments that are primarily used by trans people. I wonder why [#sarcasm].

CLAIM: “How do we come up with appropriate standards for non-binary patients?” asked Thomas Satterwhite, a San Francisco-based plastic surgeon who has operated on dozens of patients younger than 18 since 2014. “I’ve found more and more patients recently requesting ‘non-standard’ procedures.” What are nonstandard procedures? They include “non-binary top surgery,” a mastectomy without nipples. There are brutal procedures for girls that eliminate all or part of the vagina and for boys that amputate the penis, scrotum and testicles.

REALITY: Satterwhite did, in fact, ask information about standards for non-binary patients (section 12-A "NON-STANDARD MEDICAL PROCEDURES - WPATH members discuss appropriate standards of care for nonbinary patients, particularly when they request non-standard procedures"). However, you can notice a thing. The NYP made sure to explicitly talk about "de-gendering" surgeries in the most scary and shocking way possible; then they mentioned that Satterwhite operated on dozens of patients younger than 18; then mentioned his quote about non-standard surgeries; and then proceeded to once again describe said surgeries in scary terms, saying that they're performed on "girls" and "boys". So you would think that Satterwhite is performing these horrible surgeries on children, right?

Well, turns out that in the screenshotted posts, Satterwhite made absolutely no mention of underage patients. His question was about non-binary patients in general.

Also, fun fact that the NYP doesn't mention: in trans healthcare, practically all genital surgeries are performed on adult patients. The very few exceptions are performed on 17yo patients, but ONLY in cases where waiting until the patient becomes 18 would make the surgery significantly harder to perform, to the point of having an increased risk of killing the patient. And even then, you need a metric ton of medical requirements.

CLAIM: A particularly intense subject of discussion was whether minors could understand the lifelong consequences of their gender treatments. Minors are presumed by law to be incapable of making an informed decision about having a vasectomy or tubal ligation. Gender surgeries are an exception, however. WPATH’s Standard of Care allows all procedures so long as the minor “demonstrates the emotional and cognitive maturity required to provide informed consent/assent for the treatment.”

REALITY: The NYP is lying. For starters, it forgets to mention that, in various states, minors CAN get certain surgical procedures as long as they pass certain prerequisites, such as a minimum age (like 16). Why? Because it's acknowledged that children mature over time, and become more and more capable of understanding - and by extension consenting to - more complex things, like surgeries.

Another thing that the NYP omits is that minors can get invasive medical treatments even if they don't reach the minimum consent age, as long as the doctor can provide reasonable medical reason to do so; the parents provide fully informed consent to the procedure; and the underage patient provides a sufficient amount of consent, which varies depending on the procedure requested. The latter is what “demonstrates the emotional and cognitive maturity required to provide informed consent/assent for the treatment” refers to.

The main difference is that WPATH doesn't decide that patients above a certain age are automatically mature enough to consent to a specific procedure; instead, WPATH doctors actually verify whether or not the patient is mature enough to consent to that specific procedure.

CLAIM: In a May 2022 internal workshop, “Identity Evolution,” WPATH members conceded that was all but impossible. Daniel Metzger, the British Columbia endocrinologist who cowrote the Canadian Pediatric Society’s position paper on health care for trans minors, said, “I think the thing you have to remember about kids is that we’re often explaining these sorts of things to people who haven’t even had biology in high school yet.”

The quote is from the transcript of the "Identity Evolution Workshop", Clip 1. It also completely fails to prove the NYP's point. Remember: the NYP is trying to claim that children cannot, under any circumstance, consent to surgeries - implying that this means that they shouldn't have access to surgeries. This is false.

Also, the transcript shows Metzger saying that they should improve the way doctors explain medical procedures to patients and parents, because if they don't understand these procedures, they can't provide informed consent, and therefore they can't have access to said procedures. Metzger is NOT proposing to provide medical procedures to people who don't provide informed consent.

CLAIM: Although many WPATH members privately doubt that adolescents can give truly informed consent to life-altering procedures, they must affirm whatever children say about their gender.Unless, the WPATH files disclose, the patient wants to reverse course and become a so-called detransitioner.WPATH members mostly dismiss those cases as insignificant or overblown by the media and question whether minors who want to revert to their birth sex really understand what they are doing.It’s a question that would never be asked for minors who declared themselves to be gender dysphoric. One case involved a 17-year-old boy, just graduated from high school, who had been on testosterone for two years. He was reported to be “very distraught and angry. He reports he feels he was brainwashed and is upset by the permanent changes to his body.”A self-described “queer therapist” did not believe any young person could be brainwashed. “In my experience, those stories come from people who have an active agenda against the rights of trans people.”

REALITY: The NYP is dishonestly mixing together multiple different contexts.

When a patient goes to a WPATH doctor and claims to be trans, the doctor accepts it. When a patient claims to not be trans anymore, the doctor still accepts it.

When a patient declares themselves to be gender dysphoric, the doctor DOES, in fact, verify whether the assertion is true, through psychological examination, exploring whether the dysphoria is innate or caused by issues like mistakenly believing that being feminine means that you must be a girl and therefore have "female" biology and so on. After that is verified, however, the doctor accepts that the patient is right.

When discussing how the media and public claim that there is an epidemic of detransitioners, THAT is when WPATH doctors will say that the issue is overblown. Because the reality is that the amount of detransitioners - and specifically people who got through medical transition and then detransitioned afterwards - is incredibly small, unlike what anti-trans activists would make you believe.

All of that can be clearly seen in the discussion in section 4-A "DETRANSITION CONCERNS - A WPATH member reports a patient who reports feeling “brainwashed” into transition".

SO, TO RECAP:

The NYP complains that the WPATH uses ‘arbitrary’ age limits, implying imply that WPATH is trying to pressure forcibly trans young kids before they were ready. The reality, however, is that WPATH is doing what every other medical field does when a patient is a minor: they approve the treatment only if the doctor reasonably believes that it will be overall beneficial, the parents give informed consent, and the patient itself gives consent as much as possible. Checking whether or not a kid is mentally mature enough to at least understand somewhat the procedure falls under the third point; checking the kid's physical maturity falls under the first point, because it impacts whether or not the therapy will be overall beneficial.

(BTW, the NYP says that, when making the new Standards of Care, WPATH "scrapped a draft chapter about ethics and removed minimum-age requirements for children starting puberty blockers or undergoing sexual-modification surgeries." What the NYP doesn't say is that the guidelines ARE the ethics of the practice; and that WPATH replaced minimum-age requirements with evidence-based requirements. For example: instead of assuming that all 16yo patients are automatically mature enough to get hormones, the new guidelines require doctors to actually verify whether the patient is mature enough (both physically and mentally) or not. Why this change? Because there were several cases where 16yo-or-older patients were allowed to get hormones when they weren't ready.)

The NYP claims that WPATH doctors downplayed the dangers of gender-affirming care. They did not. The post themselves demonstrate that they amply and truthfully discuss these dangers - and inform their patients about them. And when negative issues do show up, WPATH doctors try to fix them.

The NYP implies that WPATH doctors are trying to de-sex children. They did not. The posts only talk about performing non-standard procedures on non-binary patients - but they make absolutely no mention of minors.

The NYP claims that WPATH doctors are dismissing and disbelieving detransitioners. They did not. WPATH doctors support detransitioning patients, direct them towards support groups, research solutions for the physical issues caused by the regretted procedures, and so on and so forth. WPATH doctors also denounce the whole "there's an epidemic of people who go through medical transition and then later detransition and regret it, because it's way too easy for children to get brainwashed into being trans and to get medical transition" narrative as false because it IS false.

[mihohonemarurp]

Miho's backstory and character information/intro

This post is entirely OOC and there are trigger warnings for it and the rest of the blog in general, those being of bullying, abuse, child neglect, attempted murder of a child and a lot of talks of medical stuff. of course all these issues will be treated seriously and respectfully by me, while unlikely if any jokes are made about this in character please know that it is not me treating the topics like jokes. If any of this is triggering you don't have to read, it will all be under a read more section.

★。------ ＼｜／------。★

Character ref images:

sorry for not having a real full drawn ref! i havent made one yet :c

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Ever since she was a young child Miho was very weak, being in and out of hospitals since she was a toddler which caused her parents to slowly resent her as she cost them so much money. this got worse until, one night her parents tried to suffocate her because she had become too much effort and money for them.. of course this lead to her being put in a child care program and while there her life was hell, as a lot of the other children there used her as a punching bag, especially the older boys who would hurt her the most, finding it funny as she got hurt far easier than anyone else and couldn't fight back even if she tried.. some people did care about her, but most didn't as she was unable to do most things without getting tired or sick..

While she was kept alive and technically taken care of, the staff at the place she stayed were awful, with them not having the proper money or care to actually be able to help her, and several simply didn't bother with Miho in the first place, figuring that she was going to die anyways and it wasn't there problem to help her.. others did take care of her, but her complaints about being hurt, were left alone, "she was just being sensitive" they said.. and she didn't have the heart to fight back, she didn't want to cause problems.. after all her parents had already grown to hate her.. and she didn't want it to happen again.. she'd rather just disappear than that..

There was one time where the abuse went too far, with one of the boys hurting her so badly that one of her ribs broke and pierced her lung.. after that she was rushed to the hospital, where as they were treating her they found far more things wrong with her body, with one of the nurses wondering how she'd even survived this long.

Since then she's been stuck in a hospital, never being able to leave or make friends that stayed around, with the few she did make always leaving the hospital after a while.. her treatment is expensive, so she's had to pick up something to do to make money, so she's picked up poetry, which people pay her enough money for either because they like it, they want her to write something for them, or sometimes they want to actually see her read it live, which the hospital rarely allows much to her disappointment.

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Alright other details time! First her quirk!

Dove: Fairly self explanatory, she's able to do most things a dove could, with the exception of flying, as her body isn't strong enough to have her grow proper wings. her quirk is also the cause of the bird wings she has in place of her ears, she can still hear out of them about as good as normal ears tho.

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General Info about her and what to expect when interacting

Miho's info: She's 22/23 (22 at the start of the series, and around the middle of the series she turns 23), she's a demigirl and uses she/they, she's biromantic and demisexual, and her favorite hero is Hawks.

When interacting

Miho isn't great at talking with people, she's generally a bit odd and nervous as she doesn't really talk with people outside of the hospital staff, however she will try to talk with anyone, even villains as she's not super aware of a lot of stuff that's happened with them

she gets attached to people very quickly if they're nice to her, and doesn't fully understand a lot of how she's supposed to feel about things

they don't like speaking about their past unless they're close to someone, and speaking about what she's been through is generally very triggering for her

she admires heroes more than anything and wishes she could be one too as they think it's the most wonderful thing someone could do, but of course she's not able to due to their illness

most of her knowledge on how the world works is from movies or the bits of the news she's seen, meaning sometimes she'll say stuff that comes off as super odd or just slightly concerning, especially since she's seen a lot of horror movies

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anyways!! have fun with this blog! and if you like it i have others (feel free to ask what they are!!)

[dash-n-step]

the weirdest part of going online is finding out that people (genuinely or not) spread the idea that "marche was wrong/the villain".

edit:

For FFTA, it's a surprisingly common take/joke that Marche is "the villain" for trying to undo the world of Ivalice, usually making him out as being mean or a violent unneeded reality check.

Considering, the game's plot is centered around whether this decision is right or wrong, it's not too surprising that people saw the conflict without understanding the resolution, but most of the arguments that paint Marche as a villain boil down to

The citizens of Ivalice are alive, so destroying the world is killing them

Doned can walk in the new world, so returning to the real world is basically crippling him all over again

In general, everyone's happier, Marche wants to go home just because he benefits the least from the new world, and he is forcing others to wake up

The issue is, most of these points are rejected within the story, made pointless through the existence of other games, or expanded upon in guidebooks or the radio drama.

The citizens of Ivalice are prisoners as well, subject to the whims of a boy king who is already being manipulated to enact unfair laws and a corrupt justice system. We see people from the real world turned into monsters, and we see people from the Final Fantasy world like Montblanc, none the wiser about the instability of their royals, or the very world they live in (Remember, the world was falling apart even before Marche started picking at the seams, he only ever figured out he could because of that).

Also, even when the game is done, the world still persists so "that version" of Ivalice is fine, with both real world (Mewt) and final fantasy characters (Montblanc) remembering it, even if the latter remembers it as a dream.

Doned issues within the game aren't just that he's unable to walk, but that he's hates all the treatments and being confined within the hospital. Whenever this issue is brought up, usually the idea that Marche's complaints being that thanks to Doned he's ignored by his mother, don't weight up to being unable to walk and that he's being childish. You know, the LITERAL ACTUAL CHILD who is being ignored by his only parent, and knows that he can't ask for anything because what do you say to take away time from someone who needs constant medical attention, and when he DID ask for things, he got scolded for it. There's also the issue that it implies that the best way for a disabled person to live is to simply get rid of their disability, it ignores that, at the end of the game, Doned grows to have a better attitude towards life and actually starts making friends and having fun. The issue wasn't that he couldn't walk, but that he was a child put in a rough situation that he didn't know how to face.

Almost EVERY "Marche is the villain" take usually hinges solely on Doned, and the complicated relationship between the brothers, and it never takes into account anything about Doned's need for emotional growth (because, again, these are all KIDS), just the idea that there's only one good way for Doned to be "fixed".

Continuing from earlier, not everybody in Ivalice got to live the "happy and fun life" the kids supposedly did: Mewt is STILL all alone in the new world. His "mother" is there, but isn't even actually her, his father has a job but he's in charge of a corrupt system. Ritz has a place where she belongs, but she'll never see her mother again, the same mother who dyed her hair because she was ashamed of it, until she finally learns she can be proud of it. Even Marche who DOES benefit from the new world and thus would have his own reasons to stay (as he's given the talent and prestige to lead his own clan and be a hero): the only reason Marche is able to get as far as he did was because people both from the real world and Ivalice agreed that things couldn't stay the way there were.

It's not like this was the "best written game ever" (and a lot of people who have an issue with FFTA's story are usually people who were looking for something more dramatic like the original tactics), however, a lot of the "Marche is a villain" or "Marche is the antithetical to all fantasy games" are usually exaggerations, a complete misunderstanding of the story, or are statements made in bad faith for the sake of a quick joke.

Happy Twentieth Anniversary

[red-talisman]

CW for asthma/medical stuff.

.

There's this unfinished modern AU fic that I can't find atm in which Jiang Cheng, as a teenager, starts developing breathing problems. His complaints get dismissed as him just looking for attention out of sibling rivalry, up until he's of age to immediately leave and seek medical treatment on his own.

What's stuck with me all this time from that fic, though, is the way JC visualizes his difficulty breathing as flowers growing in his lungs. It's not a hanahaki fic, just a rather beautifully morbid metaphor/coping strategy for describing the shortness of breath and the physical pain.

So I'm asthmatic, and that's the first time I encountered a description of what it can feel like which felt...weirdly intimate. Lovely in a melancholic, tragic sort of way. Look at these ugly things inside of me. The things that keep me alive are also killing me. There's an empty space inside all of us but mine is lined with the shadow of my death.

Asthma still has associations with the old "uncool nerd" trope and isn't usually treated with much depth or compassion in media, even nowadays. It's not really taken seriously when you tell people IRL, either. And most representations of lung-related issues I read in fic (like hanahaki) seem to kind of skim over the deeper impact of when your body rebels against you and you literally cannot breathe. Like drowning on dry land, sometimes, but slower, with the question of whether this time your lungs will finally relax or if this is the last breath you'll manage to wheeze past the noose in your chest before it closes entirely.

Anyway, speaking of those posts talking about how one never knows how a fic is going to impact someone, I often think about JC's garden in his chest when struggling with my own.

EDIT: the fic in question is meadow_wanderer's this phantom pain might not be so farfetched. WIP.

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 2x05 Melora thoughts (rewatching; spoilers for future episodes possibly included) Admittedly, I'm Not Looking Forward To This, iirc it's pretty cringe... welp let's go

Ughhhh the "she's extraordinary" type of ableism, not a good start... And just Julian being weirdly into her from a medical pov, are these the same writers who wrote Geordie being creepily into Leah without ever meeting her?I

t is very, very good that she's allowed to be angry about microagressions though. She's not particularly likeable but that's not a bad thing, and he's allowed to explain herself to Sisko and to us. Evenif not intentional, I think this is a good way to challenge viewers and make us sit in some discomfort if that makes sense?

I get where you're coming from, Melora, but surely you must understand that working as a team is something important for all Starfleet personnel to have to do?

Not a fan of Julian just going into her room, and I don't know how to feel about the way he's taking to her - it kind of feels intrusive but it is also genuinely friendly and also very normal, he is just treating her like anyone else (that he has a crush on) (he has a crush on everyone though right?)

I can't say I'm a fan of the romance subplot, but I think that's because it feels rushed - which is honestly any Star Trek romance with a one-off character. She clearly likes getting to know him too, I do not think he's taking advantage in any way?

I LOVE her "I can't eat this Julian" *proceeds to rant in Klingon*. She played him well, she knew exactly what she was doing. 👌👌 She'd get on well with Jadzia

Ooh, interesting to hear Julian's backstory pre-augment-reveal. It really does mesh.

("I heard the ball go past me and I realised I wasn't good enough to play tennis properly" ...or you realised you wouldn't be able to disguise how good you were?)

She's so graceful :3 It is sweet they both get to laugh at how clumsy Julian is, I actually really like this scene and the role-reversal. It's obvious, but nice?

Honestly the real villain of this is Cardassion architecture. But also sucks that Starfleet have been here a year and it's not accessible yet? Some future utopia...

I really hope that information was told before she started the treatment, seems pretty important to only be telling her now?! I'm guessing for dramatic effect?

Yeah, I'm okay with them getting together actually, it's less creepy than I remember. If it wasn't a quick-one-shot-romance I don't think there'd be anything wrong with Julian being her doctor - he's everyone's doctor on the station. It's just more noticeable because her plot centres so heavily around having medical needs and the romance is side-by-side the treatment.

I know it's 'cause they have to fit it in an episode, but Julian's far too prone to rushing into medical treatment too quickly when he's excited to try it out. I don't think he's pressuring her exactly, I just wish we saw more of the explanations because it feels like everything is far too quick. A decision like this shouldn't be made straight away!

Ohh, at least he's checking in - "If you're not certain..." "I am." *doubt* "Tell me exactly what you're feeling." And it seems like the gravity thing *was* discussed pre-treatment I guess.

Hmmmm this feels very "disabled people need to be fixed and can't have independence if they're not able-bodied" idk...

I'm fairly certain she doesn't die? But I will be PISSED if she does.

Oooh, I was worried she was going to save the day by forcing herself to her limits within gravity, or not be able to save them and be like "if only my legs worked like a high-gravity humanoid". But no, she changed the fight to be on her terms! Nice!

"Maybe independence isn't all it's cracked up to be. I kind of like how it feels to depend on someone for a change." This is actually such a good ending though??

So it was a bit bumpy at times, but not NEARLY as bad as I thought it would be. Honestly, I like them as a couple. Most of my complaints come from it being a lots-of-time-needed-plot being squished into one episode - can you imagine how good this could have been over a few episodes with a regular character, and romance only starting *after* the self-acceptance?

[compassionatereminders]

Hi Kat, sorry you're having a bad time at the minute. I'm at a point where I'm like. Frustrated with the NHS services and just wanna complain (mandatory sidenote: I value having a free health service in my country and I am aware the problems are not caused by the NHS themselves and are being caused by a government underfunding them and that my complaint is with the lack of funding rather than the mental health workers themselves). I got transferred back to my mental health department in my university town, I was home for like a year because I had quite a bad relapse. I went to this appointment with a duty worker and I tried to explain that I wanted to be evaluated for a psychotic illness bc I hallucinate everyday, I am paranoid when unmedicated and I suffer quite a lot with negative symptoms even when I'm not depressed, to like, show them it isn't depression or BPD and its not just when Im feeling down, I am struggling Constantly. She basically told me the service was just flat out not interested in diagnosing people. I cannot understand that. The NHS seems to have decided on its own that diagnoses are pointless, while forgetting They're the ones who placed all the importance on them to begin with? She also told me I wouldn't get treatment for BPD. Which is like. Cool so you've diagnosed me with a complex and severe mental health issue, refused to listen to my concerns, and you're now just going to force me to live with what is recorded as one of the most destabilising illnesses with no help? Okay? Also I told her I didn't want to change medications because it was messing with my medications that caused me to go completely psychotic this time last year, and I'm in the middle of my final year at university so I don't have the time to schedule in what would need to be a highly monitored medication change. And she was like "Eh, still talk to your GP about medication!" like. She didn't listen to a fucking thing I said. I'm tired and I'm frustrated and I don't know how to get people to listen to me about what I think is going on, and how to get help.

I'm so sorry that you had such a shitty experience seeking treatment. It sucks when the mental health services you have access to don't have the resources required to actually help. It's a struggle I'm facing too and it's terrible. We deserve better!

[steddie-island]

I was going to put this in the notes but you know what? Nah. I keep wanting to talk about it and then backing off but like. Nah today, y'all get to hear about what happened last year because this shit is important.

To try to keep a long story short (and get to the point that actually has something to do with OP's post) we're going to do as much of a speedrun as we can for what happened to me last year. I'm not known for being able to condense things super well but we're gonna try anyway!

In April I had a massive bleeding episode that landed me in the hospital. I thought it was just a heavy period, I have PCOS and was used to those, but nah. It was Bad. They gave me medicine, it slowed down until I ran out and had another (though less severe) episode. I was put on birth control but every month the bleeding was just so heavy and the pain so severe I could barely leave my house.

After I stood up in the bathroom one day and then literally had to rest my forehead against the wall to keep from passing out I decided to do some research, then went to urgent care three times trying to say "Hey I think I'm severely anemic, these are my symptoms, can you check this?" One of those visits ended with me going to the hospital for the second time that year in a trip that could have been avoided if the doctor looking me over had just fucking asked what birth control I'm on. But he didn't.

I finally called a doctor's office a friend had recommended to me because no one else was listening. I got in to a woman who not only listened to me and believed me when I told her that I was anemic, she apologized for the way I had been medically mistreated not just as a woman but as a fat patient. She did tests, found out that yes, I was severely anemic. We started doing iron transfusions and looking into what had happened.

Turns out I had a fibroid in my uterus that made any other treatments for heavy periods pretty much useless. She sent me to a surgeon to talk about me getting a hysterectomy. The consult went great, I left crying happy tears because I was finally being listened to and wouldn't have to deal with severe pain and bleeding for the rest of my life.

Fast forward to October. I had requested the time off work, made all the arrangements that needed to be made. I was hooked to an IV, scrubbed up, ready to go back to the OR. There were last minute changes that had to be made regarding how the surgery would be handled. Something that was supposed to be a one day outpatient thing ended up being a 2 night stay in the hospital. It was a much more difficult recovery, I had to take an extra week unpaid from work because it was genuinely a much more traumatizing experience than expected, and I hadn't had any time at all to prepare.

My doctor reached out to check up on me after a week. I explained the last minute changes, and how I had felt like I was an afterthought when this man had to go in and cut me open, and he couldn't even tell me for sure later what all had been done/ removed. (He literally said they "may have" left part of my cervix in. Like???)

My doctor was pissed. She started filing complaints with the hospital. They told her that the complaints really needed to come from me and she said basically said "bullshit this patient is in my care and this isn't her responsibility, she came to me and I'm going to help with this." And she did. She called, and complained, and she got him on the phone to get me the answers that he couldn't give me the day of my surgery.

She was nice, but he still got a dressing down, and she told me recently that she could tell he was very humbled by the feedback she had passed along. She's also stopped recommending any of her patients go to him, at least for the time being. She hasn't sent anyone to him since my debacle in October.

I love my doctor, and I trust her with my life (literally.) And whether they do it politely the way I know my PCP did, or if they're yelling at each other the way the post says? Fuck yes, this should be normalized.

Doctors should have to listen to their patients. Doctors should fucking believe their patients. And if they aren't listening, and believing? Then yeah, they should get knocked down a few pegs when someone does finally figure it out.

Doctors should snark at each other more, be a bit mean. Not for no reason, mind you. But if five doctors blow me off about symptoms and doctor number six FINALLY runs actual tests and gets a diagnosis, I think it should be Doctor Six's right to call up the other five and tell them they're lazy pieces of shit. That should be socially encouraged. Those first five doctors clearly can't listen to patients, but maybe another doctor might finally get to them.

[precisionimagingcenters]

The Future of Medical Imaging: How Upright MRI Enhances Patient Comfort

Let's be honest, getting an MRI isn't anyone's idea of fun. You have to lie still in a tight, tube-like machine, and if you're even a little claustrophobic, it can be stressful. However, there's a new type of MRI that changes all of that. It's the Upright MRI, a revolutionary technology that makes the whole process more comfortable and patient-friendly. If you've ever dreaded the thought of an MRI, this might be the solution you've been waiting for.

Goodbye, Claustrophobia

If the idea of being enclosed in a small space gives you anxiety, you’re not alone. Claustrophobia is one of the most common complaints when it comes to traditional MRI machines. You’re essentially slid into a narrow tunnel where you have to stay perfectly still, and for many people, this can trigger feelings of panic. Some patients even end up abandoning the scan halfway through because they just can’t handle it.

That’s where Upright MRI shines. Instead of being forced into a tight space, you’re scanned while sitting or even standing. It’s more like sitting in a comfortable chair than being stuffed inside a tube. The open design makes a world of difference, especially for people who get anxious in confined spaces. You can actually look around, breathe, and feel a lot more at ease.

Sit, Stand, or Recline—It’s Up to You

One of the coolest things about Upright MRI is the flexibility it offers. You don’t have to lie flat on your back for the entire scan, which can be uncomfortable for many people. Instead, you can sit, stand, or even recline, depending on what’s being imaged. This is especially helpful for patients who have back problems, joint issues, or other conditions that make lying down painful.

Imagine needing an MRI for a back issue, but the very act of lying flat makes your pain worse. With Upright MRI, you can be scanned in a more natural, comfortable position, which not only makes the experience better for you but also provides doctors with more accurate results.

Better Imaging for Certain Conditions

Here’s something not many people know: for certain conditions, being in a weight-bearing position can actually improve the quality of the MRI. When you’re sitting or standing, your body is under the pressure of gravity, which means that issues like spine problems or joint misalignments can show up more clearly.

For example, if you have a herniated disc, it might not be as visible in a traditional MRI when you’re lying down. But with an Upright MRI, your spine is in its natural position, and the scan can show how your body is functioning during normal activities. This leads to more accurate diagnoses and better treatment plans.

A Sigh of Relief for Kids and Seniors

For kids and elderly patients, traditional MRIs can be particularly tough. The process of staying still for a long period in a confined space can be intimidating, especially for younger children or older adults. In many cases, doctors have to use sedation just to get through the scan, which comes with its own risks.

But with Upright MRI, the process is much less stressful. The open environment, combined with the ability to sit comfortably, means that most patients won’t need sedation. This is a big deal, especially for parents of young children or caregivers of elderly patients, who want to avoid the risks that come with sedatives.

Making Room for Everyone

Another amazing benefit of Upright MRI is that it accommodates a wider range of body types. Traditional MRI machines can feel too small for larger or broader patients, sometimes requiring special equipment or adjustments. Upright MRI’s open design can comfortably fit patients of all sizes, ensuring that no one has to feel squeezed into a tight space.

This inclusivity means that more people can access the scans they need, without worrying about whether the machine can handle their size or shape. It’s all about making the experience as easy and stress-free as possible for everyone.

A Quicker, Smoother Process

Have you ever had to lie perfectly still for what feels like an eternity during an MRI? It’s no fun. One small movement, and you might have to repeat part of the scan. With Upright MRI, the whole process tends to be faster and smoother. Because patients are more comfortable and can sit or stand in a natural position, there’s less need for readjustments or multiple scans.

This not only makes the experience better for patients but also helps healthcare providers work more efficiently. Fewer re-scans mean faster results and less time spent in the machine—definitely a win-win.

The Future of Imaging Is Here

So, what does this all mean for the future of medical imaging? Upright MRI is leading the way in putting patient comfort at the forefront. No longer do you have to dread an MRI appointment because of the discomfort, anxiety, or fear of tight spaces. With this new technology, you can get the scans you need in a way that feels more natural, less stressful, and much more comfortable.

As more medical centers adopt Upright MRI, it’s clear that this is the future of diagnostic imaging. And it’s about time! We all deserve a healthcare experience that prioritizes our comfort and well-being.

Is Upright MRI Right for You?

If you’ve ever been nervous about getting an MRI—or if you’ve had to endure a traditional MRI and hated the experience—Upright MRI might be the perfect solution for you. Whether you’re dealing with claustrophobia, chronic pain, or just want a more comfortable experience, this new technology can make a huge difference.

The next time your doctor suggests an MRI, ask if Upright MRI is an option. You might just find that it makes the whole process a lot easier and a lot less stressful. After all, getting the right diagnosis shouldn’t be uncomfortable or anxiety-inducing—it should be as smooth and painless as possible.

[flightyquinn]

The only thing I could possibly complain about in the fact that she was surprised to find more braids, and surprised to learn the doctor had done them. Which means that there was no communication on the doctor's end prior to making decisions about how to proceed, which included things like which kind of sutures to use.

But the thing is, that's only a possible complaint. Here's where I second guess myself, because I don't have the full story here. Doing surgery on the head means, first of all, that depending on the situation, the patient may not have been in a position to be asked. And the fact that she didn't know supports the idea that she wasn't conscious when these decisions were being made. Besides which, she already had braids, so it's not like his decision was based off of nothing. Sure, ideally medical professionals will discuss every detail of treatment with the patient, but there are times when that just isn't feasible, due to circumstances or time pressures, and you have to accept that the people making a judgement call are trying to make the best one they can. (also, in this case that judgement call was correct, so I can especially give credit for that)

awesome story. black doctors and nurses are the best.