#cancer disparities.

[orcelito]

the weird thing about when someone dies is that they're never truly dead in my head. when i think about my grandpa, my grandma, my uncle, i dont think of them as dead. i think of them as just... gone for a while. some longer than others. i think about my cat sammy and my cat cassy and i feel like i could still look over and see them there beside me. i can see the way sammy would always cuddle right up to me and lay his head on my shoulder. i can see the way cassy would swivel his head at me when he wanted pets.

they're all dead. they're all gone. but i feel like i could see them again, just like old times. all i need to do is give them a call.

[patientvoicesmatter]

Too Much to Qualify, Not Enough to Live:

The Financial Challenges of Low-Middle Income Chronically Ill Individuals

Imagine navigating life's challenges with the weight of a chronic illness, where every step is a battle against not only the medical condition but also the financial strain it imposes. This is the reality for lower-middle-income individuals living with chronic illnesses in an at-risk population. They face unique challenges, teetering between disqualification for government assistance and the burden of managing substantial healthcare costs. As social workers, addressing their needs is vital in a society where such populations are often overlooked. To understand these challenges better, it is essential to understand the demographics of this group.

Social workers play a critical role in helping this financially strained population access government aid and healthcare, particularly in developing countries, where the World Bank classifies countries with a GNI per capita between $1,136-$4,465 as lower-middle-income countries (World Bank Country and Lending Groups, 2023). Mao et al. (2017) found that 5% of multi-chronic disease patients, mostly low-income patients, account for half of the healthcare costs. The significance of social workers' involvement in assisting these individuals is shown in this study, which focuses on the significant role they play in managing complex requirements, particularly in addressing the multifaceted financial difficulties that frequently hinder access to aid and medical care for this group.

Needs of Lower-Middle Income Chronically Ill Population

The authors of "Healthcare Needs and Difficulties of Low-Income People with Multiple Chronic Illnesses" (Lee, James, and Hunleth, 2020) draw attention to the significant healthcare challenges faced by those with multiple chronic illnesses who are low-income. They noted that these individuals often experience difficulties in accessing healthcare services and point to the need for timely and effective care. According to Mao et al. (2017), people with multiple chronic diseases, who are predominantly low-income, account for half of healthcare costs. These individuals often face additional challenges, such as poverty, mental health issues, homelessness, and social isolation, which can further complicate the delivery of care.

Those with chronic diseases who are ineligible for Medicaid due to their lower-middle income earning between $55,500 and $111,000 per year according to the U.S. The Census Bureau, 2023(Keisler-Starkey, 2023), can struggle to afford healthcare. Social workers can help guide these patients to programs such as Medicaid, PAPs, and SNAP, and promote affordable healthcare options to address the high cost of insurance. It is crucial to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for those who need it, particularly for those with lower incomes.

Chronic diseases can cause emotional distress, which must be managed. Social workers must provide counseling and support groups to help patients with depression and anxiety. They must also ensure their access to mental health resources. For instance, social workers can help COPD patients with anxiety about medication costs by connecting them to mental health services.

Chronic illnesses have a high mortality rate, and social workers working in hospice care can provide essential support to people in their care. According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases account for 70% of the global deaths (Schmidt, 2016). The quality of life associated with the end-of-life process is affected by multiple factors including the patient's age and duration of illness (Callahan, 2017). The primary objective of hospice care is to maintain the quality of life of both patients and their caregivers. While it is impossible to fully understand the experience of dying, hospice social workers can gain valuable insights into the developmental challenges and needs of those dying. With this knowledge, hospice social workers can help patients grow as they confront mortality (Callahan, 2017).

Social Work Settings.

Social workers play a crucial role in assisting lower-middle income individuals with chronic illnesses. These settings present unique challenges and opportunities for interventions. In hospitals and clinics, social workers guide patients through complex medical systems, especially those in the lower-middle-income bracket, who find healthcare costs burdensome. Lee et al. (2020) shows their role in managing healthcare intricacies, including waiting periods, as patients develop strategies to cope. Social workers also ensure that individuals with chronic illnesses receive home-based care, allowing access to necessary resources for the comfort of their homes. In today's digital age, community centers offer social connections complemented by online support groups and telehealth services.

Advocacy in workplaces is another vital role, as social workers promote accommodation and educate employers about the needs of individuals with chronic illnesses. They navigate the legal system in legal and advocacy offices, advocate for students with chronic illnesses in educational settings, and provide counseling and support groups in mental health agencies.

Nonprofit organizations rely on social workers to help lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses access resources and navigate the healthcare systems. However, the eligibility criteria for social programs can be controversial, with debates about access and sustainability. Social workers play a crucial role in connecting people to resources and healthcare systems and addressing complex issues while aiding those in need. The debates surrounding social programs for chronically ill lower-middle-class individuals involve healthcare policies, finances, and values, including government involvement, fairness, and individual/collective responsibility.

Social Worker Roles

Social workers play a crucial role in assisting patients with lower-middle-income chronic illnesses. Zastrow and Hessenauer (2016) extensively discuss these roles in their textbook. Social workers can be advocates of and play a crucial role in aiding chronically ill individuals. They defend patients' rights, assist in accessing medical care, devise treatment strategies, and ensure patient rights. They guide clients through government support programs, such as Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and housing vouchers. Social workers aid in legal cases, such as SSDI and SSI, manage paperwork, and promote fairness in workplaces and schools. They help patients with chronic illnesses access healthcare, government schemes, legal aid, and education or employment. They help with disability benefits. In end-of-life settings, they work as advocates for hospice care.

Hospice social workers (Callahan 2017) are essential members of interdisciplinary teams that provide holistic care. They focus on psychosocial care, whereas certified hospice chaplains provide spiritual care. However, hospice social workers must also ensure that patients have access to the spiritual care that they desire. Hospice social workers can provide spiritual support by creating a spiritually sensitive therapeutic relationship and by referring to or delivering spiritual care. Addressing spiritual needs can be difficult, especially when they are unclear or change during death. Timely response is essential; therefore, hospice social workers must be spiritually sensitive and coordinate with the interdisciplinary team to ensure quality spiritual care (Callahan, 2017).

Betty, a patient of hematologist Dr. Smith, had her symptoms dismissed as anxiety by a previous doctor. Seeking answers, she turned to Elisha, a social worker advocate. Elisha presented research on Betty's symptoms to Dr. Smith, persuading him to conduct tests. These tests revealed a rare genetic mutation, enabling the prompt treatment and validation of Betty's concerns. Social workers play a crucial role in providing home-based care to individuals with chronic illnesses, ensuring that they have access to the necessary resources while enjoying the comfort of their own homes. Community centers also offer a sense of social connection to combat isolation, particularly in the digital age when online support groups and telehealth services are invaluable in reaching and assisting this population.

Social workers advocate workplace accommodations for individuals with chronic illnesses and educate employers about their needs, while also working in legal and advocacy offices to assist them in navigating the legal system. In educational settings, social workers support low- to middle-income students with chronic illnesses by advocating necessary accommodations, discussing resource allocation, and promoting fair educational opportunities. In mental health agencies, social workers provide essential support to individuals dealing with chronic mental and physical illnesses through counseling and support groups. However, financing and resource allocation debates may arise, particularly for lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses who fall between government aid eligibility and the ability to afford these services.

Social workers are researchers with strong research skills and experience serving vulnerable populations. They evaluate programs, assess initiatives, and identify community needs. For example, they may conduct research support programs for lower-middle-income people with chronic illnesses. These studies sought to improve resource allocation, identify areas for improvement, and create new solutions to enhance end-of-life care and support.

Glenda is a renowned social work researcher who evaluates hospice program services and interventions. Her research has enabled the program to improve its approach by providing optimal care and support to patients and families. Glenda's research meets the needs of those who face end-of-life issues. The multifaceted nature of social work provides care and support to lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses, ensuring that they live meaningful lives.

Knowledge and Skills

Social workers are crucial in assisting lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses. Knowledge, skills, and empathy is also essential. They need a deep understanding of chronic diseases, healthcare systems, financial aid programs, and skills in case management, counseling, and leading support groups. They are skilled in evaluating client needs, creating customized intervention plans, and assisting clients in securing financial resources, such as Medicaid, Medicare, disability benefits, and charity aid. This expertise enables them to address financial issues related to chronic diseases.  Their empathetic manner promotes trust and open dialogue, which are crucial for effective problem-solving. Lower-middle-income individuals face challenges in navigating the complex U.S. healthcare system, especially when dealing with chronic illnesses (Lee et al., 2020). Long waits, complex assessments, and bureaucratic hurdles worsened by funding cuts and strict work requirements make healthcare access crucial to streamline (Lee et al., 2020). Medicaid, CHIP, and pharmaceutical PAPs offer crucial financial aid.

“Generalist social work practice is a comprehensive approach to social work with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities. The CSWE requires bachelor's and master's programs to teach this practice. Generalist practitioners use a strength-based approach, engaging, assessing, brokering services, advocating, counselling, educating, and organizing to solve problems. Generalist social workers evaluate service outcomes to improve service quality and promote community and organizational development. The NASW Code of Ethics guides their practice, which seeks to improve the well-being of individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations” (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2016).

Strategies and Programs

Lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses require diverse strategies and programs to address their multifaceted needs (Lee et al., 2020). Navigating the U.S. healthcare system often involves unavoidable waiting periods, especially for those without insurance or resources (Lee et al., 2020). The process entails state and federal evaluations, income assessments, work ability evaluations, consideration of illness severity, and citizenship verification, among others (Lee et al., 2020). Ongoing funding cuts and stricter work requirements have compounded the difficulties faced by this population (Lee et al., 2020).

Accessing healthcare through social welfare programs often involves long wait times, particularly in medicaid-accepting or sliding-fee facilities (Lee et al., 2020). This underscores the need for more efficient access to healthcare. Nevertheless, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) play essential roles in financially supporting lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses (Lee et al., 2020). Pharmaceutical companies also contribute by implementing patient-assistance programs that bridge affordability gaps.

One notable example is the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model, in which social workers collaborate closely with healthcare professionals. Research has confirmed the high effectiveness of PCMHs in managing chronic conditions (Hong et al., 2018). PCMH-certified practices excel in care coordination through case managers, quality care reports, and reminders for preventive and follow-up care. These findings demonstrate the promising potential of PCMH features, particularly in healthcare settings for chronic illnesses. Advocacy is vital for progress, aiming to secure more funding and healthcare access for at-risk, lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses. Nonprofits, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), advocate for improved mental health services, reduced care disparities, and policy changes. Programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) address nutritional needs, ensuring proper nourishment for lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2022).  

The combination of these strategies and programs aims to enhance healthcare access, reduce costs, improve care coordination, and provide culturally sensitive care, ultimately enhancing the quality of life of lower-middle-income individuals with chronic illnesses (Hong et al., 2018). This section summarizes the insights gained, paving the way for effective social work intervention. Financial aid, affordable care, emotional support, and mental health resources are crucial for patients with low-to middle-income chronic diseases. Social workers play a vital role in advocating for these resources, recognizing unique challenges and resilience, and equipping themselves with the skills necessary for effective support.

My experience drives me to champion resilient, often unnoticed, low-income, and chronically ill people. They require financial aid, accessible healthcare, emotional support, and mental health resources to prosper. Your support is crucial. Social workers are crucial for advocating individuals and connecting them to resources. Acknowledging these challenges is the key to empowering social workers. My personal journey motivated me to champion this cause and urge everyone to support this vulnerable group. Their stories inspired us to redefine resilience and prosperity amid challenges.

References

Callahan, A. M. (2017). Spiritual needs. Spirituality and Hospice Social Work, 55–71. https://doi.org/10.7312/columbia/9780231171731.003.0004

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2022, June 9). Policy basics: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/the-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap

Hong, Y.-R., Huo, J., & Mainous, A. G. (2018). Care Coordination Management in patient-centered medical home: Analysis of the 2015 medical organizations survey. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 33(7), 1004–1006. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-018-4439-1

Keisler-Starkey, K. (2023, September 14). Health insurance coverage in the United States: 2022. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-281.html

Lee, A. A., James, A. S., & Hunleth, J. M. (2020). Waiting for care: Chronic illness and health system uncertainties in the United States. Social Science & Medicine, 264, 113296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113296

Mao, A. Y., Willard-Grace, R., Dubbin, L., Aronson, L., Fernandez, A., Burke, N. J., Finch, J., & Davis, E. (2017). Perspectives of low-income chronically ill patients on complex care management. Families, Systems, & Health, 35(4), 399–408. https://doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000260

Schmidt, H. (2016, April 13). Chronic disease prevention and health promotion. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28590691/

World Bank Country and Lending Groups. (2023, June 24). World Bank Country and lending groups . World Bank Country and Lending Groups – World Bank Data Help Desk. https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups#:~:text=For%20the%20current%202024%20fiscal,those%20with%20a%20GNI%20per

Zastrow, C., & Hessenauer, S. (2016). An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work and Social Welfare (12th ed.). Cengage Learning.

[ecomehdi]

Unveiling the Truth: Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis Among Women Over

Understanding Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis: A Comprehensive Insight Breast cancer stands as a significant concern for women across all age groups, with increased prominence as women reach their 70s and beyond. Recent years have witnessed mounting evidence of breast cancer overdiagnosis within this demographic, sparking critical debates about the efficacy and appropriateness of screening…

[md-fm]

Disparities Persist Despite an Increase in Lung Cancer Screening Rates

[muu-kun]

"Sinner. And nasty."

There was no part of him that would've been receptive to criticism stating that kinkshaming was not a hobby one could have. Such a claim would have only demonstrated to the blond that other people did not find it as enjoyable as he did to let people how weird they were as individuals.

"Cannibalistic Miss Alex.. Vore enjoyer."

『🔧』 "People— nobody seems to understand that when- when I say I have a biting kink, I have a biting, kink. Like- little nips to the collarbone aren't enough for me! Make it feel like you're gonna take a chunk out of my shoulder or don't waste my fucking time!"

[arijackz]

✰ Astro Observations ✰

❤︎ Copyright © 2025 Arijackz. All Right Reserved.

★ Cancer Mercuries have the potential to become really good teachers. Cancer exalts Jupiter, which is the karaka of teachers, gurus, and is the graha that grants inner fulfillment through the acquirement of knowledge and worldly experience for the sake of one's conscious ascension. Moon and Jupiter share a resonance with themes of connectedness.

The moon is all about receptivity and accepting the influence of another; allowing an external force to touch and shift the gooiest corners of your internal world, thus creating an eternal bond and impression of that force within your psyche.

Jupiter, the traditional ruler of Sag and Pisces, is all about worldly intelligence and human awareness that only foreign exposure and dharmic alignment can achieve. Sag is the archetype of the traveler/ philosopher/ religious leader whose higher thinking allows their perspective to go beyond the immediate boundaries that limit the unity of the human experience such as race, cultural differences, economic disparities, etc.

Pisces exalts Venus, which is the graha of relationships and bridging people together for a cause. There is no force that unites people greater than death (Pisces). Pisces blurs the line between "self" and "non self", returning all the energy trapped inside material matter back to its original, whole source (The Big Bang/ God/ Whatever you want to call it).

Both Sag (Mula) and Pisces (Purva- Uttara Bhadrapada) want to remove any illusion or falsehood that prevents the soul from uniting with its true dharmic & moksha destiny.

All illusions start in the mind (the moon) and these natives (Jupiterians & Lunarians) are gifted with ease in garnering deep understandings of complex, nuanced topics (typically concerning the human psyche) and are able simplify their mechanics.

☆ The 3rd House is an underrated sexy house.

1) It's apart of the Kama trine houses (3rd, 7th, 11th) and is intrinsically connected to one's desires, the pursuit of gratification, and social appeal.

2) Governs the hands and arms, which allows sensory interaction and curiousness, thus creating attraction.

3) The 2nd house is how your voice sounds but the 3rd is what you're saying and how you're verbally influencing others. Unlike a water house, the 3rd is less concerned with the emotional weight behind building connections and focuses on the light, playful aspect of communication－flirtation. Thus creating a buzzing mental simulation, which births attraction and seduction.

4) Being the 8th house from the 8th house, this reaffirms (to me, at least) that the spark of one's raw energy and hunger for the fruit of their desires, translating to their libido and sexual tastes, can be shown in the third house.

Leo 3rd House: Your prowess is in how effortlessly you can charm the nuke codes out of the president.

Scorpio 3rd House: You vocal essence is liquid sex and attraction (Libra 2nd house), but the impact of your words are... sticky, they grasp and cling to an audience and embed their way permanently into their psyche.

★ Ardra Placements, ruled by the deity Rudra (Shiva's pre-mediative archetype) is known as the howler and is symbolized by a tear drop. This translates to an innate ability to alchemize one's pain and trauma into song as a means to lighten their emotional load.

Think of it like this: Ever since you popped out the womb, you've cried to 1) Notify the world that you are in need of something 2) To release excess stress hormones like prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and Leu-enkephalin into a perfectly shaped teardrop, and BOOM! You feel better!

The power of Ardra natives are rooted in how they shift their pain into something that can be heard (the howling) and alchemized into something that heals (the teardrop).

Ardra natives in Hollywood are BELOVED for their lyricism. Rahu gives them a communicative genius and an unorthodox approach to music, they tend to be pioneers or the faces of their field.

⇢ Taylor Swift - Ardra 🌙 ⇢ Lana Del Rey - Ardra ☀️

⇢ Ariana Grande - Ardra ☀️ ⇢ Kurt Cobain- Ardra 🌙

⇢ Lauryn Hill - Ardra ☀️ ⇢ Janis Joplin - Ardra 🌙

⇢ Vince Staples - Ardra ☀️ ⇢ Solange Knowles - Ardra ☀️

(Honorary Mention) Jennette McCurdy - Ardra ☀️

I CAN'T PROVE IT... but i'd bet money kendrick has an ardra placement (that asc lookin' reeaaallll iffy)

[globalnewscollective]

Why Research Funding Is Under Attack

Scientific progress in the U.S. is under threat, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

What’s Happening?

The Trump administration moved to cut NIH funding for research projects that it deemed politically controversial, including studies on climate change, reproductive health, women`s health and pandemic preparedness.

What Does This Mean for You?

Delays in Medical Breakthroughs – Research in cancer, Alzheimer’s, and infectious diseases could slow down if funding is politicized.

Threats to Public Health – NIH funding supports studies that protect against future pandemics. Cutting it makes everyone more vulnerable.

Censorship in Science – Allowing politicians to defund research they don’t like sets a dangerous precedent for scientific freedom.

Loss of Innovation and Jobs – Universities, biotech companies, and research institutions rely on NIH grants to drive progress and economic growth.

Harm to Women and Minorities – Many of the affected research areas disproportionately impact women and marginalized communities. Reproductive health studies, maternal care advancements, and research on diseases that primarily affect minority populations are often the first to be cut when funding becomes politicized. Without proper investment, health disparities will continue to widen, leaving these groups with fewer resources and medical solutions tailored to their needs.

The Bigger Picture

This is about more than just one round of funding cuts—it’s about whether science can remain independent in a democracy. If political agendas continue to interfere with research, the U.S. risks falling behind in medicine, technology, and environmental science. Other countries will take the lead, while American innovation suffers.

What Can You Do?

Support Science Advocacy Groups – Organizations fighting for independent research need public backing.

Contact Lawmakers – Demand that science funding decisions be based on evidence, not ideology.

Stay Informed – Misinformation is a powerful tool—know the facts and share them.

Science should serve the public good, not political interests. The fight isn’t over, and the future of research depends on how we respond now.

[housemdork]

house md rewatch: 1x10, "histories"

featuring an unlikely, fascinating duo and wilson as the anti-house.

this is long asf. i'm sorry.

i love, love, love it when older house md used to relegate wilson to the background before his major episodes, like they were charging him up to maximum strength or something. as a result, 1x10 is one of my favorites of season 1, and of the show at large, really. i just can sense the fun they had expanding his role over time.

with that in mind, i think the way we arrive at the core message of the episode is actually a little winding, and that cuddy is the one to deliver it! the whole "oh it's about the characters' backstories because of the episode title" is too superficial for me.

when cuddy drops off two students to house who are learning to take patient histories (lol), she reminds house that you can "learn so much from teaching."

earlier, when the patient of the hour is admitted to the hospital, a homeless woman named victoria, foreman and wilson are immediately at odds. wilson has taken a keen and clearly emotional interest in helping victoria, while foreman has taken a keen interest in discharging her as soon as possible. in the face of this hostility, wilson reminds foreman that "we are a teaching hospital."

however, the resident anti-teacher, from whom the ducklings learn the most, doesn't do much teaching in this episode. house takes something of a backseat after wilson asks him to take the case despite foreman's protests. his reasoning is clear - he wants to know why both wilson and foreman have such personal stakes in a "nobody." he has no problem playing them off one another when snooping in their personal files doesn't give him the answers he wants.

foreman and wilson's conflict is sooo exciting and unexpected, but when you give it a thought, of course these guys wouldn't get along as their season 1 selves. yet it runs deeper than temperament issues - they're mature enough to move past that. unbeknownst to each other, they share a very specific type of emotional baggage that could not manifest in more disparate ways, a lot like the initial diagnoses - ovarian cancer and a tuberculoma - manifest with similar symptoms but different root causes. brotherly trauma! we don't know that about foreman yet, ofc, but it's hard to decontextualize this episode on a rewatch.

so, back to teaching. the last few episodes have done a lot of legwork in establishing that, despite their strained relationship, foreman is both a lot like house and has learned quite a lot from him. but PPTH does exist beyond the Church of Diagnostics (shockingly enough), and the character that passes between these permeable barriers the most is none other than "boy wonder oncologist" james wilson himself.

we've got a new, impromptu teacher for the episode! and he's imparting a pretty dangerous lesson - caring way too much.

even without the later knowledge about wilson's brother, before the end-of-episode reveal, wilson's interest in the patient makes sense because of his diagnosed pathology from 1x07: "you love everybody. that's your pathology." 1x10 asks the question of what would happen if house's misanthropy were exchanged for wilson's compassion? the answer is nothing good, but watching foreman - still the student - absorb it is so touching.

wilson, unintentionally, guides foreman away from house's practices. foreman starts out dismissive and refuses to humanize victoria. he's uninterested in her patient history, just like how house would rather read victoria's comics than learn about her directly. but as wilson's compassion-poison starts to take effect, foreman combines house and wilson's opposing methodologies - he reads the comics and asks victoria about them, thus uncovering large swaths of information relevant to her treatment and diagnosis. house comments on foreman's knowledge of victoria's history, too: "you've been reading! my, how you've changed."

like wilson with his cancer patients, foreman is becoming increasingly and personally invested in victoria. he gets the most face-time with her; she bites him, a permanent mark of their involvement.

unfortunately for foreman, this means going forward that he's privy to all of victoria's pain, physical and emotional. she becomes attached to him. when they put her in an ice bath, victoria demands that foreman be there, and then weeps when she feels that foreman is punishing her through this treatment. it's a really hard scene to watch, but not something that's so out of left field for wilson. chemo being such a brutal treatment, it follows that patients may feel that wilson is putting them through pain a la victoria and foreman.

later still, when victoria is brought back to the hospital after running away, she asks for foreman by name.

the most devastating part of this whole episode is, of course, the final diagnosis: victoria has rabies and won't make it through the night. foreman is fully entrenched in victoria's life now and wants to solve the puzzle of the elusive james she keeps mentioning. so, for a time, he calls a truce with wilson and they follow the trail her comics leave behind. together, they uncover the puzzle, with wilson narrating every detail: victoria was married, had a child named james, and both her husband and son died in a car accident that left her only with a broken arm. wilson and foreman have both fully engrossed themselves in this doomed patient, and what lies at the end for them both is more tragedy.

if we take a house-esque view of this outcome, it's a failure with little to be gained. we don't see much of house's final thoughts on the case, but we see a deep transformation in foreman. he wants to be with victoria in her last moments. more than that, he's learned enough about her personal history that he embodies paul, her late husband, while holding her hand. that's not an idea anyone who just read her drawings could come up with, and it's the one scene that's made me cry so far on this rewatch </3

this outcome sort of confirms that house-esque vision, too. what has foreman learned as a doctor by (subconsciously) following wilson's example? he expresses this out loud to wilson when he says that he feels the usual platitudes aren't worth it: "doesn't matter. now she's gonna die in that room." yet wilson gives his eternal reply that yes, those platitudes are what you say. once again, in the house-esque view, this accomplishes nothing, which is what foreman (and the audience) have been trained to trust the most so far.

i still think, however, that foreman finds a lot of value in wilson's perspective. 1x10 offers this visually by having wilson give foreman his rabies shot - probably the most intimate moment we've seen between any of the doctors so far! house md writers are always chomping at the bit to make sure we know that wilson is gentle. and viewers are relieved, probably, to know that another kind of doctor exists out there with similar vigor who doesn't just rely on drawings to take a history, right?

well, too bad. because wilson is beyond fucked up. is foreman's involvement with victoria, a drug addict who's unintentionally hurt people in her life, not just a parallel to wilson's involvement with house?

the ducklings don't seem to know this at all about him, and the audience has just had it teased so far. the secret work of this episode was less about giving foreman and company a lesson in hippocratic kindness and more about showing wilson's masochistic need to see someone else's pain through to the end, to his own detriment. he's teaching foreman a good human trait, maybe, but one that has proved emotionally injurious to him for years, and one that house is always perplexed by. this is my favorite part of house md. their practices are virtually antithetical to one another.

that antithesis quality also explains the novelty of this scene! house and wilson pretend that they're extrapolating all sorts of deep psychological information about victoria just by skimming her drawings, blowing the ducklings' minds.

how can these 2 possibly be working so well together? they're so diametrically opposed. it makes no sense. because it's a farce. as we'll come to know, house and wilson don't work well together in any way that's productive, just like their little stunt here. doesn't mean they don't need each other like how 2 lungs need each other, though.* it's also cute that their shirts match colors this episode.

okay. FINALLY. the scene that locked me in to house md (and wilson) permanently. a lot like the scene in 1x05 where wilson invites himself over to house's place on christmas eve, we learn important things very quickly about wilson: he has 2 surviving parents, both of whom house has met, one brother house has also met, another brother that house did not know about, and that wilson plays this close to the chest. wilson says as much: "it wasn't relevant," and the "medically relevant" goes unspoken.

house's knowledge about wilson isn't whole, which is shocking, and it opens a can of worms that won't be wholly excavated until 5x17, which just so happens to be one of my favorite episodes, as well.

yet another reverberation of 1x11 in season 5 is 5x04, when house demands that wilson confront his fear of loss. but i'll save that for the future! ;)

so! what did we learn? the ducklings are still just like sponges, taking in not just proper medical practices but also their superiors' ways about the world; caring about patients can be very painful, and it's possible to care too much; wilson's care (his need for neediness) is masochistic; holy moly are he and house 2 opposites made for one another; james wilson is so fucking hot.

also, for whatever reason, his line delivery in this scene felt like the first time his character has been completely realized - go watch, if you can! when he says "wait a minute" i hear the same voice and intonation that RSL carries till the very end:

*oh my god is that what 8x02 was getting at...

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

Not covid, but another great reason to keep masks on hand: Fine particulate matter increases all sorts of other health issues like asthma, high blood pressure, some cancers, and even strokes. Pollution is just as bad for you as covid in some senses.

By Alden Woods and Kiyomi Taguchi

As Baby Boomers hit retirement, about 1 in 6 Americans is now over the age of 65. The number of Americans living with dementia is projected to skyrocket — but the proportion of older Americans who develop dementia has actually decreased. The exact reason why is uncertain, but various lifestyle and environmental factors can influence a person’s risk of cognitive decline.

One recently discovered risk is air pollution. Studies have linked exposure to a type of air pollution called fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, with an increased risk of developing dementia, and researchers suspect that some sources of PM2.5 may pose a greater risk than others.

New research led by the University of Washington found that wildfire smoke is especially hazardous. An analysis of the health care records of 1.2 million Southern California residents found that higher long-term smoke exposure was associated with a significant increase in the odds that a person would be diagnosed with dementia.

The researchers presented their findings at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in July and published the full study Nov. 25 in JAMA Neurology.

“There have been studies that have found total PM2.5 is related to people developing dementia, but no one had looked specifically at wildfire PM2.5,” said lead author Joan Casey, a UW associate professor of environmental & occupational health sciences. “Wildfire smoke is a different animal, in that it’s much spikier. There are many days where there’s no wildfire smoke, and there are some days where exposure is really, really extreme.”

Researchers analyzed the health records of 1.2 million members aged 60 and older of Kaiser Permanente Southern California between 2008 and 2019, all of whom were free from dementia at the start of the study period. They estimated each person’s long-term exposure to both wildfire and non-wildfire PM2.5 as a three-year rolling average, and then identified people who received a dementia diagnosis.

Researchers found that for every 1 microgram per cubic meter (µg/m3) increase in three-year average wildfire PM2.5 concentration, the odds of a dementia diagnosis increased by 18%. Exposure to non-wildfire PM2.5 also increased a person’s risk of dementia, but to a much lesser degree.

“One microgram per meter cubed might sound fairly small, but we have to think about how people are exposed to wildfire smoke,” Casey said. “Most days they aren’t exposed at all, so this might represent a few days of exposure at a concentration of something like 300 µg/m3, where the AQI is over 200 in someone’s community. When you think about it, it’s actually a few really severe wildfire smoke days that might translate into increased risk.”

That risk further increased among racialized people and those living in high-poverty census tracts, following long-term trends in which vulnerable populations often experience disproportionate effects of environmental hazards. The authors suggested that disparities might be related to lower-quality housing, which can increase the amount of smoke that enters people’s homes, or lower-income families’ inability to afford air filtration systems.

The study period does not include the summers of 2020 and 2021, which produced the most extreme wildfire seasons recorded in California. The climate crisis has drastically increased the frequency and severity of wildfires across the American West, introducing “smoke season” in many West Coast regions The influx of smoke has chipped away at air quality improvements made over the last century.

“The main culprit here is climate change,” Casey said. “It’s a global problem. While individuals can protect themselves with air filters and masks, we need a global solution to climate change. It’s going to have to be many-pronged — many people have to be involved to solve this highly complex problem.”

Co-authors on this study are Holly Elser of the University of Pennsylvania; Timothy Frankland of the Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Center for Integrated Health Research; Chen Chen and Tarik Benmarhnia of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego; Sara Tartof and Gina Lee of Kaiser Permanente Southern California; Elizabeth Rose Mayeda of UCLA; Dr. Alexander Northrop of Columbia University; and Jacqueline Torres of UC San Francisco. This research was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.

Study link: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/2827124

[cynautica]

i remembered i can just make stuff up (stream sketches + scrapped designs)

uhhhh quick fire for the second image from left to right juvenile vessel - old world cable maintenance - artistic diplomat vessel

Headcanons below the cut:

(Im not kidding word counter marked this as a 5 minute reading time open at your own risk)

While the sentiment of the architect network as "a thousand strings in a melody, not one louder than the rest" is a poetic interpretation of the network, it is not necessarily reflective of the precursors society as a whole.

At its peak, the species span billions of planets with billions on billions of individuals, all with their own degrees of autonomy and divergence. If each architect is equal in its power, than it is equal in its power to choose. Even if the soul of an architect, its very essence and its personality, is designed so perfectly that its primary desire is the perpetuation of order and advancement (two inherently divergent concepts), faults occur. Breakages occur. Pockets, cultural subsets, faded transmissions, and any other element of lost insight be it archaic or modern, lends itself to the impossibility of an entirely homogeneous society.

Whether a hive minded society reflects the only means to perfection is debatable, but its important to remember that our main portal in to the precursor world is Al-an, a known prodigy born and raised in to a society that has done nothing but benefit him. His view of his people is intrinsically skewed. He has never had a reason to see beyond the propaganda, nor question his directives. They have never once failed him.

But what of the little guys? The constructed failures so to speak. Those destined to be cast in to the bowels of poisonous cobalt mines and those who's birth purpose is to be irradiated and isolated for the greater good of the collective. Those who's genes prompted sub-standard intelligence who will never be seen as truly important. Their needs must be cast aside by design for the greater good of the collective. By design they must be ignored, their thoughts not relevant to the forwarding of progress.

Because there is true power disparity there is a true hierarchy.

Aware of this, the precursors devised a system of checks and balances to ensure that scientific progress remains at the forefront, rather than the accumulation of power by any individual.

As with all things though, power inevitably seeks to maintain and grow like a cancer.

One such exertion of power comes in the form of a "hive master". These unique individuals require precise expensive machinery in order to be produced, and as such are very rare. The vessels they require are likewise uniquely suited to only these hive masters and their unique ability to sway the voices and personality of any individual connected to the network. They themselves are invisible, completely undetectable except in physical form. Their unique telepathic abilities only work when paired with these vessels. They have no voice nor will of their own and are said to represent architect society on its most basal level.

Given their difficult to produce nature established personalities are very often used in place of new seed combinations. Personalities most suited for repurposing as a hive master include those who are most senior, intelligent, and aligned wholly with societal goals.

They are typically only found on heavily populated planets with more than a few thousand individuals. There they go undetected, like the sound of wind lost in a sea of voices, whose squall directs its very rampage. They are also enlisted for many unique duties on populous planets, such as the refactoring of corrupted individuals and silencing cultural sub-sets.

The average architect probably isn't even aware of the existence of a hive master unless their profession lies in the refactoring and diplomatic processes.

Despite the cultural drive for a monotonous and orderly society, artistic expression is common and encouraged in some sects. All architects possess the desire to express themselves, similarly to humans. Some do this simply with their inbuilt biolights that vary naturally with the individual, while others (less commonly) modify their vessel or design new and unique ones for themselves.

A vessel after all is a costly investment you cant just change like the season, its built to last you a couple thousand years. It's only natural that some seek to don something unique.

This behavior is sometimes detested by more traditional architects, but is not universally frowned upon.

Diplomats are actually encouraged to take on more artistically designed vessels. Often with their respective species' artistic values in mind. They've found greater success with alliances when they don't look like massive sticks in the mud.

Subsets of culture also at times develop unique vessels. Such as an order-over-progress movement that developed on the fringes of the network and preferred pie-bald esque vessels. Alternatively in the past as wars waged between the architects the opposing sides often don differing forms to show their allegiances. In more recent history, a wave of white-clad vigilantes advocated for a complete reset of the old-world collective.

Aside from artistic and affiliation vessels, mainstream precursor society also used a series of varying vessels to reflect personal occupation. Some of the most notable included the warrior vessel, who by design met the largest accommodations of standard architecture for the purposes of intimidation and physical altercations. Al-an's vessel likewise is very common as a heavier-built variant meant to face harsh outer worlds such as 4546B. On base, more light and energy efficient vessels make the dominant force where defense isn't a huge priority.

Microvessels such as those seen above in grey are fairly uncommon despite their energy efficiency. They are most efficient on old world planets that have been in development for hundreds of thousands of years, where the march of time means that not all builders past and present were on the same wavelength and as such small and precise forms mean that construction can be completed with minimal risk to crowded infrastructure.

Another unique and uncommon vessel is that of a juvenile grow-out vessel. These are seldom customized beyond survival needs, and are designed to acclimate a freshly generated architect to the physical world. Like a living vessel, they grow with the individual starting from broodling all the way until young adulthood. They tend to be a bit clumsy and lack the ability to interface with most technology. Always running a blue biolight, these vessels to not require a lot of energy to function physically. A juvenile architect must prove its maturity before it is allowed to graduate in to an adult vessel. This change-out phase is a diplomatic process and one can sometimes wait many years before being approved in to maturity.

The treatment of a new architect varies quite significantly depending on their birthplace and genotype. High performing juveniles are singled out very quickly for better education. Despite the rarity of surviving children in architect society they are not given much importance. A single broodmother may be the ward of up to fifty broodlings, each of which given little attention in favor of allowing them to develop social skills among themselves. Despite architect's seeming infinite power to control resources, broodling mortality is surprisingly high.

[esperantoauthor]

So, I have cancer...

About 6 weeks ago, at the age of 35, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In less than 2 weeks, I'm having a double mastectomy.

So Esp, why are you posting about this on your fandom blog? Well, because it is really my only anonymous presence on the internet and while I am sharing a lot about my journey with friends and family, there are things I want to say that I don't want them to hear.

Also, I am hoping to do some watch parties with y'all while I am recovering. Time to take advantage of all those disparate time zones so you can watch shit with me in the middle of the work day (my time) and the early evening (your time).

Cancer really does feel like something that happens to other people, stronger people. When it comes for you, it is most of all surreal. I read a little about the stages of grief and something that stood out to me was that denial is a healthy coping mechanism your mind engages to protect itself from overwhelmingly bad news. It lets you put off fully confronting until you are ready, or it lets you confront it in little pieces rather than all at once.

I am incredibly lucky in so many ways. My cancer was caught very early and as long as the pathology comes back showing the same thing the biopsy showed, this surgery will be the beginning and the end of my cancer treatment. The reason it was caught so early feels like such a happy accident that it's a little scary to think about, honestly. I get chills.

So here's the story: A while back, my doctor's office pushed out an online questionnaire that wanted some family history. I filled it out and at the end it said that based on my family history, they recommended I take a genetic cancer panel. I kind of shrugged and said sure, why not. I didn't expect it to show anything. My family cancer history is minimal. I have exactly one blood relative who had breast cancer and she got it in her 70s. My dad had prostate cancer but back then I had no idea that could have anything to do with breast cancer. None of my doctor's have ever brought up concerns that I might be at increased risk of cancer. I did the test with sort of a shrug might as well attitude and that ambivalent decision is the only reason my cancer was caught stage zero.

I learned that I have a pathogenic BRCA mutation (yes, like the one Angelina Jolie was very public about having), which was a lot to process and probably needs to be a separate post. My gynecologist was flabbergasted when I told her, that's how unsuspicious my history looked. I started on the recommended "high risk" schedule of breast screenings, starting with a mammogram and a breast MRI (which I would then alternate doing every 6 months). I was told these tests would establish a baseline and was warned that since they have nothing to compare it to, there is a higher rate of false positives. So I wasn't overly concerned when the MRI results indicated a biopsy. The mammogram was clear, the clinical breast exam was clear. It was probably nothing. I was mostly just stressed about the procedure itself, since I don't do well with needles.

Well, the biopsy did not come back clear, as you probably guessed. They called me the next day to tell me I had cancer. I had a good cry and was mostly in shock. Two days later, I met with an oncologist who explained that even though my cancer was not yet invasive, it had already spread across a large area. So large that the surgery I was expecting to hear about, a lumpectomy, wasn't an option. I had already been reading about mastectomies, since many women choose to do a preventative double mastectomy when they find out they have BRCA. I had mostly decided I would stick with the screenings when I found out that I no longer had that choice. The only question was one breast or two. I thought about it but honestly it was easy to decide to do both at that point. My main fear was going through surgery and that was happening no matter what. My risk for developing cancer on the other side would be pretty high, thanks to my genetics. Plus, if I kept the other breast I would need to take hormone suppressing drugs for at least 5 years, which have unpleasant side effects.

So that's how I got here. My house is full of special mastectomy shirts and surgical bras and antiseptic body wash and special wedge pillows. I'm terrified. I just want to be on the other side of it. Wish me luck!

I don't know if I will post more on this topic, but if I do I will try to use the tag #esperanto does cancer, so feel free to filter that if you want to skip any future posts.

[robynochs]

Bisexual individuals face significant health disparities, including higher rates of mental health issues, cancer, and STIs. This is further complicated by the fact that they are less likely to disclose their sexual orientation to medical providers, meaning their needs are often overlooked. With bisexual people comprising nearly half of the LGBTQ+ community, and a large portion being transgender and people of color, it's crucial we address these unique challenges.

Read more about the health disparities among bisexual people: https://www.hrc.org/resources/health-disparities-among-bisexual-people

[liminalweirdo]

"A researcher said that the findings show that white people tend to care less about Covid and its impact when they believe it is “not a white people problem.

Covid has ravaged Black communities since it began to spread in the U.S. The illness and its economic fallout have affected Black people more than others through everything from health and unemployment to education. Meanwhile, experts have consistently asserted that the negative impact is due not to biology, but to systemic racism. A fall study led by researchers with the National Cancer Institute found that Covid deaths among Black, Latino and Native Americans were up to four times higher than in white populations."