#it’s just a regular ulcer

[soobadnoonecanstopher]

Hey! I know you said you’re too old to be following too deep into what is happening with Baek and maybe you don’t want to look too into to it as to not get stressed (like me 😌). But in the case you haven’t found something coherent, I think this one has all the important points

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvqdJtBhXS7/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I watched his live with subs and I felt awful ☹️☹️☹️☹️ but yeah anyone who wants a good translation of what’s going on can click on the link to read. It’s a bit easier to regulate my feelings when it’s text and not his eyes and his face relaying the emotions of what he was going through.

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A post shared by BAEKHYUN Fashion Style || 백현 패션 스타일 (@baekhyunsstyle)

[macgyvermedical]

Building Your Home Pharmacy

So you're in the OTC med section of the pharmacy. You've got 100 bucks burning a hole in your pocket (or maybe like $15 cause you're just starting). You're a new adult who wants to build yourself a tidy home pharmacy.

Well first you've got to know some stuff about over the counter (OTC) meds. This is the post to help you do it.

What are OTC meds? They are medications you can buy from a pharmacy or grocery store without needing a prescription. They have been deemed relatively safe and relatively easy to dose without a doctor's intervention. This does not mean they can't be dangerous, just that the general public can generally be trusted not to accidentally kill themselves with them on the regular. Keep that in your mind for later.

Note that all the medications discussed below are given in their generic names. In order to find these names, look below the brand name on a medication bottle:

Pain Medications:

Acetaminophen/Paracetamol: This is a non-NSAID pain reliever and fever reducer, so it's great for people who can't take NSAIDs due to stomach or kidney issues. Works best for headaches and fevers, but works on other types of pain as well. Technically works best as a suppository, but still works some orally. No increased risk of bleeding. Don't take more than directed. Seriously. This one can kill you or seriously damage your liver.

Ibuprofen: NSAID. Works against pain, inflammation, and fever. Take on a full stomach or you could get ulcers. Don't take if you have kidney problems. You can take this with acetaminophen.

Naproxen: NSAID. Probably the most effective for pain, but works against inflammation and fever as well. Lasts 12 hours. Don't take high doses continuously or you will get kidney problems. You can take this with acetaminophen.

Aspirin: NSAID. This was the first NSAID and it's definitely here to give you stomach ulcers if you don't take it on a full stomach. Technically it works for pain, inflammation, and fever. Most people today take it as a blood thinner. You can take this with acetaminophen.

Allergy/Cold/Congestion Medications:

Diphenhydramine/Doxalamine: First Generation Antihistamines. These are great for nighttime allergies, coughs, insomnia, nausea, and itching. Most people get drowsy from these, but some people get really hyper, especially kids.

Cetirazine/Loratadine/Fexofenadine: Second Generation Antihistamines. These work for allergies and itching and don't cause as much drowsiness.

Phenylephrine/Pseudoephedrine: Decongestants. These work by mimicking epinephrine, making the blood vessels in the nose and sinuses smaller. This makes the nose and sinuses less stuffy, but it raises blood pressure (so don't take if that's a problem for you). Pseudoephedrine is also restricted- you must be an adult to purchase and you can only buy so much. You have to talk to a pharmacist to get it because it can be used to make methamphetamine.

Triamcinolone/budesonide/fluticasone Nasal Spray: These are steroid sprays. They work similarly to the decongestants but only in the nose, and generally don't travel to the rest of the body.

Guifenesin: This is an expectorant, not a decongestant. It works by thinning the mucous in the lungs and airway. This makes it easier for you to cough it up. You have to drink a lot of water with this for it to work, though.

Dextromethorphan: This is a cough suppressant. It works by blocking signals in the brain that tell you to cough. Pretty much everything interacts with this one so if you take any medications talk to your doctor first. Depending on where you live you may have to talk to a pharmacist to get this one due to the potential for abuse.

Digestive Medications

Loperamide: This is an antidiarrheal. It works by decreasing the amount of squishing around your intestines are doing, which helps you hold your diarrhea and lets you continue to function. It is an opioid, but is not absorbed from your digestive tract so it doesn't make you high.

Bismuth Subsalicylate: This works for diarrhea as well, but also nausea, heartburn, and the prevention of traveler's diarrhea. Don't take if you're allergic to salicylates or aspirin. Taking this for an extended period of time can also cause bismuth toxicity.

Calcium Carbonate: This is an antacid. It is very basic pH wise, so can help change the pH of stomach contents pretty quickly. This is usually used for heartburn. If you take any other medications, this can prevent you from absorbing them if you take them within two hours. Using for long periods can cause rebound heartburn when you stop taking it.

Cemetidine/Famotidine/Ranitadine: These are gastric acid reducers, and they work by blocking the type of histamine that is necessary for the production of stomach acid. They are usually used for heartburn and ulcers.

Omeprezole/Esomeprezole: These are also gastric acid reducers, but they work by blocking a different part of the very complicated way our stomachs make acid. After years and years of taking these you might get some bone density problems.

Bisocodyl/Senna: These are laxatives. They work by increasing the movement of the intestines. It's important not to take these consistently unless you can't poop at all without them, or you seriously will not be able to poop without them.

Docusate/Propylene Glycol: These are stool softeners. They work by increasing the amount of water in the intestines. These are pretty safe to take all the time if you need to.

Simethicone: This is a surfactant. It works by accumulating all the gas bubbles in the intestines so they can be expelled. It's usually used for painful gas.

Topical Medications:

Clotrimezole/Miconazole: These are antifungal preparations. They treat yeast infections, athletes foot, jock itch, and ringworm.

Triple Antibiotic Ointment: This is a cream that contains antibiotics. Ostensibly you're supposed to put this on small cuts to decrease risk of infection. IRL just clean it with soap and water and then put some vasaline on it. Studies have shown it works just as well.

Hydrocortisone: This is a steroid cream. You put it on itchy things (bug bites, poison ivy, etc...) and it makes them not itch as much. This one actually works and is generally better than diphenhydramine creams that can't be used on poison ivy.

Permethrin: This is an insecticide. It will help get rid of head and body lice.

Zinc Oxide: This is a skin protectant. It helps prevent diaper rash and chafing. It also makes things feel better once you've already chafed. Technically it is also a sunblock, but it will make you look like a ghost while you're wearing it.

Family Planning:

Levonorgestrel: This is known as the morning after pill. It works by blocking ovulation, so that a sperm and egg cannot meet, preventing pregnancy. It can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex, though it works better the sooner it is taken.

Devices:

Blood Sugar Meter/Strips/Lancets: These help measure the amount of sugar in your blood. They are usually used by people with diabetes.

Blood Pressure Cuff: This measures blood pressure automatically with a cuff around the upper arm or wrist. It is usually used by people with high blood pressure.

Ketogenic Test Strips: This measures the amount of ketones in the urine. Ketones are a byproduct of fat breakdown, usually found when the body cannot breakdown carbohydrates for energy and begins to break down fat instead. Usually people who are on a ketogenic diet or people with diabetes use these.

Peak Flow Meter: This measures the amount of air that can be used by the lungs. They are usually used by people with asthma or COPD.

Great, Which Ones Do I Need?

I'd recommend look over the list and see which ones would be most useful for you, and start with those. Over time, collect ones that would be most embarrassing to not have, and then the ones that you're pretty sure you'll never use.

Note that in a dry, unopened package (including inside blister packs), drugs last well beyond their expiration dates. So if you don't use a certain med all that often, get a smaller package of it.

Great, Which Ones Can I Take at the Same Time?

Good question. I'm going to say that if you take any prescription medications, you always want to check with your doctor before taking anything OTC. However, I recommend you use an interaction checker like this one if you want to take more than one OTC med at the same time. One can be found here.

Note:

Loperamide CANNOT be taken with cimetidine/ranitidine/famotidine. This causes bad heart rhythms.

Don't take two meds from the same category together (like cimetadine with ranitidine, or ibuprofen with naproxen, or diphenhydramine and fexofenadine unless a doctor tells you to).

Most antacids (calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate) will prevent the absorption of other medications, so take them two hours apart from anything else you take.

Don't drink alcohol with loperamide, detromethophan, acetaminophen, or any antihistamines.

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

July/September 1974 - Queen Story!

'Sheer Heart Attack'

Queen's third studio album was recorded between July and September 1974 at four different studios in England and Wales.

Produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker, with once again Mike Stone as engineer.

👉 Released November 8th, 1974

Reached number 2, chart for 42 weeks Achieved Platinum status.

🔸In May '74, after a week at the Uris Theater, Broadway, New York, bad luck hits the band. Upon arrival in Boston for the next stage of the tour, Brian May contracts a severe attack of hepatitis. The rest of the tour is scrapped (Kansas stand in for the band), and Brian is flown back to London on the 16th.

Meanwhile, Freddie, Roger, John, road crew and anyone else who may have come into contact with Brian hastily inoculate themselves.

"When he turned yellow, we thought he had food poisoning.", said Freddie in an NME interview in June. Sadly for Brian, the hepatitis is to become a regular feature of his life.

There is nothing for the band to do but start writing songs for the third album. After rehearsing for a week at Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, they immerse themselves at Trident on July 15th and start recording. But it just isn't Brian's year. On August 2nd, he is rushed to hospital with a duodenal ulcer - and straight onto the operating table. Queen have to cancel their US tour planned for September, but assure their British fans they'll still be gigging in England in November.

For the next three months, recording continues at Trident, but it is a frustrating, sporadic process. Sessions are frequently cancelled when May is too sick to attend, and when he does manage to turn up, his contribution is so below par that it has to be scrapped. As a result, the band decide it would be better to continue recording without Brian, and let him play his parts when his health improves. Against all the odds, the album is finished to a standard acceptable to all.

Brian: "For some strange reason, we seemed to get rather a diferent feel on 'Sheer Heart Attack' because of the way we were forced to record it, and even allowing for all the problems we had, none of us were really displeased with the final result."

Source ➡️ brianmay.com

Pic: 1974 - Queen 'Sheer Heart Attack' album cover shoot

📸 Photographer © Mick Rock (1948-2021)

[quaranmine]

i did get a big jolt in this video when he says that he was at higher risk of lymphoma due to medication and having an autoimmune disease because i was like Oh. BUT WE HAVE THE SAME THING?

i can't believe just yesterday i was congratulating hank green on twitter for being in remission for ulcerative colitis and then just today i'm learning he has cancer :( universe cant give this guy a break i guess he just traded one thing for another sob😭

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 16

PREVIOUS

Sweeties is very busy tonight but they get a table relatively quickly. He sees some people looking at their group all dressed in the ‘required’ attire for going out to Eden’s and reminds himself that maybe it’s for the best that people remember him tonight. It MAY help the police find his body in a shallow grave somewhere if they can piece together his last few hours.

Nicky stops by the salad bar and grabs three packs of crackers. He hands one pack to FF who just stares blankly at it before shrugging and figuring his stomach needs something so he opens the pack and just eats the crackers.

Nicky looks at him with an abundance of fondness that he doesn’t understand but shakes his head and hands a laminated menu over to him to order dinner from. “I know you’re not drinking but you still gotta take your meds before we leave.” Nicky reminds and FF nods. He reaches into his pocket to confirm that they’re there and feels something cheap and plastic.

Oh god, he forgot to take his Happy Meal Toy out of his pocket. No one needs to know that.

He shoves his hand into his other jacket pocket and the sandwich baggy with his single dose for his Ulcer is right there.

He starts to look at the menu when he realizes that everyone else already knows what they’re going to order since they apparently come here regularly. He tries his best to never be a regular at any place where they can see him and repeat his order back to him (Hello CVS girl, yes thank you for holding some Pepto for him. No he is very brand loyal and would not like to try Tums thank you.)

FF stands behind the art of the panic pick.

He has cultivated this ability over his many years of panicking. He can look at a menu and pick an item that might not be the thing he most wants on that menu it is something that he can eat or drink. Then while he has that pick queued up and ready to fly if a member of the waitstaff comes over before he’s actually read what’s on offer he has his panic pick.

A place like this has GOT to have a burger.

He finds it under the sandwich section easily enough and now he has his panic pick as he peruses the rest of the menu.

The waitress comes far faster than he had anticipated and slams waters down at each of their spots. “What can I get you?” She asks and before anyone says anything Nicky and Aaron slide over the two packets of crackers that she takes before looking at the empty packet in front of FF, “Just two?” She asks.

WHAT KIND OF CODE IS THIS?

“Just two.” Nicky says grabbing his trash and handing it over to her.

She shrugs, “Anything else on the menu I can get you boys?” She asks.

They all make their orders and Nicky, bravely, steps in to remind him he likes his burgers well done when the waitress asks.

“Sorry, I should have warned you.” Nicky laughs bumping his shoulder against FF’s “This place has this stuff called cracker dust, it gets you high but it’s not addictive.” He says.

Every single 80’s PSA goes off in FF’s head all at once.

NICKY “FLIPS TURTLES BACK ONTO THEIR FEET” HEMMICK DOES NOT LOOK LIKE HOW THE ‘JUST SAY NO’ ADS HAD SAID HE WOULD.

There’s not a trench coat! He wasn’t even wearing a hoodie with the hood up! There’s no sunglasses! Nicky had given him a baggie for his ulcer meds but IT WAS A SANDWICH BAG.

“I see.” He says out loud.

“Do you wanna try some.” Aaron asks. He double checks and yeah Aaron is still in the same club clothes he had left the house with. He has on a hoodie but the hood is down.

He does as any 80’s teen sitcom protagonist does by the end of the episode.

“No thank you.”

He thinks Mr. T would be happy that he said No. That ad had been especially nerve wracking as a kid when Mr. T ‘shakes some sense’ into the camera.

“Alright, no worries. Neil and Andrew don’t do any either.” Nicky says quickly.

The drugs come with the food and Nicky and Aaron pocket them before handing over cash to the waitress who just counts it right there. He focuses on digging into his burger and realizes it has jalapeños on it but Nicky volunteers to eat them with his nachos and lets the conversation weave around him as he polishes off his burger and takes his ulcer meds. “Oh cool, hand me the bag so I can keep our stuff in there.” Nicky makes a grabbing motion with his hands and FF just hands it over.

He zones out as he eats his fries. He wonders if Great Gran is upset watching him or if she’s happy that he said no to drugs. Maybe he should have said yes, then he could at least be blasted out of his mind when Andrew dragged him to the basement.

Well, it’s too late now.

The waitress comes and clears out their plates but picks up her notepad and pen again. “So, what ice cream do you boys want tonight?” She asks and looks straight at FF.

But FF is prepared.

Ice cream places are easy. His panic pick is a given, it’s Vanilla. Every ice cream joint has it so he barely even notices how his heart rate kicks up to 190 BPM and his palms grow instantly sweaty.

“Vanilla.”

“Sorry Hun, we’re fresh out.”

OH GOD. QUICK, SAY SOMETHING ELSE.

“Surprise me.”

NO YOU IDIOT SAY CHOCOLATE.

“Surprise you?”

RETRACT, IT’S NOT TOO LATE.

“Yeah. Surprise me.” He repeats and he can FEEL Nicky vibrating with laughter next to him.

“Alright Hun, I’ll surprise you.” She winks at him and he blinks back at her.

The rest of the table all order (They’re all normal people who order strawberry (neil), the special with chocolate (Nicky), Lemon Sorbet (Aaron), and Brownie Fudge (Andrew).

“Surprise me.” Nicky whispers to him.

“I panicked.” He whispers back.

“Yeah obviously.” Nicky snorts but pats him, “It’s fine. The worst is you might end up with Pistachio or something.” He pats FF on the back.

FF likes Pistachio and the world loves to make FF suffer.

“Here you go hun. We just got this in, it’s Mango.” She says setting down two scoops of a bright orange ice cream down in front of him, “With a little surprise.” She winks again as she sets the other ice cream down.

They all get started.

Why is the Ice Cream kind of spicy?

He eventually puzzles out that the waitress has served him a Mango and some kind of pepper (probably habanero) ice cream. She smiles when he thanks her for the surprise, tries not to let it show how much the spice is KILLING his stomach let alone the acid of the mango.

Andrew has his eyes narrowed on him and he’s sure the man doesn’t want him to make a scene at a place that seems to be a frequent haunt for the family. So he eats every last bite and ignores how his lips tingle.

“Ohhh it must have been good. Maybe we should get you her number.” Nicky says looking at his empty bowl.

“No, I’m good.” She was pretty but considering the acid currently swirling in his stomach she probably thought he was an asshole for asking for her to ‘surprise him’. Even if that wasn’t the case, what if she thought it’d be cute to serve him this spicy ice cream as a cute couple thing? His stomach can’t take that.

“Aw man you’re no fun.” Nicky pouts.

They pay for their meals and the waitress hands him his receipt with a wink. He nods back at her before shoving the receipt into his pocket next to the Megamind toy. “Have a good night.” He says.

“You too Hun.” She says.

They head out for Eden’s and in a way the ice cream is a blessing because his stomach hurts enough that he barely even notices his anxiety about being at the place where Andrew most certainly is going to stab him at least once by the end of the night.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

Per your requests:

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The requests to be added to the tag list got spread out across a few  different mediums on this one so if I missed you I swear it wasn’t malicious I’m just brunch dumb at the moment. Remind me in the replies!

As stated before if you’re up here and I spelled it  right but you  didn’t  get a notification there might be something  switched around in  your settings that won’t let me tag you properly?

[cripplecharacters]

Hello! I was researching face paralysis and I've read that in some cases (for example, Moebius syndrome), people are unable to move their eyelids, which means being unable to squint, or even fully close their eyes. I've been wondering how does that affect eyesight? As far as I'm aware, blinking (or just closing your eyes in general) is very important to keep your eyes moisturized and clean. How do paralyzed people deal with it? Do they manually moisturize their eyes every few minutes (or less often? I'm not sure, perhaps eyedrops are more effective than quick blinks and can keep your eyes moisturized for longer periods of time?) Do their eyes become more sensitive and end up needing extra protection? Or maybe they don't manage it at all (because it's ineffective, tiresome, etc) and just eventually become blind due to eye dryness and damage? I've been trying to find answers to this question, but I only found reddit posts about hypothetical situations like "what if you suddenly stopped blinking?!!".

Hi!:-) Interesting question!

Some people do have issues blinking due to facial paralysis, though even in Möbius syndrome not everyone does. There's also some differences between voluntary eye closure and involuntary blinking reflex in facial palsy; some people can do both, some cannot do either, and some can only do one but not the other. In some kinds of paralysis the muscles can actually spasm involuntarily, and for some people it involves the eyelids. I have a problem with that on the effected side of my face, I have very poor voluntary eyelid control, but my eyelid there will sometimes half-blink for me in addition to the regular blink reflex.

The most common solution for the completely absent blink reflex I know of is applying eye drops, and otherwise protecting the eyes from the sun via hats or sunglasses. There are also some devices that help with dryness, such as punctal plugs, or special tapes to close the eyelids for sleeping purposes. For more solutions, you can check out Facial Palsy UK's page on dry eyes!

How often someone might need to use their eye drops will depend on both their personal needs and what kind of drops they're using, but the most common frequency I've seen is a few times a day. Environmental factors are also a thing here (and apply the same way as they do for everyone else, wind = gets drier faster).

If someone is unable to moisturize their eyes in any way, the cornea will eventually get damaged (in Möbius syndrome it's often corneal ulcers), which leads to sight loss over time. It can also be painful (if the person can feel pain in the eyes). For people with milder blinking issues, the symptoms could be limited to irritation with no vision changes.

In general, legal blindness due to facial paralysis is absolutely possible but uncommon. Based on this PDF from Mobius Syndrome Foundation, most people with MS won't reach legal blindness (and MS is, if I had to guess, the type of facial paralysis with the highest % of that). Of course, it's important to take into account that this statistic was made in the US and it can look very differently for people in other parts of the world who might have much less access to healthcare.

Thanks for the ask!:-)

mod Sasza

[qwertyfingers]

just to clarify my previous posts + be more concise about the information:

if NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, diclofenac) help your pain but bother your stomach, that is a serious issue that you should be careful about, but there are options for you besides stopping the painkiller.

you should always try to take any NSAID with food, and if you can't eat with it you want to take a protective medication, of which PPIs (omeprazole, esomeprazole) are one class. unsure about elsewhere but in the UK you can purchase esomeprazole in the pharmacy (brand name Nexium).

also worth considering alternate drug delivery types, like dispersible tablets that you drink (aspirin, paracetamol — widely available generics), powdered sachets (aspirin — beechams), or orodispersible tables which dissolve on the tongue (ibuprofen — Nurofen 'meltlets'). even liquid syrups are an option though generally these are more expensive. none of these carry zero risk of gastrointestinal effects but they do reduce it.

another lifestyle choice that can affect gastrointestinal issues is caffeine which is also significantly worse when consumed on an empty stomach. the effect is less than that seen with NSAIDs and SSRIs but worth noting that many people are doing all three of these things and likely doing a lot of damage to themselves. protect your stomach lining, please!

if you are needing to take OTC pain medication on a regular basis, especially if it is consistently for the same problem, i would always encourage you to see a medical professional but am also aware that is not always an option and absolutely not condescending to you about it. just trying to share information to the best of my ability.

i can find you academic sources for this information, but i'm largely speaking as a person who has already had an NSAID induced stomach ulcer that still takes NSAIDs as part of my pain management programme after treating the ulcer and following this advice. xoxo

[2btheanswertothequestion]

Lesson/Plan

Kissing Lesson #2

(Lesson 1 | AO3)

Eddie has a problem with obsessiveness. If he finds something he likes, he holds onto it. Delves deep. Becomes an expert. Previously, his obsessions were regular things that anyone with a modicum of taste might enjoy. Fantasy books. Heavy metal. DnD, naturally. All tangible-ish and accessible to him. Currently, he's not so fortunate. Because his latest obsession?

Kissing.

More precisely, it's kissing Steve Harrington.

Yeah. 'Shoot for the moon,' they said. 'You might land among the stars,' they said. Only he boarded a spaceship and didn't notice until he was walking on the sun, somehow making it back to Earth without burning up. And now… now he can't stop thinking about how to make a repeat trip.

He truly has no idea how. Zero fucking clue is what he has.

He's never done this before, y'see; he doesn't know how to proceed. Is it off-putting in the wrong way if he went up to Steve, his good buddy, and told him the friendly French kiss they shared changed Eddie's life? And yes, Eddie has no frame of reference, but he's nevertheless certain that no one else will come close to what Steve did to him. Is he allowed to admit that? That his first kiss is bound to be the best he'll ever have unless Steve kisses him again?

Everything Eddie knows about the world tells him that, were he to do that, his next kiss would be with a fist. Although, everything he knew about the world got sort of turned upside down mere months ago. Not just regarding the existence of monsters and mind-raping lichs, but also telepathic teens, reanimated sheriffs, Russians, and jocks who are nice. And considering it was the aforementioned nice jock's idea to kiss in the first place…

So, yeah. Pardon him for being slightly confused about stuff. Especially since Steve doesn't seem to share the confusion. No, see, Steve's gone on like usual, to the point where Eddie might've convinced himself it was a dream if Robin hadn't given him knowing looks afterward. Which means Steve told her. That's fine. Eddie expected nothing else. He hasn't told anyone yet – needs to keep this close for a while longer, roll it between his palms to get a better feel – but it's good to know he could without upsetting Steve.

Then, the remaining question is: can he talk to Steve about it without upsetting him?

Only one way to find out.

The keyboard click-click-clicks as Steve helps a customer find a movie she's rented before but can't remember the name of. Eddie hangs at the side of the counter, waiting. His plan is foolproof: ask Steve while at work so, in the case of backfiring, he can flee, fake his death, and vanish forever before Steve clocks out. Unfortunately, Family Video is bizarrely busy this ordinary Wednesday, and Eddie's been passing time reading synopses of unshelved VHSes and trying not to get caught staring at Steve as he works.

At last, she leaves (the movie she wanted was Gremlins – who the fuck forgets Gremlins?), and Steve is free to also lean on the counter. It brings him into Eddie's space, close enough to speak softly and still be heard; close enough to kiss- No! Bad, Eddie! Talk first, then kiss (hopefully).

"Did you want something?" Steve asks. "Or are you hanging around for the view?"

If he only knew.

Dropping the VHS back in the pile, Eddie smiles like he's not developing stress ulcers at this moment.

"It's about what happened last week."

"What happened?"

"You know."

Eddie taps his own lips; Steve's eyes widen in understanding.

"Oh, yeah." He nods, unbothered, as if this happens to him all the time. Shit, maybe it does. "Yeah?"

What Eddie's supposed to ask is if a repeat is in the cards. What actually emerges when he opens his mouth is, "Was that a good kiss?"

Look, he's working his way toward it, all right?

Steve scoffs. "Of course. I wouldn't let your first be bad."

"Right. Then I'll categorize it accordingly," Eddie says gravely; Steve lovingly rolls his eyes. "And… how did I do?"

"With the…?" Now Steve taps his lips (plush, pink, peh-lease get your mind out of the gutter, Eddie). "S'all right. Better than all right! It was good. You were responsive. But, uh, kinda passive."

Eddie, who's leaned in with interest in the feedback, recoils indignantly.

"Passive?"

"Uh huh. Most girls enjoy when you take charge. But some chicks like to call the shots and be dominant."

Eddie scowls. "I didn't mean to be passive. I wasn't sure what I was doing, or what you'd be doing."

"That's understandable. I didn't mind it. It was…" Steve smiles, eyes heavy-lidded in a way that doesn't make Eddie's stomach flip, nope, not at all. "...a nice surprise for you to be so pliable."

Passive. Pliable. Those words and 'Eddie Munson' do not go together! He's a man of action, a doer! And yet. For another kiss or two? Eddie could be putty, if that's what he needs to be.

"So, you don't go for dominant chicks then, huh?" he asks.

"I didn't say that. I'm fine with either. A good kiss from the right partner is… I mean, I'm flexible."

Shrugging, Steve then gathers the returned tapes in his arms and starts reshelving them. Eddie trails behind him.

"I seriously could do better, you know," he says.

"Hey, it's okay," Steve says without looking up from the movie in his hand. "You were good. With practice, you could be amazing."

Jackpot. The conversation is heading where Eddie wants it to. Now he just needs to give it one last push…

"'Practice'." Eddie snorts derisively. "With whom?"

He's about to lay down the final breadcrumb and say 'with you?', but Steve is quicker on the ball – looking over his shoulder, eyebrow raised, he says:

"I said it was lesson one, right? Kinda shitty of me if I don’t follow through with lesson two."

Eddie’s eyes might just pop out of his skull, they're bugging so hard.

"You- Really?" he squeaks.

Steve nods absent-mindedly, rearranging two VHSes that were ordered wrong on the shelf. "Why not? It's not like my recent dates have been mind-blowing – I'm not missing out by hanging with you instead. Honestly, I'd rather spend time with you anyway."

That sonofabitch. He can't say stuff like that. Not to a dude he 1) knows is queer, and 2) is offering to provide tonsil-cleaning for as a friendly favor. If Eddie didn't know he was straight, he'd assume…

Well. He shan't look down that hole, lest he falls in. Dwelling on impossible what-ifs will only depress him.

"So," Steve says, depositing the last tape. "Tonight?"

Kissing while sitting is different from kissing while standing.

Duh, right? But it's not something that even entered Eddie's mind until it happened. He can't begin to describe the differences, though, so don't ask him to – he's too preoccupied with memorizing the shape of Steve's molars.

They got into it immediately. He expected a degree of awkwardness when rolling up for his 'lesson', but Steve apparently doesn't do 'awkward' when it comes to making out. He just invited Eddie inside, told him to sit, and planted one on him the moment he got comfortable.

It's good because it's straight to the point, removes the weirdness and potential second-guessing. It's bad because the responsible voice in Eddie's head (which has Wayne's twang, if anyone's wondering) insists they must talk about it for real at some point. At the moment, Eddie ignores it – he's climbed into Steve's lap and is straddling his waist. He's not interrupting this for anything.

It begins uncertain, him hovering and his hands gripping Steve's shoulders. But as Steve's hands roam over Eddie's thighs and cup his ass, he figures it's time to stop thinking so fucking much and simply do. He lowers himself on shaky legs and grinds their hips together until Steve moans into his open mouth. Steve holds him closer, tighter, trapping the heat between them. The mansion is chilly, but Steve is warm and Eddie is sweating, damp spots growing in his pits and on his back. He's a wreck, just like last time, head spinning and heart racing, and he wants to ruin Steve the way he's being ruined. Give as good as he's getting.

Digging his fingers into Steve's hair – upper layer stiff with hairspray but softer underneath – and tugs. Steve makes a delicious noise; Eddie tugs again, and louder. Eddie pushes into him, curls their tongues, bites at Steve's lip, licks roughly when he groans, and starts over, all while tugging, grinding, tugging, grinding.

Steve breaks the kiss. His eyes narrow suspiciously.

"This is because I called you passive, isn't it?"

He doesn't specify what 'this' is. He doesn't need to. Eddie smirks in lieu of an answer; Steve huffs.

"You're a brat," he says.

"That's no way to talk to your student."

"This is no way to act with your teacher."

"You're not really a teacher. What are your credentials? Do you have a diploma?" Eddie gasps, melodramatic. "I bet you're not even licensed! You're more like a tutor. The smartest kid in class hired to ensure I don't fall even more behind."

"Oh, I'm hired?" Steve pulls Eddie flush to his chest, needing to crane his neck to look Eddie in the eye. "What's my salary?"

Eddie rises to his knees. He quite likes being taller than Steve. Likes those huge hazels looking up at him, pupils swallowing the irises.

"We'll discuss the financial details later," he says. "The point is, I'm your boss."

Steve rolls his eyes. Then he heaves them both aside, slamming onto the couch with him on top. Eddie squawks, his head nearly thumping into the armrest.

"Shit!" Steve says, panicked. He cradles the back of Eddie's head. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Eddie laughs. "I'm fine, dude."

Steve frowns, delicately prodding Eddie's skull as Eddie shakes, strings of giggles spilling out. It wasn't every day he almost got brained on Steve Harrington's luxurious white sofa while Steve Harrington laid on top of him.

Satisfied that Eddie's laughing fit wasn't due to head trauma, Steve's expression shifts from contrite to tender. He brushes stray locks off Eddie's face, the touch featherlike. As if he's handling something valuable.

It creates a lump in Eddie's throat that aches. This experience is alien. Wayne, bless him, while loving, isn't the gentle or sentimental type. In Hellfire they trade benign roughhousing and the occasional clap on the shoulder. Dustin is the cuddliest of them, but there's a difference between little-brotherly hugs and the sensual caress from a beautiful man, muscles flexing as he holds himself up in order not to crush you.

Eddie tilts his head up and looks at Steve, thinking Come on, please? Reading him like a book, Steve reattaches their lips; swallows Eddie's sigh.

These kisses are slower, lazier. They take their time exploring each other's tastes (Steve's is minty). His hand finds Eddie's, fingers splaying along each other before interlocking. Breaking the kiss with a smack, Steve then trails his mouth from Eddie's jaw, pausing to give extra attention to the scars, to the crook of his neck, nuzzling deep. It tickles – Eddie giggles and tries not to squirm, lest Steve stops.

"Is it always like this?" he asks, voice breathy.

"No, not always," Steve murmurs against his skin. "Only when… I'll tell you later, okay?"

Eddie hums in agreement. All his brain power is dedicated to keeping his dick in line, because as accommodating as Steve's been, even he must have a limit. He must. And Eddie's betting that limit is someone else's boner poking his leg. Steve's not making it easy for him – he nips at Eddie's earlobe, which is oh so good, then licks circles over Eddie's pulse point, which is even better, Jesus Christ.

Try as he might to avoid it, his instincts win: Eddie's hips buck, his groin rubbing against Steve's thigh, and the friction. It's delicious. Superior to what his hand or any pillow has ever provided. He could come just like this.

Steve flinches away with a gasp. His hair is unkempt where Eddie has run his fingers, mouth red and wet from the necking. Hazy eyes focus on the bulge in Eddie's jeans; he figures this is it.

"Oh, yeah," Steve says, as if he just remembered where he left his keys. "We can make this lesson two."

Sliding back, he unbuckles Eddie's belt. Eddie lies frozen, gawking as Steve deftly opens the cuffs and pulls the strap out of his belt loops. This can't be happening. He's hallucinating. He really did hit his head on the armrest and is stuck in a fucked up coma dream. His subconscious is taunting him.

He says, "W-wait, what-"

"You don't want that?"

Steve's eyes are huge; he's pushing out his bottom lip in an adorable pout. But why is he making such a perfect impression of a kicked puppy now?

Eddie splutters. "Do you? Are you okay with this?"

"Yes?" Steve says, the 'duh' at the end unspoken but still so loud. Except there should be no 'duh' in this situation. The only way this could logically happen is if Steve asked Eddie to jerk him. The wrong person's pants are coming off!

"You don't want me to, um, to you?"

Steve blinks rapidly, long lashes fluttering with surprise. "You've done it before?"

Eddie glares at him. Of course he hasn't! Not to someone else. But, "Have you?"

"No," Steve says evenly. "But I've had it done to me. I know how to do it. I'll demonstrate and then you can try if you want."

And what is Eddie supposed to say to that? 'No, thank you'? Perhaps if he were a stronger man. Alas, he has smoker's lung and failed PE twice due to lack of attendance. He has the ability to muster strength for amp-carrying and little else.

He says, "O-okay."

Grinning victoriously, Steve pops the button on Eddie's jeans. Pulls everything down. Doesn't comment upon the X-Men print on the boxers. Regards Eddie's cock, at half-mast and growing, with a fiery resolve. He licks his lips.

Then he dives and takes the cock head in his mouth.

Eddie yelps when the warm wetness envelopes him. He'd flinch too, if Steve hadn't kept Eddie's legs and hips in place using his own weight. As it is, he can do nothing but gawk, mouth drying where it hangs open, as Steve bobs his head up and down Eddie's dick.

It feels wrong to watch. Like this isn't meant for Eddie, even if it directly involves him. He'd sooner shave off his hair than look away, though. This is the front-row seat to the show of his life; he doesn't give a fuck whether his name is on the ticket.

Steve goes slow and deep, hollowing his cheeks and swirling his tongue. Drool trickles from the corner of his mouth, gliding along the shaft.

Eddie's panting, chest heaving so fast his lungs barely have time to gather oxygen. The sweat is pouring, pooling by his neck and in his palm and on his forehead. His vision blurs and darkens; he blinks to clear it because he has to see this. Has to drink in every second because his gut is already tightening, balls drawing up.

Steve pulls off, gasping for breath, but quickly resumes, flattening his tongue and running it up and down Eddie's swollen cock, so ready to burst it's turning purple. Steve's eyes are molten gold when he catches Eddie's gaze. Sizzling and gorgeous; they make Eddie whimper. Steve smiles, lips shiny and cheeks flushed. Then he drags his tongue over the bulging vein on the underside of Eddie's cock, moaning in bliss.

Eddie comes, a high-pitched whine ripped from his throat. He sags into the couch cushions, boneless, too weak to watch Steve lap the sticky spunk off his softening dick, but perfectly able to feel it. So he lies, eyes closed, breathing and feeling, breathing and feeling.

When done cleaning, Steve crawls up the length of him to collapse half on top of Eddie, half wedged between him and the couch's backrest. His own erection bumps Eddie's hipbone.

Eddie slurs, "Hey, d'you wan' me to…?"

Steve chuckles and presses a kiss on Eddie’s jaw.

"Dude, you're so out of it. Give yourself a break first, and then we'll see. Maybe we'll do it next time."

"Okay," Eddie sighs.

He snuggles closer to Steve and his warmth. The living room lights are too bright and it reeks of sweat and come and a chill is settling on his dick since Steve didn't pull his pants back up. It's quiet, though, excepting Steve's soft breathing, and the way Steve is stroking Eddie's stomach is really nice.

He relaxes in Steve's embrace, thinking about next time.

------------------------------

No taglist this time; don't ask for one unless you want to vex me.

Lesson 3 (eventually)

[thebibliosphere]

Hi! I was wondering if you’ve ever heard of ‘nutrition response testing’ (also called ‘applied kinesiology’ and ‘contact reflex analysis’)? I had it done a few days ago by a holistic health care practice and they recommended several (expensive) supplements for various health issues. I didn’t know that was what was going to happen going in, my mom got a recommendation for their practice and convinced me to try it. I was originally going to go along with it, since they really sounded like they knew what they were talking about, and made me feel very heard and respected, but now I’m not so sure. They made a pretty big oversight regarding me being allergic to one of the recommended supplements, which lead to me doing a ton of research on everything they were doing. It was pretty inconclusive. Some sites said it’s complete pseudoscience and doesn’t work at all, but I’ve also seen a lot of people claim it helped them with decades long health issues. I just really don’t know what to make of this, or where to go to figure it out, so I figured I’d ask you.

I also know several people who found relief from symptoms from seeing kinesiologists.

I respect their experiences and am glad they found help, but as someone who worked the holistic circuit for many years and still uses some holistic treatments in my own health journey, I am going to urge an abundance of caution going forward.

In holistic circles, there's a tendency to throw supplements at you to see what sticks. If you feel better, great! You possibly had a deficiency you were either unaware of or were just on the cusp of borderline so it wasn't flagged up in regular testing.

If you don't, there's a tendency to tell you to keep taking them because "these things take time," and also have you tried {x other product they also just so happen to sell in their clinic.}

And people do it, usually because the supplements cost less than going to see the actual doctor, or their doctor doesn't make them feel heard and this nice person is offering them a solution while sounding very confident about it.

One of the major draws of holistic medicine for a lot of people is that it lets sick people feel heard. We take time with people to make them feel valid and cared for because that is also an important part of the healing process. But again, speaking as someone with multiple holistic qualifications and who still uses some of them, holistic care is not a substitute for conventional medicine. It can be a good addition, but it should not be your only method of treatment.

Now, not all of these items are useless and not all people who sell supplements and other such things in their clinic are suspicious.

It's just that there's very little regulation on who can sell these kind of things (as well as very little regulation of the supplements themselves), and you need to be careful about who you trust and be aware of how they are being promoted to you.

(One way to do this is look up the brand of supplements being sold and seeing who their parent company is. Chiropractors, for instance, are notorious for buying supplements from companies that operate like MLMs, giving them incentive to shill them to all their patients whether they need them or not.)

It's true, some holistic types are very good at spotting deficiencies in how the body looks and responds to certain things. Especially if they have legitimate medical training to back up their practice. But that is also true of any conventional doctor who pays attention.

I walked in to see my PCP not too long ago and he was able to diagnose a zinc deficiency due to the symptoms I was describing and a subtle change he noticed in my nails.

Hell, my dentist was the one who figured out my mouth ulcers and the muscle tic in my jaw might be a b12 deficiency and urged me to see the doctor who ultimately saved my life.

In those instances, supplementation was necessary because I have chronic underlying conditions that prevent me from absorbing nutrients from my food.

Unlike any kinesiologist I've known, however, both instances were followed up with diagnostic blood work to check the accuracy of those suspected deficiencies, both to ensure it was correct but also ensure appropriate supplemental dosing.

I can't tell you the number of times someone has suggested I take "shit-yourself" levels of magnesium because someone who also shills essential oils on the side told them to. No thank you.

You didn't mention if the person you saw wanted to do diagnostic blood testing before offering you supplements, but if they didn't, that's a red flag for me. The fact that they missed an allergy you presumably told them about is another (just as it would be for a regular doctor).

So, should you listen to them? That's up to you. I personally prefer to see doctors who take a more holistic approach to the body, but I also know enough to combine it with conventional medicine and when testing is needed. I have that experience and know-how. Not everyone does, and it can be very easy to trust the nice person telling you to Buy Their Shiny Tonic To Cure Thine Ailments.

Maybe it'll help, maybe it won't. But it sounds like your gut is giving you a warning sign. I'd be inclined not to ignore it.

[softpine]

Have you noticed a shift in thinking now that your brain is fully developed?

nah that's actually junk science, our brains are constantly developing throughout our lives and it's never too late or too early to make a change!!

but i've definitely noticed the older i get, the more i'm able to get a hold of my emotions. things that used to ruin my day when i was 19 are things i forget about in 5 minutes now. sometimes i can't believe how upset i used to get over small stuff!! i used to be thinking "are my friends mad at me, did i act weird at that party, did i gain a few pounds, does this shirt look okay on me" all the time, but most of the time now idgaf and it's beautiful :') i still have anxiety but most of my regular insecurities are gone now. it's funny, i just spent the week with my cousin who is starting high school right now and it was so interesting to hear the things they're worried about. i KNOW i was worried about the exact same things (not knowing how to use the locker, getting lost in the building, people making fun of me for my clothes or my hair, wanting the teachers to like me, being able to get all my work done....) but it feels so far away now. those worries used to literally eat me up inside; i gave myself a stomach ulcer when i was 14 because i was throwing up every single day out of worry. it felt like the end of the world. it does make me a little sad that i wasted so many years feeling so insecure, but all i can do is move forward and enjoy the life i have now!! and i try not to take it for granted :)

[kingcunny]

Tbh i always tought Vis had some type of Diabetes type 2, but because Westeros is a medieval society thet didn't had our confiable metformin and insuline 😔👌

i think that is what hes supposed to have! diabetes is kinda the stereotypical ‘fat king disease’ and it would not be diagnosable or treatable in that time.

also supported by the fact that diabetes can cause heart and lung issues, viserys complaining if chest pain and shortness of breath.

also the fact that his illness was adapted into leprosy for the show. i know diabetes=leprosy SOUNDS crazy but hear me out. over time high blood sugar can damage nerves and blood vessels, leading to neuropathy (lack of feeling) and poor bloodflow in the extremities. people with diabetes also often have trouble healing wounds. these things combined leads to the phenomenon of the ‘diabetic foot’. diabetics getting injuries on their feet that they cant feel, that wont heal on their own. if untreated the wounds can fester and ulcer. this is why you sometimes hear about diabetics getting their feet or legs amputated.

now what does leprosy do to the body? the bacteria attacks the nervous system (+respiratory system, skin and eyes). leading to neuropathy. it can cause lesions and rashes on the skin, that due to nerve damage may not be noticed by the patient (as well as any just, regular injuries) left untreated… again. opportunistic infections, wounds festering and necrotizing… leprosy doesnt cause your limbs to rot off but it can prime them for the infections that will.

until diabetes gets BAD its not a very visual disease, but once it does well… the physical symptoms look very similar to leprosys

[stephensmithuk]

The Sign of Four: The Strange Story of Jonathan Small (Part One of Two)

I will split this in two parts as I've got a lot to cover here.

CW for discussions of nasty prison conditions.

The depth of the Thames is about 6.5 metres at low tide in Woolwich, near to the Plumstead Marshes as they were then. However, the river has strong currents and very little visibility, so it would be a risky operation even with 2024 diving technology for some rather small objects.

The rupee originally was a silver coin dating back to ancient times in India, becoming something of a standard currency during the Mughal period. The East India Company introduced paper rupees and while there was an attempt by the British to move their territory to the pound sterling, they soon gave up, minting their own rupees with the British monarch's head on. The currency was also non-decimal. India retained the currency post-independence and went decimal as well.

Mangrove trees are very common in equatorial coastline regions - they can remove salt from the water, which would kill many other trees.

Prisoners set to the Andaman Islands penal colony were forced to work nine to ten hours a day to construct the new settlement, while in chains. Cuts from poisonous plants and friction ulcers from the chains would often get infected, resulting in death.

The convict huts on Ross Island were two-storey affairs, with the bottom as a kitchen and took area, the prisoners sleeping on the upper floor. Designed this way as an anti-malaria measure, they however leaked and the prisoners themselves were constantly damp from the rainfall, offering them little protection from the mosquitoes in any event.

Ague is an obsolete term for malaria; adults experience chills and fever in cycles.

The British would conduct experiments with quinine as a malaria treatment by force-feeding it to the prisoners. This caused severe side effects.

The British would make use of locals as warders, who wore sashes and carried canes. I'd imagine they could probably be quite brutal.

Pershoe is a small town on the River Avon near Worcester. It has a railway station with an hourly service to London, taking just under two hours today.

"Chapel-going" in this context means that the people attended a non-conformist church i.e. not one part of the Church of England.

"Taking the Queen's/King's shilling" was a historical term for joining the armed forces - for the army this was officially voluntary, but sailors could be forcibly recruited, being known as "press-ganged" until 1815. You would be given the shilling upon initial enlistment or tricked into taking it via it being slipped into your opaque beer. You would return the shilling on your formal attestation and then receive a bounty which could be pretty substantial in terms of the average wage, although a good amount of that would then be spent on your uniform. Some enlisted, deserted and then reenlisted multiple times to get multiple payments. The practice officially stopped in 1879, but the slang term remains.

The 3rd Buffs refers to the latter 3rd Battalion, Buffs (East Kent Regiment), a militia battalion that existed from 1760 to 1953, although it effectively was finished in 1919. However, in reality, they did not go to India to deal with the rebellion, instead staying in Great Britain to cover for the regular regiments who did.

The British never formally adopted the Prussian "goose step" instead going for the similar, but less high-kicking, slow march.

The musket would possibly have been the muzzle-loaded Enfield P53, a mass-produced weapon developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield. It was itself was the trigger of the Indian Rebellion in 1857 due to the grease used in the cartridges. They would also be heavily used in the American Civil War on both sides, especially the Confederate one as they smuggled a lot of them, with only the Springfield Model 1861 being more widely used. As a result, they are highly sought after by re-enactors. The British used them until 1867, when they switched to the breech-loading Snider-Enfield, many of the P53s being converted.

The crocodile would likely have been a gharial, which mainly eat fish. Hunting and loss of habitat has reduced their numbers massively, with the species considered "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN.

"Coolie" is a term today considered offensive that was used to describe low-wage Indian or Chinese labourers who were sent around the world, basically to replace emancipated slaves. Indentured labourers, basically - something the US banned (except as a riminal punishment) along with slavery in 1865. In theory they were volunteers on a contract with rights and wages, however abuses were rife. Indentured labour would finally be banned in British colonies in 1917.

Indigo is a natural dark blue dye extracted from plants of the Indigofera genus; India produced a lot of it. Today, the dye (which makes blue jeans blue) is mostly produced synthetically.

I have covered the "Indian Mutiny" as the British called it here in my post on "The Crooked Man".

The Agra Fort dates back to 1530 and at 94 acres, it was pretty huge by any standards. Today, much of it is open to tourists (foreigners pay 650 rupees, Indians 50), although there are parts that remain in use by the Indian Army and are not for public access.

"Rajah" meaning king, referred to the many local Hindu monarchs in the Indian subcontinent; there were also Maharajahs or "great kings", who the British promoted loyal rajahs to the rank of. The Muslim equivalent was Nawab. However, a variety of other terms existed. The East India Company and the Raj that succeeded them used these local rulers to rule about a half their territory and a third of the population indirectly, albeit under quite a bit of influence from colonial officials. These rulers were vassals to the British monarch; they would collect taxes and enforce justice locally, although many of the states were pretty small (a handful of towns in some cases) and so they contracted this out to the British. As long as they remained loyal, they could get away with nearly anything.

562 of these rulers were present at the time of Indian independence in 1947. Effectively abandoned by the British (Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, sending out contradictory messages), nearly all of them were persuaded to accede to the new India, where the nationalists were not keen on them, with promises they could keep their autonomy if they joined, but if not, India would not help them with any rebellions. Hyderabad, the wealthiest of the states, resisted and was annexed by force. The ruler of Jammu and Kashmir joined India in exchange for support against invading Pakistani forces, resulting in a war. A ceasefire agreement was reached at the beginning of 1949, with India controlling about two-thirds of the territory; the ceasefire line, with minor adjustments after two further wars in 1965 and 1971, would become known as the Line of Control, a dotted line on the map that is the de facto border and one of the tensest disputed frontiers on the planet.

India and Pakistan initially allowed the princely rulers to retain their autonomy, but this ended in 1956. In 1971 and 1972 respectively, their remaining powers and government funding were abolished.

Many of the former rulers ended up in a much humbler position, others retained strong local influence and a lot of wealth. The Nizam of Hyderbad, Mir Osman Ali Khan was allowed to keep his personal wealth and title after the annexation in 1948 - he had been the richest man in the world during his rule and used a 184-carat diamond as a paperweight, at least until he realised its actual value. The current "pretender", Azhmet Jah, has worked as a cameraman and filmmaker in Hollywood, including with Steven Spielberg.

[x22817]

^Herz at the hospital earlier today

This was the only picture I was able to get because I had to undress and put all of my belongings once we got onto the surgery floor

Health update under the cut

Scopes are done!

I had an endoscopy (they stick a camera down your throat into your belly) and a colonoscopy today. My OBGYN noticed I had really severe hemorrhoids the last time I had a physical exam with her. She was concerned enough I was referred to a GI surgeon right away.

This bitch is the coolest doc I've ever met. She came in with cat scrubs, a fish bonnet, and raccoons in trash cans socks. We walked through my entire, not just GI related medical history in about 45 minutes. The biggest concern are the hemorrhoids which have been causing me major problems lately. I couldn't poop without bleeding so much I would come close to passing out.

I was immediately scheduled for my scopes for today and for my CT scan in a couple of weeks.

The last scopes I got, I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia, severe ulcers, diverticulitis, inguinal hernia, and "all-around general inflammation." I wasn't told what to do. Wasn't given any drugs or even supplements. Nothing.

All of my symptoms improved significantly when I was diagnosed with Addison's and started treatment. I also got much more strict with my diet. WFPB and a daily juice really helped a lot.

Alas, I never stopped having problems, then they suddenly got worse. Now we are here.

Having broken adrenal glads makes everything so much more difficult. This simple procedure had to be turned into a big event. When being sedated, I require an extra anesthesiologist who specializes with Addison's along with the regular anesthesiologist. This person is in charge of my 100mg injection of Sulocortef to substitute for my lack of cortisol.

The endoscopy revealed that I have really severe inflammation in my stomach along with the ulcers. This is probably why it always hurts to eat no matter what it is. The colonoscopy revealed that my hemorrhoids likely need surgery. We are happy I am not internally bleeding.

I have been given two medications that are supposed to help with the stomach issues. Fiber is the biggest thing that will help with the hemorrhoids outside of stitching them bad boys up. We are going to get a bidet because that helps with the pain, the bleeding, and cleanliness, though.

These are my least favorite health problems I have. I am not going to lie. I hate it all so much for so many different reasons.

BUT

I am so incredibly grateful for being heard by my doctors for the first time in my life. The nurse that did my IV, my specialist anesthesiologist, and my doctor herself all could not believe I had this procedure multiple times before and never treated for anything.

[galwithalibrarycard]

Any ideas you'd like to share? I'm curious about any aus you may be working on

It’s interesting, because I tend to write a lot of either canon-compliant missing moments fic or canon divergence AUs, rather than transplanting characters into an entirely new universe. So most of my fic ideas aren’t true AUs, but I do have a few.

Of course there’s the Bones mermaid AU, which I’m still thinking about. I’m also loving the butch woman Booth AU that @miz-chase has been talking about lately, I’m tempted to write some of that but we’ll see. Then I have the AU where everything’s the same but Booth/Brennan/Hannah are a polycule, which I love, and I want to write Booth and Hannah both taking care of Brennan when she has a rough day in that AU.

Outside of Bones, I’ve been thinking a lot about a Rizzoli & Isles My Fair Lady AU, inspired by miz-chase’s post about Rizzles Anastasia AUs. I just think it would be really fun to have Jane as the Eliza Doolittle and Maura as the Henry Higgins (though less of an asshole than Higgins is, of course). There would be a lot of unpacking the classism of giving Jane her high society makeover, and Jane being butch and hating forcing herself into the high-class hyperfeminine persona, and Maura realizing she doesn’t actually want to change Jane, she loves her as she is. I just love the idea of a Rizzles “I Could Have Danced All Night” moment- “I only know when she began to smile at me, I could’ve danced, danced, danced all night!” I’m working on an outline for this AU, I don’t know if it will become a full fic, but I’m having fun with it either way.

Then there’s my Hacks fic where Ava has ulcerative colitis, which I guess is an AU in that the ulcerative colitis isn’t canon and in that it’ll be in a version of the end of season 3 where Ava and Deborah aren’t in as bad of a place in their relationship as in canon, because a lot of the fic will be hurt/comfort and Deb taking care of Ava through her first colonoscopy and the diagnostic process. This one is very self-indulgent and I’ll understand if some people don’t want to read the bathroom-heavy details of having UC. But I have to live it, so I think I’m allowed to write about it. I won’t go that graphic but I will be honest about it.

I also have a Stranger Things fic I’m working on for a friend, in her Ronance riot grrl AU verse. And I’ve always wanted to do a Nothing Much to Do Beadick mermaid AU as well, maybe eventually it’ll become more than a concept. Oh, and you’re probably not familiar with this fandom, but I have a Graceland (TV) fic on the go where Mike has a dream of Charlie’s sauce night story with himself and Charlie in the romantic lead roles in Inquisition Italy, but I don’t know if that counts as an AU because it’s the regular universe character just having a dream.

Anyway, yeah, I have GOBS of fic ideas on the go and so little time to work on them all, alas. How about you? I know about your canon divergence Bones fic, but any other AUs you want to talk about? I’d love to hear!

[mrspasser]

You look a little weird

On A03

His fingernails are in a sorry state, his hair is probably sticking up every which way because of the way he’s been running his hands through it when he wasn’t eating his cuticles and he has the beginnings of an ulcer from the bad hospital coffee, but Steve doesn’t care. Because Eddie’s eyelids are fluttering and he’s starting to wake up. His left hand, the one without the IV, starts moving restlessly over the blanket and Steve catches it in his own, rubbing his thumb gently across Eddie’s knuckles. “Hey Eds,” he whispers through his smile, as those big brown eyes finally open fully.

“Hey,” Eddie croaks. His eyes flit across the room, the pupils a little larger than usual. They land on Wayne, who’s standing on the other side of the bed, holding Eddie’s other hand. “You’re bald,” Eddie says in wonder, voice hoarse. 

Steve snorts. For someone who smokes weed on the regular, Eddie has a surprisingly low tolerance for hospital drugs. And now that he’s pumped full of painkillers because of his abdominal surgery, he’s probably high as a kite. Wayne knows it too, so he just smiles at the comment and says: “You’ve got a keen eye, son.”

Those big brown eyes land on Steve again. “You look funny.”

“Do I now?” 

“Yeah…” Eddie considers him without real recognition, lifting his hand from where Steve was holding it loosely to trace his fingertips across Steve’s face. Steve happily crowds closer to his boyfriend so he can feel all he wants. “Your nose is a bit crooked,” Eddie says, trailing his fingers down Steve’s face, “and your hair is all floofy.” It’s said by a man whose dark curls fan all over the pillow. “You’re cute, though.”

“Really?” Steve feels laughter bubble up in his throat, lets it escape when Eddie nods all earnestly. 

“Really cute,” Eddie repeats, trying to bop Steve’s nose but missing by a mile. 

“Then I’m going to blow your mind.” He carefully gets up from his chair and moves even closer to Eddie, going slow as not to spook him. Eddie clearly doesn’t really understand what he’s intending to do, so he’s going all cross eyed to follow Steve’s movements. Steve kisses him on the cheek, pulling back to see his reaction.

Eddie doesn’t disappoint. His eyes are wide as saucers and his mouth is gaping comically. He turns his head to Wayne. “The cute guy kissed me!”

Wayne smiles indulgently. “I saw.”

Eddie turns back to Steve, his mouth still hanging open. Steve can’t help but kiss him again, this time on the lips - or as close as he can, seeing as Eddie is still closely resembling a fish out of water.

“You kissed me!” Eddie lifts his head from the pillow, straining his neck to stare incredulously at Steve.

The face Eddie makes is so hilarious, Steve has trouble keeping his laughter down. “Did you mind it?”

“No!” Eddie grins cheekily. “Cause you’re cute!” And he puckers his lips to receive another kiss. 

Now, who is Steve to deny him that?

Based on this Instagram reel.

[usagimen]

Hi guys, I returned home and everything is fine. I'll just post a cut cause I want to give an update. Thank you to everyone who reached out and gave comfort, this is genuinely what remains me that this place is a community and how special it is. Treat each other with kindness because life is already miserable, no need to make it harder.

So, ultimately it was my dad who went into the ER for really bad gastial pain, he thought at first that it was an ulcer. Then, I got a call in the afternoon saying no, they found a mass. Y'know, my heart just kinda stopped and I nearly went down cause my dad is actually the healthiest one of us, been working out since he was really young and still does, doesn't drink or smoke. The area they found it in if you know cancer doesn't have a great percentile, naturally, your first reaction is to either scream, puke, faint or do all three at once. Comedy aside cause if I can't joke while having a break down what good is it? It turns out the duct is just blocked. It's not cancerous, but he has to stay down for a week. I'm taking time off work to care for my family but my brother will be coming down from Santa Monica to help too.

My dad and I are very much carbon copies in looks, attitude, and stubborn nature. I curse like a sailor because of him and the thought of not having the person who taught me you can spend your life pondering the existence of being here and maybe that in itself is your purpose made me just fold.

As always idk where I'm going with this but, get yourself checked out, get your regular check ups, if you feel something weird or if the pain is too much - get it checked. My family has had too many cancer scares including me being apart of it for a lifetime this year.