#laparoscopy meaning

[crystaivfdel]

What is the average cost of a laparoscopy?

If you are considering laparoscopy in India, you might be wondering about the cost. Laparoscopy, a surgical technique that uses tiny incisions and a camera, has revolutionized many procedures. 

The laparoscopic surgery cost in India: The cost can vary significantly, ranging anywhere from ₹33,250 to a whopping ₹2,50,000 for laparoscopic surgery in India.

Why the disparity? Several factors influence the final bill. The type of laparoscopy itself plays a big role. A simple appendix removal will likely cost less than a complex endometriosis surgery. Hospital tier and geographical location also come into play, with plush facilities in Tier-1 cities potentially having higher costs compared to smaller hospitals.

Beyond the Surgery: Don't forget to consider the surgeon's fees, anesthesia charges, and hospital stay. These costs can add up. Insurance coverage can be helpful, so it's important to check with your provider to understand what your plan covers for laparoscopic procedures.

Tips for Decoding Laparoscopy Costs:

Be Upfront with Your Doctor: Discuss your financial issues with your doctor. They can give you an estimate based on your specific procedure and your chosen hospital.

Ask for an itemized bill. Ask for a detailed breakdown of the charges before you go for surgery.

Explore Options: If cost is a major concern, discuss alternatives with your doctor. In some cases, traditional surgery might be a more affordable option, depending on the condition.

Remember: The cost is just one piece of the puzzle. Laparoscopy offers several advantages, like minimal scarring, faster recovery times, and less pain. Weigh these benefits along with the cost to make an informed decision for your health.

[watermelinoe]

i think people don't talk enough about how humiliating it is to have an invisible illness and it gets to the point that you don't want to go to the doctor for anything because you're so used to not being treated that it's like what's the point

[nshtn]

The fringes of the city have claimed you as a patient - Doctor Wesker finds he's fallen for you during your stay. He's accidentally printed the values on your lab work off wrong! Oops. But you don't know that.

He guesses you'll just have to stay for observation with his name assigned to your case - how sad, boohoo... come the next few days, they're still not reaching normal thresholds.

Isn't that odd?

1.2k tags: softyan Wesker, medical - medplay;needles;intox;procedures;equipment;medical malpractice, suggestive, kidnapping - conditioning;relocating, dubcon (the assumption is that we like the attention, here), praise. crack/GN reader courtesy to @playstation-dreamcast & @delenygma for letting me ramble :3 NOT the same medsker from the pinterest...;;

Please, take this pill from his fingers, take this injection in your IV, he'll piggyback this bag into that bag and feed it through this BD Alaris on 20 so he can tend to his other patients (who just aren't quite the pleasant thing that you are, unfortunately) while you gather your strength...

...don't worry, 20 is nice and low. You'll be quite alright, just a bit droopy...

Oh! He's back. You really, really don't look the picture of health... you are so pretty when you're sweating in his name, though... hm, what was that? You must be feverish - delirious, burning up! - because he didn't say a word.

It's just the medicine, of course. You're hallucinating, surely. He'll have to fix that.

He'll rerun your labs to be sure it's all working in the morning, all left your system... it's so very important to be thorough, you know? That personal touch is so important, he finds, in recovery. It's a good thing you've got Wesker and not the other doctors - they really don't care like he does.

...good morning! He just has to stick you with this butterfly needle and you'll be out of the ER, okay? Don't plead with him like that, it's important to rotate your IVs every 3 days. But... he sees that he's going to have to rub your arm to get your pretty, popping veins to surface. Ah, he'll have to dig... stubborn; you're such a spectacle, though, he supposes he doesn't mind.

Deep breaths, you're doing so well, it'll be over soon... he's not going this slow on purpose, no, it's a delicate process; you're delicate cargo he must deliver. And he will. He's the best in the ER, better than the entire port team, you're so lucky to have him as the sole operator of your case; imagine that, the Medical Director at your beck and call!

But a sweet little thing like you deserves nothing short of the best, don't you? That's why he's here. Such a shame that you'll soon return to a world that drains you of purpose and envenoms your faculties...

...look at that, he's hit a wonderful vein! It's already so eager to feed him what he needs to know about you! What a good, good patient you've been, so sweet and pliant and manipulable. Maybe an exploratory laparoscopy is out of your future! He'll be back to see you again in a little while, don't worry - he just needs to analyze these tubes he's filled, okay? You just lay there and let the IVs give you what you need. What a curious mind you've got - it's just like his, and it's a shame you're wasting it on people who waste you...

Oh... the lab work is still bad; you really must have a long-term illness, unfortunately. Maybe he should take you in his personal care since you hate the hospital so much! Wouldn't it be better to recover in an encouraging environment? Psychology taught him that patients recover faster when they're in a familiar area.

Now, now, don't fret... it's just until you feel better. You trust him, don't you? What do you mean he 'can't do that'? He's the Medical Director, dearheart; he oversees everything, he can make anyone disappear see reason.

He's got so many wonderful friends who help him stay in power. Why do you think all of his drugs come from this same, singular brand? Umbrella's manufacturing is precise... it's unbeatable; there's really no escape from their great offers, it was better if he just quietly gave in...

Ah, there you are... good patient! He knew you'd come around. It just took a little talking, hm? Well, hang tight, he'll get you something for the ride so it's not so bleary... he does live a little farther out in the Arklays than he'd prefer - it's a drab commute. Oh, driving to work every day is such a bore, really; it'll be so much more fun with a conversationalist like you around.

His whole day is a bore until he's around you. You're such a big talker, so intelligent! Your mind is being wasted. It'll be so nice to talk to someone who truly understands where he's coming from later - someone willing to learn - you.

That's it. Just take the pill from his fingers.

Hmm? Why doesn't he use a cup? Well, here's another lesson, since you're so very bright-eyed and clear-minded: in psychology, direct contact fosters... dependence friendliness; a friendly atmosphere is very important to your speedy recovery. You know, it makes you feel better - it's all about, ah, what do those kids say? The 'vibes'.

It really is interesting how the human mind conforms to positive stimuli, isn't it? The papers he's read these last few days have truly been illuminating points of research for him. Now, you just lay back and relax, dear...

...

...Oh, you were so good today: you fulfilled your required caloric intake, talked with him plenty on his day off, and you even let him put you in his lap. You've been so, so very sweet. You didn't nibble him once! Don't you deserve a treat for that? Oh, he thinks so; you're so cute when you shake, but he's not going to hurt you. It's only been a week or so, so he understands your mistrust with his intentions. God... well, if you asked him to, though... ah, but no matter, that is quite unprofessional of him, isn't it?

(He can't apologize - Wesker seems incapable of it, you've noticed, unless it's sarcastic.)

But it's just you two.

Nobody can hear you in here - so it's alright, he supposes some informality is within acceptable conversational bounds, no?

He's so sorry - and you know, you know that's not a real sorry - that he's kept you held up for so long, but the world really is just a horrible and unsuiting place for a flawless specimen of your magnitude - it's his job to keep you healthy, isn't it? It's his job to make you better, to teach you right from wrong... and you live in this horrible city that sleeps with secrets you can't even imagine in your wildest nightmares, things he simply cannot tell a petite prey animal like you; he'd have to kill you if you knew! He's only joking, calm down. Calm down now. Shh... he'll keep you safe, just rely on him...

That's it, lean back against him... hear the way his heart beats. Such a gentle, delicate thrum for you; a pleasant lull against your senses. Let him assume your responsibilities... isn't it better when you don't have to focus on them? There, there, it'll all be okay, he's here now, he's got you... you're safe, you're so safe now, nobody will hurt you anymore...

Cute. You're not shaking anymore... is that all it takes? He'll keep that in mind - you're really so very fascinating, you know that? Endlessly so, even... someone should really write a paper on your psyche. Do you mind?

Oh, silly him. He forgot to tell you! He's a researcher. Doctor? Yes, that, too, when it's necessary. He's very multifaceted - just like you! Surely you understand - he told you he was reading up on papers, didn't he? There was no misunderstanding, he just didn't specify.

What does he study? Another time, dearheart. You've got to settle down, now. It's important that you rest your mind.

Perhaps you need that oxy after all - oh, treat. Yes, treat. The treat... no, you don't want your treat?...

You've stopped shaking and today's the first day you haven't had to take your anti-anxiety treat! How splendid - you're such an avid learner!

You'll have plenty of time.

[lonelym00n]

The Road to Recovery

An epilogue for The Devil Likes the Pirate Series

Tara Carpenter x Reader

Word Count: 3.2k

Summary: Is it worth the effort to repair your relationships, or should you just let your friends go?

Warnings: Talk about injuries, nothing super gory

A/N: The epilogue is here (finally)! I hope it wraps up the series nicely. Thank you all so much for reading <3

The road to recovery, as it’s often said to be, is going to be a long one. You are confined to your hospital bed for a minimum of two weeks, set to undergo observation and a multitude of x-rays until your body has recovered enough for a laparoscopy to ensure that your wounded organs have properly healed. 

You internally groan when the nurse informs you of your long stay. The next two weeks are going to be extremely boring, especially because you've been instructed not to move unless you’re being visited by your physical therapist or it is absolutely necessary to do so.

If it’s not bad enough that you can’t move, as with every other hospital, your only form of entertainment is watching the crappy TV shows provided by the hospital’s very limited cable subscription. 

As much as you want to grumble and complain, all the effort that it’s going to take for you to heal is worth it because it means that you’re still alive. If your traumatic near death experience has taught you anything, it’s that you have to be thankful for life and its hardships even when you are desperately wishing for things to be easier.

In an effort to uplift your mood, you switch on the TV, dig into a cup of jello, and carefully shift into a comfortable position.

***

The two cups of jello that you ate must’ve had the same effects on you as a Thanksgiving feast, because your eyes droop shut during the second episode of Property Brothers. 

It’s darker when you awake, and after blinking away the sleep in your eyes, you notice that you have a visitor.

“Kirby?” 

The FBI Agent turns her head in your direction with a grin, “Hey kid!”

You both take a second to scan the other’s injuries. There’s an array of bandages on her face and you can just barely make out the thick gauze hiding underneath her loose shirt. 

Kirby’s lips curve into a frown at your pale and weak form, “He really did a number on you huh?”

You nod, “But the doctors say I’ll be okay.”

She shuffles over to stand right beside your bed, “I’m glad.”

There’s so much you want to say to Kirby that it takes a good few moments to gather your thoughts together. Ever since Tara told you that Kirby had survived, you haven’t stopped thinking about how grateful you are for the older woman. She trusted you when no one else did. 

“Kirby, I- I really can’t even begin to say how much I appreciate you having my back. I don’t think I would be here if it weren’t for you.”

She shakes her head, “I only did what was right, no need to thank me.”

Tears prick your eyes, “But I do need to thank you. You didn’t even know me but you were still there for me. None of my friends can say the same.”

Kirby sighs and gently grabs your hand. “I’m sorry. Have you talked to any of them about it yet?”

A shakily exhale leaves your chest. Though you’d seen Tara a few times, the two of you still hadn’t talked things through. You were terrified that it would break the honeymoon phase you and she were living in if you approached the topic, so you refused to bring it up. You knew from Tara that Mindy had been released from the hospital, but the Meeks-Martin girl had still made no effort to come see you. You tried your best not to hold it against her, but deep down it made you even more sad to know she was avoiding you all together.

A few tears trail down your cheeks, “No. Mindy’s treating me like I’m the plague and I’m too scared to talk to Tara about it.”

The agent squeezes your hand in an attempt to bring you comfort. “Mindy will come around, to be honest I’m betting that she just feels really bad. And Tara, well, I’ve heard the way that girl talks about you. It’ll make both of you feel better to talk things through and get that extra weight off your chests.”

“You’re right,” your heart feels heavy in your chest. You’ve been doing your best to avoid thinking about your time spent treated like a suspect, the hurt that it brings you is too overwhelming when coupled with the burning stab wounds littered around your abdomen. But now that it’s been breached, you know your feelings are going to come flying out like the contents of Pandora’s Box. 

“God Kirby, it just hurts so much to think that no one even gave me a chance. There was nothing I could say or do. How am I ever supposed to trust them again when they so clearly didn’t trust me?”

A deep frown stretches across Kirby’s face and she moves to carefully wrap her arms around your shoulders in a hug. “You don’t have to trust them. You don’t owe any of them a single thing.” She pulls back to get a better view of your face, “But, I know you still care about your friends even though they hurt you. Just talk to them, and after that, make them earn your trust back. Your relationships are damaged but with time, they’ll heal.”

“Okay,” you nod and lean back in the bed. “That sounds good, thank you Kirby.”

“Anytime. I’m here for you from here on out kid.”

***

Tara comes by two days later, with yet another bouquet of flowers. She’s accompanied by Sam, the older girl refusing to let Tara leave her side.

Under normal circumstances Tara would throw a fit but since they had almost died just last week, she lets her sister’s behavior slide.

The younger girl greets you with a kiss on the forehead and moves to replace the old flowers with the new ones. Sam offers you a smile and a wave before making her way towards the empty bed next to your own.

You scooch yourself over to make room for Tara on the bed with you. Your abdomen screams at you for the small movements, but feeling Tara’s warmth next to you will more than make up for it.

When she’s finished with the flowers, she slides into your bed. Her hands instantly start sweeping across your form, a new habit she picked up to reassure herself that you were still alive and breathing. You melt into the contact, occasionally humming in content. 

You let yourself enjoy the peace for a moment. It’s nice being cared for by Tara, letting her fiddle with your blankets and your hair as she quietly fusses over you. 

But as much as you want to continue living in this heaven with her, the gnaw of leftover hurt and dejection in your chest has grown incessant since your talk with Kirby. You’ve been avoiding rehashing the nightmarish events with Tara because you’re terrified to lose her again, like you have every other time the two of you have had emotional talks. 

Hesitantly, you grab one of her hands to stop its movement and draw her attention to you. Those big brown eyes of hers immediately look up at you, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly. The sight of her has you nervous and bumbling. Whatever you were going to say to approach the topic is stuck in your throat in favor of admiring her.

She tilts her head cutely and entangles the fingers of her trapped hand in yours. “Is everything okay?”

You close your eyes for a second and take a deep breath. When you reopen them, Tara’s eyes are filled with concern.

You swallow thickly, “We um,” you pause briefly, working up the courage, “We need to talk Tara.”

She freezes for a second but quickly finds herself again, “Okay. Yeah, yeah we can talk.”

Sam slides out of her place on the other bed swiftly. She squeezes Tara's uninjured shoulder as she passes by, “I’ll be just outside if you need me.”

The younger Carpenter nods to her sister in thanks. Sam sees the apprehension in Tara’s eyes and offers the girl a small reassuring smile. 

The tension in the room increases when the door closes behind Sam. You and Tara blink at each other for a few long seconds.

You shift your gaze to your waist and pick at the thin scratchy blanket. When you start worrying your bottom lip between your teeth, Tara reaches up with her free hand to cup your check.

“Hey, it’s okay, you can talk to me.”

You look up to meet her eyes and see nothing but care and reassurance. It gives you the push you need to open up to her. “Well, I wanted to talk about everything from last week, and uh, how it made me feel.”

Her eyes widen a bit but she nods quickly, “Okay. I’m listening, go ahead.”

“When I saw you in the police station, god I felt so betrayed Tara. I know that since I was the only one who hadn’t stayed over it made me look bad, but no one even gave me a chance to explain myself. I get why you might’ve given them my name, but it still hurt to know it was you because it meant that you didn’t trust me enough to talk to me yourself.”

Her eyes shine with unshed tears and she slowly trails her thumb down your cheek, “I’m so sorry, about that and about everything. Me and Sam were just so scared and shaken up, and Detective Bailey was asking for everyone’s alibis, and Sam mentioned that you hadn’t stayed over. I tried to tell her not to, but she had to tell him. He was the one who decided to bring you in for questioning, not either of us. I know that doesn’t make anything better, but maybe it helps you to know.”

It did make you feel slightly better. It’s not like she threw him your name and told him to question you. “It does help. When I got to the park, I just felt so judged and alone, like I was some sort of outsider. And then Mindy said all that stuff and it just broke me. It upset me so much that she called me out like that and turned everything I told her in private into a stupid motive.”

The memory of Mindy’s words is particularly painful for you to relive. You’d never felt so exposed and let down. Quietly, a few tears begin to slip down your face.

Tara’s bottom lip trembles with the effort it takes to hold back her own tears, “I hate that we made you feel like that. We’re your friends and that’s never how you should feel around us. And Mindy, god, I was so mad at her for what she said to you. I tried to chase after you when you left but Sam wouldn’t let me.”

The timid look that you give her nearly breaks her heart. “You did?”

A tear escapes her eyes, “Yeah. I didn’t want you to be alone, not when you looked so upset.”

“I was so scared that you were going to hate me, or reject me, and that you thought I was the killer. I had to get away.”

“I could never hate you. And I wouldn’t have rejected you, I really really like you. When I told you I only wanted to be friends, it’s because everything that happened with Amber hurt me so much. I was scared that I could get hurt again, so I pushed my feelings away. And that pushed you away, and I’m so fucking sorry. All the Ghostface stuff happened so fast, and I never got a chance to apologize or to explain myself.”

You’re both crying now. You tug Tara closer to you and she positions herself so her head lays on your shoulder, moving carefully so as not to jostle you or lay on top of any wires.

She looks up at you from her position, “I didn’t think it was you, Y/N. I was just trying to be cautious about trusting anyone. The only person I was sure it wasn’t was Sam. When Wayne had you, I hesitated because of everything Ethan and Quinn were saying. And I was so, so scared that all the Amber stuff was happening again, but I believed what you said. You’re nothing like Amber, you wouldn’t have done something like that. I’m sorry it took me that long to be sure of it.”

You wrap your free arm around her waist and bury your teary face in her hair. You feel infinitely lighter having gotten your feelings out into the open. Part of you has healed from hearing things from her perspective. 

“It makes me feel so much better knowing all of that, thank you Tara.”

“Of course, I’m sorry about how I made you feel.” She looks down at your wrapped abdomen, “And I hate that you got so hurt because of me.”

You tighten your grip on her, “It’s okay.” Then, a bit playfully you add, “And don’t blame yourself, it wasn’t you who stabbed me 17 different times.”

She lifts her head and slaps your shoulder lightly, gasping. “Stop that you know what I mean.”

You laugh heartily and Tara swears she could stay here with you forever. She traces her eyes along your features and finds herself in awe of your soft beauty, as she is everytime she looks at you.

Her hand reaches up to cup your chin and her fingers splay out across your jaw. You’re utterly lovestruck as you stare into her pretty eyes.

She leans forward and gently captures your lips with hers, sighing softly into the kiss. When she pulls back, she smiles sweetly up at you.

“I feel the same way, you know. I really love you too.”

***

Tara, and by extension Sam, visit you practically everyday after that. The younger sister brings her laptop with her so that you three actually have a good selection of movies to watch. 

One night after Tara fell asleep, tucked into your side, Sam offered you an apology too. You forgave her immediately, though she hadn’t really done anything other than be her usual protective self, you appreciate the sentiment all the same.

It’s a quiet day when Mindy finally walks into your room. Sam had to sort out some work stuff, so the two sisters would be heading over a bit later.

“Hey,” she offers shyly. 

“Hi Mindy.”

“Is it okay if I come in and sit?”

“Of course yeah, sit anywhere you like.”

Seeing her here is shocking, but not unwelcome. Tara had informed you that she was trying to convince Mindy to come visit you so that she and you could talk. According to Tara, the short-haired girl was entirely sure that you hated her and would never want to speak to her again.

Mindy shifts around a little and her leg hasn’t stopped bouncing since she’s sat down.

Deciding to reprieve her from her fidgeting, you give her a small smile. “I don’t hate you Mindy.”

Her eyes are wide and they snap up to meet yours, “You don’t?”

“I don’t.”

She breathes out a sigh of relief, but still looks a little apprehensive. “I’m surprised you don’t. I would hate me if I were you.

You had thought long and hard about how you felt about Mindy, and while you were deeply hurt by her words, you could never bring yourself to hate her. You considered her your best friend for a brief moment in time and she was the only person that was there to comfort and support you when you were wallowing in your feelings for Tara.

“I thought about hating you, but I really care about you, Mins. I know that you feel some pressure to follow in your uncle’s footsteps. I just wish that you listened to me, and that you didn’t go so deep on the motive stuff.”

She cringes at the reminder, “I feel, so so stupid about that.” Her hands come up to cover her face for a moment as she groans. “I’m sorry, it was extremely shitty of me.”

“It was pretty shitty of you,” you chuckle, “but it’s okay. I’d probably be more mad if things didn’t end up working out between me and Tara.”

She smiles, “I’m happy for you both.” Her face turns more serious and she leans forward to softly place her hand on your thigh. “Genuinely though, I feel terrible. I was just so sure it was you and I guess it kind of scared me. I’m sorry, I know that’s no excuse. Is there any way I can make it up to you?”

You ponder it for a minute. Bingo. Your face twists into a smirk, “I have an idea.”

***

It’s a few hours later when Sam and Tara arrive. They’re wrapped up in a conversation as they enter, so they don’t notice the current state of your room.

Sam notices first, “What the-”

“Surprise!” you cheer.

Your hospital room has been completely rearranged. The two beds have been pushed together to form a makeshift couch, and the chairs are positioned beside each bed. Fairy lights have been strung around the room and a white sheet hangs across from the sitting area, placed perfectly in the center.

You, Mindy, and Chad (who’d been wheeled in by his sister) grin at the dumbfounded Carpenter sisters.

Sam, ever the mom of the group, raises a singular eyebrow, “What did you three do?”

Your smile stretches even wider. “We’re recreating movie night! Hope you Carpenters don’t mind not hosting for once.”

Sam rolls her eyes good naturedly at your comment. 

Tara walks over and hops up on the bed next to you. You greet her with a kiss to her cheek and she beams at you, pleased. “Baby this is such a nice surprise. But how’d you manage to put all this together?”

You share a secret little glance with Mindy, “I called in a favor from a friend.”

After a good few minutes of cheerful banter, the group settles in to watch the movie. You and Tara are pressed so close together that she’s practically sitting on your lap. 

After a week full of misery, things finally feel right. Your wounds are steadily repairing themselves and your relationships have been mended. Slowly but surely, you are healing.

Tara, the girl who started it all, who stole your heart away with her teasing smiles alone, leans over to whisper in your ear, “When you’re finally out of this hospital, I’m taking you on a date. Just me and you.”

Your eyes shine with the same love that you see reflected in hers. “I’d love nothing more.”

“It’s a date.” She kisses you chastly and quickly pulls back. Her hand reaches towards your face and when she boops your nose softly, you know you’ll be in love with Tara Carpenter for the rest of your life.

Taglist: @thenextdawn @dreifhraniquo29 @fanboy7794 @thelonewriter247 @cartierdreamx @btay3115 @friedryes @bananasplits-world @alexkolax @ordelixx @adaydreamaway08 @youralphawolf72

Note: The last installment for the series will be the alternate ending, which I hope to have finished by the end of this week. I won't be including the series taglist, so leave a comment or send in an ask if you want to be tagged in the alternate ending! Thanks for reading, the angst awaits!

[sugawhaaa]

Hey sugababies 🤭 I've finally committed to the follower name thingy.

I just wanted to finally come out and say what my health issue was. Exactly a week ago my gynecologist said that there is a very very very high possibility that I have the chronic disease endometriosis. For those who don't know endometriosis is an incurable chronic disease that can occur to anyone. The cause of it is still unknown though they may have a few leads on it but that's another subject for another day.

Basically endometriosis is scar tissue building on certain organs in the body, most commonly the uterus. This results in extremely painful periods, dysuria, constipation/diarrhea, constant abdominal pain, and so on, you catch the drift. As I stated it is incurable but there are ways to slow down the growth and manage the pain which I have been working with. However to get a legal diagnosis for endometriosis you need to go through a major surgery known as a laparoscopy. During the surgery surgeons will remove the scar tissue but it is highly likely that it will regrow.

I personally decided that I do not want to go through that surgery, especially not at this point in my life. I may consider it in future years. Currently I increased my dose of birth control and do not take placebo pills meaning I do not experience menstruation anymore (THANK GOD 🙏)

Yeah so I'm mentally a train wreck right now and some of this could be incorrect information and you should go with whatever your doctor told you, this is just what my gynecologist said as far as I remember.

[theflyindutchwoman]

What are you doing? I'm keeping you company. You don't have to do that. I know.

| ANATOMY OF A SCENE - CHENFORD EDITION 5.05 - The Fugitive

This scene has such a nostalgic feel… With the references to Tim's old injury and the subtle Day of Death undertones, it brings us right back to Tim and Lucy's old dynamic. It also grants them a much needed moment of truce amidst their current awkwardness… a respite from all the confusion… Not everything is fixed - there are too many remaining unsaid things… But the reassurance that their bond is still intact is what matters the most in that instant.

Throughout the episode, we got glimpses of how worried Lucy was. But once she is made aware of Tim's laparoscopy surgery, she goes almost frantic. There's this very sweet moment when she enters his hospital room, where she takes a breath and tries to rein it in so as not to overwhelm him. Despite her effort, she can't quite completely hide how beside herself she is. His little hey is the softest thing. So is his little smile when he's trying to reassure her that he's going to be fine… and trying to explain why he asked to keep her in the dark. She looks so hurt for a second. And it's understandable with how things have been between them lately. I could see her mind making up scenarios as to why, wondering if she may have ruined their relationship.

The fact that he simply didn't want to worry her is actually extremely mindful - and misguided, because she was always going to anyway. And it's not that he didn't trust her to handle his surgery - rather, it was an act of love. Just like Grey didn't want to worry Luna after his shooting… The way she immediately teases him about this and his deflection are just so reminiscent of Day of Death - when he tried to deny staying all night at her bedside. Just like then, Lucy can see through him. For the first time since Vegas, they can allow themselves to simply bask in each other's presence, without feeling self-conscious about it. Their little smiles are everything. They look so at peace here. Like they're finally home. Tim taking time to praise her is also a nice touch… It's the fact that, despite his surgery, he still knew how she did at the station that says everything about his feelings.

But some things have changed and Lucy is the one who addresses the elephant in the room : Ashley's absence. Her wariness is comprehensible after feeling like a third wheel earlier. Though I get why Tim lies to her here. Given the fact that he was unceremoniously dumped when he was barely conscious, there's no way he had time to fully process or even digest what has happened. And since he's making headway with Lucy, I can also understand him not wanting to do anything that could rock the boat. Like talking about his breakup would. In that moment, it's not about Ashley. It's about him and Lucy. The fact that her response is to simply shrug it off and stay by his side just shows that she was merely trying not to overstep. The way she takes time to subtly check his monitor, making sure everything is alright is so inherently her. As is the fact that she intends on staying to keep him company. This is so natural to her that his bewilderment surprises her… and unknowingly to her, that's what Tim needed to hear. He needed to be reminded that there's someone who isn't going to bail on him when things get tough. She never did before and regardless of their current awkwardness, she's still going to stay by his side. His little smile at the end conveys everything… like how much this means to him… and how much he's fallen for her… Let's not even start on the intensity of Lucy's gaze. Officer Bradford should be getting out of intensive care today. If you have some time after your shift, I'm sure he won't appreciate it. Well, turns out he does… when it's Lucy.

[lysandrabellargus]

I have seen some misinformation on endometriosis getting a lot of notes on this site, so here are some endometriosis facts with sources

Endometriosis isn't endometrial tissue migrating outside of the uterus, it is similar to the tissue lining the inside of the uterus (1)

The cause of endometriosis is still unknown, there are many theories still being explored (2)

Suppressing menstruation with hormones is not always an effective way to slow down the development of endometriosis lesions, current hormonal treatment options are mostly meant for pain relief/symptom management, sometimes they are not enough, and they are not well tolerated by all patients (3) (4)

Negative ultrasound or MRI results do not rule out endometriosis : Some doctors do not have enough expertise to read the results, and some types and locations of endometriosis are less likely to be visible and require a laparoscopy for accurate diagnosis (5)

Estrogen is not universally bad for endometriosis, combined oral contraceptives are not forbidden. They might be less effective than progestins but they are still a viable treatment option (6) (7)

There is no known cure for endometriosis. A hysterectomy cannot cure endometriosis, however it can provide pain relief (8) (9). Excision surgery does not cure endometriosis either (10)

Anyone can have endometriosis regardless of their age (11) (12)(13), sex (14), or gender (15) (16) (17) (18)

Endometriosis can be asymptomatic, and the stage or type on endometriosis does not always equate the severity of symptoms (19)

Endometriosis can be found outside of the pelvic area/gynecological organs (20)

Anyway, please do your own research, always double check what your doctors tell you, and don't believe strangers on the internet just because they mean well. Take care <3

[affectionatepanda]

I recently had a diagnostic laparoscopy because my doctor and I were sure I had endometriosis. None was found (although I’m not entirely convinced it’s not the problem but I’m no expert) but what was found was just… So much scar tissue. Things were stuck to other things and I had an organ twisted out of place. The biggest thing for my long term health (I think) that was found- and this might be TMI but really is anyone going to read this?- my fallopian tubes are completely blocked. Meaning I can’t have children unless I either get that treated or use IVF. I didn’t particularly want to have children, at least not by using my body. But it’s weird knowing that it’s not even really an option for me. I’m not sure I’ve really processed this information; I just feel numb about it. Apparently blocked fallopian tubes are a fairly common cause of infertility. Infertility. Is that something I have to identify with now? Do I have to say I’m infertile? I’m really adding to my list of adjectives over here. Chronically ill, disabled, mentally ill, lesbian, nonbinary, neurodivergent… infertile? I guess I am. It’s such a strange feeling. I don’t know what to do with it. Oh, and we don’t know exactly what caused the scarring. My doctor’s best guess was some sort of infection but I don’t remember ever having any kind of infection that would cause this. I thought this would give me answers but I feel just as confused as before. But I’ve deemed “fixed” and he said I only need to be seen for routine screenings anyone my age would get. Maybe I’m supposed to be satisfied with that. Maybe I want too much out of my doctors, I don’t know. All I know is I don’t really… have anyone to talk to about this. Not anyone who knows what to say. It’s fine though, I don’t even know what I want to hear.

[ms-hells-bells]

I think unfortunately, only about 18 months after the surgery, my endo is returning. Before I would get pains around my ovaries during when would be menstruation and ovulation (the hormonal stuff still happens, iud does locally affects uterus lining) due to internal surgical scarring in the area. But now I'm having pretty regular and frequent uterus cramps. Luckily pretty mild, but considering they weren't happening before, it's not a good change.

But the biggest tell us that my nausea has returned. I'm having trouble eating without nausea once again. Meaning I'll probably soon have to either go back onto the anti nausea meds or start the slow and painful process of trying to get another diagnostic laparoscopy, which they're likely to be unwilling to do.

[eversailedinafirefly]

hey there uterus-burdened folks, i’m in need of some advice??

went in to my gyno for a pretty standard IUD replacement and because I was having some v unpleasant cyst symptoms (not entirely abnormal) i asked him to poke around up there with his ultrasound a lil longer. turns out, ya girl has a blocked fallopian tube and is getting fast-tracked to an endo diagnosis and a potential laparoscopy

except not that fast, bc it’s the Netherlands and healthcare is cheap and pretty good but decidedly not fast. and in the mean time I’m just in more and more pain (especially in the mornings) and my stomach is all out of whack and bloated and eating is harder than I’d like it to be. plus like, the crushing mental realization that something about my body is fundamentally wrong again*, the girl who fuckin hates medical procedures now gets another metric shit ton on my plate, and this shit will have a decided impact on the future i’m trying to build with a beloved partner. ya know, little things.

so anyway, if anyone has any advice on just short term pain and symptom management for this, it would be really helpful. I’m just tired of dealing with my body and if anyone can make me hate it less rn I’d appreciate it ❤️

*ya girl ALSO has MS because if there is a god they decided to fuck my life in particular

[blubushie]

Congrats on the (non-publicly indecent) guy goo!

My nonbinary ass has the opportunity to try claw an appointment from the medical system for similar this month! Although my hopes are not high, since this is the same place that signed me up for a endoscopy when I needed a laparoscopy and didn't know the difference between trans and intersex (always an encouraging thing to hear from the doctor treating one 😑)

Ta!!

Also Jesus. I've never had a medical doctor confuse intersex (thankfully) but a nonzero amount of my therapists have had to have me, while I was still a teenager, explain that intersex is not a new term for transgender/transexual.

"No see it's intersex because the inter means intersection as in-"

"Oh the intersection between sexes, so you identify as something like non-binary?"

"...Mum I want a new therapist."

I got a new therapist (AFTER I very austistically explained that no I am interSEX as in my BIOLOGICAL SEX is an intersection between sexes because I was born with female chromosomes and one single ovary while also being born with male external anatomy and an ovotesti)

But the next therapist tried to convince me I was transfem and to let my body feminise for 2 years which ended up making me need a double mastectomy later instead of allowing me to be put on testosterone as soon as I started female puberty. I just can't win 😭

[nshtn]

tw for menstruation stuff

psst. I don't know if you take requests or things like this but after the t shot fic for wesker/reader I trust you w/ my soul

how would wesker take care of his trans bf who suffers from painful periods? currently suffering the curse and I need our knight in shining sunglasses to assist 😭

Having ensnared Wesker into a romantic situation means being cared for with a very obsessive precision; when he finds you curled up in pain, it triggers his need to take full control to remediate the situation.

Losing you to something as human as pain shock is not an option and Wesker is not ignorant to your body's sweaty palms and the bags under your eyes.

He will suffocate you in his presence for the meantime. A laptop will suffice for work. Your trust is tantamount.

...

Extremely schmoopy Wesker below, but, dare I say it, Wesker would schmoop over you if he loved you and he'd only date someone he would die for. You being his boyfriend is just his brain's code-word for 'charge' in which he is 'the unshakeable guardian' - very much the horde of one the dragon sleeps on. He's work-driven, so when you're work... Also, if lack of autonomy over your own medical decisions bothers you, run and don't hit Read More.

1.1k, tw: medical (malpractice), very inappropriately attached Wesker.

When he finds you alone in your shared space, curled on the bed in retching agony, he's ordering an abdominal CT, CBC w/ differentials, full colonoscopy with biopsy, investigative laparoscopy, and illegally prescribing you GnRH agonist tablets.

He will, of course, be the one to administer all of these things. No one else's hands can ever be trusted... not fully, not with you. This is the tax of his love.

He says he's sitting on your bed with you because he cannot afford the feeling that overtakes him when you're sick like this. You could see it in his expression, the way his lips twitched down and eyebrows knitted every time he had leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms, having asked if you'd have liked another Advil before his paranoia and (reasonable) concern at the state of your body had him resigned to being within the same room.

His words are sharp and clinical as he gently chides you on taking too much Advil in a six hour span, but there's something else beneath it - it's not just control he's after; your safety is tantamount. He presses Advil to your curling fingers even after the fourth and his gloves linger just a moment too long, true feeling leaking around how gentle his hands are and bubbling through the cadence of his expressions, softer than you've ever heard them. He talks as though you are a wounded animal.

He swears he got a shipment of Elagolix tablets around here - he can dig them out... they're a little out of date - "Damn things expire too quickly, honestly," - but they shouldn't cause issues if you take two. He calculated it.

His insistence is troubling, and yet it is borne out of a care for you that no other human alive could ever possibly reach, his glittering depths unseen by other men.

He has no issue prying open your mouth to force it down. "Yes, really. Open your mouth before I open it for you." He understands that you do not understand, but your lack of understanding cannot delay your care.

"Since you have no idea what's best for you, I'll take over the responsibility." That line really shouldn't make your cheeks burn, but it does. There is power in the streak of dominance, sure, but he could just as easily choose to walk, and he's doing quite the opposite.

Such unabashed, raw attention, all focused on you... if you weren't moaning and bleeding and making his nostrils flare and scrunch at the odd, stray inhuman urge, you'd cover your face.

You know he's overthinking it - he doesn't need to do any of this at all or keep a dozen emergency solutions at his person, but this is Wesker. Asking him to forego contingency plans that go from most likely to least likely gets you nowhere.

If anything, your nonchalance bothers him deeply. Why do you care so little about yourself? You're one of the few he'd spare. He simply will not stand by, and neither should you. In a way, his hatred for a world in which you've been beaten into submission about something so medically critical to your quality of life strongarms you into self-care.

It's punctuated with a pat on the head and a sweep of his thumb to your cheek when you do accept his care without fussing... Maybe a kiss on the forehead if you look in need or are particularly receptive.

When you close your eyes and lean against him, at first he pretends he's not aware, but when he thinks you're finally beginning to nod off, he nestles your head under his chin as he taps away at his laptop with one hand, the other stroking your chin and the fat of your neck. When he sees the way your hair slicks with sweat from your hellish ride, his frown lines deepen. That must be quelled.

You really can't get out of treatment or squirm out of his prying eyes. He'll pressure you into it because he wants you to get better. That is not to say, however, that you are forced through painful trial after trial to discover answers.

He's got 10mg/5ml Oxycodone, do you need any?

Would you like Nocitate? Just a little to get you through? He won't tell anyone. He can order anything your heart desires, dearheart; he owns TRICELL. Seeing you in pain makes him feel uncomfortable and awakens an urge to fix, fix, fix. And, though he won't admit it, seeing you so weak and shaky makes his stomach lurch in an unfamiliar, foreign way.

Empathy. Sympathy...

Such piteous things, and yet... he cannot nix them when it's you. How insufferably weak of him... but there is a unity and obedience in it, no? He is at odds with his doctrine's finer print, but he doesn't let it creep along his care. It should be beneath him, really, but you are an exception he takes great joy in maintaining.

Your insistence that he doesn't have to is an insult to his intellect he does not tolerate when you try to push him and what he perceives as his affections away. "No one else on the planet holds my competence. Don't argue with me." It's... it's a bit scary, but it's well-meaning.

One thing is certain, Wesker will be there. His hand will linger at the small of your back, just enough pressure to remind you he's there. No words are necessary if you do not decree it, just his steady presence, other hand scrolling along ResearchGate and Elsevier between business. He will lighten his workload to be there until your pain is gone.

Rest assured, he will find a permanent solution to it. It is not normal to have such pain, and Wesker would never allow his significant other to suffer something they don't have to.

(He's already tested you for predisposition to endometriosis by skimming a hacked genetics database and plans to use a biopsy from the laparoscopy he's scheduled to grow cloned uterine tissue and study your condition more closely.)

(Also, surprise surprise, he's your anesthesiologist, too.)

(Did you plan to transition? He can expedite that instead of searching for answers to an organ you may not even care much about.)

[firstaidspray]

20- Write about your ship sneaking a romantic moment together. + RevChase?

TYYYY THIS WAS SO FITTING FOR THEMMM!!! 🩵🩵🩵 It's quick and messy but it's something!!

It's only seconds after she's finished scrubbing, her hands are still dripping wet and she's holding them out in front of herself, avoiding touching anything. And as many times as she's scrubbed in, Reverie has gotten good at that. She smiles, a sense of victory over her as she readies to gear up, still not touching anything with the sterile parts of her body– until a hand wraps around her forearm and pulls her around in a circle.

“Hey, what the fuck–” she begins to snap, only to notice it's Chase who has grabbed her and spun her around to face him. Her expression changes and she smiles.

“You do know that I just scrubbed in, right?” Reverie asks, taking his hands in hers, sterility be damned now that he'd ruined it. “What was that for? You need something?”

Chase smirks and tightens his fingers as they're laced between hers. “I need you.”

Reverie scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Right before we're supposed to perform an exploratory laparoscopy? You can't wait?”

“Who knows how long that's going to take?” Chase responds with his own eye roll. “It's exploratory. That means we don't know how long it's going to take.”

“Long enough to wait for you to get your hands on me?” Reverie suggests jokingly, though she doesn't move her hands from his. “Your non-sterile hands?”

Letting one hand loose from hers, Chase pushes open a door adjacent to the sink and pulls Reverie inside, locking it behind them. Both are laughing, and it's dark inside, and cramped– they're pushed even closer together than before, between shelves of medical supplies.

Reverie barely has time to speak before Chase kisses her, giving her rapid pecks on the lips before she pulls away, breathless, and fumbles to find the light switch. When she does, the fluorescents overhead flick on, and she can see that ever-charming, bright smile of Chase's illuminates the room even more than they do.

“Someone's gonna get pissed at us for sneaking off to fool around. You're mental,” Reverie laughs, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck and pulling him back in for a kiss.

Between kisses, he says, “No one will know. And yeah, maybe, but you love me.”

“I do. I do love you,” she responds, squeezing her elbows around his shoulders, carding her hands through his soft, blond hair.

Chase slides his hands down her body and rests them at her hips. “I love you.”

Then they just stand there, admiring each other, holding each other, until both of their pagers go off. Reverie groans and takes hers from her waistband and glares at it.

“They pissed we're late for the procedure?” Chase asks with a smirk.

“No, just reminding us, but I'm pissed they're interrupting us.”

He laughs and takes his hands off her, opening the door and pulling her back out. “Really? You were pissed at me for ruining your scrub-in.”

Reverie shrugs and leaves with him. “And I changed my mind real fast on that.”

“C'mon, let's go fix it, then,” he says, taking her by the elbow. “Scrub in with me.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Reverie replies sarcastically, following him to the sink.

They both start cleaning up from their fingertips to their elbows, but once Chase is done, holding his arms out to dry, Reverie grabs his wrist.

“What…was that?” He asks with a raised eyebrow.

“I was only using water. Hands aren't sterile. It's payback,” she says with a shrug and a smirk, returning to the sink.

“I'll show you payback later…” Chase mutters, and the two smile at each other as they restart washing their hands.

[petit-papillion]

FP1:

Carlos returned to the track, with his team providing some extra padding for his 3 laparoscopy scars. His fuel load was kept light to ease him back into dealing with the g-forces. Hope this weekend is not too painful for you, Carlos.

Everyone and their brother drove off track (curb, gravel, grass) and complained on the radio about floor damage.

The weather was simply amazing, and the stands were packed!

Someone almost hit a pigeon, according to the commentators (I didn't see it)

Alex hit the wall, and left an entire spreadsheet of damage in his wake. The car was destroyed, but thankfully Alex was okay.

Lando had to wade through the debris field after the session was red-flagged:

P1: NOR | P2: VER | P3: RUS

FP2:

Max started late because of floor repairs still being worked on.

Alex did not start at all, because his car had too much damage.

More off-roading, including Logan giving everyone at Williams a heart attack when he spun (no damage though).

Charles decided he needed to get the fastest lap every time he went out, and armies of tifosi worldwide got high on hopium until he too took to mowing some grass.

Several drivers griping about others being in their way on team radio.

It's reported that Williams didn't bring a spare floor to Australia. Later it is confirmed Albon's car chassis is damaged, and they will indeed only be able to drive 1 car this weekend. They make the controversial decision to have Alex Albon drive Logan Sargeant's car...

P1: LEC | P2: VER | P3: SAI

FP3:

Aside from Charles topping the chart at the last moment, nothing exciting happened but some sassy team radio:

P1: LEC | P2: VER | P3: SAI

Quali High (Low?) lights:

ZHO unexpectedly broke his wing and finished last. No spare wing with the same specs means he starts from the pitlane

RIC got a lap deleted and dropped to P18 in Q1

PER finished P3 but received a 3-place grid penalty for impeding HUL. He will start from P6 now.

Charles made a very aggressive setup change and messed up his final lap, so had to settle for P5 (P4 after Checo's penalty)

P1: VER | P2: SAI | P3: PER (NOR after penalties)

Petit's Race Notes:

Logan didn't get to start and Alex didn't score any points. 😞

Max's rear brake would not release and his tyre went poof. First DNF since Asutralia 2022.

A few laps later Lewis's car said, "A'ight. I'm out too." (appeared to be an electrical issue)

Charles was told to "Hold position" behind Carlos. Oscar was told to give back the position to Lando after undercut. Team orders = no exciting racing at the front ☹️

Sauber tried to break their own record for longest pit stop of the season with continued issues with their wheel nuts (one of them yesterday itself into the pitlane).

In Lap 57/58 Fernando Alonso braketested George Russell, who promptly locked up and list control of his car, ending up with his car on its side sideways across the track. Thankfully George was okay. Race finished under virtual safety car.

ALO got a 20-second penalty and 3 penalty points after the race, dropping him from P6 to P8.

Carlos Sainz won just 2 weeks after his appendectomy. Charles made it the first Ferrari 1-2 since Bahrain 2022. Lando was third. Yuki scored the first point for RB at P7, and both Haas cars scored points at P9 and P10.

Fastest Lap: Charles Leclerc

Driver of the Day: Carlos Sainz

Fastest Pit Stop: Red Bull/Sergio Perez (2:18)

[aureutr]

My Mystery Pain in 2022, by Month

I feel trite being like “it’s been a journey!” but it kinda has.

Quick sum up, I have an acute pain roughly in the area of my right ovary. I used to think it was menstrual cramps because mine were horrible, but once I went on bc it persisted even though I wasn’t having periods anymore. So in roughly August 2021 I started trying to figure out wtf it actually is.

Also, all of this has been very expensive despite the fact that I have very good insurance through my husband’s job (I’m not asking for money, just a note).

2021

Thought it might be endometriosis, but OBGYN thought it was an ovarian cyst. Got ultrasounds, including a trans-vaginal ultrasound. It was not a cyst. OBGYN referred me to a GP.

GP thought it might be a hernia. Got a CT scan. Also had an MRI at some point but I honestly forget when in this span it was. The pain was not a hernia. GP referred me to a surgeon.

Surgeon poked at me and went “that’s probably endometriosis” and referred me back to the OBGYN

January

Had an exploratory laparoscopy to check for endo. They found some! ...on the wrong side. Nothing in the area of the pain that would explain it. Referred back to GP

February

GP referred me to a gastro NP (the wait to see the MD was months and months). She ordered a colonoscopy.

March

Colonoscopy comes back squeaky clean (literally, considering what you have to go through the day before 😂).

April

NP puts me on a couple of medications to see if they work (they don’t). At my request, refers me to a specialty clinic. I’m being vague on purpose, but think Mayo Clinic (it was not the Mayo Clinic)

Drive for hours (one way) to get to specialty clinic. They poke at me and go “umm this isn’t gastro related, go to pain clinic I guess?”

They say there’s not a huge difference between their pain clinic and what I’d find locally, so I ask for a referral I can take to a local place. It didn’t make sense to make the drive every time if I didn’t have to.

May

Check back in with GP. I have to say, I really like my GP. Just because she couldn’t find the answer and kept referring me to other doctors doesn’t mean she wasn’t doing her job. We had a lot of possibilities to eliminate!

Anyway, the pain clinic GP is associated with doesn’t have any appointments until September.

So I find another one!

New pain MD thinks it’s a nerve issue. Meralgia Paresthetica, he says. That covers a lot of possible specifics, but

I ask new pain MD about perhaps a TENS unit, because a friend of mine has one and I was curious as to if it would work for me. He literally screams at me about how it’s not a viable treatment. Sets up an appointment for a nerve block.

On my way out he hands me a printout about the condition so I can learn some more. Printout recommends TENS unit for mitigation.

Day of nerve block is weird af. There are a ton of people there, all patients. It’s run like an assembly line, almost. All of the nurses and assistants are great and kind and helpful. Pain MD is still a weird jerk.

I don’t know what he did, but all the nerve block accomplished was making the pain 100x worse (temporarily). When I mention this, he screams again about how he used imaging to find the nerve so what I was feeling wasn’t possible.

Follow-up was a phone call, during which I insisted my husband be present. Once again, Pain MD screamed at me for asking a question. He tells me that I can mitigate with lidocaine patches, but they probably won’t work so I should let him surgically implant an electrode instead.

I don’t want to do that, and even if it was the only answer I no longer trust Pain MD. Go back to GP and ask for a referral to the pain clinic I have to wait for.

In the meantime, start wearing lidocaine patches. It helps a little bit.

June

Waiting. Husband has knee surgery. It goes well and he heals quickly, and if I’m honest I’m relieved I can give some care back to him for a change. He doesn’t like to let people take care of him but I like to do it.

July

Waiting. But y’know, we can’t have socialized medicine in America because the wait times would be too long! 🙃

August

Still waiting! As a note, the pain is so bad that I regularly had to call out of work (generally half days, I always tried to push through until I couldn’t). I napped constantly, had almost no energy. I can’t use my home office because sitting upright in an office chair makes it worse. Nothing really makes it better other than sleep, but I found ways to prevent it from getting to the worst point.

September

After Pain MD, I now always have Husband go with me to initial doctor appointments so I can use his tall, white, cis dude powers to my advantage.

Fortunately, new Pain MD seems like a good guy and is very attentive. Has me do a pelvic X-ray because it was the only “easy” test that hadn’t been done. He didn’t think that it would be the answer, and was up front about that, but felt like it was due diligence. X-ray found nothing

He prescribes gabapentin, orders me a TENS unit, and puts me in physical therapy. He isn’t convinced physical therapy would help, but insurance will cover it and it’s something to try.

Gabapentin gives near-immediate relief. I drop from a daily 6 or 7 to a daily 2 or 3. It’s like I’m a person again.

Also refers me to a neurologist, whose first available appointment is December 30th.

October

Physical therapist is kind and helpful. Go 2x a week. It’s all individual exercises that aren’t hard on their own, but they add up.

I am still wearing lidocaine patches daily (I start cutting the big ones in half because I don’t like the material of the little ones), taking gabapentin, and regularly using the TENS unit. All together they help a lot, but nothing makes it completely go away.

November

Finish “evaluation period” of physical therapy. Pain has gotten worse since (not as bad as pre-mitigations, but still worse). Physical therapist and I agree that this is not a problem that PT can solve.

Have follow-up with new pain MD (actually with his PA). Gapabentin gets increased, no other changes.

December

Check in with pain PA again. She orders two separate nerve block tests, scheduled for January. They had been hesitant to do this because I had one done, but apparently the original pain MD I saw has a bad reputation. They didn’t dump on him, but professionally agreed when I did. There’s a suspicion that the first one was not done correctly.

Meet with neurologist (again, Husband comes to this first meeting). Mentions that this might possibly be a pinched nerve in my back, despite the core of the pain being in the front. Orders a nerve conduction study, not yet scheduled because insurance has to approve it first. Because American healthcare is hell. And I have good insurance!!

I also got laid off at the beginning of this month. Insurance is through my husband’s job, so fortunately that does not immediately affect my care.

Now

Three tests coming up (two nerve blocks, also nerve conduction study), then we’ll see. If it does turn out to be a pinched nerve in my back it might be fixable with surgery. But there’s a very good chance this is just something I live with and mitigate for the rest of my life. I don’t know yet.

Anyway, it’s kind of hard to feel creative on top of all of this so that’s why fics and art have kind of tapered off as the year wore on. I want to get back into it, but I try not to force hobbies. They should always be fun.

I don’t have a thesis statement to conclude. I wrote this out for me, really. I know this blog is mostly shitposts and fandom stuff, but it’s still a blog. Thanks for reading if you did, I hope you didn’t feel obligated to <3

[allsadnshit]

hi izzy im 22 and i have a family history of endo and have been experiencing frightening symptoms and i dont really know who else to talk to in this regard and i hope this isnt rude to send. i am just curious how u went about getting ur diagnosis and what u think are some good first steps for someone experiencing these things. my mom spent a lot of time on a lot of endless painkillers as i was growing up. and im very afraid of reproductive care bc of how archaic it is! love you thank you <3 theres no need to answer if u feel this is too invasive, i appreciate ur time

It's honestly a head start that you already know you have a family history of endo! Although diagnosis is still difficult to get considering surgery is the only official way to get one...you're honestly much more likely to be recommended a surgeon etc if you have your families medical records with it! So that's really good!

Unfortunately I will say for myself and the people I know personally with endo, getting excision surgery wasn't a relief for symptoms as it has often been advertised for some people, so in terms of pain management I don't want to be getting more surgeries myself so I wouldn't tell anyone else too either! That's a pretty personal choice considering risks and recovery, so you will have to think on that pretty seriously if you think excision could help you and make sure you are looking into what the hospitals near you offer.

For myself, diagnosis was really important since I don't have my moms medical records to assist me with understanding my health. I don't think I could be where I am at recovery, management, or socially without having the official diagnosis from laparoscopy so that was really important to me, even though diagnosis didn't do anything for me in terms in qualifying for disability or anything like that! Unfortunately with the medical system you need that paper trail if you plan to do anything in the hospital system in the future, so I am ultimately glad I got my diagnosis even though it hasn't changed things for me in terms of lifestyle or pain.

If you want to start with an obgyn, that's what most people do! And they probably won't let you talk to a specialist before you rule out the basics with getting scans and blood tests first to confirm they can't more easily see why you are in so much pain. But even if your obgyn doesn't help you, you can at least search for a surgeon after that initial intake process being able to say "I already had tests and scans done, it was inconclusive, so I need to move towards surgery for diagnosis".

Obviously I won't have a solution or answer for the broader scope of what to do because even if you do have endo, it's dynamic and can affect people so differently that it really isn't a one size fits all. If anything, I really really do NOT recommend going on any form of hormone or birth control for pain management no matter how hard it's pushed on you. I really don't believe in that method and it's another way to cover up symptoms rather than getting to the root of healing or understanding.

The biggest changes for me have come with lifestyle: changing my diet to healthier less processed options which means not eating out 90% of the time and cooking with really good quality ingredients, getting a nutritionalist who's worked with endo before, cutting back on manual labor working hours, and processing the trauma of chronic illness in therapy and pin pointing places in my life that need my attention or serious over haul for me to rebalance my stress. Stress and endo are soooo tied together because it's hormone effected so it absolutely cannot be overlooked.

Sorry to hear you are suffering in this way! I no longer take any pain medication because of a similar fear. I recommend tiger balm muscle rub lotion on your lower back, getsomedays cramp cream on your front, and a hot rice heating pad on top for pain relief + drink water + sleep well at all costs. It's a marathon not a race!