#or the kidney stone surgery I need to get

[good-in-space]

You should follow Ben Wyatt's advice and Treat Yo' Self for your birthday!

I wish I could treat myself to an almost movie accurate Keaton era Batman suit, but alas I have less $100 in my checking account right now and die a little bit inside each time I draw from my savings to cover basic things like food & gas.

[danielnelsen]

peach (my cat) is having a full-day vet appointment to scan and possibly remove some teeth (the perks of only being allowed wet food)

completely unrelated, but anything regarding peach’s health or her being somewhere else or anything even mildly off with her routine or behaviour is probably by biggest anxiety and panic trigger

[ursanic]

.

[wisherbysharlight]

It took me nearly 15 years to get my endometriosis diagnosis and comprehensive treatment, but I recognize I’m super privileged in being able to access care where I live from one of the top doctors in endometriosis research(specifically endometriosis in adolescents, but his research spans all age groups). I want to share some of the things I learned, along with study sources he linked me to, so others can advocate to their providers for the care they need. So without further ado:

✨ What I Wish I Knew About Endometriosis 15 Years Ago ✨

No amount of pain is “normal”

Don’t get gaslit into thinking “everyone” who has periods goes through pain. Seek treatment - you deserve better.

Diagnosis/treatment is kinda a pain, even with a doc who takes you seriously

The general course of action for diagnosis/treatment will be attempt treatment through OTC painkillers (Tylenol, Midol, etc), attempt at least 1-2 forms of hormonal birth control(typically oral contraceptive/birth control pill or the ring/patch/shot), then decide with your doctor whether to pursue either further hormone treatments, such as GnRH(which suppress estrogen/can help stop progression of endo) or an IUD, and/or surgical intervention where they go in and find/remove the existing lesions.

Surgery for me took a couple hours, and I had an IUD placed during the operation(at recommendation of my doc). Full recovery was around 2 weeks. Its worth noting right now you can technically only be diagnosed through surgery.

You may have to mix-and-match to find the right solution.

Only 33% of people with endometriosis in a recent controlled study saw significant improvement by IUD alone, as compared to IUD with supplementary hormonal treatment(like oral birth control or hormone inhibitors). Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1083318812002379

Some options may actually make it worse. Keep an eye on your symptoms.

Studies show that estrogen based treatments can potentially exacerbate endometriosis and promote endometrial growth, so treatments without estrogen or with specific types of estrogen are more recommended. Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5683134/

Its Got Hella Comorbidities

Fibromyalgia, scoliosis, arthritis, thyroid disease, migraines, chronic fatigue, and bowel disease(IBS, crohn’s, celiac, etc), and more are all potential associations/comorbitities. It’s also worth noting that having any of these in your family history may also put you at higher risk for endo. As my doc said - you’re not guaranteed to get all, or even any, of these, but they’re things to keep an eye out for. Sources:

IBS: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9357916/

IBD/Crohns: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32629225/

Celiac: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24992792/

Thyroid: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10234359/

Migraine: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38436302/

Painful Bladder Syndrome: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3015716/

EDS: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002937824001637

Arthritis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35258592/

Scoliosis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9238674/

TMJ: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10144081/

Kidney Stones: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9108729/

POTS: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3413773/

Fibromyalgia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30682223/

Chronic Fatigue: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6537603/

Sjogren’s Syndrome: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39083399/

Bonus Advice

No published studies exist showing any increase/decrease of symptoms between usage of different menstrual products. Do whatever makes you most comfortable!

For OTC pain management, Tylenol or Aleve may be your best bets over Advil, based on their anti-inflammatory nature.

He also recommended probiotics pretty heavily, since digestive issues(ie bad period poops) are super common. Any with >10Bn active cultures are good!

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, just someone that learned a lot and wants to share)

[so-i-did-this-thing]

feel free to not answer this if this is too personal, but one of the things that i've been worried about going on T has been receiving adequate medical care from all my providers as i continue to transition. obviously every place and provider is different, but have you seen any broad difficulties with getting proper care?

I have run into "trans broken leg" syndrome many times-- where a doctor is eager to blame my HRT for something unrelated. So, I've cultivated a strong personality to push back here and shop around if it comes to it. It's really important to learn how to advocate for yourself.

I have actually made one of my endos cry because he was being a dick and I called him out on it. When I had kidney stones, I stopped going to an internalist who tried to get me to stop T with no real reason why other than vague hand-waving. I stopped going to a GP who suggested HRT was the reason for my congenital arrthymia. And my anesthesiologist for my top surgery yelled at a nurse for trying to force me to take a pregnancy test at the 11th hour, instead of taking my word for it.

Comparatively, when I was read as a cis woman, I had a whole host of health issues dismissed because it was just "anxiety'. Honestly, it's been a lateral move.

Currently, I have an ideal situation where my GP is a trans woman who works in a trans healthcare clinic, and she has a good referral network when I need speciality care, like a colonoscopy.

Since going to clinics that provide both gender affirming care AND general wellness, my quality of care has skyrocketed.

That said, my ER and urgent care experiences have mostly been uneventful (sometimes I do not disclose, like when I fucked up my rotator cuff), but I am also very aware I am white and cis male passing and both absolutely impact the quality of my medical care.

[bitchface24-7]

4AM UNCERTAINTY - VIKTOR X READER

URGENT REQUEST for @arlekinos-ink due to their situation ☹️ (anyone can read this obviously but it’s a very specific situation)

synopsis: being chronically ill is exhausting. It makes up a major point in your life, and when something else occurs. An injury, an illness, whatever you can think of, care is postponed due to uncertainty regarding what techniques and medication can be used. You’re 99% sure you have appendicitis, but nothing can be done. At least, not yet. Good thing your partner Viktor is here to comfort you.

warnings: mentions of being chronically ill, appendicitis, frustration at life, feelings of powerlessness, comfort

genre: m/f or m/m

p.s. I’m trying to get through my requests as fast as I can (I’m close to twenty at the moment) but this DM was a bit upsetting, they asked for comfort through my work. I am here to deliver it in their time of frustration. Hope you like it!

You feel so unbelievably frustrated it’s not even funny. You got admitted to the hospital for possible apendicitis and can't get surgery until they decide it is actually apendicitis because of your other health complications.

You’ve been in the hospital for hours, like over half the day. You’re not allowed to drink, eat or go to the bathroom without permission. You’re currently getting most of your fluids through IV and you’re on the forth one so far.

The scream you want to let out is being contained in your chest as you breath deeply, trying to calm yourself. The only thing keeping you sane is Viktor, and how he’s holding your hand and stroking your knuckles with his thumb.

“Oh my love, I know how awful this is. But we need to stay, to fight it out.”

A groan escapes your lips. You don’t want to fight, you want to go home. You want confirmation that you’re having this surgery. Appendicitis can go really bad, really quick; and you’re not getting care because of your other comorbidities.

“I know! I know… but they could at least check me out! Touch my abdomen to see if it's my appendix, make me pee in a cup to rule out a UTI or kidney stones, check blood, or do imaging like an ultrasound or a CT scan. Anything! But no, I'm stuck here in limbo unsure if I’m getting surgery cause I’m an already sick individual. I can’t eat, I can’t drink— I can’t even take a piss on my own!”

Viktor brings the hand he's carasseing up to his lips and kisses your knuckles, “If I could change the system, I would. You know that. But I'm here for you, until the very end.”

Your irritation melts away as you smile at that, oh how did you end up so lucky?

“If I can't do anything, the least I can do is sleep. Mind reading something to me? You know how much I love your voice.” You say coyly, a mischievous look in your eye.

Viktor sighs fondly as he shakes his head, but he'd do anything for you. He scans the room and really only sees magazines. Some are about fashion, some are about cooking, the one that seems the most interesting is National Geographic.

He quickly grabs the magazine and flips it open, clearing his throat, he starts to read.

“Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents, and it has the highest average elevation. It is mainly a polar desert, with annual precipitation of over 200 millimetres or 8 inches along the coast. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost 60 metres—”

You look at Viktor with overflowing love in your heart. Here you are crabby, upset, and miserable; and he immediately does his best to cheer you up, even if it means reading about Antarctica.

With your mind at ease and your focus shifted, it’s almost as if the pain disappeared. You can feel your eyes fluttering shut as you hone in on Viktor’s voice, how his accent curls around the words and how interesting he makes it sound.

Viktor would be a good narrator for a documentary, or for an audio book you conclude.

Sleep slowly encases you as Viktor reads to you in a calm, quiet voice. You love this man, truly.

How’d you get so lucky?

Here ya go! I hope this little blurb/one shot has made you feel a bit better ❤️

And to anyone else reading this I hope this has comforted you in someway too, love you all xoxo ❤️

(I got the little bit on Antarctica from Wikipedia lol)

[artemisia--hq]

Yesterday, I collapsed due to severe pain while on my internship duty.

Some of you knew that I had kidney stones. I am managing it with meds but I often suffer from bouts of flank pain and other symptoms; but yesterday, it was the worst it has ever been. I was admitted, they ran a series of tests, and found out that my condition had gotten worse and I needed immediate surgery to avoid complications.

Since the start of my med school journey, I have always been self-supporting, mostly depending on my scholarship for my tuition and allowances. But this financial aid does not cover medical expenses, less so for a procedure such as the major surgery I needed. I do have health insurance but it won’t be sufficient to compensate the expenses my medical issue would incur.

That said, I am modestly (but with great humility) asking for your kindness and charity to help me get through the financial burden of this setback. Any amount would do and would be hugely appreciated. I know this is beyond shameful, but I have no other means to procure funds as my health condition renders me incapacitated (I am currently taking a break from internship, admitted for the meantime as I wait for my surgery, which is scheduled on Wednesday).

Linked below is my ko-fi. Again, whatever amount you give would be of immeasurable value for me and my health.

Thank you all so much.

- Mia

My kofi:

[enfantdivine]

The Night Before

The dim hospital room felt far too quiet for how loud In-ho's thoughts were. The steady beep of the heart monitor filled the silence, impossible to ignore, like a metronome counting down to something unknown. Outside the window, the world was still—the city hushed, the stars faint behind glass.

Jun-ho was curled up on his side, IV taped to his arm. He didn’t say anything. Hadn’t for the last hour or so. His small hands fidgeted with the blanket, and he stared at the wall like it might answer all the questions in his head.

In-ho sat in the chair next to him, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, watching.

He knew that silence.

“Hey, what's wrong?” he asked gently, reaching over to brush Jun-ho’s hair from his eyes. “Can’t sleep? Do you want me to sing you a lullaby or something?”

Jun-ho didn’t laugh. Instead, he whispered, “I don’t want you to do it.”

In-ho blinked, his heart sinking. “Okay, relax, I won't,” he replied, not sure how he managed to keep a playful tone. “It was a joke. You know I'm bad at singing.”

Jun-ho ignored his attempt at lifting the mood. “The surgery.” His voice cracked. “Your kidney. I don’t want it.”

In-ho sighed, scooting his chair closer to the bed. “We’ve been through this—”

“I know,” Jun-ho cut in. “I know it’ll help me. I know you’re a match. I know the doctors said it’s safe. But I hate it. I hate that I have to take something from you to stay alive.” He looked away, embarrassed, ashamed. “It’s not fair.”

There it was—the guilt. The kind that gnawed at Jun-ho's insides, making him feel less like a little boy and more like a parasite. In-ho understood it all too well. He reached out and took Jun-ho’s hand—warm and small, still trembling.

“You’re not taking anything from me,” he said quietly. “I’m giving it to you.”

Jun-ho’s eyes welled up, but he didn’t blink. He just looked at In-ho, like he was trying to memorize his face.

“But what if something happens to you?” he asked. “What if you need it later? What if you get sick and… and I ruined your life—”

“Hey,” In-ho said, squeezing his hand. “Jun-ho. Listen to me.”

Jun-ho did.

In-ho leaned closer, voice low, steady — like a promise being carved into stone. “You are not ruining my life. You are my life.”

Jun-ho’s breath hitched.

“It's not about fairness, okay?” In-ho continued. “It's about wanting you here, with me. It's about giving you every chance you deserve. And giving you my kidney? That's just... it's just how I can do that, you know? It's my way of fighting for you.”

Jun-ho wiped his face with the back of his hand, and In-ho smiled through the sting in his own eyes.

“I would give you anything,” he assured him. “A kidney. A lung. My heart. Whatever it takes. Not because I have to—but because I want to. Because I love you more than anything else in this world, and I want to see you grow up, and laugh again, and run again, and eat way too much ice cream again.”

A small, shaky laugh escaped Jun-ho’s throat. “You always say stuff like that.”

“Yeah, well,” In-ho shrugged, settling back in the chair and lacing their fingers together. “Someone has to say the cheesy stuff, right?”

Jun-ho sniffled. “I’m scared.”

“I know. Me too,” In-ho admitted softly. “But you’re not going through this alone. Neither of us is.”

There was silence for a while after that. Not the cold, distant kind—but the kind where hearts spoke louder than words.

Eventually, Jun-ho drifted off, still holding In-ho’s hand.

And In-ho stayed there all night.

Because from tomorrow on, part of him would live inside his brother. But the truth was—it always had.

[knight-dwx-09]

Just A Normal Check Up

Jaune: So can you tell me where does it hurt, Jay?

Jay: Well, I often feel pained around the side of my stomach that it makes difficult to stand still. It is even worse when I try to relief myself, it is like the inside of my testicles just spark fire every time I do it.

Jaune: *Raised an eyebrow* Let’s hope it’s what I think it is, other wise we might need a different kind of specialist

The boy stared in confusion until it hit him as his eyes open widely.

Jay: Peeing! I was talking about pee!

Jaune: I know, just messing with you a bit

Jay: *Sigh* Is all of the doctor here a jokester like you

Jaune: No, unless they have to deal with emergency case almost everyday, dealing patiences like you, and fight against Grimm while make sure everyone stay alive, I am the only one

Jay: What?

Jaune: Don’t worry about it, to answer your first question, it seem like you have a kidney stone

Jay: Kidney stone?

Jaune: yeah, have you been skipping water lately? Going to gym a lot? Eating or drinking sustained that contained a lot of sugar or salt?

Jay: Well, I did drink a lot of soft drinks than water, take out fast foods, and chips *scratched the back of his head awkwardly and nervously* I don’t have much time to cook because of my collage’s life lately

Jaune: There we go, we find the cause quite easily *Write something on a paper and give it to him* Here, I advise you to stop all of that for now and drinks a lot of water if you don’t want to get a surgery. And next time, cut those bad habits of yours, or at least buy heathy foods unless you want another visit anytime soon or the dentist and make your wallet bleeds

Jay: *Nod* Thanks for telling me that

Jay then get up and leave the room.

Author Note: I will start to make a short story for every AU I will be focusing on like this and I will put “AUextras” in the tags. Also, next will be extra weird than this. Since this is my first, I didn’t all the way and make it normal so be prepared for the next I guess

[genderqueerdykes]

re: gallbladder stuff i'm sorry you're dealing with all that, I know you already know it's all BS, but i just wanted to share my experience with gallbladder surgery that really emphasizes how BS it is: -my surgeon didn't ask me to lose weight in order to operate even though i was also over 300lbs at the time -they treated it as an urgent surgery even though i had to get it done during COVID lockdowns -the doctor told me that it was almost certainly genetics that caused me to have gallstones, there was nothing i could have done to cause it -the doctor told me i should stick to a plain diet leading up to the surgery to reduce the chances of passing another gallstone, but told me that once you pass one stone it's not a matter of if but when you'll pass another. the only way to stop it completely is to remove the organ your doctors are treating you terribly for actually no reason and i'm sorry they're doing that to you. i wish there was a way to hold healthcare workers accountable for these things.

thank you SO much for this ask, holy shit

i'm so glad they didn't ask you to lose weight and treated it like an emergency, which it was. i'm really glad they actually treated you. nobody should have to put up with having a diseased organ stay in their body because of someone else's prejudice. i've been considering asking fatphobic doctors why they are even in the medical field to begin with if they can't wrap their heads around the fact that fat people need medical help as well, whether it's related to their fatness or not doesn't matter. many fat people WILL need some form of medical attention in their lives. why would anyone who actually cares about helping others go into medicine if they knew they couldn't handle a little bit of cellulose

also thank you for confirming that there's a genetic factor and that if it happens once, it'll happen again. that's what i was showing in my research. i mean it makes sense, it's not going to do that just once, and i have multiple stones in my gallbladder. i don't understand why multiple stones isn't cause for concern. my mother had to have her gallbladder removed as well. and i've also shown in my research that there's very little to nothing a person can do to cause themselves to develop gallstones, unlike kidney stones which can be caused by severe and repeated dehydration

thank you so much, i've felt absolutely horrible in the wake of this. it made me feel as though my pain was somehow my fault, as if it wasn't worth looking into. i don't think anyone should have to feel like that, especially when they have a diseased organ that needs removed. it was like she didn't even see it as a matter of disease and illness, but rather something completely caused by me. i could tell she thought it was my fault due to eating a "high fat diet" and not because there's a genetic factor.

the "high fat diet" affects my liver way more than my gallbladder, and even then: i do not routinely eat a high fat diet. my liver is the one who got upset when i ate a lot of high fat and processed foods while i was homeless. my gallbladder is not the one who's having a hard time with anything that i choose to do of my own volition. the organ itself is literally diseased and no amount of kale smoothies and celery could ever fix that

thank you, i really appreciate you. i'm glad you were able to get treated without pushback. i think what i'm going to do is call that office and ask to consult with one of their other surgeons to see if they all believe that, or if it's just the one surgeon i spoke to. i also want to report her for medical malpracitce because she's choosing to let me continue to get violently ill because of her own personal issues. she's allowing me to remain sick and potentially be subject to even worse things like you mentioned

again, i really appreciate the amount of support i've gotten over this. i didn't realize that i was being treated this poorly. i really appreciate you, i'm going to do whatever i can to advocate for myself so i can get this removed ASAP. i want to be able to eat regular meals again without pain or vomiting. i want to be able to sit and stand upright without severe stabbing pain in my abdomen. i want to live my life again. i appreciate you, take care of yourself, thank you for your kindness and reassurance

[safyresky]

Wanna hear how UNHINGED Sunday was for me?

TRICK QUESTION. YOU'RE GONNA.

Got woken up at 6am Sunday morning to bring Dad to the hospital for a kidney stone flare up.

By a quarter to 7 he's like "I'm fine"

by a quarter to 8 he's like "nvm"

bring him through triage and all that, once he's ready to see a dr I dip to go shovel about. 7 driveways.

2.5 are already done. Finish the other 3.5. Grandma cancels hers bc her neighbour did it. Cool. Great. AH.

go home. have lunch. go to costco bc sometimes you just need to

(cheap gas)

(granola bars)

and you don't trust your grandma's neighbour to NOT half ass it so best be checking that out

it's fine. k great.

Pick dad up from hospital, prep dinner for the sickos since he's now on morphine while he passes the stone and mom's recovering from HIP SURGERY

leave to come home to ktown my beloved

only for my beloved (person) to suddenly get WILDLY SICK on the way back

get home and clear OUR driveway while husband explodes in the basement bathroom, only for neighbour-across-the-street's-dog who will henceforth be known as THE DOG to come barking when I get into my car to put it in the driveway

THE DOG is in the fenceless yard, off her leash, barking at me from across the street bc that's what she does. barks NON STOP.

her human does NOT come out to check on her when it's really important, like when he's literally being robbed or someone is on our lawn after breaking into the backyard

(true stories, both of them)

no. she just barks when we're on our own lawn

bc apparently our house is her house too (don't get me started. when we are asleep he is hanging out in our yard playing with his dog. I can see the damn tracks. Leading from his place to OUR PALCE since they never shovel the gd streets)

(I am this close || to building a fence in the spring)

nice dog. terrible human.

So SHE'S barking. Nonstop. A symphony. The Call Of Her People. It's echoing across the neighbourhood

her human does NOT come to check on her.

Old Lady Neighbour comes out to snoop. I sigh and tell her it's us we just got home and the dog is mad? excited? about that? who's to say

she claims she's just outside to bat carpets. at 10 o'clock at night. while looking w/concern over at The Dog (she is still barking)

okay Sharon, I see you! I know how to snoop on neighbours too!!!!

we start chatting

The Dog is still barking

Non-stop. NON STOP. at this point I am convinced she doesn't need to breath since it's just BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BAnd so on and so forth

Her Human is not in sight.

She keeps barking.

My Beloved (human) comes out and joins me, and says hi, and tells Old Lady Neighbour not to worry about leftover snow, he'll get to it

as if he wasn't just downstairs PUKING HIS BRAINS OUT

He goes to unload the car while I am slowly trying to escape the chat

The Dog is still barking

The Human is still missing

While chatting, suddenly Old Lady Neighbour looks over my head

"Now you see, that there is Hero, the dog three doors down from you."

"Huh? What?" I think. I turn around

A SECOND DOG HAS ENTERED THE ARENA

The Dog finally stops barking as they greet one another, excited, and Dog #2 IMMEDIATELY MOUNTS THE DOG AND STARTS FUCKING HER DOGGY STYLE RIGHT THERE IN THE FRONT YARD.

LITERALLY

BECAUSE THEY ARE DOGS.

FUCKING.

In my soul, I feel like the side eyeing monkey puppet. thing. And I look away

Old Lady has pointed this dog out to me bc in a sly, clever way last Thursday I brought up the whole "neighbour across the street keeps running around our property while we're asleep playing with his dog like it's his"

mans didn't even ASK

I would've said NO but STILL. IT'S THE PRINCIPAL OF THE THING

HE HAS MORE YARD THAN WE DO. WHY IS HE ON OUR PATHETIC LIL SIDE YARD! COME ON!

anyway

I brought it up in a not-naming-names way and she immediately lists every single dog on the block and says maybe it's them, as if I DON'T know every dog on the block and that they are inside houses with fenced in yards and NOT being walked at 3am and then treated to a dog park on the way that is actually just MY YARD

I know it's creepy neighbour, Sharon. STOP DEFENDING HIM

I finally escape

Run to the car to grab my iced capp

the dogs are still fuckin

the human is nowhere in sight.

My Beloved (human) pops his head out from the front seat of the car, says something, and immediately stops dead bc he has just looked over my head (am short, he's a giant) and seen the dogs going at it

"Oh! Well I'm not even going to ASK" and he looks away

"Huh?" I turn back, remembering as I turn the the DOGS are FUCKING

"Oh. Right. Yeah that's Hero from 3 doors down, apparently."

"Ah! Great :) Let's go inside :)"

We do.

Husbando is stable, for now, and I say I'll finish putting the last bit of snow in the back and he can sit and rest

I go outside to do that and then fight to close the gate

the dogs have stopped fucking and are now play fighting.

after care, I guess

I go back to fighting the gate

Suddenly I am hearing the loudest, most UPSET french yelling in my LIFE

I look up.

A woman is running down the street in slippers and pjays

SLEEP SHORTS SPECIFICALLY AND IT'S LIKE 20 BELOW 0

And she is YELLING at the second dog

He looks chastised, says bye to The Dog and makes his way over to the woman

The woman keeps yelling

The Dog's Human is still mia.

I run inside bc I do NOT wanna cross paths with the angry Quebecois lady and the fucking (literally) dog

My Beloved (Human) is at the door like "why is there yelling"

"Hero's mom picked him up and is v mad. I'm gonna do the front. Couldn't close the gate btw"

"I got it"

I go do the front. Angry lady and her dog are gone. I go inside.

My Beloved (human) comes inside.

"GUESS who FINALLY SHOWED UP OUTSIDE," he says

"The Dog's Human?"

"YEP! The Dog's Human."

[grayskiesandink]

btw for anyone curious how my hospital/er trip went it was like this. tw for talk of hospitals, pain, surgery, discussion of the omegaverse, and vomiting.

story under read more (long)

I'm someone who's been betting on their appendix failing for years now. I've had multiple scares where I've had random intense lower right side pain- went to the hospital, and they were like. dude. we don't know whats wrong. go away <3. The story starts on Sunday technically, but it was 3am and it was still like Saturday for me. I am writing fanfiction. I had been writing fanfiction for about 5 hours on and off, at that point. I am hit by sudden intense back pain. 'ah' I think to myself, as someone with an old back injury. I've probably been sitting weird or something. I change sitting positions and continue writing my fic which also happens to be smut (this is an important detail for later). I spend two hours like this because I love ignoring physical pain. 5 am hits. the pain is unbearable. and has also begun to radiate to my pelvis and legs. 'shit' I think to myself. 'Is this finally my appendix?'. I ponder to myself. I message the group chat of all my friends who live by me and therefore could physically help me if needed. Nobody answers. As, It is 5 am.

I lay down. ‘Maybe I can just sleep this off ?’ No. the answer to that question is. Laying down actually made the pain worse. Sitting down made the pain worse. My only option became wondering my own halls like a ghost. 6 am, now.

I start frantically calling everybody I know. Nobody is picking up. Okay, cool. Maybe that was a sign I was being over dramatic. I continue to wander my halls for I don’t even know how long. 10 am hits. I have messaged my long distance best friend (who has known me for 6 years and has seen it all from me) multiple voice memos. They're finally awake and they tell me "um, go to the hospital, please?". This is a red flag because they've seen me at my worst and knows my limits. I clearly sound like shit to them- enough that they seem like they're two seconds from calling an ambulance for me. Important to note, in my ramblings to my bestie I said things like, 'I headcanon this is what labor would feel like'. and 'I feel. Ouch.' My other friend messages me, they've seen my missed call and are worried. I explain what's going on and ask if they'd be willing to take me to a doctor if I get any worse, or this doesn't go away. They do not hesitate to say yes. By pure luck and magic, they've finally got their car jumped- which at this point had been dead for at least 2 weeks straight. About 30 minutes pass. I message the friend again. The pain has become unbearable. They are on their way.

We make it the ER. it takes only about 10 minutes of waiting to be brought back and checked in. It only takes maybe 10 more minutes for the doctor to come back and talk to me. I am promised labwork + likely multiple imaging tests. 'Oh,' I think, 'they're taking this really seriously?'

At some point me and my friend start talking about the Omegaverse. We come up with an alternate universe where we're in a forbidden romance (Beta/Omega), and they're my long lost lover. Who, upon hearing my situation rushed to my side to help. I propose that in this scenario I am giving birth to our child, although we're still unsure if that child is going to be kidney stones, a cyst, or my appendix. We poll our group chat. The majority thinks its my appendix. "Nah," my friend says, "that would be too easy".

An ultrasound is done. Nothing is found. I am rolled off to do a CT scan. We are then waiting for the results of that. In the meantime, my urine sample comes back with, blood?? I turn to my friend and go, "that's not right?" and they shake their head.

"This is like House MD for real," they say.

We wait more. I allow my friend to mess around on my computer. They change my lock screen as a surprise for later. They play some Tetris. "Wait," they say. "Weren't you writing fanfiction when this all started?"

My friend proceeds to read my 6,000 words of unfinished erotica.

They enjoy it. For the briefest of moments, I do consider just how insane this situation is. As, I sit dressed in my hospital gown in extreme pain, waiting to find out if I'm going to need surgery, asking what my friend thought about my smut.

The doctor comes in.

"Your appendix!" he says. "Is inflamed. We're going to consult the surgeon on next steps." He looks surprised to be saying this. I turn to my friend, mouth agape. As soon as the doctor leaves I scream "IT'S FINALLY MY APPENDIX". I am unable to shut up about my appendix until the surgeon comes in to tell me that surgery is looking like the best option here. I take 10 to discuss with my friend and others about what to do- this is an organ after all. But, one that's trying to kill me? I decide to get that thang out.

A ton of paperwork later and I am ready to be taken to surgery. My friend takes my bag as we are under the assumption that they'll be coming to pick me up that night.

I am taken to surgery.

My first memory that I have after is vomiting all over myself. Vaguely, deep in the pit of my mind, I think 'oh. I'm so Ink-coded right now' before having to be cleaned up and changed like a toddler.

I proceed to vomit at least every 5-10 minutes. Everybody seems concerned about this. "You're... staying," I am told by one of the nurses. I am equal parts understanding of this and in dismay. They're trying to find me a bed for the night- yet it seems like whatever the normal wing they use for post op is full. I, instead, am taken to:

labor and delivery.

I cannot wait for my friend to find out.

I begin to feel the worst pain of my life. 'Oh, this sucks' I think, nearly unable to move. I somehow am able to shoot a text to my friend explaining that I'm staying the night before being completely immobilized by pain.

Maybe ten minutes later, my friend walks in, my bag and in hand and with the news that they got me some groceries and checked in on my cat.

"I birthed our baby... my appendix..." I somehow manage to say, before bursting into tears and shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.

My friend is able to rush one of the nurses to get me pain meds, and then proceeds to sit by my side and comfort me for the better part of an hour.

They only leave when I start to feel better. Promising that they'll be there in the morning.

The night is unremarkable except for the part where I vomit about every twenty minutes. Each time I think to myself, 'this is good research for writing Ink...' I do not sleep. The last time I slept was Friday night. It is now Monday morning.

Eventually, the nausea subsides. Somehow. The doctor comes in and clears me to be released. My friend arrives and is happy to see me Not Dying. We get everything in order and eventually I end up in their car, on my way home. "I got the ao3 author curse," I say. "I'm going to post that fic and put in one of those little author notes."

"You better," my friend says, making sure I don't manage to fall up the stairs.

I am settled into my apartment. Appendix-less. I proceed to pass out. wake up for a bit. Eat a bunch of Cheez-Its that my friend got me. And then pass out again.

And well, that's where I'm left. Thank you, for coming to my Ted-Talk

[xxx-sparkydemon-xxx]

Hello my dear brother 🌹

I hope you are well when you receive this message 🌹

My name is Ibrahim, from Gaza, the eldest of my parents, I am writing to you to help my family survive and get out of this crazy war to safety ..

My parents are in dire need of emergency treatment 🙏

My mother needs to undergo urgent surgery due to kidney stones and back and neck discs ..

And my father suffers from severe pain due to his active thyroid disease and back and neck discs and needs medication to treat it ..

We are also suffering from famine, our house was destroyed, our livelihood was destroyed, we lost everything 💔 .., we now live in a worn-out tent made of some fabrics that do not protect from the cold, rain and wind 🙏💔

So I address your conscience and humanity to help my family survive and get out of the war to safety and treat my parents from their diseases and save us from famine and rebuild 🙏⛔💔

Please, please Save us 🙏💔

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ibrahims-family-in-gaza-crisis

Thank you for your kindness, I apologize if I bothered you🌹

VERIFIED; #354 ON THE SPREADSHEET BY @/gazavetters

PLEASE SHARE THIS FUNDRAISER AND DONATE IF YOU HAVE AT LEAST $5 TO SPARE. EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS TOWARDS SAVING LIVES!

$1,170 USD/$5,000

[buckets-and-trees]

Dear Aspen! I just caught up with things on Discord and saw that you had a surgery! Glad everything went well. Apologies that I was so occupied with my new role and routine. Totally went quiet on discord.

So glad you are better now. Sending love!!!

MY DEAR JEN, DO NOT APOLOGIZE! Life sometimes steals us away from Tumblr and all the other online corners of the world, and that's okay! I know you're busy making sure you KILL IT In your new role! As you should!

The procedure to remove my kidney stone on April 9th went very well. I won't go into HUGE detail, but I'll put my updates under a read more cut for those who don't do medical details...

So it turns out the stone that had developed in my right kidney was 14mm. A typical stone that people pass is like 3-5mm. When I went to the ER, the doctor on duty took a look at the CT scan initially and said it was an 8mm stone. The person who did the technical analysis noted it was between 11-14mm. When I went to go see the urologist that treated me three years ago the other time I had a kidney stone, they had me go get a KUB X-ray, and that technician measured it at 16mm.

So when the urologist was consulting with me before they took me back to the operating room, he said, "I reviewed all the notes on your file, and I don't know what we're going to find in there, only that it's going to be big, but I promise I'll get it out for you."

So anyway...

He performed a Laser Lithotripsy. I went under general anesthesia, and then he went in with a laser to blast the stone into smaller pieces, then used some kind of tool that essentially is a little basket to catch the pieces of stone that he could, and then put a stent in my urinary tract so that any tiny pieces could pass through afterwards. I have to keep the stent in for another week - which reminds me that I need to still call and make the appointment to have it removed at his clinic! But that's a fast thing - like two minutes once the doc is with me.

Recovery for my kidney parts wasn't bad - I had pain medication for about a day and a half.

BUT

They put a tube down my throat for the anesthesia, and that aggravated my whole respiratory system, so the day of the surgery, I had the most terrible sore throat, then Thursday/Friday/Saturday I was SO CONGESTED and also coughing up mucus, but there was no infection, it was all clear snot, and so I was wondering if I should be taking anything to clear it up? But it finally started to lessen Sunday, and then Monday was pretty manageable and I went back to work.

So, that's the story!

When I had my previous kidney stone, it was 8mm.

Apparently I have to go above and beyond in every aspect of my life.

Above average the first time around, and double my previous stat the second time. Woof.

[disordereddisasterboy]

*calls doctor* hey I'm pretty sure I have a kidney stone.

Receptionist: you're so young! It must be a UTI or something else but I'll still schedule it.

... Yeah I know the difference because I've had them before but okay.

*gets to the doctor*

Receptionist: so you're here for cold and flu symptoms?

.... I think I have a kidney stone. I scheduled it for that.

Receptionist: ohh... It says UTI and cold symptoms....

No pretty sure I have a kidney stone again.

Receptionist: at 29? Okay sure.... We'll call you...

Nurse: come on back, pee in a cup. We'll see how bad your UTI is...

Okay... *Pees into cup*

Nurse: so what are your symptoms?

My left kidney hurts, I have had a migraine for days, I'm having trouble urinating, I keep throwing up and this feels like my last kidney stone.

Nurse: ... You've had previous kidney stones?

Yeah I've had 4 since I was 14. The last was like 6 months ago. They've all been small and passed without surgery but they suck.

Nurse: oh... We thought you were overreacting....

Nope I just have bad kidneys from being on lithium since middle school.

Nurse: OH you're on lithium? I'll get the doctor.

Doctor: *looks at my medical history* *does a physical exam* huh it looks like you have a kidney stone. No infection but there's blood and calcium deposits in your urine. Stop at checkout for the information to schedule an ultrasound for tomorrow, please go to the ER if you have trouble passing it before then. You're at least going to need two prescriptions, and if the stone is big, I'm gonna recommend surgery.

... Kay. *Goes to check out* hey receptionist, I need the info for my ultrasound for my kidney stone.

Receptionist: ultrasound??? For a UTI?

I. Have. A. Kidney. Stone. Again.

Receptionist: I need to call back to the doctor.... *Gets on the phone and starts asking why I need an ultrasound, only to look suspicious at me and then rolling her eyes as she wrote the information on a sticky note* here, but you're too young to have a kidney stone.

....Yeah that's what they told me when I passed my first one in my highschool bathroom during 9th grade social studies.

Receptionist: *gives me dirty looks until I leave*

Like why is it so hard to believe that a 29 year old can have chronic kidney stones? Why treat me weird for it???

[30somethingautisticteacher]

I'm the WORST at prompts. But something whumpy... I need that so badly. I dunno, maybe throw one of them off a high place. I'd take anything that hurts one and makes the other worry. 😭

I haven't written much whump before so I hope I delivered!

When Buck and Tommy first started dating, Buck knew the risks of being with another first responder. He had mentally prepared himself for the possibility of a helicopter crash or Tommy getting trapped during a rescue. He didn't want those things to happen, but at least he had experience with such scenarios.

What he wasn't expecting, though, were the awful words the doctor had just uttered: "Stage 3 kidney cancer." Buck felt as if his heart had stopped beating right then and there. "No!" he silently screamed. Not this... not now. They were so happy together. Buck had just moved into Tommy's house, and they had all sorts of plans to renovate and redecorate. They were going to plant a little garden and had talked about getting a pet. This couldn't be happening.

Tommy was so big, strong, and capable. Tommy, his Tommy, couldn't have cancer. Buck couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face.

Tommy, on the other hand, remained stone-faced, expressionless. His voice was steady as he asked, "What's the prognosis? What are my treatment options?" He paused for a moment, then added, "Just give it to me straight, is this the end? Am I gonna die?"

Buck knew that his boyfriend was a straight shooter, but hearing him ask that so matter-of-factly sent a chill down his spine. He choked back a sob, trying to compose himself for Tommy's sake.

The doctor's expression softened slightly. "Mr. Kinard, while stage 3 kidney cancer is serious, it's not necessarily a death sentence. The five-year survival rate for stage 3 kidney cancer is about 53%. With aggressive treatment, many patients can go into remission."

Buck found little comfort in those words. "53 percent," he thought, his heart sinking. "So almost half don't survive." He knew Tommy was a fighter, but those were not good odds. And just what exactly did "aggressive treatment" mean? The uncertainty was almost as scary as the diagnosis itself.

Tommy remained stoic, his face masking the emotion that Buck new lie beneath the surface. Buck knew Tommy well enough to know that he was terrified. "And the treatment? What does that look like?" he asked, his voice unwavering.

As the doctor began explaining the potential treatment plans - surgery, radiation, chemotherapy - Buck felt completely overwhelmed. Their life had been completely turned on its head in a matter of minutes. Everything they had planned, everything they had looked forward to, now seemed trivial in the face of cancer.

Buck tried to focus on the doctor's words, knowing he needed to understand what lay ahead. But his mind kept racing. He had to be strong for Tommy, he knew that. But in this moment, he had never felt weaker in his entire life.

A wave of guilt washed over him as a selfish thought crept into his mind. He felt like the universe was taunting him. Cancer again. Cancer had affected his life before he was even born. He was born because his brother had cancer and he couldn't save him. And here cancer was again, threatening the happiness he had built with Tommy.

He glanced at Tommy, marveling at his composure. How could he be so calm when their world was crumbling around them? Buck wanted to be that pillar of strength for Tommy, but he felt like he was barely holding himself together.

Buck reached out and grasped Tommy's hand, squeezing it tightly. To his relief, Tommy squeezed back, a small gesture that spoke volumes. In that moment, Buck made a silent vow. No matter how tough things got, no matter how weak he felt, he would find the strength to be there for Tommy every step of the way. They would fight this together, just as they had faced every other obstacle in their lives.

As the doctor continued speaking, Buck tried to prepare himself for the fight ahead. Their future was uncertain and full of challenges. But one thing was clear: he wouldn't let Tommy face this alone. They were a team, and together they would tackle whatever came their way.

When they climbed into the car, Tommy quietly asked, "Are you ok?"

"Am I ok?" Buck replied, incredulous. "Babe, are you ok? This is earth-shattering."

"I know," Tommy said, tears welling up in his eyes. "But you're not stuck with me. I don't want you to feel obligated, and I won't blame you or judge you if it's too much. You didn't sign up for cancer."

"Tommy," Buck gasped, his voice thick with emotion. "I would never leave you. We may not have officially said it yet, but I am here in sickness and in health."

Tommy didn't say a word but pulled Buck into a hug. His eyes met Buck's with a look of determination. It was a silent promise to fight - for himself, for Buck, and for their future together. Because they deserved their happily ever after, and Tommy wasn't about to let cancer take that away from them.