#pem!

[chronicallydragons]

Very rude that fun spoons are still spoons

[glassonlyrecycle]

hm yes

[willowreader]

PEM is one of the key features of Long Covid. It is probably one of the worst symptoms you can have. I find these vey technical papers difficult to understand but if you go to X (Twitter) you will get a good summary by Dr. T.

[artdecoandmodernist]

Cover illustration by PEM (Maurice Pepin), Le Sourire Cover, French Magazine, 1933

[pandemic-info]

Why You Should Rest If You Have COVID-19 | Time

[crazycatsiren]

When you're so tired you want to cry, and there are things that need to be done.

[nutnoce]

Fire suppression p.1 & p.2: “Flame Retardant” & “Building Potential” Inspired by the PEM's ‘Our Time on Earth’ exhibit

I was gladly surprised to see the exhibit’s various optimistic installations, especially the building materials of the future. As a forestry student I am beginning to understand our relationship to our forests differently. In the US, forest policy which aimed to suppress wildfires has contributed to a century-long build up of fuel that would otherwise have been cleared by controlled burns or small spontaneous ground fires. Indigenous peoples shaped the forests of the Americas to require these controlled burns. More and more I realize that indigenous knowledge and collaboration is a necessary part of the stewardship of future. A concept which is present at large at the museum but also specifically within Our Time on Earth. Getting a ‘sustainable’ amount of lumber from our forest still disregards the health and purpose of these trees to a diverse and complex ecosystem. It is essential that we diversify our building material, to include carbon-negative things like mycelium! Natural resources that are close by, and at hand in our local environment, which doesn’t require chopping down a tree 3000 miles away and transporting it to the US. We need local resources whose collective cultivation lead to a sense of community and collaboration. A better future!

My thanks to lane.m.artin for collaborating with me for p.2!

[thebibliosphere]

"Yeah, I'll totally get that [productive thing] done now we've got an extra two hours without the stream today."

I said, like someone who's not been falling asleep in the time it takes to switch between apps on my phone.

[myalgicencephalomyelitiscfstom]

ME Research UK

We are raising awareness about the debilitating symptoms of ME/CFS. Post-exertional malaise (PEM), the cardinal feature of ME/CFS, is the worsening of symptoms (and potential appearance of new symptoms) following minimal physical or mental exertion. It typically occurs 24 – 72 hours following the triggering event but may occur sooner. PEM can significantly reduce the level of activity/functioning of an individual with ME/CFS, and can last for several days, weeks, or longer.

Read more about the experience of PEM: https://bit.ly/expPEM2

Watch the Bateman Horne Center YouTube series on PEM: https://bit.ly/3UTMkJC

[chronicallydragons]

Not enough heating pad for the ouchie so I’m just rolling around like a rotisserie chicken

[bopaaaa]

🌙Reunit🌕

:

Hello❤️ Finally! Today! I finished the short comic I said I would prepare!

The comic is about amy finding out that Pem, my mc, died of the red plague and she finds her in razaret. Asar has a small gift to give her and goes back to Vesuvia to her shop to reunite with her. Upon arrival, Asra notices that the shop's sign has not been maintained as it was before. Feeling uneasy, he cautiously opens the door and enters the shop. As if this ominous feeling was correct, there is a letter from Pem on the table. Reading the letter, Asra is shocked to learn that she is dying of the Red Plague. Soon after, his surroundings seem to close in on him, engulfing him with dark truths. Denying that she is dead, Asra runs with all his might to find her and reaches the island. Searching for her, Asra finds the remains of the trinket she always wore in her hair until her death. He digs in the dirt, unaware that his hands are scratched and bleeding. After digging for a while, only the tragic last vestiges of her life emerge from the dirt. Asra breaks down, bursting into the tears she's been holding in all this time, denying the truth and clinging to a shred of hope.

This story is my reimagining of the ASRA route (or maybe not) to fit my MC's personality. I didn't really start drawing the storyboard in one sitting, so the artwork may look a little... a lot... maybe even a lot different from scene to scene because I haven't drawn for so long...hehe…Please bear that in mind 🙏🙇🏻‍♀️❤️

[benjhawkins]

Which amiguito are you today

[the-clay-quarters]

Here we go, all seventeen kiss prompt drawings! This definitely ended up bigger than I expected -- three whole weeks! -- but it was tons of fun and got me drawing more than I usually do :D

I wanted to collect these all in one post mostly because I like looking at them all together, but also because I actually changed a couple of the first ones after posting and wanted to share this version. Word of advice, don't draw in one sitting then post it immediately at midnight xD Other than that, though, I'm super happy with all of these <3 Hope y'all had fun too!

All the pings for people's ocs under the cut since it got long!

@thedeafprophet 's Aurora

@dualclock 's Scrimshander *

@jane-d-ankh-veos 's Nostalgist *

@viric-dreams 's Ockham (with and without the viric) *

@violant-apologia 's Apologist

@capn-twitchery 's Grace

@waterlogged-detective 's Doe

@peliginspeaks 's Hallowrove

@neathyingenue 's Silvia

@lord-emerson 's Oswald

@anomaly-beans 's Merry

@cosmogone-spectacles 's Oversol (with and without the veil)

@the-masterless-press 's Mathilde

@pacmanthepeach 's Raz

@gmalaart 's Cavendish

@house-of-mirrors 's Orsino

@msbeanfl 's Ms Bean

(* these ones specifically got edited, if anyone's keeping track)

[unfilteredrealities]

Pacing Tactics

● Prioritize your activities and delay, delegate or eliminate non-essential items.

● Minimize sustained physical or cognitive exertion by dividing and spreading out your activities into small segments with planned rest periods in between. For moderate to severely ill patients, even normal activities of daily living (eating, bathing, dressing) should be modified to avoid triggering PEM.

● Immediately stop and rest if you start to feel dizzy or short-of-breath, notice your heart rate increasing, or sense other PEM warning signs that might be unique to you. Don’t try to “push through” when you feel sick or tired. Although the concept is lauded in today’s society, doing so with ME/CFS will only exacerbate your symptoms and potentially worsen your illness.

● Schedule rest time (even if you don’t think you need it) to relax your body and allow for potential healing. When anticipating the need for extra energy (e.g. trip to the doctor, night out with friends, special occasion), plan extended rest time before and after the event.

● Learn to recognize emotional PEM triggers and take steps to avoid or minimize their impact. If a stressful situation is primarily beyond your control (e.g. the actions of others, world events, lack of understanding about this disease) try to take the emotion out of your thought process. Worrying or holding on to anger when you can’t do anything about a situation rarely accomplishes anything for anyone, but if you’re living with ME/CFS, it can use up your energy and cause you harm.

● Difficult as it may be, avoid the temptation to do too much when you’re feeling a bit better. It is rarely worth the consequences when living with ME/CFS.

[crazycatsiren]

I've begun telling and reminding myself that spending a day in bed is not "wasting the day". I'm giving my body what it needs and that's good and important.

[jennmakesitweird]

I'm tired.

I used to have energy. I used to be productive. I could make a big 'to-do' list and take pride in checking off each item as it was finished. Now getting more than one thing done per day is a huge accomplishment (and will likely mean I'm extra exhausted tomorrow).

I used to be creative. I could spend hours at my computer writing or designing. I had creative hobbies, too, DIY-ing things. By December 1st I'd have dozens of handmade gifts ready to go for the holidays. Not this year. Now I can spend - at most - an hour doing any one of those things before everything becomes a jumble and my brain seizes up and taps out. (Only one thing per day, though! Don't want to over-exert myself!)

I used to get up early. I would exercise: daily yoga, walks, roller skating. Now I sleep as long as I can. I drag my aching body out of bed and hope that maybe today it won't be too bad, that I'll be able to move around without pain. I'm exhausted by 8pm.

This isn't old age.

This isn't menopause.

I can't work. I can't enjoy life anymore. I see everything that I loved about my life - about ME - slipping away. I want to be silly again. I miss my sense of humor. I don't want to lose these worlds and stories and fantastical ideas I've had rattling around in my brain. I don't want to lose hope.

This is chronic illness, I guess. Chronic fatigue. Fibromyalgia. Long Covid. Whatever they want to call it. All I know is that it's breaking me.

I'm tired. And I'm sad. And I want my life back.