#recognizing anaphylaxis

[elblogdecleo]

Anaphylactic Shock: Understanding and Reacting to a Life-Threatening Emergency

Learn to recognize and respond to anaphylactic shock with this comprehensive guide. Discover causes, symptoms, and emergency steps, including using an epinephrine auto-injector. Be prepared to save lives with essential insights on managing severe allergic

[whotookmysenbon]

Poor Ino has just found out the hard way that if there is a basket of flowers on my desk, they are not for sniffing. Now she’s screeching at hallucinations and refuses to get off the ceiling. Ibiki come get your protege before she decides to kill the swirling rainbows with fire.

[thebibliosphere]

Hello there - I had a question which I think(?) you might be able to help with. Or at least point me in the direction of more information.

I have a few chronic illnesses and disabilities and as such there's many gremlins I deal with. One thing that crops up a lot are comorbidities between my conditions.

I'm trying to be more vigilant with regards to my health - as a child there were many, many missed opportunities to get my symptoms seen to by a doctor (all squandered due to my parents nor believing me about my symptoms).

Anyway, I wanted to ask about MCAS and if you know it's possible to have it but not realise it?

I've had a few incidents like this, but mostly forgot them or ignored them. But yesterday I ate some basil from my windowsill plant and I had what can only be described as an allergic reaction. I'm not allergic to any foods (as far as I know) but I've eaten from this exact plant before and been fine. I have mint growing next to it which I also ate and it caused the same reaction. Again, I've eaten from this exact plant before. It was like my mouth was burning or stinging and the leaves felt, spicy? In my mouth. I'm not sure how to describe it but I hope you know what I mean. Today I ate from the exact same plants and had no reaction whatsoever.

I've definitely had similar things happen before- but events like yesterday are few and far between. But utterly confounding when they do happen. I have urticaria (diagnosed since age 18) which I suspect is relevant, somehow.

I'm starting to wonder if a lot of my symptoms I've written off have actually been MCAS. But I'm not sure. Do you have any advice around talking to a doctor about this or if I have a leg to stand on so to speak?

Sending my best wishes!

Hey friend, sorry to hear you've been dealing with some neglect.

And considering MCAS was only really recognized as a condition in the last 15 years, it's absolutely possible to have it and not know until symptoms get worse. I was experiencing anaphylactoid reactions my whole childhood, but because I tested negative on IgE tests (I still do), it was dismissed as anxiety right up until I hit my 30s and I experienced my first episode of full-blown idiopathic anaphylaxis.

(Note: anaphylaxis is not a requirement for diagnosis, and not everyone experiences it.)

You should discuss your inconsistent allergies with your doctor or allergist. I would also advise pursuing allergen testing, as new allergens can develop at any time, even if you don't have mast cell instability.

If you suspect some form of mast cell instability may be the root cause of your issues, I'd suggest checking out The Mast Cell Disease Society. (Their website is in the process of being updated, still. But they have good resources there.)

Their signs and symptoms (and triggers) page has recently been updated and is fairly concise:

If any of that rings a bell, it might be worth bringing up with your allergist, but fair warning, not everyone is receptive to the idea of mast cell disorders outside of mastocytosis. (And even then some doctors gaslight their patients to hell and back.)

If you do find yourself in this situation, try joining a couple of support groups to see if there are any MCAS aware doctors in your area, or alternatively, try the TMS physician finder tool:

Sorry if it seems like I'm just throwing a lot of links at you, but they are very useful links and I'm not at my best right now to explain things.

I hope this is helpful and if I missed something, please let me know.

I wish you luck in remedying your chronic health issues <3

[isleofdarkness]

Can we have a complete list of all their allergies, including how they discovered them? I imagine on the Isle, someone has died from a severe allergy at least once & nobody ever noticed because they just revived due to the barrier (May Beast rot in Hell).

Oh no, it's so much worse than being revived. See, Isle kids can only die every other Thursday, when Thanatos is allowed to do his job on the Isle. Until he comes and frees their souls, they're just trapped in their bodies. This is why cremation is so popular- a soul can't be trapped in a body if there's no body to be trapped in.

Allergies are a terrifying thing on the Isle. A lot of kids have died to allergies, and those who survive adverse reactions usually don't even know what triggered it, because they don't know what they're eating half of the time. And for the people who had a sibling who died of an allergic reaction (Spider used to have an older brother, Worthless, who died of anaphylaxis,) it's even more terrifying because they know that there might be lethal allergies running in their family, but since they have no idea what triggered the episode that killed their sibling, they have no idea what to avoid in case they might also be allergic to it.

Jay is allergic to cats, mildly. He's always known that cats can cause him to feel weird, the allergies test just confirmed that it wasn't all in his head.

Mal is allergic to iron and holy water, as in anaphylaxis. She's always known- it's a fae thing.

Rose and Ace are both allergic to latex, on the more severe end of moderate. It's not lethal, but uncomfortable to say the least. You do not want to know how they know this.

CJ is allergic to dairy, on the more severe end of moderate. Her anaphylaxis hasn't been life-threatening so far (her throat swells but doesn't completely close,) but it isn't fun. This will not stop her from eating ice cream. She's known since she was around eleven, when it started. Harriet didn't know until CJ was twelve because CJ didn't think it was that important.

Harriet has allergies to dairy, soy, beef, and some legumes and seeds, though her reactions are on the milder side of moderate. She knows because her father has the same allergies and he confirmed that her symptoms were definitely allergic reactions. (None of hers have been tested due to distance issues but she figures if it walks like a duck)

Harry is allergic to peanuts and some beans. It was worse when he was little, but he's grown out of it a bit and his symptoms are relatively mild. He's also got a severe poultry allergy (allergic to consuming poultry, not the birds themselves,) but they think that's probably not "real" and it's just his immune system freaking out after his recent near-death salmonella experience from chicken, and it'll probably go away after a while.

Claudine is allergic to poison ivy. As in she gets an allergic reaction even if she doesn't touch it, even from just the pollen in the air, and she gets a pretty severe allergic reaction- two Epi Pens and 911 and ambulance immediately levels of severe. She learned this during a walk outdoors at Xavier's school, when the pollen from poison ivy caused her face and throat to start swelling. CJ was with her and recognized an allergic reaction, and thankfully she had the Epi-Pens prescribed for her own allergies with her. The reaction kept going once the epinephrine had worn off so she needed to be intubated and put on some serious anti-allergy medications, but she was fine.

Gil is severely allergic to most shellfish- allergic as in two Epi-Pens, 911 immediately, intubation, and as much as a two-week stay in the hospital because the reaction can fuck with his lungs and cause things like pneumonia or bronchitis. He's even allergic to non-crustecean shellfish (like clams and abelone,) and allergic to some types of saltwater fish (like swordfish, even though he's never even seen a swordfish,) though those aren't quite as severe. He found this out while eating dinner at the institute- Remy had made a seafood gumbo from New Orleans, Gil had some, and the reaction was pretty much instant. Thank the gods there were multiple doctors in the room.

Mischa has a mild nightshade allergy- potatoes and tomatoes, mostly, but other members of the family can cause issues if ingested. He just thought his stomach didn't vibe with potatoes, but no, he's allergic to several things. He discovered this during the allergy tests.

Andi is allergic to birch and, because of that, is also allergic to several types of fruits, most of them stone fruits. It's not a severe allergy- Benadryl bad, not Epi-Pen bad- but it still sucks because she likes apples. This was discovered during the allergy tests

Malcolm is allergic to pork, which is fine by him because he doesn't like pork anyway. He's also allergic to cats, which he's far more bothered by, but both allergies are minor irritants.

Ivy is allergic to most imitation animal products- fake leather, fake fur, imitation gator skin, it all causes skin reactions (she does not know what would happen if she ingested it, does not want to know, and why would she ever need to worry about that she's not about to eat pleather.) She's on a few topical ointments to help the skin recover in case of accidental exposure. She's always known (runs in the family,) but now she's learning which ingredients she's allergic to so she can avoid other things that use them.

Veronica and Carlos (and probably Diego, but he can't get tested yet due to distance issues) have the same allergies

Joss is allergic to chlorine. It's mostly a skin reaction but it can be a more serious allergic reaction if she were ever to consume enough chlorine for some reason (like if she were to drink too much tap water, which had chlorine in it.) She's figured it could be a possibility because it's a common allergy in part-merfolk people, so she asked to be tested.

Claudine, Tara, Polina, Nikita, Giles, Gordon, and Mora are all allergic to alpha-gal (red meat allergy.) Polina and Nikita don't have major reactions but the rest can. The Isle has a major tick problem. This was all discovered during the allergy test.

[imaginedreamwrite]

A momentary scare — A Permanent Claim drabble

A/N: I have never been through anaphylaxis and I’m not allergic to anything so my medical knowledge might not be completely accurate

Behave, Mousey. I’ll know if you aren’t, and I’m not afraid to dole out some punishments — Curtis

“He’s still worried? He needs to relax a little, its dinner not a strip club.” Park side-eyes Nat and gives her a little smirk, the two women communicating silently while you sit around a table.

“Its Mousey,” Nat teases affectionately, “the only people Curtis is more protective over is Theo & James.”

“We’re not…” you lean forward and rest your forearms against the edge of the table. “…going to a strip club are we?”

“Not now, hun.” Nat reaches over to squeeze your hand, her smile meeting her eyes. “We’ll let you get a little more used to the club business before we throw naked men at you.”

“Or at least try to throw naked men at her. If Curtis doesn’t throw her over his shoulder first.” Pari and Nat’s teasing comes with ease, and you don’t feel dismayed by their comments.

The idea of Curtis becoming so jealous of you going to a strip club that he throws you over his shoulder was another thing altogether.

“She’s thinking of it.” Nat continued, lifting her glass to her lips. “Let that imagination run wild, its not even close to what Curtis is capable with you.”

“Oh! No, I mean I’m not…” you felt warmth pool in your belly, desire quick to follow when you think of all 6ft+ of him tossing you around.

“Ladies,” the waiter had come back to the table, first setting your drinks down, “your order will be out shortly. Another few minutes.”

“Seafood free, right? I hate to be anal but…”

“Allergies.” The waiter had nodded his head, an astute yet kind of distance in his gaze. “Everything’s taken care of.”

The waiter is quick to leave, and the three of you fall into a comfortable conversation. You drink and talk for the few minutes until your food comes, and then you add your final bits of dialogue before you start eating.

It doesn’t hit you at first, the sense that somethings wrong. Its subtle, almost as if it wasn’t there to begin with and then you feel it. You chew and swallow before you feel it becoming harder to breathe, your hands clutch the table as you recognize what’s happening.

“Y/N, sweetheart…” Natasha reaches for your hand, turning your wrist over to feel the drop in your pulse. “Call an ambulance!”

“They said it was taken care of!” Pari stands so abruptly, the chair toppled over and she’s immediately at your side, giving you support.

You feel like gasping for air yet your throw keeps growing tighter. You don’t know whether its the anxiety of going into anaphylactic shock or the idea that someone could have messed with your food that has you unable to comprehend the chaos.

“Call Curtis! Get him to meet us at the hospital!” Natasha stays behind, Pari is already leading you out toward the door.

A manager, the general manager or someone with absolute dread on their face, is coming toward you both. Your eyes burn, your skin feels hot and the urgent need to throw up is hitting you with the weight of train.

It could’ve been minutes, hours or days. You don’t recollect time between being in the restaurant to being strapped to an ambulance board. You don’t know how you managed not to completely collapse as the paramedics talk to you with muffled voices.

You feel accosted by the lights of the ambulance, you feel detrimentally conscious and aggravated with yourself for not having your EpiPen.

Everything hurts, everything is grating to your body. Your eyes begin to close as rest finds you.

“…i’m sorry…” you whisper to the person next to you, the back of an ambulance traded for a hospital bed. “…I screwed up…”

“No,” a handle yet rough hand brushes your hair back, his bright eyes linger on you, “you didn’t do anything, Mousey.”

“I didn’t know, Curtis. I told them over and over…” you felt weak still, but the oxygen mask you were given by the doctors and nurses helps enough.

“Someone fucked with your food. The cooks adhered but somewhere between it leaving the kitchen and being given to you, it was fucked with.” He leans in and brushes his lips against your forehead, kissing you softly.

“I should’ve had my EpiPen.” You whined, turning your head in embarrassment for being foolish. “I should’ve…been more careful.”

“You’re okay, you’re going to be okay.” He astutely gentle, keeping a rather level head now that he’s here though you know he likely gave someone hell.

“Theo & James..?”

“They’re taken care of. Steve’s girls’ got them.” Curtis answered you and slowly inched you over so he could lay beside you, and then he wrapped an arm around you.

“I told you not to get into trouble.” His grip on you was protective and firm, he was careful not to squeeze. “This is never happening again, Mousey.”

“Curtis-“ he stopped you before you could stop, pressing a finger to your lips.

“We’re getting you an allergy protection dog. That’s not a question, its happening. And you’re going to start carrying your EpiPen.” Curtis spoke with finality, you couldn’t have argued with him if you wanted to.

“I’m sorry,” you apologized again, feeling emotional and anxious.

“I can’t fucking lose you, baby. I won’t lose you, I can’t.” Curtis closed his eyes and breathed in deep. “I would never recover.”

[bbcphile]

Oh wow, this is an absolute nightmare.

I think I have decided to give this narcolepsy med the dubious honor of being on the short list of meds that I would literally rather be shot dead than have to take again.

I never thought I’d miss anaphylaxis as a medication reaction, but that would be SOOOOOO much better than the psych side effects this is triggering.

I was pissed at the low-level migraines and constant nausea and the way it increased intracranial pressure and made thinking feel weird and difficult. I did not like the way I felt like I was constantly vibrating internally even though I was not externally shaking. I was really mad at the full body muscle spasms that were pulling joints out of position—especially vertebrae and ribs—and causing stabbing 8/10 nerve pain all throughout my spine and back.

But I absolutely draw the line at it triggering rapid switching (ugh, fucking DID) and increased amnesia between some parts and increased dissociation the rest of the time. I do NOT need a tour of my greatest hits of trauma memories. I do NOT need to suddenly not recognize myself or my body or know who the fuck I am, or to be caught in a tug of war between parts about who wants to drive the body. I do NOT want to have to keep convincing the parts that are excited about the more porous dissociative barrier and want to knock it all down and break out the remaining locked away memories that that is a terrible idea and that it should only happen when we are in a good mental space and not careening toward a crisis. I am so tired of talking other parts off the proverbial ledge.

This is still probably better than the days-long non-stop flashbacks and panic attacks prednisone triggers, but it’s getting hard to say.

(For anyone reading this who is worried: I am safe, not in danger, and everything will be fine. But holy fucking shit, it really sucks.)

[so-true-overdue]

The Gospel of Immunity: A Sermon on the Sacred Shield of Vaccination

Behold, the paradox of human cognition: we champion progress, yet tremble before its fruits.

In a world spinning upon the axis of relentless biological warfare—our cells besieged by microbial marauders—vaccines stand as sentinels, the silent paladins of immunological defense. Yet, their divine efficacy is often questioned by those who worship at the altar of anecdote, forsaking the empirical cathedral of science.

Consider the Magnitude of Their Grace

Vaccines are not mere concoctions of modern alchemy. They are the crystallized wisdom of centuries, born of Pasteur’s tenacity, Jenner’s courage, and the accumulated trials of countless minds wielding microscopes like swords. They have subdued polio’s paralysis, exorcised smallpox’s specter, and shielded countless millions from the venoms of measles, tetanus, and pertussis.

And what of their adversaries? The infinitesimal specter of adverse reactions. Let us quantify the peril: the risk of a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine—a dreaded anaphylaxis—is approximately one in a million. To contextualize, the chance of being struck by lightning in one’s lifetime is 1 in 15,300. Shall we eschew umbrellas next? Or perhaps condemn electricity itself as too great a hazard to endure?

On Negotiation with Risk

Vaccination is not the obliteration of risk; it is a calculated negotiation with uncertainty. To vaccinate is to weigh the scales of harm and benefit, to face the specter of a one-in-a-million reaction and declare that the lives of millions are worth that gamble. Contrast this with the toll exacted by diseases unopposed: measles alone claims the lives of over 100,000 annually, most of them children. This is not conjecture—it is arithmetic, immutable and unyielding.

Shall we refuse the shield because it may chafe? Shall we spurn the ship because it cannot promise calm seas? Such is the folly of those who elevate potential discomfort above the preservation of collective health. They barter statistical insignificance for certainty of peril, trading herd immunity for herd vulnerability.

The Poetry of Immune Memory

The true marvel of vaccination is not merely its prevention but its pedagogy. Vaccines instruct our immune system, training it to recognize the invader before the battle has begun. They are rehearsals for wars that may never come. To vaccinate is to inscribe within the body a symphony of defense, a living testament to humanity’s ingenuity and resilience.

Without this foresight, the immune system becomes a tactician unprepared for the ambush. Disease ravages unchecked, leaving scars upon both flesh and society. Vaccines, therefore, are not just medicinal; they are ethical. They embody the moral imperative to protect not only oneself but the vulnerable—the infant, the immunocompromised, the elder.

A Closing Admonition

Let us not falter in the face of misinformation, for it spreads with a virulence rivaling the diseases we seek to defeat. Let us arm ourselves with knowledge and statistics, with reason and compassion. The act of vaccination is an act of faith—not blind faith, but faith rooted in evidence, nurtured by science, and borne aloft by the unassailable truth that humanity is stronger united.

Go forth, then, and spread the gospel of immunity. For in the armory of progress, the needle is mightier than the microbe.

[izvmimi]

Hi Mimi!~ I would like to participate in your love interest trope game :D

luffy, doflamingo, katakuri (One Piece), geto suguru and gojo satoru (jjk)

2. I approach people first (It's how I got into most of my friendships IRL and online)

3. I've been hurt by both but picking family as the one important to me right now... my choice may change in the future

4. Libra is my sun sign and I appear to be attracted to earth sign (virgo) and fire signs (Leo/Aries). Air/Water signs feel platonic/too much like myself/family to me.

5. I think I'm lucky because I've been reminded of that by others and have been in situations that could have turned out very badly (trapped, drowned, anaphylaxis, bus crash, being taken advantage of by an adult when I was a minor, etc) but I've always made it through still alive. On a less drastic note, I've been around others who liked to tip toe around the rules and haven't been punished when they got caught due to leaving early/not engaging in that type of behaviour. Also because my gacha pulls have been pretty good most of the time hahaha

6. I feel like I'm in perpetual hell when it comes to love triangles. Someone always ends up unhappy whether it be Fictional or Non-fictional. Most of the time I end up supporting the losing side of fictional love triangles. The worst part isn't the two people loving one person and clashing with their romantic rival but the person in the middle of all of this drama who can't make a fucking decision. Next one after that is the losing rival who won't accept their crush choosing the other. I'll take a fight to the death over a fight to obtain a person's affection any day lol

7. I think their core stays the same as they grow and amass other masks and faces to help better express themselves/blend into society.

Thank you in advance <3

omg i'm sorry that bad things have happened to you but i'm glad you've left unscathed!

and i like your view on love triangles, that's quite interesting!!

i think the trope i'd give you is the Beautiful All Along trope, where it's a little different from the Childhood Friend trope in the sense that you and love interest get together later not just because you're home to them but there's also an element of them not recognizing you before until the time was right for both of you. mostly because you're easygoing and humble and didn't really sort of fight to make your feelings known but soon it's impossible to not notice that you're their perfect match!

[macgyvermedical]

is it 100% necessary for someone who had a severe allergic reaction to go to the hospital ? like if they have an EpiPen and it's used successfully, should they most likely be fine w/out a hospital visit ?

It is necessary to go to a hospital if someone experiences anaphylaxis.

This is because EpiPens and other epinephrine auto injectors only buy time- they don't actually solve the problem.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is bad enough to cause shock. It consists of at least two (but usually more) of the following: vomiting, hives, syncope (fainting), chest pain, headache, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, etc..., and/or asthma/difficulty breathing.

Solving the problem usually requires oxygen and IV medications- sometimes more epinephrine, sometimes IV steroids or antihistamines, sometimes all of those. They may also need medications to help keep the small airways in the lungs open, like albuterol, or a tube to keep the airway open (an ET tube).

If a large amount of allergen was consumed, or the reaction particularly severe, this may require several days in the hospital so the medications can continue to be given and the patient observed, since anaphylaxis can continue to re-occur.

More "minor" cases can get these medications and leave the emergency department the same day with prescriptions for oral medications.

If there is no hospital or emergency department to go to, try to catch a severe allergic reaction as soon as possible, give a first generation antihistamine like diphenhydramine (over the counter), and use an epi pen as soon as anaphylaxis is recognized. Antihistamines do not reverse allergic reactions, but they do help prevent them from getting worse.

Removing the offending agent from the patient is also very important- so take out the stinger if it's a stinging insect, remove clothing/clean skin if it's an environmental exposure, and wash out the person's mouth if they ate something that caused it.

Keep the person laying down (or position of comfort/rescue position for someone vomiting/having difficulty breathing), and give a second injection 10-15 mins later if symptoms recur- especially dizziness/fainting.

Many auto-injectors actually have more epinephrine in them than is actually injected. Here's a great video if your characters are in a remote area without a second injector or if they need more doses:

This will only work for some reactions and should not be relied upon- so it's really just what can be done in a remote environment. Anyone IRL experiencing a severe allergic reaction should go to the emergency department.

[babyspacebatclone]

I’ve been meaning to get something like this done for a bit, and this post from @my-autism-adhd-blog gave me the nudge to type it out.

I’m keeping it here in my own post, though, to not clog their notes too much. 😅

I’m sure anyone with an invisible illness or neurodivergence has had to come up against the idea of “Well, back in my day, no one ever had [very real problem you are suffering from], we just bucked up and deal with life!”

Oh, really?

Do you [theoretical irritating naysayer] know when the term anaphylaxis was coined?

You know, “hypersensitivity (as to foreign proteins or drugs) resulting from sensitization following prior contact with the causative agent”?

The potentially fatal reaction where people can lose the ability to breathe? A very real, repeatedly proven reality for a large segment of the population?

It was created in 1905.

(I’d go into more about the individual who named it, but he also subscribed to a lot of the worst fields of thought in the early 20th century and therefore we shall move on.)

On the other hand, we have writings explicitly referencing horse allergies from the turn of BCE to CE (one of the sons of Roman Emperor Claudius), among others.

What we now recognize as Seasonal Allergies have been identified around the 16th century, under names like “rose catarrh” (as in, a believed reaction to roses, most likely a reaction to the pollen of other plants during their blooming season) and “summer asthma” (asthma being used as a general term for an ability to breathe).

What fascinates me is the end of the 18th century, where

Seasonal allergic rhinitis was now often observed and recognized. The term “hay fever” replaced “rose cold.” Physicians believed seasonal allergies were an aristocratic disease because it was most commonly diagnosed among the upper class. (emphasis mine, taken from document described below)

Huh, I wonder why upper class people would be the ones most diagnosed with seasonal allergies? I wonder what myriad of reasons could lead the financially secure to seek out personal aide for non-debilitating but extremely uncomfortable symptoms?

Not the least of which being a lifestyle which allows it to be merely non-debilitating.

Anyway….

At some point I want to fully read this summary of the book Ancestors of Allergy edited by F. Estelle R. Simons (as getting my hands on the text itself would be more effort than it’s worth for me personally). What I’ve skimmed thus far is fascinating.

Here’s a timeline from those 16th century misclassifications of seasonal allergies to the present understanding of allergic reactions (as the source from that one quote from above):

It’s humbling to see the development of understanding and acceptance towards a medical condition we take existing for granted nowadays.

On the other hand, the length of time it took to clarify these experiences when they have indisputable physical symptoms (if sometimes difficult to identify triggers) can be disheartening when we thing about where the scientific community currently is regarding mental health, neurodivergence, and invisible illnesses.

But my main take away in this review of the history of allergies:

It was never new. It had always been there, people had always suffered from it. The only things that changed were the public perception of the condition and the treatments afforded to people struggling under things other people dismiss.

@my-autism-adhd-blog ‘s post about dismissive attitudes towards neurodivergence, specifically Autism and ADHD, which reminded me I wanted to share this all with my pocket friends and anyone it breaks containment for.

[thewatercolours]

PART EIGHT - Replaying King's Quest, Chapter One (2015)

Graham. Look at the shape of it. That is clearly not a beehive. That is a wasp nest. And I, who go into life-threatening anaphylaxis if I am stung by one of those things, am about to help you drop it on the heads of the royal guards.

When Manny's the only one left on the bankside with Graham, and he's rude to him, he's already thinking about how he can use Graham. Hears him so desperately trying to chat with them, to be part of the semi-circle, suggesting a rope swing. And he recognizes a young man who wants so badly to be accepted and affirmed, who's a bit wet behind the ears, who, as far as Manny can see, is just bumbling around and failing at everything, but handily moving the pieces so others can take advantage and succeed. And he changes his tune SO quickly with Graham. The little rotter.

"ALLIANCE?"

Wait - do they have banners representing the competitors hanging in the theatre? There's one with Whisper's mandala on it (which is also seen on his snute's regalia and on his elbows), and there's a blue one with red edging that reminds me of Graham. But nothing else to that feels specific to the other knights. However, I could just imagine for fun that there are purple, green, and, um blue or possibly rainbow coloured banners on the side of the theatre we don't see much of? Obviously Edward's yellow and black/brown is everywhere too.

Love that this theatre is more or less a recreation of Shakespeare's Globe.

Graham is trying sooo hard to be cool and casual around Achaka. But his voice quavers when he introduces himself. He's so impressed.

[yamat0]

the nurse at the doctor's office told me today she didn't recognize me without a mask until she saw my eyes (this is the same nurse who had to give me a shot in my ass when I went into anaphylaxis from that medication I was taking and wrote on the paper I had a "great butt") what are we

[caffiene-fueled-fuckery]

Did I ever post my MASH OC?

I feel like I probably didn't... Maybe I did. I don't remember. She might've been below the cut in another post. But since she will likely be in many of my kinktober fics and potentially whumptober too, I figured that I should probably introduce her here!

I'll give basic info here and for anyone who is interested, the more detailed stuff below the cut :)

Della Woods

Nicknames: Dell

Age: 29 (at the beginning of her time at MASH)

Birthdate: March 12, 1922

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Straight

Height: 5’6”

Blood Type: AB-

Medical Conditions: Secondary dysmenorrhea (her cramps get so bad that she’s doubled over, dizzy, nauseous… the first time anyone sees her that way they’re very concerned)

Allergies: Bees (anaphylaxis)

Overall Health: Good

Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Hair Colour: Chocolate Brown

Hair texture: Curly

Common Hair Styles: Loose (comes to just below her jaw), half-up

Eye Colour: Honey brown

Makeup: Usually eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick (if she has them/has the time)

Piercings: Ears (Wanted to give her a nose piercing but apparently they weren’t really a thing in the US in the 50s… but now having thoughts of her showing up after R&R with one and Mulcahy being flustered hehe)

Body Type: Lean

Skin Colour: Pale

Features of Note: medium sized bust, wide hips

Scars/Birth Marks: Scar just above her left hip that trails onto her abdomen and back

Cause of Scars: Sliced by sheet metal during shelling

Dominant Hand: Left

That's basic info... if you want to know more, it'll be below the cut! Also, if there any any names you don't recognize now, it's because they're other OCs or family of the OCs!

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Hometown: Toronto, Canada -> Philadelphia, PA (moved after going to nursing school in Toronto and working in a hospital there for a few years)

Living Situation at home: Lives alone in an apartment after her friend moved out to get married

Family Back Home: Gary Woods (father - 50), Helen Woods (younger sister - 18), William Woods (younger brother - 15)

Occupation: Nurse (has psychiatric experience)

Relationship Status: It’s complicated

Love Interest: John Mulcahy (she calls him John bc the devs couldn't make up their minds what his first name was and that's what he told Gail to call him)

Relationship Trajectory: colleagues > best friends > uh ?? > only fooling themselves > lovers

Best Friend: John Mulcahy, Kellye Nakahara

People they avoid: Gail Harris, Joel Walker

Why?: her and Gail are similar enough to butt heads but Della doesn’t realize that it’s partially jealousy on Gail’s part (and her being territorial without even realizing it for herself); he’s just a fuckin dick

Personality: playful, kind, extroverted, wears her heart on her sleeve

Temperament: energetic, can be chaotic at times, very open

Alignment: chaotic good

Strengths: very perceptive of others’ emotions, calming demeanour when needed, adaptable

Weaknesses: quick temper, stubborn, can hold a grudge

Love Language (Giving): Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation

Love Language (Receiving): Quality Time, Physical Touch

Favourite Colour: Blue and Purple

Biggest Fear: birds (specifically chickens)

Other fears/yucks: dark places (like a dark shed or building, not like being outside in the dark), storms, spiders

Hobbies: scheming with Radar and Lee OR Klinger OR Whitney OR Hawkeye and BJ, jogging, dancing at the O-Club, knitting

Extracurriculars at school: Field Hockey and Lacrosse (played Lacrosse while at uni/nursing school?)

Quirks: very clumsy, somewhat messy handwriting, a bit messy

Specialized Skills: has some training with psychiatric patients

Good at: calming people down, understanding what people need without being told

Bad at: cooking, making the beds in post-op

Any trauma?: her mother (Pamela McNamara) died when she was 16

Childhood was…: good! She was close with her family!

Main Confident: John Mulcahy and Kellye Nakahara

Role in Friend Group: the therapist (also a clown but that’s not important)

Languages they speak: English, French, a tiny bit of Korean, a bit of ASL

I made this piccrew from a template made by @/hunbloom for her original character design. I’ve drawn her a few times since but the only one I’m really happy with is a kinda cheeky one with Father Mulcahy that I used a base for initially. But if people want to see it, I’ll definitely post it!

[thebibliosphere]

do you have to experience anaphylaxis to have MCAS? the AAAAI only seems to recognize anaphylaxis as a MCAS symptom, but other sources seem to accept any systemic mast cell symptoms regardless of whether it progresses to anaphylaxis

No, you do not need to experience anaphylaxis. The AAAAI is notoriously out of date when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of mast cell activation syndrome.

[gardensgatekeeper]

Watching Over - Part 1

Welcome to chapter one of Watching Over! I'm so excited for this story to finally be taking off and I hope you all enjoy the ride. Shoutout to my dear friend Sadie (@jannysarcher) for putting up with my constant spam of ideas and reassuring me when I feel like I'm in over my head. Happy reading!

Word Count: 1.9k

Notes: 18+ minors DNI! Mentions of anaphylaxis, swearing, anger, mentions of cheating, mentions of death (non-graphic), fluff. Let me know if I missed any!

June 22, 1992 - Izzie

I swept behind the counter of the small coffee shop I worked at, ready to close up for the day and go home. The jingle of the door opening echoed through the empty shop and I called out from the back. “Sorry, we’re closed!”

“Fine, I guess I’ll have to find someone else to eat all these red velvet cookies with!” I heard a familiar voice reply.

“Danny! What are you doing here? I thought you were with Jenny?” I said as I emptied the dust pan.

“Oh uh, something came up.” He started, an unrecognizable look painted across his face. “Besides, that just means I get to spend more time with my best friend on her gotcha day!” He smiled faintly, setting the box of cookies on the counter. Apart from the obvious marked packaging, I could tell by the smell alone that these cookies came from my favorite bakery around the corner, Mad Hatter Bakeshop.

“Danny, I tell you this every year, I’m not a dog! But I appreciate the thoughtful gesture. I was actually planning on swinging by there later to get something, so thank you for saving me a trip.” I chuckled at the fact that he knows me so well.

“You still coming to dinner tonight?” I asked before practically inhaling one of the still warm treats. “Duh, I wouldn’t miss mama Laura’s mac and cheese for the world.” He said, patting his stomach. Though I knew he was just being silly, I fake gasped as I threw a nearby rag at his chest, earning one of those award-winning Wagner smiles.

“Of course that and the fact that I get to celebrate the day the universe gave me my best friend!” He pleaded, holding his hands up in defense. “Yeah, yeah. Now why don’t you make yourself useful and finish wiping down the counters while I enjoy the rest of these cookies.” I laughed while making myself comfortable on one of the small leather couches.

“You’re lucky I love you. I wouldn’t do scut work for anyone else.” He sighed, making his way over to the cabinet that held the cleaning supplies.

The radio was still playing overhead and I all but screamed bloody murder when I recognized the familiar tune that started flowing through the speakers, which caused Danny to quite literally drop everything and come running to my “rescue.”

“What’s wrong?” He asked in a panic, looking around trying to figure out what caused my sudden outburst. “It’s our song!” I grinned. His body slowly relaxed when he realized I wasn’t in immediate danger. I watched his face as he finally heard the lyrics of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ fill the empty building.

“God, I remember when this song came out. What were we, like 17?” Danny asked. “Yeah, I remember they played it at our junior prom and you spilled your punch all over my dress running to the dance floor!” I shot him a playful glare. “You’re lucky I ended up deciding on a darker dress so the stain wasn’t that visible.”

“Isabella Louise Rotterdam, how many times do I have to apologize for something that happened seven years ago? I think you’re just holding a grudge for fun at this point.” He jokingly defends, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Maybe.” I giggle. “I have plenty of reasons to hold a grudge against you though. Remember that time in seventh grade when you convinced me that everyone was wearing their pajamas to school, but I was the only one? I still have trust issues over that.” I shook my head, remembering how mortified and embarrassed I felt the entire day, especially because my parents couldn’t bring me a change of clothes.

“You gotta admit, that was pretty funny.” I could see him trying to hold back a laugh as I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, but not as funny as when you were nine and somehow managed to break your arm from flinging that dumb Star Wars lightsaber around all the time.” I recalled the memory so vividly of Danny coming over to show off his cast that collected dozens of signatures following mine.

“Yeah even I still don’t know how I did that. But hey, the ladies thought it was cool.” The smirk on his face quickly faded when I reminded him that his old babysitter was obligated to call it cool, therefore it didn’t actually count.

Danny finished disinfecting the tables and chairs as I walked around to double check the stock for tomorrow and ensure everything else was properly locked up for the evening. Once I was sure everything was set, I collected my things and Danny followed me out the back door where I punched in the code for the alarm system.

“I need to freshen up and grab a few things from the house so I’ll meet you there, yeah? I figured we can just ride over together.” Danny and I agreed on our plan before each hopping into our cars and pulling out of the gravel parking lot.

The weather was absolutely beautiful today so I opted to roll the windows down and turn up the volume of my Fleetwood Mac ‘Rumours’ CD. I took in the scenery on the drive home, which made me feel extra grateful to celebrate another year with the people I care most about.

I’d never been one to particularly enjoy my birthday, so in lieu of a big party and presents, my parents and I (and usually Danny) will just have a small dinner together to celebrate the day I was adopted. They tried for years to start a family but never had any luck. When I was left at the local fire station as a baby, they practically jumped at the chance to take me home. The rest was history.

Of course, I’ve tried a bit here and there to find my birth parents but have always come up empty handed. Not even the folks at the fire station had any information on who dropped me off all those years ago. Though it was a bit disheartening to think that someone out there really wanted nothing to do with me, I tried to to take it as a sign that for whatever reason, I just wasn’t meant to know. Either way, I feel so lucky to be able to call Laura and Ben my parents. I’ll never understand what I did to deserve to grow up in a loving and supportive household with them.

---

The rest of the evening flew by as we all enjoyed one another’s company. Mom, like always, rambled on about the day they brought me home. Dad even managed to make everyone, including Danny shed a few tears with his ‘miracle child’ speech. 

As my parents slowly began to clean up, Danny and I flipped through a photo album I found in my old bedroom, which mostly included pictures from the summer they took Danny and I to Edgewater Beach in Cleveland.

“Oh my god I remember this!” I say pointing to a picture of me with patchy red spots all over my face, clearly physically exhausted. “My mom cut up some pineapple for us to have as a snack and my face swelled up like a balloon. I guess that’s one way to find out you’re severely allergic to something.” My mind replayed the memory of me being rushed to the emergency room when my throat nearly closed up.

After that scare, my parents had me tested for any other allergies and health concerns just to ease their mind, but everything else seemed normal. We flipped through the remainder of the photos then headed back downstairs to see if there was anything else we could do to help before we headed out.

The ignition came to life as I slowly backed out of the driveway and began the fairly short drive back. “So, how’s Jenny? I haven’t seen her around in a while.” I decided to test the waters a bit. I could almost immediately feel the air tense up as he sighed.

Though he hadn’t explicitly said anything, I could tell things weren’t great considering when she was over last week, I heard them arguing all night.

“Apart from the fact that I’m pretty sure she’s cheating on me, just peachy keen!” He replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“What? Why do you think that?” I asked. “When I was at her place earlier, I found a shirt that definitely does not belong to me in her room.” He started. “She tried to say it was her brother’s shirt that got mixed up in the laundry. Biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard if you ask me.” He huffed out. “I’m pretty sure I broke her front door off the hinges from slamming it so hard. Serves her right.” He smirked to himself.

“Shit, Danny. I’m so sorry. Are you okay though? I mean you guys were getting pretty serious.” I asked sympathetically. “Yeah I guess. Just wish she wouldn’t have lied to me.”

I hummed in response and let the faint music from the radio be the only sound for the remainder of the drive. Soon enough, we arrived back at the house and I wrestled with my cluttered keyring before finally finding the one for the deadbolt. As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the phone ringing. Danny sauntered over to the kitchen to answer it as I hung my work bag on one of the metal hooks on the wall.

I discreetly listened to the conversation as I began taking my shoes off, curious as to who would be calling this late in the evening.

“Why would I want to listen to anything you have to say?” … “No, I don’t want to hear it.” … “Why can’t you just tell me over the phone?”

There was a long pause before I heard him speak again. “Fine, but no funny business.” I heard the phone slam down and Danny let out a loud sigh before walking back into the front hallway.

“Who was that?” I asked. “Jenny.” He said. “She wants to meet and explain things. Said it’s really important.”

“Oh, okay. Do you want me to stay up for you?” I asked. “Nah, I shouldn’t be long. I just want to get this over with.” He blew out another frustrated breath as he grabbed his keys and pulled the door closed a little too harshly, the loud slam causing me to jump.

I quickly showered and got ready for bed, dreading having to work so early in the morning.

---

When I crawled out of bed the next morning, the house was still quiet and I assumed Danny must have come back after I fell asleep and just hadn’t woken up yet. Curious as to how his chat with Jenny went, I left a sticky note offering some freebies at work as an incentive to get him to swing by and fill me in.

The day dragged on and I was a bit disheartened when it was nearing closing time and Danny hadn’t come by. Maybe things didn’t go well? I guess I’d see him when I got home. Apart from Danny’s relationship drama, I was also curious about the buzz of hushed whispers that seemed to take over the cafe in the last hour or so.

Normally, the types of secrets to flow in and out of this town are fairly superficial, but the air felt heavier and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. My curiosity finally got the best of me when a customer came up for a refill as I quietly asked what was going on.

“You haven’t heard yet? Jenny Evans was found dead by the Kokosing River lookout point this morning.”

✶ ✶ ✶

[cannabiscomrade]

Thank you for your allergy posts. My 5 year old brother is currently in the ER under observation because his grandpa accidentally cross contaminated his food. He know his allergies but didn't remove all the foods he's allergic to from the house. It was an accident and it happens but he needed his epi-pen because of this small mistake. Allergies are no joke!! They can kill!! Knowing about them and recognizing the signs of anaphylaxis is so so so important for everybody because you never know who might have an allergy and who might need emergency medical care!!

❤️ I hope your brother feels better soon! One mistake is all it takes.