#severe croup

[poeticallydisgraced]

Have I spent all my live in apnea? Ignore these daggers pointing at my lungs. This blue toned hue and stridor mean nothing to you. Ignore the loss of consciousness, ignore every god damn thing even if I’m dying. Sigh and huff: find out the cause begrudgingly. Death to Life to Death to Rebirth. Growth to Tumor, to Rebirth again.

[drpedi07]

Westley Croup Score Calculator

The Westley Croup Score quantifies croup severity

[queenshelby]

Our Little Secret (Part 60)

Pairing: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: Infidelity, Age-Gap, Triggers, Smut

"Actually, I am sorry, but I should get some sleep. I am heading back to Dublin tomorrow after filming ," he said catching a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"That's okay Cill. Maybe next time? I am back on set in two weeks and we could have that drink then," Annabelle  replied, trying to hide her disappointment.

Cillian couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He knew that he had led her on, but he couldn't bring himself to cross the line with her. Not when there was still a chance that he could work things out with you one day. Despite, the attraction he felt towards her was literally zero, so

he knew that he couldn't let himself fall down that rabbit hole, especially when there was a child involved.

With that, Cillian said his goodbyes, and headed back to his apartment before, on the following day, after a busy day on set, he took the last plane home to Dublin, arriving at around 11 o'clock that night.

He was excited to see Mara tomorrow and did not yet know that she had been quite unsettled all day when she was with you. As usual, he ignored your calls and you refused to message him if this was how he wanted things to be.

Despite, you figured that Mara just had a cold. It wasn't the first time she got sick and ran a fever, and you knew it was just a matter of monitoring her condition and making sure she got enough rest.

By the late evening, her fever had gone down, and she was sleeping soundly until, sometime around one o'clock that night, her coughing woke you up.

It was loud and unlike anything you have ever heard before. It was almost like a deep bark, combined with the sound a small dog would make, only amplified. You immediately got up from your bed and went straight to her, holding her in your arms.

By the time you jolted towards her, she was crying inconsolably. Her tiny little body racked with shivers and the cough became worse pretty quickly. 

It was clear that this wasn't just a run-of-the-mill cold. Panicked, you quickly scooped Mara up and called your mother who, expectedly, did not answer. 

While you tried ringing your mother, Mara's cough got better again before picking up once more. This time, it was even louder than before and you contemplated driving her to the hospital. 

You had no idea what was wrong with Mara and, in your frantic state, you couldn’t help but think of the worst-case scenarios. You tried to calm yourself down by taking deep breaths and repeating positive affirmations, but it was proving to be a daunting task.

In the end, and in your state of panic, you tried to call Cillian who seemed to be much calmer in situations like this. When Mara hurt herself on the playground, he was the one who calmed you down but now, with the way things were between you, you only dialed his number reluctantly.

It rang several times before he picked up, confused and tired. "Fuck Y/N, it's one o'clock. Is everything alright?" he murmured into the phone, already fearing that something was wrong since, usually, you wouldn't call him at this hour.

"Cillian, I-I'm sorry to call so late, but Mara, she's-she's sick and I don't know what to do," you said, tears welling up in your eyes as you struggled to get the words out.

"Y/N, you need to calm down," Cillian said, his tone immediately changing from groggy to alert. "What's wrong with her?" he then wanted to know while Mara started coughing again in the background.

"She has a high fever and she's been coughing a lot. It sounds really bad, Cillian,"  you replied, your voice shaking as you tried to stay calm for Mara's sake.

There was a brief pause, and when Cillian spoke again, his voice was filled with concern. "I'll come over," he then said, already getting dressed and running down the stairs of his house. "It sounds like she has croup," he continued, as he unlocked his car and you did not know what he was talking about.

"What?" you  mumbled, confusion clouding your already panicked mind.

"Croup," Cillian repeated, as he started the engine of his car. "Max used to get it too when he was younger.  I will be there in a sec,"  he said, already on his way.

Meanwhile, you held Mara tightly, trying to comfort her as best as you could. Her body trembled with every cough and her color looked drained. The look in her eyes was one of fear and confusion, making it harder for you to maintain your composure.

When Cillian arrived two minutes later, you already walked to the door, hearing his car pull up in the driveway. You opened the door, not bothering with formal greetings, as Mara coughed loudly.

"She's been doing this for the past half hour, and I tried to give her medicine to bring down her fever but, it's still really high," you acted out your worried expression to show him, pulling Mara closer to you.

"Dada," she moaned, her little voice barely audible above the harshness of her coughs. The sight of her in distress pierced Cillian's heart and a raw, primal protectiveness surged through him, filling him with determination to do whatever it took to make her feel better.

"Let me take her," he said, reaching for Mara, but you hesitated. "She's defiantly got croup. She sounds exactly what Max used  to sound like when he had it," Cillian repeated, as he held Mara tightly in his arms, trying to soothe her by gently rubbing circles on her back. He could feel her little body shaking from the force of her coughs, and his heart ached at the sight of her looking so small and helpless.

"What's croup?" you asked, your mind whirling with questions and fears for your daughter's health. Cillian looked at you, a steady gaze in his eyes as if trying to reassure you with his presence alone.

"It's just a shitty cough some kids get when they are sick," he answered, softly. "I've been through this before with Max, too many times actually. He used to get it once every two months," Cillian explained before carrying Mara upstairs and you followed him quickly. 

He held Mara tightly in his arms while walking into the bathroom and turning the shower on to full steam. 

"What are you doing?" you  asked, your voice barely above a whisper as you watched Cillian turn on the shower and make the bathroom fill with steam.

"The steam helps," he barely said before kicking off his shoes and helping Mara out of her Pjs, leaving her in her nappy only while she cried and coughed.  He stepped into the shower with her, making sure she was warm and didn't get too wet.

Cillian knew this would help soothe Mara's swollen airways and help her breathe more easily. He had watched Danielle do the same thing with Max before and as he sat down on the shower floor with her, fully clothed himself, rocking her gently, you couldn't help but calm down.

"Shh, it's alright baby," he murmured softly, running his free hand through her fine, golden hair while he maneuvered to keep the water away from her face with another hand. Mara let out a weak cry, momentarily quieting down only to resume coughing again a few seconds later.

The cough, however, took on a different tone. It was gentler , more subdued. Mara settled down into Cillian's arms, her tiny frame fitting perfectly against his own. Cillian held her fiercely, gratitude washing over him as he realized just how much he loved this child. He loved her beyond all measure, more than any person or thing he had ever encountered in his life.

"Do you have ibuprofen or paracetamol?" he asked, his tone gentle.

"Yes, I have both," you replied, your voice filled with relief. "She had paracetamol four hours ago though, so I will get some iboprofen. I will be right back,"  you said before heading towards the kitchen and rummaging through the cabinet for the medicine. When you returned to the bathroom, Cillian was holding Mara still, the steam surrounding her as she sat on his lap and you couldn't help but marvel at how powerful and protective he looked beside the vulnerable little figure of your daughter.

You handed the cup of ibuprofen to Cillian who tried hard to convince Mara to take it. She shook her head and whined until, finally, she took the spoonful from Cillian and swallowed it reluctantly. You counted the minutes, watching as Mara's cough subsided little by little, her breaths growing steadier and her fever gradually decreasing.

By the point she fell asleep, Cillian was drenched and stood up, handing her to you, wrapped up in a towel.  He looked exhausted but had a small, tired smile on his lips when he handed her to you. 

"She'll be okay," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper and you suddenly began to cry, which was something he did not expect.

"Y/N, I said she will be okay. What's wrong?"  Cillian asked, concern etched on his face as he looked at you. You were standing there in the bathroom, holding Mara who was now fast asleep in your arms. Your body was shaking with silent sobs and your eyes were overflowing with tears.

You were overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with relief that Mara was okay, overwhelmed with gratitude for Cillian and his help, overwhelmed with emotions that you hadn't felt in a long time.

"Nothing, I just...I am fucking useless at this," you said in a small voice, your shoulders sagging in exhaustion.

Cillian frowned, taking a step closer to you. "No, you're not," he said, reaching out to gently squeeze your shoulder. 

"Yes I am. I mean look at us. I had to call you because I did not know what to do and you knew exactly what she needed. I am a shit mother," you said, the tears streaming down your face.

"That's not true," Cillian said, moving closer towards you and caressing Mara's hair, soothing her some more. "In fact, I think you are the most amazing mother there is, doing all those things you do for her on your own most days," Cillian said, looking you straight in the eyes, willing you to believe him. "Plus, the only reason I knew what to do was because I lived through this already with Max. I took him to the ER the first time he coughed like this and being a paranoid parent is normal. It's good. It's natural to worry, you know," Cillian said, his soothing voice echoing through the bathroom. 

"Thanks Cillian, but I don't know. Some days I feel like a failure  as a mother," you whispered, still gripping Mara tight against your breast.

Instinctively, Cillian moved closer and gave you a warm, comforting hug without disturbing his sleeping daughter in your arms. "You're not a failure, Y/N. Don't talk that way," he said, looking into your eyes with a tight-lipped smile. You eased back into him, slowly relaxing as his arms encircled you. "Look, you did everything right. You noticed Mara was sick and you called," he reassured you before pulling away and clearing his throat.

"I should probably head back home now though," he then  said, taking a step away from you.

"No, please stay. I don't want to be alone. Not after this scare," you replied, your voice soft and pleading as you looked up at him, hope gleaming in your eyes.

Cillian hesitated for a moment, torn between what he should do and what you were asking him to. 

"Okay," he eventually said, his voice barely audible as he made up his mind. "I'll stay," he told you and you nodded quickly.

"Thank you," you murmured, feeling a wave of relief wash over you. "I will just put Mara down and then get you some dry clothes, okay?" you suggested, seeing how you still had half a shelf full of Cillian's stuff, sitting in the guestroom. 

"Sure," Cillian agreed, nodding his head in acceptance before drying himself off a little while you carried Mara upstairs and placed her gently into the spare cot in your bedroom, so that she would be close by. 

You then gathered a t-shirt and pair of boxers from the guest room and  handed them to Cillian who changed quickly.

Despite your initial hesitation, having Cillian around brought a sense of comfort that you hadn't realized you were missing.

Together, you sat in the living room for a moment, calming down and basking in the silence that surrounded you after the chaos earlier. Then, you decided to return to bed, and Cillian followed you up, taking a book from the shelf in the guest room and resting it on the nightstand beside his side of the bed.

Despite feeling exhausted from his busy day, Cillian knew that sleep wouldn't come easily tonight as he was being in your house again, which was something he had tried to avoid.  He sighed and looked at the time on his phone. It was already 3 in the morning, yet he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in his chest.

On one hand, he was relieved that Mara was okay, and her condition had improved significantly after the steam treatment earlier. However, on the other hand, Cillian couldn't help but feel a mix of guilt and frustration over how things had unfolded between you in recent times. 

The following morning, after as little as five hours of sleep, you woke to the smell  of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of soft footsteps coming from the kitchen.

Cillian was already up, busy baking pancakes and when you turned over, you noticed that Mara was gone from her cot. 

You had heard her about an hour ago, but thought she had gone back to sleep, which was obviously not the case, so you got up and made your way downstairs.

"Mummy is up I think," Cillian  called from the kitchen as you entered and Mara smiled, calling out 'mama'. 

"I didn't realize you got her up?" you asked, a little tired and confused and Cillian explained to you that he came in to check on her,  realizing that she was wide awake and seemingly remained quiet to let you sleep.

"She's just been sitting in her cot, playing with Gigi Giraffe," Cillian added, smiling softly at Mara who giggled at his words.

"Gigi" she repeated and you felt your heart swell with warmth at the sight of the two of them together and couldn't help but feel grateful for Cillian's presence. It was nice to have someone else to share the responsibility of taking care of Mara with, especially after the scare from last night.

"Thank you for last night Cillian. I really needed you here," you said, sincerely. And you meant it.

"It's fine Y/N. Honestly," he responded as you made your way towards Mara, hugging her tightly from behind and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. Her golden curls tickled your nose and the smell of baby shampoo and clean laundry overwhelmed your senses.

The sense of gratitude shifted inside of you, turning into a warm, fuzzy feeling that you recognized as happiness.

As you let go of Mara, you turned to Cillian who was still standing next to the kitchen counter, watching the scene unfold in front of him.

"I don't know how good these pancakes will taste, but hey, I did make them from scratch," he  said, with a small, shy smile.

You couldn't help but return the smile as you watched him, amazed at how he managed to pull himself together despite the lack of sleep and the chaos of the previous night.

"They look amazing, Cill," you said, your voice sincere as you looked into his eyes. There was a moment of silence between you, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that spoke volumes, the kind of silence that held a promise of possibilities yet to be explored.

Cillian held your gaze for a beat longer before breaking it, clearing his throat and getting busy with the pancakes.

The rest of the morning passed by in a blur as you and Cillian sat down to enjoy the pancakes while Mara played quietly beside you. You couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment settle over you as you watched Cillian interact with Mara, the way he looked at her with pure adoration and love.

"We should still take her to the doctors and get some meds for when it happens again. There is some stuff they can prescribe which clears it right up," Cillian told you  as you both munched on the pancakes, Mara's plate with a few bite-sized pieces of pancake on it untouched.

"Yeah, I will call the clinic in minute and I can take her, unless you want to?"  you asked, already assuming the latter.

"How about we both take her and then, if she feels up for it, we could go somewhere nice for the afternoon? Maybe the park to feed the ducks? Somewhere where she can't get others sick, I suppose," Cillian suggested and, after all that had occurred between you, you were surprised by his suggestion.

"I thought you didn't want us to do these things together anymore, with the new parenting plan and all? " you  said, dabbing your mouth with the napkin as you gazed at Cillian with raised eyebrows.

"I guess I changed my mind Y/N," he admitted, swallowing hard. "I was upset after what happened at my sister's wedding, but I realize that you were right and I was wrong. Mara needs the both of us and this, here, with all of us having breakfast together, is nice, you know?"  Cillian said, his voice soft and sincere.

You found yourself smiling at him, realizing that he was right. You had been so consumed with your anger and hurt over Cillian's sudden change in behavior and the way that everything had unfolded during the past few months, that you had not considered the fact that maybe he was hurting just as much as you were.

You reached out and placed your hand over his, giving it a gentle squeeze of reassurance before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Okay," you simply said.

"Let's take Mara to the clinic and then, if she's feeling up for it, we can head to the park."

The three of you finished your breakfast and proceeded to get ready for the day ahead. As you got dressed and brushed Mara's hair, you couldn't help but steal glances at Cillian, admiring his handsome features and the way he interacted with Mara. Despite the tension between you, it was clear that he loved Mara deeply and you couldn't help but feel grateful for that.

As you finished getting ready and made your way downstairs, you couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the rest of the day. It had been a while since you had spent a proper day out with Cillian and Mara and, now that the opportunity had presented itself, you couldn't wait to enjoy it.

The clinic was only a short drive away. Mara slept peacefully in her car seat as you drove, with Cillian sitting silently beside you, lost in his thoughts. When you arrived, you parked the car and gently woke Mara up before making your way inside.

Cillian held gently Mara's hand as you waited in the lobby for the nurse to call Mara's name. Time seemed to drag on, but Mara was content playing with a toy car that Cillian had brought from home for her.

Finally, your name was called and you made your way to the examination room. The nurse took Mara's temperature, oxygen level and listened to her chest before confirming Cillian's earlier suspicion - Mara had croup. The nurse gave you a prescription for a medication that would help if Mara had another croup attack.

She explained how to administer it and what symptoms to look out for. You nodded along, taking it all in, and thanked her as she handed you the prescription.

After the clinic visit, the three of you picked up some more food and made your way to the park  , with Mara securely strapped into her stroller.

The park was bustling with families and children, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of joy as you watched the young children playing and enjoying themselves. You and Cillian fell into an easy conversation, talking about everything and nothing in particular, the tension between you dissolving with each passing moment.

You parked Mara's stroller near the pond and pulled out some food that you had brought to feed the ducks. It was the only place in Dublin where this was permitted and, unsurprisingly, the ducks here were massive and rather friendly.

Mara loved them. She clapped her hands as they waddled over to the food that you'd thrown out for them.

You couldn't help but smile at the sight of your daughter, so full of wonder and delight. And next to her, Cillian seemed just as captivated, his gaze following every movement of the ducks and his touch gentle as he moved a stray strand of hair away from Mara's face.

Cillian was unbelievably good with your daughter.

You watched as he carried on a comical conversation with an oblivious duck, making Mara giggle hysterically. His laughter blended with hers, and you found yourself smiling along with them. For a moment, the world faded away and it was just the three of you, enjoying each other's company.

When Mara became tired of feeding the ducks, you took her for a walk around the park while Cillian packed up the leftovers and disposed of the trash.

"I think she really needs a nap now," you  said, glancing down at Mara who was rubbing her eyes in her stroller. "I don't want to push her too much today, even though she seems to be enjoying herself."

Cillian nodded in agreement, "That's probably for the best. Let's get her home then and I will get out of your hair," he suggested, pushing the stroller alongside you as Mara's eyes started to droop.

"Do you want to stay for dinner maybe? I think Mara would really like that,"  you offered, turning to face Cillian who paused for a moment before responding.

"I mean, I guess that would be alright. If you want me to," he said with a small, awkward smile on his face and you nodded happily.

"Yeah, I do. It's just dinner, so why not?" you said, already mentally planning out a simple meal to cook.

Cillian nodded and the rest of the walk to the car was filled with a comfortable silence. You placed Mara in her car seat and clicked it into place. Cillian then climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine.

As Cillian drove you home, you noticed that he was glancing at you every so often, a thoughtful expression on his face. You turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "What is it?" you asked, reaching out to adjust the volume of the radio.

Cillian hesitated before answering, "I was just thinking about how nice today has been, spending time with you and Mara. It's been a while since we've done that."

You nodded in agreement, "It has. I'm glad we could make today happen. Mara really needed it, and so did I."

Cillian smiled at you, a genuine and warm smile that reached his eyes. "Me too," he said, his voice soft and sincere.

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[trawl]

like okay sorry the generational medical neglect in my family is crazy because my grandmothers brother got run over by a tractor and literally flattened into the ground like there was a looney tunes dent in the ground in the shape of his body that they had to pull him out of and they just dusted him off and sent him on his way and my uncles broke glasses over each others heads and never went to the doctor and then myyyyy motherrrrrrrrr. God where do i even begin. Okay well aside from the two times that ive lost all my hearing and the one time when i fucked my knee up ive never been to the doctor for any reason other than yearly checkups so thats by my recollection probably about 20 doctor visits total in my entire life despite the fact that i was getting fevers constantly as a kid and had horrible incontinence problems and had ear infections all the time and had WORMS (!!!!!!!!!!!) once and thats not even mentioning the repeated suspected pneumonia incidents or the time i got croup as an adult or the time i got a sparkler in my eye or the time that i got STABBED IN THE FACE WHEN I WAS NINE MONTHS OLD AND WAS BLEEDING PROFUSELY FROM MY FOREHEAD... and of course NONE of that counting the fact that i was in severe chronic pain my entire life with fucked up joints and she only took me to a doctor for it when i fucked up my knee and because i was over 18. lord i know theres more but GOD DAMN WOMAN CAN I SEE A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL

[batmanego]

i do think a true hallmark of my life is finding myself in unfortunate circumstances that are also incredibly funny due to the improbability of them occurring. two spring to mind: the first is that i managed to contract croup, a disease most commonly found in 1 year olds, at age 18. the second is the ongoing saga of my college housing situation, which has elicited reactions such as "wow!" and "what?" and "i have several questions"

[fangirlofallthefanthings]

[CW: Injury. Odysseus meets someone... I wonder who they could be 👀]

The trees blurred past. The wind rushed in Odysseus’s ears. He would think this ride was exhilarating if he were in control and on flat ground. But with every second that passed, Odysseus was closer and closer to falling out of the saddle. He wrapped his arms around the horse’s neck and held on for dear life. The horse breathed heavily as it ran, sweat running down its flanks and neck. Odysseus’s hands were slipping, so he tightened his grip. The horse only panicked more. It bucked up and down as it ran, jerking its head from side to side.

Odysseus saw brightness quickly approaching as the horse sped down the path. They burst through the bushes, and his vision was momentarily white as his eyes adjusted. The horse ran in a zigzagging pattern, and Odysseus nearly slipped from his saddle. It bucked and stomped as it whinnied in fear. Odysseus grabbed the reins tightly again. He heard shouting some distance away and saw that he was near the castle.

The horse panicked more at the people rushing to the scene and started trying to buck Odysseus off. The young prince held on tight, but the reins he wrapped around his hands started getting too tight. He couldn’t feel his fingers, which were beginning to turn blue. He adjusted his grip and released the pressure.

But at that moment, the horse reared up again. Odysseus’s feet slipped out of the stirrups, and he fell. Odysseus tumbled backward over the croup, his legs up in the air. His arm shot back, an instinct to catch himself he wasn’t aware of.

The heel of Odysseus’s hand hit the ground first. Pain bolted up his arm, and he cried out. He landed hard on the grass, throbbing pain running up and down his arm. Out of the corner of his eye, Odysseus saw the horse turn toward him in its panic, pounding its feet. The horse reared up, and Odysseus felt like ice was coursing through his body. He covered his head with his good arm and curled his body tightly, bracing for an impact.

But it never came. Odysseus felt the ground near him shake with stamping hooves and heard the horse neighing, but he wasn’t hit. He opened his eyes, unsure of when he closed them.

A boy was standing above Odysseus and faced the horse. His arms were outstretched, and he guided the fearful animal away from the prince on the ground. The boy’s hair was short with tight curls, and his clothes were dirty and patched up in several places. He looked about Odysseus’s age, maybe younger, but he looked as experienced as the best horse trainer in the castle.

The horse backed away and bucked its head, but the boy slowly took the reins. At that moment, Ctimene, Eurylochus, and Polites rode out of the forest, dismounted their horses, and rushed to Odysseus’s side. They helped Odysseus to his feet as he held his arm to his chest, the pain worsening.

As his friends and sister helped him back to the castle, Odysseus couldn’t help but look back at the stable boy calming the horse, hoping to see the face of the one who saved his life. But he was rushed away before he could get a good look.

Previous (5) || Current (6) || Next (7)

Pt. 1

[isthehorsevideocute]

#2Raw2Ride and why horse people everywhere are alarmed

I was surprised that no one has mentioned 2raw2ride through this blog yet though given the vast majority of media coverage on this guy I've seen us from equestrian content creators I suppose not a lot of non equestrians have heard about this.

For those not in the know, there is a social media clout chaser who according to him quit his six figure job so he could plan a ride on horseback from Austin TX to Seattle WA. This in of itself is not a bad thing but, he has made so many decisions that has alarmed the horse world. Many people have done this kind of trek on horseback but it takes a lot of preparation for you as the rider and for the horses.

The man in question bought this horse who was basically a pasture pet about a month before he started this ride. He is riding a single horse and has not brought along a pack animal. There was and still is no evidence that he has maped out planned stops for resting and supplies. His plan was to make the over 2000 mile trip in 100 days on this singular horse which has not been conditioned for endurance riding. The kind of physical conditioning necessary would take a year of training at least but the horse had no more than 30 days and it's showing through the fact the horse was startomg to deteriorate in body condition from day 1. Here are some images clearly showing his drop in weight.

This was the horse the day he was tried for purchase

He was a chunky boy. Perhaps borderline overweight

This was when he owned the horse but before he left on the trip

Also notice the fact the horse has marks where the saddle would be indicating irritation already. Id say this is a good body condition but instead of stopping here it kept going. Pay attention to the slope of the hip to the tail and the slope of the belly

This is the horse on the day of departure

In the 30 days he owned him before the ride the horse dropped a ton of weight

This was a photo from last week

you can start to see the spine showing from the croup (top of hip to the tail). And th belly no longer has that uniform slope. It's actually becoming concave behind the ribcage. Compare the neck here to the first image. Huge difference.

On top of the weight loss, the horse has shown signs of soreness in the left hind since he left. If this was an official endurance ride, the horse would not have been cleared to make this trip in the first place.

There have been several red flags that many have pointed out that indicates this guy has not educated himself and lacks the horse experience he claims to have.

Improper use of equipment and lack of ability positively identify the equipment he is using

When going over his equipment, he shows the bit and refers to it as a " snaffle" so let's look at bit that could be considered a "snaffle"

These are snaffle bits. A snaffle is categorized as a bit which applies direct pressure to the mouth. In other words the amount of pressure you apply to the reins is what the horse feels.

Now let's look at what he is using

So this is a JR Cowhorse bit and it looks like this

Now this does not quality as a snaffle, it is instead classified as a curb or leverage but because it is designed to put a leverage action on the horse's mouth. Whatever pressure you apply to the reins, the horse will feel multiplied making this harsher by design than a snaffle. On top of that this but has a twisted wire mouthpiece which is one of the harshest mouthpieces there is.

Please also take note of the way the bit is positioned. See how the part that's on top (the lever) is longer than the part on the bottom (the shank). The screenshot from his video has the shorter portion on the bottom and the longer portion on top. The bit is upside down. But wait it gets worse. Bits are generally designed with a curve to the mouthpiece so it can follow the natural curvature of the mouth to make it more comfortable for the horse

Here's the bit i use for my mare who is sensitive near he front teeth. A nice dramatic curvature that is easy to see

Comfy

Now this is a curvy bit if it was backwards

Ouch

Guess what. Not only is the guy's bit upside-down, it's actually also backwards. This makes an already uncomfortable bit even more uncomfortable for this horse who is spending hours a day in it.

Mr. Experienced horseman also doesn't know how to tie a rope halter correctly

This is how he tied it

This is how it should be tied

Knot below the loop or the knot will loosen

The guy said on the news he has ridden for many years and was a champion show jumper. Funny. No one can find a show record on the guy.

2. Not understanding how to properly feed and hydrate a horse under these conditions

In his video going over what he packed, he pulled out a bottle of corn oil and a clearly unused mineral block.

Corn oil is not a good thing to feed a performance horse, because it's pro inflammatory. You're just making an already sore horse more sore. Not to mention any corn product that starts to go bad can make a horse extremely sick. The unused mineral lick shows that the horse is not getting enough electrolytes. Even given free choice many horses don't get enough electrolytes so they need to be added to feed or given in paste form, but all he seems to have is the block. The horse has been showing outward signs of dehydration and with drought season in Texas just around the corner it's not looking great.

3. Lack of emergency supplies (specifically for the horse)

In the same video he showed off what he has in the med kit for his horse.

-thrush medication

-a flathead screwdriver

-two pain meds (both halfway gone when the video was taken 🤔. Also would not be competition legal for welfare purposes as if your horse is on these they are not well enough to tax themselves)

The screwdriver is supposedly so he can remove a shoe, but no you can't remove a shoe with a screwdriver. You'd need at least a couple of farrier tools to take a shoe off even if it is already half off.

This is not at all efficient packing. What he does have is mostly useless added weight and what he doesn't have is vital supplies. If this horse starts to bleed out or needs a hoof packed good fing luck.

4. the hematoma

Ah of course the swelling on this poor horse's belly

jury's still out in what actually caused this but given its location it is either a gaul from an ill fitted girth or from spur irritation.

5. Constant backpedaling

First he stated he would not take donations for this ride. One week later he put his linktree up in his instagram profile stating that donations would go to feeding and caring for the horse. I assume people. Allrd him out on it so now he states it goes toward buying beer. He also has taken more rest days than he said he would and he's been slowing way down on his updates. He allegedly even (finally) contacted the long riders guild asking for help (after rejecting help many times before). It seems even he is starting to notice how ill prepared he is.

Anyways don't feed this guys clout. Don't give him attention and don't give him money. He's a liar and a horse abuser and it seems to him any attention is good attention.

[pleistocene-pride]

The Baudet du Poitou, also called the Poitevin or Poitou donkey, is a large French breed of domestic donkey. The exact origins of the Poitou breed are unknown, but donkeys may have been introduced to the Poitou region of France by the Roman Empire. The Baudet de Poitou and the Mulassière horse breed were developed together for the use of producing superior mules. In the Middle Ages, owning a Poitou donkey may have been a status symbol among the local French nobility. In the mid-1800s, Poitevin mules were "regarded as the finest and strongest in France", and between 15,000 and 18,000 were sold annually. In 1884, a studbook was established for the Poitou donkey in France. During the first half of the twentieth century, the mules bred by the Poitou and the Poitevin continued to be desired throughout Europe, and were called the "finest working mule in the world". As mechanization increased around World War II, mules became outmoded, and the Poitou donkey population fell dramatically. After a a breed census in 1977 found only 44 Poitou donkeys worldwide, conservation efforts were led by several public and private groups in France and Portugal. These efforts proved successful and today around 2,000 Poitou donkeys are known. With females reaching 4.6 (1.4m) tall at the shoulders, and males reaching 5.2ft (1.56m), the Baudet is a one of the largest breeds of domestic donkey with only the Catalan, Mammoth Jack, Andalusian, and Balearic breeds reaching similar or larger sizes. They have large, long heads, strong necks, long backs, short croups and round haunches. The limb joints and feet are large, and the legs strong.The temperament has been described as "friendly, affectionate and docile". In Poitou, the coat of the Baudet was traditionally – and deliberately – left ungroomed; with time, it formed cadenettes aka long shaggy locks somewhat like dreadlocks. The coat is typically dark brown to black but may also by silver, dark grey, or red.

[onecopyoneyearinadvance]

Chillicothe Independent, Volume 6, Number 4, 29 October 1881

There was a serious diphtheria, also referred to as Membranous Croup, outbreak in the area October 1881, with several deaths mentioned in the paper each week. I doubt this worked, but it's hard to blame people for grasping for solutions

[stuartette]

So I just noticed how Nine Fingers Keene’s bodyguards all are named after bodily afflictions.

She has Lady Ague, a level 10 human. Ague is a type of fever marked by severe, regular bouts of chills and sweating. Ague is a Middle English word (as well as Medieval Latin and old French).

Lady Flux, a level 11 High Elf. Flux is used to refer to dysentery (historically referred to as bloody flux, this is a Middle English term).

Lady Croup, a level 11 High Half-Elf. Croup is of course the infection of the upper airway, the name coming from the Early Modern English word “Croup” (to cry hoarsely).

Lastly, Lady Quinsy, a level 10 human. Quinsy is a term used to describe a peritonsillar abscess. The word quinsy has a long etymology (including Greek, Medieval Latin, and old French), but with relevancy to a point I’m about to make, is a Middle English word.

This is just an interesting theme I found as I’m replaying the game, but most of the terms above seem to be Middle English words. Also, I found my character being referred to as lady shivers, rabies, and leper by Nine Fingers’ guards (lady ague clarifying that the other ladies are playing a game, wondering what they’d call the PC of they joined Nine’s guard).

[kirabug-tumbles]

Diphtheria: a bacterial infection of throat, essentially. As with most diseases (not you Smallpox, sit down) strains could be mild or severe. If a severe strain is circulating the mortality rate can be as high as 10%. It starts as a sore throat and fever and grows gradually.

In severe cases, a grey or white patch develops in the throat,[2][1] which can block the airway, and create a barking cough similar to what is observed in croup.[1] The neck may also swell, in part due to the enlargement of the facial lymph nodes.[2] Diphtheria can also involve the skin, eyes, or genitals, and can cause[2][1] complications, including myocarditis (which in itself can result in an abnormal heart rate), inflammation of nerves (which can result in paralysis), kidney problems, and bleeding problems due to low levels of platelets.[2]

- Wikipedia

CW: that wikipedia article has some gnarly pictures.

Diphtheria spreads both through the air and via surface contact. That little bastard bacteria produces a toxin that kills your cells, so once you catch it you’re being actively murdered by the toxin as well as the bacteria.

Nothing says a bucket of fun like having your SORE throat swell closed so that not only can’t you breathe, but it hurts like hell the whole damn time. And of course it’s especially bad on kids, because everything’s especially bad on kids. But bonus, if you’re over 40 you’re at risk just like the kids are — so if you’re a young adult, you’re probably OK but the mortality rate can jump up to 20% for everyone else.

Notable people killed by diphtheria: Queen Victoria’s adult daughter and granddaughter, Grover Cleveland’s oldest daughter, 50,000 people during World War II.

In short, get your fucking vaccinations, and make sure they’re up to date.

Show some respect, people.

[nursingwriter]

Laryngotracheobronchitis is also commonly called croup. it'd a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract. It can cause airway obstruction in varying degrees. Often, it is a self-limiting condition and will clear up on its own, but occasionally it can become very severe and very rarely can even become fatal. Stridor, fever, and a cough that sounds like a bark are characteristic of the disease and it is also one of the most common causes of stridor. It is often given aggressive treatment and therefore very few cases actually require admission to the hospital. Mainly, it affects children and seeing several days of mild symptoms related to an upper respiratory infection and fever is very common. The infection can extend into the proximal trachea and this will cause a swelling of the subglottic area and diffuse inflammation which can narrow the airway. In the trachea, the cricoid ring is the narrowest portion, especially in a child. Even a small amount of swelling within this region can cause airway obstruction that is considered significant. When air flows through this subglottic and narrowed area it causes stridor (www.emedicine.com,2005). In three to five days the condition usually goes away but it can persist for as long as ten days. Approximately 5 cases are seen per 100 children during the second year of life. In children between the ages of six months in six years it is the most common form of stridor and airway obstruction. Generally, children with croup do very well. Having any kind of morbidity is unusual and mortality is even much rarer. There is a nearly 2:1 ratio of prevalence in males to females and the most common time for a child to develop this condition is between three months and three years old. The mean age for onset is approximately 18 months. In individuals older than six years, the croup is very uncommon. The barking cough, stridor, and hoarseness that is usually seen is generally between 6 PM and 6 AM and symptoms often get worse on the second night. The child may also be very tired. Upon a physical examination, symptoms may be seen as totally unremarkable all the way to respiratory distress that is severe. There are several things that cause it but parainfluenza type 1 is the most common. Rhinovirus, Reovirus, measles virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza virus type a are some of the other causes of croup (www.emedicine.com,2005). In making the diagnosis of this condition, the physician usually listens to the chest looking for a prolonged expiration and inspiration, decreased breath sounds, and wheezing. A red epiglottis is sometimes also seen but an examination of the throat is usually undertaken by a physician very cautiously in a very small child. An x-ray can also show a foreign body or other problems. In very mild cases that are caused only by viruses humidified air that is either warm or cold is often used and going outside when the air is cold sometimes is also helpful. There can also be bacterial causes and these need Augmentin or some other type of antibiotic treatment. If a foreign body has caused the problem an ear, nose, and throat specialist will generally remove it. Occasionally, epiglottitis, respiratory arrest, and atelectasis, or collapse of lung tissue, can occur in severe cases. It is very similar to whooping cough, influenza, viral bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, walking ammonia, and acute mountain sickness, and can sometimes be misdiagnosed as one of these other ailments (www.ecurme.com,2003). In general, however, most cases are mild and treatment is not severe or serious. Only in cases where breathing difficulties and other severe problems occur would hospitalization or any type of invasive treatment be required. With premature babies and very young newborns care must be taken if croup develops because the severe coughing and other problems can be more dangerous for the very young infant that does not have a strong immune system yet and severe coughing can crack ribs or damage the body to a certain extent, especially in preterm infants that are still very delicate (www.emedicine.com,2005). Works Cited www.ecureme.com.(2003). Acute Laryngotracheobronchitis. Retrieved 9 February 2005 at http://www.ecureme.com/emyhealth/data/Acute_Laryngotracheobronchitis.asp. A www.emedicine.com.(2005). Pediatrics, Croup or Laryngotracheobronchitis. Retrieved 9 February 2005 at http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic370.htm. Read the full article

[legends-of-time]

The Strength of a High and Noble Hill (Outlander)

Chapter 61: Family Is The Best and Most Frustrating

Masterlist

Inga McGillivray sits with her mother, Ute, and her sisters, Hilda and Senga, along with other women of the Ridge such as Mistresses Claire Fraser, Margaret Chisholm, Rosewitha Mueller, Rosamund Lindsay, Ruth Aberfeldy and Ismene MacEalair as they all work together making candles for the community — a task that requires a lot of hands. Several women stir heavy pots and heat the melted tallow until it dissolves. The women hold sticks terminated at both ends and dip them back into the mixture. The candles are soaked to have more layers of wax until the desired thickness is reached. An ethereal and beautiful visual process.

Another group of women, including Mistresses Johanna Richards, Marion MacLeod, Marsali Fraser and Fiona Ceallach, cut cotton strands to the desired lengths. The strands are soaked in the mixture, then removed and covered with a thin layer of tallow. The strands are tied by five or six on a stick and hung to dry.

Inga quite enjoys these moments, when they all gather together to pool their energy for large tasks such as these for the betterment of the community. The work around them on the Ridge continues at a steady pace: laundry, grass to cut, animals to feed, and the railing to paint at the Big House.

Inga looks up from her pot, which she is stirring and catches sight of a lonely figure in the distance. She notices that it's Brian Fraser who's sitting listlessly. His body is stiff as he gazes off in the distance, and his shoulders are slumped. His hands fiddle with some thread as he mends some clothes that Inga had seen his sister, Ellen Mackenzie, hand to him earlier, but he seems to be ignoring it. Inga wants to comfort him but she doesn't know how or if it is even wanted from her or anyone. She wants to hold him and protect him from the world. Inga blushes at the thought. Inga hears a scoff from behind her.

"Mama..." Senga whines, "Inga is staring at Brian Fraser again!" 

Inga whips her head around in alarm, sending a glare in her sister's direction. The sixteen-year-old simply shrugs carelessly and goes back to her candle dipping. 

Their mother turns away from talking in German with Mistress Mueller to her daughters. "Honestly bärchen, you really need to set your sights on better prospects like Geordie Sutherland." 

Inga flushes and quietly grumbles. With Hilda married off and Manfred now engaged, Ute McGillivray won't waste an opportunity to encourage her younger daughters to also get married. 

Lizzie Wemyss hurries out with refreshments and food from the Big House, instructing the young children around them on how they should give them out to everyone. One-year-old Joan Fraser stumbles after the Chisholm and Aberfeldy children. 

"What happened to Brian Fraser being a prospect?" Eighteen-year-old Hilda questions. 

"He was but now..." She looks over to Briana and shakes her head. "Now he behaves all verloren." Mama looks accusingly at Hilda. "Though I do not know why you're so worried about this. You should be focused more on becoming with child. How long have you been married to Davey Morrison, kindchen?" 

Hilda winces. "Just over half a year." She murmurs shamedly. "There's still time Mama." 

Their mother lets out a humph noise of displeasure. The mention of children causes Inga to glance over to Johanna Richards. The poor woman had lost two children to the croup when Inga and her family first settled last spring, but the way she stares at the children running around them and how she clutches her belly, Inga wonders if her fortunes may already be turning for the better.

"Odd family though. The Frasers." Senga remarks. "They all disappear then they all come back except the nephew and the daughter comes back with a baby with a husband who magically appears out of thin air. Interesting timings I say." 

"Senga!" Inga hisses, glancing over to Mistress Fraser, who's thankfully in deep discussion with Mistresses Chisholm and Aberfeldy. "Let's not take advantage of their good nature. They have given shelter and support to many families." 

Their mother eagerly turns on Senga urging her to be quiet, fervently casting her gaze between Mistress Fraser and Lizzie. Inga's father, Robin McGillivray, had recently approached Joseph Wemyss on the topic of a betrothal between sixteen-year-old Lizzie Wemyss and Inga's brother, twenty-year-old Manfred. Ute McGillivray cannot risk losing this engagement. Despite all her beliefs that Brian Fraser is no longer suitable, Lizzie Wemyss remains so. Jamie Fraser has promised Lizzie a dowry, which consists of a section of prime land and Mr Wemyss, Lizzie's father, freed from his indenture, had a freeman's homestead claim of fifty acres as well—to which Lizzie is heir. The Wemyss land adjoins the McGillivrays' section, and the two together would make a very respectable farm.

The plan is for Manfred to ply his trade in Woolam's Creek, providing he can manage a shop — one of Inga's mother hopes is that Jamie Fraser will provide the premises for as part of the agreement considering that Lizzie and her father hold a place of special esteem with Jamie and that he will in all likelihood be moved to do what he could for her — and they'd live at the farm. It had been agreed that the marriage would take place the next summer after Manfred had finished setting up his shop in Woolam's Creek.

Inga likes the girl, but she doesn't believe there is any affection between the engaged couple, which worries her. She watched them on the night that she and her family had joined the Frasers and the Wemysses at the former's home for a lavish supper and couldn't see much between them. Inga has brought this up with her Mother who insists it can still happen and they just need to get used to each other. She knows her mother and Lizzie like each other, the former taking the latter under her capacious maternal wing. Inga worries that while Lizzie likes her future mother-in-law, the young girl seems to like the prospect of that mother-like relationship more than she likes Manfred.

"Would you like some Dundee cake, mistress?" Archie Chisholm politely asks. The four-year-old holds up a small plate of them towards Inga. 

Inga smiles warmly at the boy, taking a cake and thanking him. Archie grins happily before moving along to the next customer. She looks over again to see Brian has been joined by his nephew, Germain, and Toby Chisholm, who seem to be eagerly showing him their sword fighting skills. Brian gives them a weak encouraging smile as their cries carry over to the large groups by the House. 

——

A/N: 

Bärchen = "little bear" and is used in its diminutive form 

Verloren = lost 

Kindchen: Dear child, sweetheart

Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

[chillgerb]

Out in the yard behind the school there's a small, rough sphere of blue that you recognise as a lemon. There's no question about it despite the blue, matte material that looks like it would powder away beneath your fingers. Despite you and all the others giving it a wide birth of several meters whenever you're out in the yard it is so obviously and clearly a lemon and a large one at that. Perhaps it's because you watched in your peripheral, not always consciously, as it moved from the dimpled, thick yellow skin to the fascinating landmine that threatens to poison your bare feet.

Maybe someone dared you or maybe it was just for attention, regardless you run up to boot the thing. There is no squish, no squelch, it doesn't fly into the asbestos fence with a satisfying splat but you don't need to worry that you've missed the lemon as you're immediately, instantly swallowed by a cloud of powdery, dry blue.

It's in your eyes, it's on your skin. You can't breathe and it's in your mouth- there's no hint in the overwhelming, burning experience of mould that clouds and fills all your senses that ever there even was a lemon. No lemony freshness cutting through the rot. No squeaky clean to save you from the dusting of decay you know is eating through your skin. The sun shining between the blue as if swallowed by a gentle cloud just like when you're meant to calm down and breath, instructed by the art teacher sitting cross legged on the classroom carpet- doesn't matter however as you search desperately for the way out through streaming, squinting eyes.

Eventually running gets you back to clear grass where you can fall and roll, choke, cough, sputter, and finally breath. And look back as the blue hangs in the air, slowly drifting vaguely away from you.

Maybe it was never the croup that ruined you, maybe the second hand smoke and asbestos that built your home, street, school and life never fouled your lungs. Maybe it was today, here and now when the rot set into you.

Eventually you get up, it's not happening anymore and might as well never have, you're back to the playground same as you ever were just shifted to a new hue.

[poeticallydisgraced]

I was born three months premature… also had a throat tumor in my childhood that would cause me to often get severe croup (cyanosis severe croup).

Post what would've killed you in the tags

[healthestfood]

How to Get Rid of a Cough Fast: Proven Remedies That Work

Coughing is a common reflex that helps clear the airways of irritants, mucus, and foreign particles. While it serves an important purpose, persistent or severe coughing can be uncomfortable and disruptive to daily life. Understanding the underlying causes of a cough is crucial for effective management and relief. Various factors, including infections, allergies, and environmental irritants, can contribute to the onset of a cough. In this essay, we will explore various methods to alleviate coughing quickly, from home remedies to over-the-counter medications. Additionally, we will discuss when it is necessary to seek medical attention and how to prevent future coughs from occurring. By gaining insight into these approaches, individuals can better navigate the challenges of dealing with a cough and improve their overall respiratory health.

Understanding Coughs

What is a Cough?

A cough is a reflex action that serves to clear the airways of irritants, mucus, or foreign particles. There are two main types of coughs: dry coughs, which do not produce mucus, and productive coughs, also known as wet coughs, which do. Coughing can arise from various causes, including infections, allergies, and environmental irritants. It plays a crucial role in maintaining respiratory health by protecting the lungs. While a cough can be a standalone condition, it is often a symptom of an underlying issue. Coughs can be categorized based on their duration, with acute coughs lasting less than three weeks and chronic coughs persisting longer. Understanding the underlying cause is essential for effective treatment and management.

Types of Coughs

Coughs can be classified into several types, each with distinct characteristics and causes. A dry cough, for instance, does not produce phlegm and is often triggered by irritants or allergies. In contrast, a wet cough generates mucus or phlegm and is frequently associated with respiratory infections. Chronic coughs persist for more than eight weeks and may signal underlying health issues, while acute coughs are short-lived, typically resolving within three weeks and often stemming from viral infections. Other notable types include barking coughs, which produce a harsh sound often seen in croup, and whooping cough, marked by severe hacking followed by a distinctive "whoop" sound. Lastly, a psychogenic cough occurs habitually without a medical explanation, often linked to stress. Understanding these types can aid in determining the appropriate treatment strategies.

Common Causes of Coughs

Coughing can be triggered by various factors, each stemming from different underlying causes. Viral infections, such as the common cold and flu, are among the most prevalent culprits. Bacterial infections like pneumonia and bronchitis can also lead to persistent coughing. Allergies to substances like pollen and dust mites, along with environmental irritants such as smoke and pollution, further contribute to this condition. Other causes include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD, and certain medications, such as ACE inhibitors. Additionally, postnasal drip, changes in weather, or dry air can exacerbate coughing, highlighting the diverse origins of this common symptom.

Home Remedies for Cough Relief