#sneezing and coughing etc

[kouhaiofcolor]

If you still wear a face mask in 2024 (in countries or regions where it is/was not a prevalence or norm before covid), what do you tell ppl when they ask you why you still do it? 😅 ngl I be having smartass remarks. Esp toward the ppl it irks unreasonably?

[reinemichele]

Once again here to say

Con to being awake: woke up in really very a lot of pain

Pros to being awake: I have . Cät? And she luvs and trusts me and is happy to snuggle & hold paws? 🥺💞

[outragedslime]

Top surgery recovery observation

One thing I didn't hear anyone else talk about is the deal with coughing/sneezing.

If you are getting top surgery, I suggest to be very careful to avoid these. Dust your house well beforehand. Spring allergies? I recommend not doing it during spring. Take extra care while drinking or eating to not choke (I'm really bad at this one lol)

I might've inhaled near some dust? I'm not sure but I felt an urge and had my first sneeze post op today. It was very scary😭

[psychiclounge]

ok last post on this i swear but did nobody else have it like drilled into them how gross double dipping was as a child. my parents told me that over and over and i swear to god i had teachers at school tell me that like seeing people treat it as a minor ignorable social faux pas is kinda killing me

[snipefr]

I'm sorry but I genuinely laughed out loud at this

[thesoundofsnowfallingfromeaves]

i am sick again, this time even worse than last time with a horrid fever and everything, what did i do to deserve this :(

[oscillatingmadness]

No.

Spring is the death of the soul,

Spring is taunting, evil.

The days get warm but suddenly I can no longer go outsides,

For months...

I languish, the closes I get is to feel it's warmth like an indoor cat,

Filtered through clear panes of prison.

IS ANYONE ELSE FEELING THE HOPE OF SPRING

[tulsa24]

welcome to the part of the year when my allergies make me want to d!e!!

[kvt1]

[shades4dogs]

i woke up today with a sore throat and i’ve been literally fine all day and suddenly at midnight 🕛 it’s like the gates of pestilence and disease surged open and now i’m in deaths realm

[golyadkin]

Theres my guy (ignore his hair im working on it)

Working on a design for my next pc

[xosamioo]

do u write fluff? enha taking care of the reader while there sick eould be adorable ^_^

𝐎𝐓𝟕 - “𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤”

…fluff & skinship slightly teasing etc. gn! Reader

HEESEUNG

Heeseung had woken up early to take care of you, who had come down with a nasty cold. Despite his bleary-eyed expression and the sleep still clinging to him, he got straight to work. He made a pot of chamomile tea and warmed up a large bowl of soup for you. As you sat sniffling and sneezing on the couch, Heeseung gently tucked a warm blanket around your shoulders and placed the tea and soup within reach for you. He asked you if there was anything else you needed, offering to fetch anything that would make you feel better He stayed with you throughout the day, bringing you water and tissues when needed, and even put on some of your favorite movies to watch together. Every time you coughed or sniffled, he would rub your back or offer you some comfort. He made sure you took all your meds and stayed hydrated, and by the end of the day, you were feeling so much better.

"I'm glad you're feeling a bit better," heeseung said, his voice gentle as he gently ran his fingers through your hair. "It broke my heart to see you feeling so unwell. Just let me know if you need anything else, okay? I'll always be here for you." —

JAY

Jay had been out running errands when you called him to say that you were feeling under the weather. Without hesitation, he rushed over to take care of you. Once there, he quickly put a cool compress on her forehead to help with her fever while he prepared your favorite chicken noodle soup. As you sat on the couch, he sat next to you and played a gentle melody on his guitar and sang quietly along, the sound of his voice and the soft notes soothing and comforting. He also ran to the pharmacy to pick up some medicine for you, and stayed by your side until you were feeling well enough to get some rest.

"Get some rest, love," Jay said, his warm hand holding yours. "I'll be right here when you wake up. I'll take care of you until you're feeling 100% again, I promise." —

JAKE

Jake had immediately left his gaming session with riki to rush over to your place, armed with a basket full of essential items he had picked up on his way there and of course Layla . He set up a warm and comfy spot for you on the couch, and spent the next few hours nursing your fever and treating you like royalty. He made soup, fetched medicine and cooled compresses for you, checked your temperature regularly, and even gave you a gentle head massage to help you relax. He made sure Layla provided some extra cuddles and puppy kisses, too. Jake stayed by your side, comforting and doting on you until you started to feel a bit better.

"Just rest, darling," Jake said, his voice gentle and loving. "I've got everything under control, and Layla and I are gonna make sure you're taken care of. So just relax and get better, alright?"—

SUNGHOON

Sunghoon knew just how to brighten your spirits a little when you were feeling under the weather. He showed up at your doorstep with a bouquet of flowers, a stack of your favorite movies and snacks, and a big smile on his face. He set up a cozy nest for you on the couch and then took over cooking duties, making sure you were properly fed and hydrated. Throughout the day, he made sure to check in on you regularly, offering words of encouragement and providing a warm shoulder to lean on.

"Chin up, pretty," Sunghoon said, his voice soft and comforting. "I know you feel like garbage, but you're gonna get through this. And I'll be here to support and take care of you until you're back on your feet again. Just rest and let me handle everything, okay?" —-

SUNOO

Sunoo arrived at your home with a bag full of essential items he had bought just for you - a new box of cough drops, a cozy blanket, a couple of your favorite snacks, and face masks. He made you a warm cup of herbal tea and spent the day with you bed rotting and watching kdramas making sure you got plenty of attention and care, and offering comfort when needed.

"Don't worry, baby," Sunoo said with a bright smile. "I've got you covered. I'll take care of everything so you can focus on getting better. And if you need anything else, just say the word, okay?"—

JUNGWON

Jungwon showed up at your doorstep with a care package in hand. He had packed everything needed for a day of rest and relaxation, from your favorite movie to warm blankets and soup. As the two of you spent the day together, Jungwon took over any housework that needed to be done, so you could focus entirely on feeling better. He kept you company and entertained with endless conversations that made you laugh uncontrollably, and when the time came, he tucked you in for a well-deserved nap.

Before you dozed off, he leaned over and kissed your forehead gently. "Sleep well, love," he whispered. "I've taken care of everything, so just relax and let your body heal. I'll be right here when you wake up." —-

NI-KI

riki had no qualms about diving into the role of caregiver, bringing with him a whole arsenal of items he thought might help you feel better - from his secret stash of candies and your favorite comfort food, to extra blankets and his plushies. He spent the day making sure you were comfortable and entertained, offering to watch movies, play games or simply snuggle up in bed together and slightly teasing you as well telling you that you looked ruff. Riki’s energy and enthusiasm were infectious, and by the end of the day, your spirits were lifted and you were feeling a bit more energized.

Riki leaned in and kissed you softly on the forehead. "You're stuck with me until you feel better, baby" he said with a playful smile. "So just rest up and let me take care of you, okay? I've got you- YOU GOT SNOT ALL OVER MY PLUSHI-" —-

Authors note: first fluff and ot7 post hope you guys liked it 🎉🩶

© xosamioo 2024 do not repost, plagiarize, or translate.

[postoctobrist]

Where should I be wearing masks? Frankly, putting them on feels insane and pointless now, and I’ve gotten pretty fucking close to believing that it IS, so I’ve tried to mitigate that by doing a bunch of weird rules lawyering around when and where I put it on

Oh man okay I’m going to get yelled at for this. So there’s this balance between minimising risk to yourself and others, and being able to live a live you enjoy and which doesn’t make you feel insane. The safest way to live is completely indoors away from everyone, but very few people like doing that unless they have to. We couldn’t stay locked down forever because it was an unsustainable change. Masks are very effective but people do not like wearing them or even seeing other people wearing them, really. Shit, I mean we can barely get people to wash their hands and that’s one of the most effective and least annoying public health interventions there is. So you can wear an N95 everywhere but I don’t think you’re going to succeed at normalising it, and people are going to stare at you etc.

Also, the risk side of the equation has changed (some people are very reluctant to acknowledge this!). Not for everyone, certainly, but covid is just endemic now, vaccinations have been very very effective, and we’re kind of back to playing the same dumb luck game we agree to play with every other transmissible illness. Is that great? Not really, but there’s only so much you can make people, including yourself, do. It also means that the consequences of transmission are, while still potentially very bad, materially not the same as the ‘freezer truck stacked full of dead bodies’ days of covid.

I think the most important situation to wear a mask in is if you know you’re ill or have just recently been ill. That does miss the bit where you’re most contagious, because you’re asymptomatic, but like I say, imperfect world. Anyway, if you have to go out and you’re coughing and sneezing all the time it’s worthwhile.

Also if you know you’re going to be in a situation where you know you’re going to be in close contact with more vulnerable people - hospital, care home - or it’s really crowded or has more recirculated air - subway, plane, etc.

And of course you should always wear one to a protest, to minimise covid transmission. Covid also hates it when you wear unremarkable clothing and cover any distinctive tattoos.

The main thing I want to get across is that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t wear a mask somewhere, whether you get sick or someone else gets sick or nobody does. One of the worst social phenomena to come out of the pandemic was this idea that blame is an effective public health tool. I simply don’t believe in morality at that scale and I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault that there happen to be weird microscopic copy machines floating around waiting to unthinkingly copy themselves all over the insides of someone’s lungs. It’s a good thing to wear a mask when you can, but it doesn’t make you a good person, or a bad one if you don’t.

You do have to keep washing your hands, though, I’m not giving up on that one.

[luminique]

Lighter when reader is sick/has a cold/etc he has to be a hot fucking mess

OH HES ALL OVER YOU WHEN YOURE SICK !! the moment you’ve got a cold, he’s immediately telling the girls that he is out of commission. he wants to take care of you but like lowkey. he’s buying medicine, he’s getting food, he’s making sure that you’re not overexerting yourself.

but he’s also getting bothered by the fact that you’re calling out to him with a red flush on your face due to the sickness. you’d think he would be pushed away by how rough your voice sounds but no, it’s actually a little conflicting to him. something deep within him wants to be all cuddly with you but he’d tell himself that he’ll catch a cold and who will take care of you if he’s sick too?

you’re more than capable to take care of yourself but having you depend on him like this, even if its only for a short moment, has him melting completely. he’d pretend to be a little distant (because he can’t show that he’s worried) but he’s always looking out for you. coughing ? he’s getting water. sniffling ? he’s grabbing tissues. too hot ? he’s ready with a wet towel.

once he’s done taking care of you for the day, the girls are definitely there to tease him about it and all he does is push his shades up a bit more. he cares so so much but that’s not a good look for his cool and mysterious personality. either way, he promised to take care of you until you get better, so he’ll be back in the morning to check on you again as usual. it’s all too obvious when in the next few days, he’s the one sniffling and sneezing instead.

[tildeathiwillwrite]

Sickfic + kidnapping whump

a whumpee that's sick before getting kidnapped

OR they come down with something during their captivity

either way we get ourselves a Carewhumper or Whumper-turned-Caretaker situation

imagine a whumpee with a cold who can't sneeze or cough through the gag and starts hyperventilating

or a whumpee with the flu or a stomach bug who's vomiting everywhere

just making whumper's job so much harder because on top of having a captive they now have to make sure the whumpee doesn't die or spread the illness to them or their henchmen before the ransom is paid/they're rescued/etc

feel free to add on!

[lycandrophile]

some thoughts about top surgery recovery, as of 3 days post-op:

when they say using your chest muscles sucks afterward, i never realized exactly how much was going to be be limited. coughing, sneezing, hiccuping, laughing — all of it is terrifying right now. even talking for too long starts to put that kind of stress on my chest, and my voice isn’t as strong as it usually is. it takes me forever to fully empty my bladder when i’m on the toilet because i’m totally relying on gravity to do all the work (and shitting was effectively impossible without a stool softener even though i haven’t taken the pain meds they said i would need them for)…and don’t even get me started on figuring out how to wipe (hint: back to front while sitting, using my dominant hand to push my non-dominant hand far back enough). using the computer is also harder — i was planning on playing lots of baldur’s gate after, but for the first couple days i could only really go for a few minutes before using my arms that way got too tiring. having a mastectomy pillow has been an absolute godsend when i’m using my phone because i can prop my arms up on it and not really have to use any muscles at all to hold them up.

the biggest piece of not being able to use my chest muscles right now, which i’m writing separately because it’s been such a huge thing for me, is that i cannot sit up or back by myself at fucking all. like, if i sit on the couch and lean back a bit to sit against the cushion, it hurts to pull myself back up to fully straight — and if i’m leaning back any more than that, i just can’t do it at all and i’m stuck there unless my boyfriend puts their hands behind me and pushes my dead weight back up. i totally get why some people sleep in a recliner now because i’m completely at the mercy of having someone there to help move me around once i’m at any sort of angle. sitting back is mostly the same as far as what i can do, and arguably hurts worse to attempt at all, but my ability to do it seems to be coming back faster than my ability to sit up. if you’ve never had your mobility limited to that extent before, prepare yourself: the first time you’re stuck somewhere and the person who normally helps you doesn’t answer immediately can be really fucking scary (i learned that the hard way).

the anesthesiologist warned me that i might have a sore throat after surgery from being intubated, but i was not prepared for what “sore throat” ended up meaning for me. you know that feeling of swallowing something that’s too big and you can still feel it in your throat even after it’s down? it’s like that times 20, and further down in my throat. the worst pain i’ve felt in the last three days wasn’t from the surgery itself, it was from trying to swallow pancakes when my throat was at it’s worst. today is the first day it’s even started to fade, and even now, it hurts just to swallow my own spit. i don’t know about you, but that’s not what comes to mind when someone tells me “you might have a sore throat”.

on that note, the incisions themselves have really been the least painful part in general, probably because the nerves there aren’t reconnected yet. the vast majority of my pain and discomfort at this point has been from the drains and bandages — the drain sites getting sore or just randomly starting to sting, waking up feeling suffocated by the ace bandages, etc. it’s not because anything is wrong with them — the drains weren’t placed wrong and the bandages aren’t too tight, they’re just a huge pain in the ass to deal with 24/7. i can’t express how much i’m looking forward to getting the drains out and being able to take binder breaks because it’ll make things so much more comfortable.

my incisions are connected in the middle because my chest tissue was all really close together, and the part where the incisions connect is really the only part where i’ve felt any pain so far. i suspect it’s because the swelling on either side is making that part of the incision push together and press against itself, and then the binder pushes on it even more. it’s not a severe pain at all, but i do sometimes lift the center of the bandage off my chest for a second to give that spot a bit of a break.

i’ve already started getting some of the weird sensations associated with nerves reconnecting, and it definitely is wild. so far, it’s been mostly tingly feelings, sometimes like chills and sometimes more like a limb falling asleep. (weird observation: taking a shit makes my ribs tingle? i’ve got no good explanation for that one.) i’ve gotten a zap on one side and some buzzing feelings too. it’s pretty mild right now, probably because it’s so early on.

i’ve also gotten what i would describe as phantom boob feelings, especially on the first night. specifically, when i close my eyes, sometimes i’ll feel like someone is touching or jiggling the boobs i don’t have anymore. definitely not a super pleasant experience, but i think being out of it from the anesthesia still really helped me not be too upset by the worst of it. i’ve gotten a couple little phantom nipple touches too, but those were just split second blips of sensation that were far less bothersome in comparison.

i never realized that the classic post-op hunch is caused more by the binder than by the body itself, but we had to take all of my bandages off the night after my surgery to send pictures of something to my surgeon, and i was shocked by how much straighter i could sit with everything off. i was definitely still hunched, but it was more like a natural slouch and less like i looked like i was using an invisible walker. with the binder on, it’s super uncomfortable for me to try to stand straight at all because it feels like the ace bandage doesn’t come with my body and just drags everything down, and i’m always holding my mastectomy pillow or my hands to my chest while i walk around to stop it from feeling like gravity is going make the bandage tear my chest open.

every so often, when things are getting especially painful or uncomfortable or just generally difficult, i do start to wonder if i made the right choice. not because i regret getting rid of those things — not by a long shot — but because it’s a fucking hard process to go through. this is probably the hardest thing for me to admit, but the rational part of my mind knows it’s natural to feel that way once in a while. all of this is temporary and the relief from dysphoria will be permanent, but right now? this is my entire world and it doesn’t feel particularly temporary and i do have moments of “why do i have to go through all this when other people get to just have the right body from the start? why couldn’t i just live with what i had? why can’t i just be living my normal life right now?” no matter how sure you are of your choice, no matter how proud you are of being trans, this shit is hard and it’s okay to feel that.

i’m going to put the pictures of my chest one day post-op under the cut, because i think it’s pretty rare to see pictures from that soon after the surgery. they’re not gorey at all — the actual incisions are totally covered by steri strips and everything around them is clean — but still, if you don’t want to see relatively fresh surgery results, don’t look under the cut.

for all the discomfort and pain and limitations and other weirdness of recovery, every time i look at these pictures it reminds me of exactly why i’m doing all of this, and i’m so glad i kept fighting for this for so long. some people might never understand why someone would choose to go through this whole process, but i know it’ll be worth it in the end.

here’s my chest one day post-op! i think it looks super good and my surgeon said it looks like it’s healing perfectly (as much as it can be healing at one day). for reference, my chest was a DDD/F before surgery. i know this isn’t how my chest will look in the end, but i’m already thrilled with how things are turning out! i’ve truly never been more confident in my choice of surgeon — like, come on! look at that! she did so good!