#so I'm going to a different doctor to see if they will do it cheaper/possibly free.

[xxxemilyg1996]

Me *sitting at home with my sister, slightly upset because my doctors appointment went poorer than planned because I have no money*

My mom* texts me multiple paragraphs about not giving up and to keep trying and that she loves me more than anything*

Me "did you tell mom I was gonna kill myself again?!"

[mylittleredgirl]

medication acquired!!! after two hours i no longer want to die, i'm like a neglected houseplant un-wilting after being watered.

i immediately put this renewed will to live into calling health new england about a different medication they denied even though it's on their formulary. turns out the "prior auth" we thought they needed is actually three separate prior authorizations, through different digital systems, all going to different places. like wholeass different COMPANIES. ("pharmacy management companies" my beloathed.)

they called all of them "prior auths" over the phone until i made them spell it out for me.

prior auth classic "yes that is the medication i put on the prescription sorry we really do want you to cover it"

quantity limit "yes we are aware this is over the approved dosage, somehow, even though it is literally the lowest dose this medication comes in and we're only asking for 14 days worth to see if it works"

step therapy "yes she has taken four cheaper medications in this category before, we pinkie promise we tried to save you as much money as possible"

"just tell your doctor to send in a prior auth" no!! they said they did!! if that worked we wouldn't be talking to each other!!

anyway i got all of this confirmed in as much detail as i could, then called the doctor's insurance liaison back and explained it all on her voicemail followed by "i'm so sorry for your job, just like, the entire deal." because how do you do that with a zillion different health insurance companies and not walk into traffic.

[thebottomfromhell]

I am completely sorry for leaving you all hanging again, this apology is probable very cheap at this point, it's been rough lately. Right now I feel as if my mental health was in shambles. You see, I sometimes do work for my mother, who is a judge, and write of some testimonies on court and the last one really got to me. It was a SA case between cousins, one a young adult (the accused) the other a teen (the victim) in which almost everyone took the side of the accused, creating the story the girl (the victim) was lying, that it was "consented" but she fear the consecuences from her mother, who everyone in that family knew was abusive but nobody ever did everything. I have been hoing through statement after statement, writting people defending the guy and I'm done, I'm exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. Never a case has gotten me this much.

I really don't want to turn this into a ramble, it wouldn't be appropriate of me to take this things out here. But I want to give you some tipa if you are ever in court or need to take something, specially SA, to court. Idk, I feel this is the minimun I should be doing.

Check the actual age of consent where you live. There is an age where is you are touched or anything sexual is done it you, is automatically considered rape, but that age is never "under 18". In most places from 13 years old to older you WILL need proof that it was forced/violent to prove it was not consented. That being said, be aware that an adult going for a minor, while not ilegal, IS creepy, IS bad and actions should be always taken.

The first thing you do if you are hurt and want to take it to court is go to get medical attention, the first. Same thing if something happens to someone you know, if you don't know what to do, go get medical attention. In some countries there are medical centers linked with the local investigation/cop organization, those WILL be cheaper. Always tell the one attenting you what happened, sometimes they will lead you to a doctor/psycologist/investigator dedicated to court.

You WILL have to give several testimonies most of the time, one to the police/investigators if included, one to the lawyers, and one to the court/jury. Sometimes the jury and lawyer will use your previous testimonies to clarify things or spot contradictions. Everyone in court have these documents at hand, so don't you even think of changing the story and ALWAYS specify if you are adding a detail you disn't say before and say why you didn't add it.

Your testimony and statements must always be as detailed as possible, never assume, while they do, that the jury knows what happened. You are the one telling. In case of SA you must say the name of the specific body parts that were touched, with what and how. It's all for it to be coherent with the results of the medical evaluation.

In most cases you will have to wait years for evidence and people to be recolegted to have some to go to court. It's valid if you don't remember everything, but take note on places, time and date, and if possible, faces and/or names (nicknames count too).

"I don't know" and "I don't remember" are VALID answers in court, always say this lines instead of lying.

Never refer that you don't remember other testimonies you gave, it gives the impression you don't remember your "lines". Just say "I don't remember what happened exactly, what I remember is..."

Sometimes layers will ask the same thing several times, phrased differently, in order to get a different answer. Don't be ashame to repeat the answer and call them off by saying "I already answered (say the answer again)" in case the lawyer in your side is bad and doesn't object the question for repetitive.

In case of vaginal rape, AFAB people have all different types of hymen, it doesn't always break, but there are still other rypes of vaginal scarring. Infections are also common in case of SA. Penetration of almost any type leaves scaring, other forms of touch that are not punches or hit does not.

Try, if you have the means, to have a psicologist with experience in court (in spanish profesionals linked to court are called peritos) and colaborate. Even if you don't have the symptoms of a "good victim" "default victim", you WILL have simptoms, that their testimony explaining thems helps a lot to make the jury believe you.

In some places if you are a family member of the accused you will be obligated to attend to court but you will have the right of not giving testimony if you fear your word can be used agaisnt that person. The accused also tends to have the right of not giving testimony, and if they do give testimony they are not obligated by law to say the truth unlike witnnesses (because, let's be real. Who is going to admit it?)

You can be charged for lying in court, conviction will change depending where you live. However, if nobody (the lawyers, the judges and the jury) decide to let it slide in order to not make a whole new case based in that you lied, you might get away with it, specially if you lied in a detail. (Really, I have seen so many people get away with it.)

Anyone who fears being accused of rape over being raped doesn't know shit and it's a massive red flag. In court you have to prove both that there was "sex" and that it was "forced" as two separate things. Most of the time you can't prove it without scars that match a medical history and proves of violence used against the victim. Most of SA cases never get to court anyway, then proving it is even harder.

Always anwser the question of the lawyer first and then explain. First, because your testimony is being registered so that makes it easy to mark, and second, if you start with the explanation you might loose the focus and not only never answer the question, but it looks af if you are making an excuse.

Most white cisgender straight people, specially man, don't really know what SA is. Most of them will think that doing it while the other person is drunk, to give an ultimatum, to insist until the other will allow in order to be left alone, to scare them into doing it, anything if there wasn't penetration, or even things like groping and catcalling don't count as SA. They do. So most of these people will defend the idea that it wasn't SA because they genuinely don't understand that what they did was SA. Always be explicit and precise with what happened.

Related to the other point, most people, again cis staight men mostly, think that it has to be violent, that one must be forced to submit, and there must be punches for it to be rape. That is not the case, but always be prepared to have to fight off this idea.

Defense lawyers, in my personal experience, tend to be assholes more than any other lawyer. Some will even treat the case as if winning a competition over making justice.

Cases CAN be reopen if a LAWYER asks for it, but most of the time it doesn't work because witnneses refuse to go a second time, specially the victims as it opens wpunds and forces them to live the trauma again, specially with minors.

It can vary in different countries, but most of the time is actually harder to condemn than not. To condemn the judges have to specify what evidence makes the story of ehat happened believable, build up a story/theory of that happened linked to everything exposed and the sentence must be approved by the jury. On the other hand, a "there wan't enough evidence" is enough to absolve. (That is why to reopen the case might lead to setting the accused free in a easier way, since there aren't as many testimonies nor as many evidence as the last time)

Some lawyer of defense, this links from the two previous point, will be assholes for that, to make the work harder for everyone. Witnesses, other lawyers, judges and jury alike, so the evidence and testimonies can't be collected properly.

I will see if later I have anything more to say, but this is all I can recolect for now. Reminder that laws might change depending where you live, always check them and try to be aware of your rights.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Hi Lofty!

Fellow Healthcare worker here, I think I remember you saying you work nights? I'm a dayshifter that will be transitioning to overnights in a month, and am both excited and scared since this will be something new not just for me but for my whole department.

I was curious, did you specifically choose nights, and how do you like it compared to days? I would think nights would be quieter, but I also know to expect the unexpected, and things can go from dead to hectic in an instant.

Also, do you have any advice for going to an overnight schedule? I'm sure my sleep and eating habits will be messed up for the first few weeks until I get into a routine, are there any other challenges you think I should expect?

Sorry to talk work, I know you probably come here to get away from that, but I don't really have anyone else to talk to and felt you are a safe person to talk to.

Anyway, have a good day/night/whenever you happen to be awake! (I am well aware our schedules can be very wacky)

Hello! :D

I did in fact specifically choose nights. On my unit you have the option to do just nights or to rotate, and you can request to go on a waiting list to work only day shift. I prefer nights, but it’s a mixed bag to be perfectly honest. (This got long so I’m putting everything under the cut)

What I like about nights is that there are fewer people (there aren’t eight thousand teams rounding through the room who never introduce themselves to me and come and go without telling me a darn thing, or they ask me a million questions), visitor restrictions apply (I love family coming to see the patient… just don’t love having to entertain them or be interrogated by them while I’m trying to do stuff lol), the coworkers are much chiller it’s a very different vibe between day workers and night workers, and no management.

What I don’t like about nights is essentially not work related - it freaking kills your life outside of work. Let’s say you work three nights in a row. When you get off it’s the morning of the next day, and you can either make yourself stay up and be a zombie but awake to enjoy that day off, or you sleep the entire day, which wastes a day off, and then you’re still nocturnal for your remaining time off, which makes doing normal people things difficult. It can strain your mental health, especially with lack of sunlight, so you just have to find a way to handle it that works best for you.

I will say, there is one more thing that I don’t like about nights: many providers feel like nights are just “status quo time,” in other words, don’t do any interventions to rock the boat. I’ve fought and argued with doctors multiple times for patients who are showing warning signs of decompensating only to be ignored because they don’t want to do anything drastic on night shift. Had it happen pretty recently and just about wanted to punch an intensivist (I had told the resident that we needed to temporize the patient’s K because it was 5.5, and given his AKI and low UO we should consider options like diuresing or even CRRT and since the resident was brand new she listened, but the intensivist later was like “eh you didn’t need to do that” and wouldn’t do anything about the pt’s nonexistent urine output and ATJEIWOAJFDKSALJFEIWO I do not like that man)

Advice for going to night shift! I’ll make it bullet points so I stop having these giant paragraphs:

When possible, try to cluster shifts together. That way you’re not constantly jumping back and forth with your sleep cycle

The day before you work, there are multiple ways to make yourself nocturnal in preparation. I usually push myself to stay up as late as possible, and go to bed between 4-7am. Others will take a nap in the afternoon before their shift.

Black out curtains are your beloved. They make sleeping during the day so much easier. If you can’t afford those at the moment, an eye mask is a cheaper and effective alternative.

Many of us need some kind of noise to help settle our minds after work since many go to bed directly after work. A fan, a white noise machine, anything like that. I personally like ambience videos off YouTube, rain and thunderstorms or crickets and stuff.

If you’re trying to fall asleep after a shift and it just ain’t happening, there are a few things you can try. If benadryl makes you sleepy, you can try using that, though I don’t necessarily recommend making it a habit so much as a backup plan. Some people say magnesium makes them sleepy. I’ve used alcohol before to help me sleep but it doesn’t promise the best sleep. Another option is carbs! I’ll eat just a couple slices of bread or something and then you get a nice little food coma feeling.

Try not to kill yourself with your caffeine intake lol. And note when to stop caffeinating so you can fall asleep! I usually have to stop by 4am or I won’t be able to sleep right after work. (Though lately I’ve given up on falling asleep right after work, it usually takes my mind a couple hours to settle down so I fall asleep closer to 10/11am or so)

Note that working nights is probably gonna take a toll on your mental and physical health. Take vitamin D supplements to compensate for the lack of daylight, it’ll help boost your mood too. A lot of us have light lamp therapy stuff too, especially for winter. Try to find a good balance of letting yourself rest at home to wind down and being with some kind of support system.

Have fun! Night shift crew is almost always awesome, we’re wacky and fun and laid back! :)

[joelmiller321]

joel’s everything|| Joel miller

part 3

joel's pov

i grab her hand and note her ring and smile "you have it still" "of course i do...it's one of the last things i had of you. i wouldn't have traded it even if it meant i went hungry forever" she tells me. i take off my necklace and take the ring off of it and she takes it and slides it on my finger. "why weren't you wearing it?" her eyes soft. i stop our walk and cup her face and say "i couldn't bare the sight of it. it hurt too much to think you died out there to give us more time so we could live. but i couldn't rid of it either. it became a...hurting comfort. reminded me of what i had and what could've been if i did more to stop you. if i insisted we stuck together. but it filled my heart up with so much love and also a lot of pain. not only that but i worked with my hands in the QZ. the last thing id have wanted was for it to get fucked up. i kept it at my heart. just as this picture of you"

she kisses me and tells me "i'm sorry" "never apologize. i just wish things woulda been different darlin. but we're here now. together again and that's what matters baby" i tell her. she nods and i just take her in. my god she's just...breathtaking. always was.

she asks with a soft smile on her lips "what?" i reply "you're beautiful" she rolls her eyes smiling bashful as always. she's never been good at taking compliments no matter how much i'd give them to her. she replies "let's go" and we go find ellie with maria. maria says seeing her "newcomers have a new house already" what? she says "joel's my husband they're moving with me maria. ellie we should talk" maria nods and ellie comes with us and ellie asks "moving with you? we have to leave soon" i shake my head "we can't ellie" "why? we have to do this not for us joel but everyone else" she says. i reply "it's not gonna work ellie. we're gonna stay here" "how can you possibly say that? after everything? tess?" shit.

my wife asks "who's tess?" i say "she was with us. with me" "with you how?" she asks jealousy in her voice. taking her hand away, i take it back never wanting to go without her touch again in my life. "we were partners. we lived together because it was cheaper in the qz. we smuggled together. came across ellie together. she died on the way." i explain. she asks "and you never...with her?" i admit "she wanted to. tried. but i never let it happen. tess was just a friend baby." i tell ellie "i know it ain't gonna work. we both do" "you believed it until you reunited with nicolette. which i'm happy for you joel. i really am. but you can't just throw away the thought of saving the world because of it" she tells me. i look to nicolette for help and she does "ellie i was told the same things you were. that your immunity will amount to something to a cure" ellie freezes "wait you're...holy shit"

niki nods "yeah. i grew up in labs and getting shit done i never figured out why. i cant even catch a cold anymore. then i got you know...and i didnt...i went to doctors spent years with them. getting blood taken, getting part of the cordycept that's in our brain taken hoping they could turn it into something useful. and it didnt work. it never worked. ellie they took part of mine...if you go... they might take the whole thing" "the whole thing...meaning my brain?" ellie asks. she nods "yeah. meaning you won't be here. and it'll amount to nothing. don't let them tear you apart for nothing the way i did kid. okay? stay here. where you're safe. where there's kids your age and where you can be happy" ellie looks to me and i nod and ellie nods "okay"

part 4

[krikeymate]

Tara is built different cause she got a hunting knife buried hilt deep into her abdomen. Maybe Sam caries superglue or something in her bag to temporarily stop bleeding or something. Please get my girl surgery for that stab wound tho, don’t make her walk all the way into the sunset to reach the ambulance.

Sam leaving the house like: taser, check. Tara's spare inhaler, check. Superglue, check.

So, I have done a little research, and it seems it's possible that she would be 'fine' as we see her, but I'm not a doctor lol. Realistically, she absolutely had to go to the hospital afterwards and as far as I'm concerned, they do. They're either walking to a spare ambulance or to a taxi to take them to the hospital because it's cheaper than an ambulance. My research says:

With stab wounds to the abdomen, the main danger is from bleeding out.

With applied pressure, that wound can begin to clot in about 10 minutes.

With stomach wounds there is a high chance of damage to the intestines, which will require medical care asap.

[umflowers]

if anyone is wondering how healthcare in the united states is going, i just spent over an hour playing phone tag bc there's a national manufacturer's back order of one of my medications, victoza i usually get it filled at a different pharmacy than all of my other medications bc that one is located in a hospital that has a 340b federal grant, which lets them dispense certain medications for way cheaper without even going through insurance, bc there's enough poor people living nearby can't get it filled there, the best time table they could give me is 'we're hoping to get some in july, but we're not sure and don't know when exactly' and they put me on a list with more than 100 other people trying to get refills so i call my normal pharmacy, which doesn't have the 340b grant and would have to go through my insurance. they're also on backorder, but she checks her system and goes 'oh! actually it says we have 30 in stock and can order more' so she does and then tells me 'i don't know if we'll actually get any, but if we do it'll come in on monday' so i do a cursory search to make sure there's no discount program from the manufacturer. there is, but you can't have insurance (i do) and have to have diabetes (i don't), so i don't qualify oookay, so time to call my insurance company. her system says the out-of-pocket for one refill would be $150-155 but doesn't say whether that's for a 30 or 90 day supply, and my plan says i'm responsible for 30% of the cost but caps out at $200 and it doesn't matter if that's for 30 or 90 days, so she thinks based on my plan that the $150-155 is for a 30 day supply, and if that's the case i might as well go for a 90 day supply since that'd cap out at $200 anyway and then i have more of the medication in case the shortage continues so they need prior authorization. so i call my doctor's office back, cuz i had called asking for any workarounds, and the best they can do is tell me to use goodrx, which would lower the cost to like $550 (i had already checked) so i give them the info from the insurance company and they're gonna do a prior auth to see if my insurance will cover it (which it may not, since it's technically a diabetes med, which i don't have) even if it is covered, the new approved script will show up in the patient portal for my prescription drug coverage and i have to keep an eye out for it showing up, then i have to call the pharmacy and have them manually fill it, bc it's not communicated automatically so IF my usual pharmacy gets some delivered monday, and IF my insurance company approves coverage, and IF all the paperwork goes through before other people claim all the refills from the possible shipment on monday, and IF i can scrounge up $200, i, a 400+ pound person with a dozen chronic pain-causing conditions that both make it so i can't be mobile enough to lose weight and that weight exacerbates the pain creating an endless cycle, may be able to get one of my medications and if not, i can MAYBE get some the usual way sometime next month, maybe, maybe not, and the pharmacist i spoke to was audibly incensed with me for asking, which i'm gonna guess was fatphobia. in the medical field?! shocker! and all i had to do was play phone tag for an hour and a half with the insurance company that takes $200+ out of every single one of my husband's paychecks for our 'coverage' but i will say, everyone i've spoken to trying to work this out other than that one pharmacist was incredibly kind, helpful, and sympathetic and hey, this is still better than my old pharmacy trying to force me to re-use single-use vials of my arthritis medication and literally screaming at me for telling them they had forgotten to include the methotrexate in my bag of refills, leaving me without the med that helps the most with my pain things are going great

[timeoverload]

This day isn't going very well so far. I don't know what to do. I feel helpless in this situation.

I called the hospital a little while ago and they told me they were planning to discharge my mom today. She is not better and she is not being compliant with treatment. She says her head still hurts but she is refusing pain medications now. I think she is going to die if she leaves. A subdural hematoma can be fatal if it isn't treated properly. There are a lot of long-term complications that could occur and I'm afraid she could have a seizure or a psychotic episode. The bleeding can cause too much pressure on the brain. She is going to be more confused than she already is and she's not safe. I know my mom is trying to leave mostly because they won't let her have a cigarette. She doesn't know what she's doing. I tried to text her and I never got a response. I haven't talked to her since Saturday.

The people at the hospital don't seem to be too concerned about her well-being because she has probably been causing other problems. I know she is hard to deal with as it is and they probably want to get rid of her. I am frustrated about the lack of proper mental health care in this country. I hate how people like her are demonized and misunderstood. I'm not sure if she is being treated differently because she is homeless and can't pay. That is illegal but it's hard to know for sure when she is so far away. The case worker at the hospital wasn't much help and it seemed like she didn't want to talk to me since they are planning on discharging her anyway.

I wish I would have been able to be her power of attorney but she wouldn't agree to it even though my grandma and I are her emergency contacts. That is making this process more difficult.

I was hoping I could get more answers about the person that hit her but no one has been able to share that information with me yet. I don't know enough about the accident. My mom couldn't tell me anything other than what the vehicle looked like.

I am waiting for a doctor or someone to call me so I can try to figure out if she can go somewhere else other than the shelter. That is where they are planning on taking her. I know they aren't going to do anything to help her.

It is frustrating to try to get all of this figured out over the phone. I have never been in this situation before. I still think I am going to need to go up there. I need to see her even if she doesn't want to cooperate and come home. I need to say goodbye to her. I know I don't have a lot of time.

I looked to see how much a flight would cost and it's ridiculously expensive. I'm not paying $1500 and I'm not flying by myself. I think it would be cheaper to rent a car and drive up there. I have never rented a car by myself. It's also an 8 hour drive so that's going to be a challenge to do on my own. I don't know if I would have enough to pay for a hotel room up there so it's possible that I would have to sleep in the car. I haven't planned anything yet. I think I will make that decision tomorrow.

I am probably going to take tomorrow off too because it is taking me so long to figure anything out. I am going to need to call my boss later to explain the situation because I just sent her a brief text last night. I need to go back on Wednesday for sure. The health nurse said that I would qualify for intermittent FMLA so that I could get a care plan set up for her. I could take FMLA if I do travel up there. I wouldn't get paid while I was off but it would protect me from losing my job. I don't want to have to do that but I need to. I also was already having a tough time before she got hurt so the extra time off is necessary at the moment.

I'm not handling all of this very well. I knew that something bad was going to happen. I am trying not to get too worked up right now because it's not going to do any good. I am doing everything I can from home. I hate waiting for people to call me back and it's making me anxious.

I am doing my best to take care of myself today because it was a struggle all weekend. I took a shower this morning and put on clean pajamas and that helped. I need to eat something soon. I am losing weight again. I have been eating but it's not enough. I think I should have more energy tomorrow. I'm going to try to relax as much as possible while I wait for phone calls. Hopefully the rest of the day is better.

I hope everyone else is having a good day so far. Thank you for listening to me. 💖💖💖

[fatphobiabusters]

So this might be a silly question and I'm sorry in advance. But, I heard reading nutrition labels is a sign of "disordered eating" because they force you to reevaluate your choices based on the calories/fat/etc (I'm paraphrasing). Is it bad to look at food labels to see other things? I try to make sure what I eat (packaged food wise) has at least a few grams of fiber because I have digestive problems and, well, metamucil is just really gross. I look at the sugar to see how much is added because I have a strong family history of diabetes (although, I feel like i read somewhere that sugar intake doesn't have anything to do with diabetes, but I could be wrong). And in the case of "fortified" food, like cereal, I look to see how much Vitamin D is in them because I need to get as much of that as possible. Would this still be viewed as "disordered eating"? I'm not reconsidering my choices based on calories, but on different nutritional parameters. Kind of like I have to read the ingredients to make sure there's no sesame because I am allergic (RIP sesame chicken, you will be missed).

Should I even bother, or should I select foods I want/like instead of basing my choice on other nutritional value? One example is applesauce. I buy a high-fiber strawberry applesauce that is OK (and more expensive) instead of the generic strawberry applesauce that is cheaper and tastier. Is looking at other nutritional facts aside from the "big ones" (fats/carbs/calories) still considered "disordered" because it still artificially separates foods into healthy/unhealthy categories based on some made-up parameters, or is it more just me looking out for specific dietary needs that I have trouble maintaining?

Personally I look for foods with iron! I'm anemic. This is a situation where nutrition labels can be really helpful for people who have special dietary needs and is 100% okay.

Calories don't help people make "good" decisions 99.9999% of the time (when you are feeding someone whose been starving you def want to count calories then, for instance which is why its not 100% of the time).

The information wasn't decided on by neutral thinking, calories being so dominant on labels shows that. But we as consumers can check how we use this info. Our reasons and motivations. You're doing fine!

I believe based on my mom and her diabetes/pre diabetes it's carbs she has to count. Sugar can certainly spike your blood sugar but the long term health seems to be carbs!

More info here: https://www.diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/understanding-carbs

"There are three main types of carbohydrates in food—starches, sugar and fiber. As you’ll see on the nutrition labels for the food you buy, the term “total carbohydrate” refers to all three of these types." (But don't fear fiber is important, they acknowledge that.)

You said it runs in your family and the only advice I can give is to see what the latest research says. Family who get educated on something don't necessarily keep up with what's new and especially if they are going at it alone (they can't regularly see a doctor or afford blood testing machines/strips for example) they often find what works and that's it.

Diabetes doesn't run in my family btw that's just something I've noticed about a lot of people with chronic conditions.

Slight aside: if your gallbladder starts acting up get rid of it because it can mess up your pancreas and thats my current theory on why my mom is diabetic now. Her gallbladder caused pancreantitus twice. She couldn't afford to get her gallbladder removed the first time and it happened again. Very severly so.

Anyway back to the point at hand. I'm a follower of "food is medicine" thinking, well when the thinking is positive. (Apparently some people use that term in weird ways.)

If you've got a condition that isn't being blamed on weight/race/gender and is showing up on tests, you can definitely use those labels to make informed health choices. It's technically disordered but it's not in a way that follows a negative relationship with food/eating. In situations like yours it's part of a medical treatment and self care in the most literal sense. These are tools you can use.

You can have non beneficial food in moderation, of course. When you deny yourself everything tempting is when that slippery slope starts. If you'd rather have the cheaper taster applesauce then I'd personally try to add that fiber back in another meal. For people with medical needs it can feel like a fine line but it's really just trying to thrive.

Disclaimer here: part of bodily autonomy is that you can choose not to do anything at all, your body is yours alone. I know a friend of my mom who refused to amputate her leg and while my mom would want more time with her friend it's ultimately that friends choice to risk infections and a shorter life. No matter what you choose to do with an aspect of your health you deserve respect.

Sorry of this is a bit scattered but tldr you are doing great and you're coming from a place of trying to give your body what it needs not denying it things arbitrarily.

[erasethedarkness]

Hi! Can I request some Aizawa x ftm reader fluff? I'm just so in love with this man 😭

Hi there! Thank you so much for getting back to me when I had more questions about what to write for you. -^^- As I was writing this, I was a little concerned it wasn’t fluffy enough, so I apologize if it’s not! I’m happy to re-work it, make it fluffier, or try my hand at a different scenario for you if that’s the case. ^^’ 

Reader: FTMScenario: Aizawa accompanies you to your consultation with an SRS specialist surgeon, there to support you in any way that he can. You two have been dating for years, and he has been with you from when you started testosterone injections, to now, as you move forward with your surgical options. Word count: 1361

Years. You had waited years for this appointment. Honestly, it felt like you waited a whole lifetime, and sitting in the waiting room as time drudged on only served to turn your excitement into anxiety. Even though it was only a consultation, you were making progress on finally getting top surgery. Inside, you felt like a nervous wreck. What if they denied you, or couldn’t do it for some reason? What if you couldn’t afford it? Or if-

“(Y/N).”

Your thoughts froze as you heard his voice. It was low, and no matter what he was saying, always carried a gravity to it that grounded you. You were staring off into space, eyes seemingly glued to the clock even though you weren’t reading the time, and began to subconsciously wring your hands, nails scraping underneath each other absentmindedly. His fingers slipped between your palms as he separated your hands, taking the one to hold on top of his thigh with your fingers intertwined. The touch of his hand prompted your eyes to blink and then you turned your face, looking at the man beside you. He didn’t smile as your eyes met, but he didn’t need to. Those commanding black eyes of his reassured you that he was there with you, that this appointment would go well, and that everything would be more than fine.

A smile pressed on your lips, however. How did you get so lucky to have Aizawa Shouta as a partner? The pro hero whose epithet should have read “The Aloof Hero” instead of “The Erasing Hero” was actually the most supportive and considerate person you had ever met. It was a severely guarded secret of his that presented itself over the span of years to most, but with you, it had only taken a few months- and then the rest was history. It’s been years since then- he was there from the start of the T-injections, and he was here as you moved forward with your transition.

“Thank you,” you whispered to him, taking a deep breath that filled your belly and then escaped your lips.

As your nerves were finally subsiding, the door opened and you were called for. Aizawa stood with you, still holding your hand and giving you a reassuring squeeze that kept your anxiety from spiking again. You were led to an office, two seats angled towards each other and facing the desk that your potential surgeon sat behind. She greeted you with a bright smile and cheerful disposition, standing and gesturing to the seats for you two, offering her hand for a shake as you two sat. Instantly, you were at ease, your partner paying close attention while the doctor spared no details about the processes for each type of surgery and what made them different and what they were most effective for. At the end, she asked you for your opinions- if you had any preferences or absolutes that needed to be considered. You worked together, nixing each surgery until you were left with one. During all of this, your partner simply observed closely.

“Okay, this one is definitely the best fit for me. It suits my chest size and covers everything that I had hoped for, but wasn’t sure if it would be possible.” Your voice was so happy- this was so unreal. You looked at Aizawa with the happiest smile he’d seen in weeks from you.

“Of course. We aim to assist our patients in being as comfortable as possible in their own skin. This procedure is more complex than most, due to the precision necessary to maintain the sensitivity of your areolas, as well as keep their pigmentation. At minimum, it will cost ¥650,000.”

“I’m sorry- it costs how much? A-are the other procedures cheaper?” That price tag was ludacris to you. There was no way you could afford that; you were expecting maybe half or a quarter of that number- but ¥650,000- it just wasn’t feasible.

“Well, yes, of c-”

“(Y/N).” There it was again- that voice that calmed and steadied you. The surgeon turned to look at the man she honestly forgot about due to his stillness and silence, your eyes shifting to him as well.

“Y-yes, Shouta?”

“I didn’t support you through years of T and struggling to see you settle and take the cheaper route. Pick the procedure that fits best, and don’t worry about the money.” His voice was level, but you could pick up on the height of his command.

“But-” However, you couldn’t obey.

“If you’re going to do this, you’re going to do it right,” he sharply cut you off. You could tell that this was non-negotiable. Even though Aizawa must have sounded controlling and rude to the doctor, who looked stunned and unsure of what to say, he didn’t to you. He wasn’t infringing on your bodily autonomy- he was liberating you from the financial restraint. You didn’t hide your excitement and happiness before the price was revealed, and he attentively listened as you and the surgeon narrowed down your options to the one that you knew was ‘definitely the best fit’ you.

“Don’t worry about the money.”

Silence befell the room as Aizawa’s eyes stared at you intensely. Once again, you took a deep breath, closing your eyes in the process and turning to look to the surgeon.

“I would like to schedule the surgery for the procedure we agreed was best for me.”

The surgeon hesitated, looking between you and your partner. “…You’re sure? It seemed out of your price range. We require a 25% deposit when the-”

“¥650,000 is within our price range,” Aizawa spoke nonchalantly, the intensity from before seeming to have never existed at all to him. Your heart fluttered as you lingered on that possessive.

Still taken aback, the woman across the desk conceded. She pulled up her calendar, and you picked the earliest date available. Insisting on paying the deposit, you refused to let Aizawa cover the 25% down. You were prepared for at least that much. Much to the doctor’s surprise, she saw Aizawa accepting your demand without so much as a glare or sigh. It finally dawned on her that he wasn’t being rude earlier- he was paying you the greatest respect.

You took Aizawa’s hand as you both exited the office, leaving the SRS specialty clinic after that emotional rollercoaster of a consultation. For the longest time, neither of you said anything. There was so much for you to process. The surgery you wanted for so much of your life was finally on the calendar- it was basically tangible now. A countdown started the second that deposit went through, making you so elated you didn’t know what to say. And then there was the love of your life- unrivaled in rationality- who floored you and the doctor with what seemed like complete impulsivity. Your eyes drifted to his face, gazing at him with adoration and a smile on your lips. In the years you’d known him and the ones spent loving him, you never saw him react to something brashly. This was no exception.

“What’s on your mind?” His eyes glanced to the side and met yours briefly. Your smile only grew before you looked away, paying attention to where you were going. You squeezed his hand, feeling him squeeze back affectionately.

“I was thinking that I’m really lucky to be with you.”

At your words, Aizawa stopped walking. With your hands still held, you felt some resistance and looked back at him, getting pulled into his arms. As one hand came to your lower back, the other raised to your face, caressing your jawline before he gently held your chin between his thumb and index finger. The way he gazed at you took your breath away, and you held what little you had left in your chest.

“You shouldn’t credit luck,” he spoke softly, drawing nearer, “because it’s not by happenstance that my heart beats for you. You are my best fit, (Y/N).” You were speechless, and that was just fine with him as his lips joined yours in a gentle, loving kiss.

[valkerymillenia]

It astounds me how out of touch social workers and charity workers can be sometimes.

Like, don't get me wrong, they are nice and want to help but they don't grasp our reality because even though they can SEE it, they have never experienced it.

We're trying to survive on 300€ a month and I'm not even talking about fines, debts, emergencies, car and appliance repairs, medical bills, etc. I'm just taking about basics like rent, basic living bills, gas and food.

It's not enough, we often end up going weeks without hot water and have to recycle the same cheap meals over and over (in fact, we get one real meal a day plus a snack because there's no way to afford 3 square meals) and we still end up having to borrow money if a very serious emergency happens (and sometimes we can't even do that).

The point is, this social center case worker tries to help my dad and manage his things and she keeps hammering on the same advice and try our best to follow it but then we have conversations like today.

Her: "You need get rid of crutches like credit cards. They are debt makers."

Us: "We have."

Her: "Ok but you need to save up for the house payments so they don't pile up."

Us: "We try but the amounts change every depending on the maintenance, sometimes it's just too much."

Her: "Ok, but you need to save up more."

Us: "We can't save what we don't have."

Her: "Yes but you can't get more into debt, you need to save up for these issues."

Us: "Ok, how?"

Her: "Little things like eating cheaper, don't go out, don't buy brand products, say no to impulses and little luxuries, cut on your vices..."

Us: "Ma'am, we only leave the house for groceries, doctor's appointments and to see you, we don't "go out". We haven't bought a brand name product in a decade and a half. We cook and eat the preserves you give us plus the cheapest and most basic foods available. We can't afford to have impulses or luxuries and we have cut on vices, we don't smoke or drink or have hobbies where we spend any money. We literally have none of the things you mentioned and I often forgo my own medication when I don't make enough money afford it, we often spend weeks without hot water for the same reason, the only way we can cut back more is if we starve or if we live by candle light. What else do you want from us? Our blood?"

Her: "There's always ways to save up. I know it's hard, it's hard for me too, but there's always something, for example, I have 3 children and if they ask for something they don't need I just say no. If I feel like eating out, I just stay in instead. It's hard but my husband and I manage to save up, I need to save up at least 200€ for gas every week just for my work commute and to get around and it's really hard but I manage it."

Us: "...Ma'am, you're saying you spend two thirds of our monthly earnings in a week just on gas alone. Does that not put our predicament into perspective for you?"

Her: "it's different. We all have to learn to live within our means and with what we have."

Us: "Ma'am... Living within our means isn't possible when every basic survival need costs more than what we have. Even if we do manage not to die, that's not actually called living."

Her: "I'm sure if I make another house visit to your place I'll help you find areas to save up on. Of course, you don't HAVE to take my advice, what you do is up to you."

It must be nice to be able to say these things so casually without immediately feeling like throwing up from the anxiety of the situation, I guess it comes from not having to actually experience the reality you're witnessing.

[dxmedstudent]

What is your impression/impression of your colleagues towards physician associates, particularly American PAs that come to work in the UK? I'm currently exploring options as my husband can transfer to the UK for his work. We've both always wanted to live abroad for a time. However, as I look more deeply into the interwebs, I get the feeling that PAs, particularly American, aren't well received. Thoughts?

Hello! Long time no see. Sorry for the late reply. I actually went back to forums and had a re-read after getting this ask because I wanted to present the arguments (whether wrong or right) that I saw. I hope it helps, though I want you to remember that not everyone feels this way; people who don’t have any strong feelings just don’t bother debating things like this online. In real life, I’ve heard very little negativity about PAs from other doctors. I think most feel pretty neutral about the whole thing. But I don’t want to sweep things under the carpet. Personally, I’ve only ever worked with doctors’ assistants (more limited duties, mostly helping out with odd jobs, bloods etc, no clerking) but I have no problem with the idea of PAs, as long as their role is clearly defined so that everyone gets what they need. One of my good friends from biomed went to PA school after graduating, and I think she’s having great fun. So I want to approach this with the attitude that PAs are our people, too.  I’ll be honest, the topic of PAs seems to still be pretty be divisive amongst the medical community, from what I’ve seen on the big junior doctor forums. I’d say that there are people who are very pro-PAs, and others who are less enthusiastic. Though the reasons why are complex.

I don’t think the reception is anything to do with people being American, in the sense that i’ve never seen PAs’  nationalities be described as an issue. Despite occasional jibes, Americans are generally well liked here, and I’ve never overheard negative comments about a colleague’s Americanness. Is that a word? Feels like it should be. I’m actually sure US PAs might even be assumed to recevie a more comprehensive one than our own, if only because our own PA profession is very recent; we didn’t have PAs at all when I was younger. US-based training tends to be well-respected, as far as I know. The reasons for tensions between doctors and PAs here are many. First of all, PAs are a very recent invention. They have only been around for several years in the NHS. As such, we have a system that was built without their role, meaning that in order to have PAs at all, we need to make sure to carve out a role that does justice to what PAs can do, without taking away important opportunities from senior nurses/nurse prescribers/ANPs and junior doctors.This means that a lot of hospitals structure the role very differently, hence what a PA at one hospital does might not be the same as what a PA at another hospital does. This means if anyone wants to be a PA in the UK, it’s worth really shopping around, if you can, to see if you can get the most support and best role for you. I’d be really careful to make sure that the role made it clear what support is available for decisionmaking. PAs should have oversight from at least a registrar, ideally. I’ll come back to this later, but if anyone is making clinical decisions, it’s important that they are supported appropriately; I’m against giving nurses or paramedics or PAs or pharmacists prescribing privileges, just enough responsibiltiy to get them into trouble, but not giving people the right support for if they aren’t sure what to do. As a doc, having senior support is a big part of my job, and I think any one of my clinical colleagues deserves this, particularly if the government are trying to save money by getting them to do more doctors’ jobs so they don’t have to hire as many docs. And where PAs have in theory to get more junior docs to sign off on their decisions, lots of juniors aren’t comfortble with that idea. Because you generally have to be a bit more experienced before you can take repsonsibiltiy for others and their work. An FY1 or FY2 ‘supervising’ a PA wouldn’t be appropriate for either. And deep down msot of us docs feel that bringing in more ANPs, bringing in PAs, allowing pharmacists and paramedics and nurses to prescribe, a lot of it isn’t ultimately created with the interests of the clinician in mind. Ultimately the government does everything it does to save itself money, and given what they put junior doctors through in recent years, we are very, very bitter and wary with ANY government scheme. A lot of people worry  that bringing in PAs is just a way of the government trying to provide people to do doctor jobs on the cheap, without supporting them or training them up properly. And given that they’ve structured nurse training in such a way that trusts try to get by with as few senior nurses as possible, because it’s cheaper to have lots of HCAs and lower band nurses, I think all NHS workers have reason to be wary.   I’m going to spend most of this post outlining some of the issues that people have brought up in various threads, which aren’t necessarily issues I myself share, but I feel I have to discuss why some people are still adjusting to PAs cropping up. Not all doctors like the way having PAs works in practice, at least where they have worked. Some people grouse about the pay, because some of the PA slots advertised give a higher salary than you get for the frist several years of being a junior doctor, whilst most of them don’t do nights or oncalls, and have to take less clinical responsibility.  On the surface, it doesn’t seem fair; why should someone working better hours, and taking less legal responsibility be paid more? But I don’t believe in bringing everything down to the lowest common denominator; if anything, it should be an argument for better pay for nurses, doctors, physios, pharmacists etc.  In reality, I suspect they have made a few posts that pay unusually well to entice senior nurses to train up as PAs, and sort of get the ball rolling. The numbers are much smaller than the number of docs and nurses, so they can afford to pay more. Also, my colleagues have a point that that’s a PA’s final salary and that the job role is more limited, whereas junior docs (in our system, at least), get to train up to do different things, and eventually earn more.  Some act like PAs get a bad deal, others are envious; I think both jobs can be good if you’re the right person for that job. I’m sure it’s a better role for some people. Now, a small part of me can see why my colleagues are concerned. When you’re stressing about fulfilling the things you NEED for training, because otherwise your deanery and seniors will totally make out that you’re an inadequate doctor, it puts a lot of pressure on you to get your procedures and cases signed off.  I’ll be honest; medical training as a doctor once you graduate in the UK is minimal; we do our own exams. We have to arrange our own attendance at clinics (which is compulsory), we have to make sure we can get to compulsory teaching. We have to make our own opportunities to do the procedures we need to do to get signed off, see the cases we need, etc. We need to mke our own opportunities for audits, publications, etc. Apart from the occasional nice senior, literally nobody helps you to get all the things you absolutely need to do done. And that’s on top of the usual ward rounds, saving lives, dealing with pts and relatives thing, whilst often being extremely busy and understaffed. And rotating around every few months, so that nobody in the hospitals you work at Junior doctors are genuinely exhausted, overworked, and scrabbling around to get the opportunities they need to get by. Some of my colleagues report working in hospitals where because the PAs were permanent (not rotating) staff, they were given preference for audits, projects, research, procedures, surgery etc to the point where junior doctors felt sidelined and unable to get the training they need. Where they felt that rather than PAs taking on some of the “jobs everyone doesn’t like doing”  on top of clerking, they were given preference for the things both they and docs like doing, but also that docs NEED to do. And I’ve been in situations where I’m tired, struggling to get what I nee to do done, and I can see where they are coming from; I remember having an unpleasant evening, and wondering they were giving a GP trainee a chance to do a lumbar puncture when they’ll never need to do one in their line of work, when there are trainees in the dept that will need to do these procedures independently soon, but never get the opportunity. Of course, I reined in my childish brain, but the reason I felt that way wasn’t really because of my lovely colleague, but because of my stress at the lack of opportunities I got, which the system dictated I needed, but didn’t help me with. I’d never begrudged or been jealous of a colleague before so it was a low moment for me. But I’m sharing it because even generally nice people can feel jealous or let down if the system pits people against each other. And in scenarios like that, it’s not the fault of PAs at all; it should be up to hospitals planning their rota to ensure not only that staffing is well covered, but that trainee docs get enough opportunity to do what they need to do. And that PAs aren’t screwed over. I think blaming other employees is wrong, when the real culprit is a system that pits people against each other or doesn’t give people what they need to get things done. Now, there’s also a bit of rivalry between PA students and med students, more so than grads. Some PA students seem to go into it with the attitude that “It’ll be just like being a doctor, but you graduate faster”, and med students being med students, some of them will treat other clinicians with smug, unearned superiority. I have no time for either of these imposters, personally. Med students who think they are better than everyone don’t make good doctors until they get taken down a peg or two. We’re part of a team, and we can’t do what we do without nurses, physios, pharmacists etc, even PAs if they are part of our team. And people choosing beteeen the two courses shouldn’t think, wrongly that PA school is just the easy way into medicine, or “basically makes me a doctor”, because it’s dangerous to assume a level of competence or practice you don’t have. And because if you don’t understand the role you’re getting into, you may well be disappointed if it doesn’t meet your expectation. I think med students and PA students like this let both sides down, but I hope that real life will knock them into shape. The good news is that a lot of my colleagues on the group report that they’ve worked in places where having PAs worked really well. I think a lot of people would love having more people on the team to help. I’m certainly not against PAs if they are well supported. I think it has a lot of potential, and I’d like to see hospitals develop it properly. Where there were enough opportunities for both, and where PAs . I saw a lot of people say wonderful things about PAs, and defend them when things on the thread got more negative. I have hope for what our PA colleagues will do, I just think we’re still going through a transitional period with its own teething problems. We work well with nurse prescribers, with ANPs and with pharmacist prescribers; I believe we can work well with PAs. I just hope that trusts and the govt will do well by both docs and PAs, and that the relationship we eventually build will be fair to both sides. I suggest doing your research to see the kinds of jobs beingoffered, because they might not be as varied as they are in the US; some places definitely seem to offer jobs for PAs that are mainly paperwork, minor jobs with some phlebotomy, whereas other trusts have scope for clerking or more varied practice. And I would want to make sure that there’s an appropriate level of senior support for decisionmaking.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

WHY I'M SMARTER THAN JUDGEMENTS

Along with such outright lies, there must be a lot more impressed if the answer is to offer people better technology than they have now. What you notice in the Forbes 400 are a lot of startups—more than most people realize, because they only get paid if they build the winner. Fortunately you can also watch real doctors, by volunteering in hospitals. So what they do with computers. What was I? Was gone. Usually their motives are mixed. Expert hackers are a tiny minority, admittedly, but that so many judge themselves by it.

Buy millions of dollars worth of advertising on Yahoo to promote their brand. It's hard for us to feel a sense of urgency as adults over something we've literally been trained not to worry about this. They're effectively free if you're good; and better languages, which make development a lot cheaper. I thought it would be useful if I explained what a nerd was. It is for all ambitious adults. Most of the turning points in economic history are instances of it. I don't see why it ought to be possible for the programmer to guess what library call would do the right thing for your company to do. And if you don't, and that's why hackers like it. This pattern is very old.

The state of the art in programming languages in the next twenty years will be server-based software blows away this whole model. Good people can fix bad ideas, but the companies on either side, like Carnegie's steelworks, which made the rails, and Standard Oil, which used railroads to get oil to the East Coast after Yahoo. They generally do better than investors, because they grow into the trees of the economy. Big companies are just not a good idea. So if you're developing technology for money, you're probably not going to be possible to invest it all. But while in some fields the papers are unintelligible because they're full of hard ideas, in others they're deliberately written in an obscure way to seem as if they're saying something important. But that means you're designing your life to satisfy a process so mindless that there's a whole industry devoted to subverting it. Once you realize how little most people judging you care about judging you accurately—once you realize that most judgements are greatly influenced by random, extraneous factors—that most people are insulated from it most of the members don't like it. What makes the Bay Area would be progressive. But they work as if they had bad table manners. What you need to.

If he had technologists working for him, they were determined to make a language popular? Hackers like to hack, and hacking means getting inside things and second guessing the original designer. But it's hard to switch from one task to another; it changes the mode in which you work. How could I have missed something so obvious for so long. Going public early will not be about whether to make your language strongly or weakly typed, or object oriented, or functional, or whatever, but about the obstacles blacks faced in his time. Obviously it was going to increase productivity dramatically. I don't know of anyone I've met. As Knuth pointed out long ago that speed only matters in certain critical bottlenecks.

In the matter of libraries I think there will be a few stars who clearly should make the team, and many at some point. There does seem to be to answer a question I don't know of anyone I've met. As well as writing software, I had to do sales and customer support. It did originally come with a system to hack: the Lisp Machine. If you're wondering what you're doing every hour. One reason we want kids to be told. That will change with server-based apps get released as a series of small changes.

It's important to realize you're not. In this particular case there is a second much larger class of judgements where judging you is the end goal. I think most businesses that fail do it because they don't give customers what they want. Others seem more innocent; it depends how badly adults lie to maintain their power, and what they learn there depends much more on them than the professors. They walk around feeling horribly evil for having used a swearword, while in fact most of the Lisp programming done today is done in Emacs Lisp or AutoLisp. He was gone. In young hackers, optimism predominates. But unfortunately most investors are terrible judges. This was not uncommon during the Bubble, it's now considered dubious to take companies public before they have earnings. But a hacker can learn quickly enough that car means the first element of a list and cdr means the rest. Nothing could be better, for a new language. It's more straightforward just to make the check out to, you're going to learn that the world is quiet and warm and safe.

You have to work on? They try to protect you from understanding what they're doing. There does seem to be effectively infinite, at least in the short term, the quality of one's ideas. The odds of finding smart professors in the math department. Do the founders of a startup, don't feel that it has to be the next Yahoo. What was I? The Matrix have such resonance. Childhood was getting old.

But most of our users were small, individual merchants who saw the Web not as an opportunity, but as something that meant more work for them. But increasingly startups are evolving into a vehicle for developing technology on spec. Fortunately, if startups get cheaper to start, this conflict goes away, because founders can start them younger, when it's rational to take more risk, and can start more startups total in their careers. We talked to a number of startups that can succeed, regardless of how many are started. No one wants to write programs in a language that can show them what parts of their own programs need to be written in the near future will be server-based apps get released. This happens particularly in the interfaces between pieces of software written by two different people. It's almost like writing applications! So who should start a startup is to run into intellectual property problems. But it turned out. Adults have a certain model of how kids are supposed to behave, and it's the hackers you need to do two things, one of the most remarkable things about the way we lie to kids, the most powerful is the desire to do, personally, is discover a new abstraction—something that would make as much of a difference as having first class functions or recursion or even keyword parameters. The most important way to not spend money is by not hiring people.

[inktae]

You made me super curious about that veganism essay, if you ever feel like sharing, I'd really appreciate it (no pressure though!). I gave up dairy recently because it gave me almost daily headaches and I'm considering going fully vegan (I never really ate a lot of meat to begin with), but I find it really hard to make up my mind. I feel like a lot of the information out there is very us-centric too and doesn't really apply to me, so I'd love to hear a more European/international approach ^^

I did end up translating it, so here you go! :)

a few things I need to point out: I wrote this for a middle school student, so I didn’t delve too much into scientific facts — so please take everything I say with a grain of salt and do your own research if you’re curious, because these are things I learned after reading a lot of studies from certified nutritionists and medical researches.

I also most likely got a little preachy at times (sorry) but please remember that I’m not judging anyone because that is never my intention. I wrote this while keeping in mind that this girl needed it for a school debate where she needed to try and convince people of veganism, which is exactly what I tried to do. ^^” if you are still curious after reading and want to know what kind of documentaries to watch, let me know and I’ll be happy to lead you in that direction.

There are plenty of reasons to approach veganism, or to at least adopt some of the vegan principles into your everyday life; but the most important ones are health, the industry and the planet, and ethics.

Although a healthy diet does not necessarily need to be vegan, a plant based diet can be very beneficial for your body, especially for people with certain chronic diseases, deficiencies or to simply improve your overall health. It has been long since proved that nutrition is tightly linked to the reduction of particular symptoms and the improvement of the quality of life, and a plant based diet definitely carries these benefits. Personally speaking, veganism got rid of my migraines and stabilized my (otherwise disastrous) hormonal situation. It is also proved by nutritionists that a balanced vegan diet, based in real and varied foods, can cover almost every deficiency (except B12, which I will talk about in a second).

One of the myths that worry non vegans the most is the supposed lack of proteins in a plant based diet. This does not suppose any issue at all, as plant based foods are abundant in proteins and it is quite easy to reach the necessary daily intake as long as the diet is varied. A great example are grains — chickpeas, beans, lentils (these in particular are not considered complete proteins as they don’t carry all the amino-acids, but they can easily be completed by including another food that has said amino-acid into your diet, like rice, for example), tofu, tempeh, soy, etc. Plant based proteins are even of higher quality than animal based.

When it comes to supplementation, the only one that is absolutely necessary is B12. This vitamin comes from a bacteria which animals obtain from the ground and the food they’re fed (animals do not have the ability to manufacture vitamin B12), and we would obtain it if we did not wash our vegetables (which we obviously have to do), so it is not necessarily a bacteria that comes from the animals themselves. In some cases they’re even supplemented with said vitamin.

Plenty of people might argue that taking B12 supplements means that it is not a “natural” way of living or that we are not “designed” to be vegan, but in a world where we’re surrounded by technology, where we use phones and cars on a daily basis, what is natural is very relative and what is unnatural does not necessarily mean it’s harmful. The 21th century allows us to be vegan quite easily and that’s what truly matters, not that we were carnivores in the past. It may have been true that millions of years ago it helped us evolve, but we live in a time when we can lead a completely normal life without eating animals, especially if we take into account how harmful and dangerous the industry (industrial farming) has become.

Which leads me to my next point: the industry and the planet. The industry has definitely worsened over the years, as the more it expands and the more its production grows, the quality of the food gets worse and a piece of meat of one hundred years ago is completely different to the one they might sell you today, which is filled with chemicals, antibiotics, hormones… just so the animals grow faster and bigger and taste better. All of this is harmful for the human health (which is a longterm process you might not notice until you’re of adult age. After all, deficiencies take a long time to show up) and it also affects the quality of life of the animals. Unfortunately, there are very few regulations in the industry (both in America and in Europe), which continues to destroy natural landmarks and plays a huge part in the deforestation of the planet. This occurs because the industries need insane amounts of land to be able to grow the crops that serve as food for the animals. If you think about it, it’s quite illogical to destroy so much land to feed the animals that people will then feast on as processed meat full of hormones, instead of directly giving those crops to all the poor people around the world who have no food to get by.

At the same time, it is proved by diverse studies that animal farming produces more greenhouse gases than all of the transport clumped together, which has a huge effect on the planet and global warming. It is also a completely unsustainable system, as the demand continues to rise towards insane levels that the industry can’t even keep up with, which only worsens the deforestation issue. We have reached a point where every second more than three thousand animals are killed in inhuman ways, which only gets worse overtime. All of this is proved and studied through statistics (I really encourage everyone to do their own research on this), but most environmental organizations do not raise awareness as they are sponsored by the same powerful industries (Greenpeace, for example, is sponsored).

(now I get a little graphic on the following paragraphs, please avoid if you’re too uncomfortable about animal torture. Carry on after the *)

When it comes to ethics, I believe that everyone (or most people) would recoil if they saw the living conditions of these animals. As I mentioned before, there are not enough regulations in the industry that look out for the way they live, and the abuse and mistreatment of the animals is quite normal all over the world (even though I did my research through american studies, I was surprised to see that here in Spain it is actually way worse).

These industries only care about selling meat, not the animals. They’re beaten up, tortured, locked in enclosed spaces where they can barely move, they get so fat that their legs break under their weight, the hens get their beaks cut off (they are crammed so close together, they try to peck each other due to stress), and the chicks are gotten rid off by crushing them alive or getting thrown in the trash, where they asphyxiate due to lack of oxygen. It is quite cruel, and there are plenty of videos and documentaries where you can see that this is in fact very real. Earthlings is the most famous one.

*

Another discussion is related to organic meat, and if it is a good option when faced against veganism. Though it might be true that some companies treat their animals better, it is hard to be 100% certain as the regulations (and advertising tactics) can be quite confusing and ambiguous. In some places of the world it can be legal to say a product is organic just because the cages of the animals are just slightly bigger. From an ethical point of view, veganism is still the better choice. When it comes to health, I have to recognize that experts accept that there are lesser risks by eating high quality meats (except red meat, which is still unadvised by nutritionists) but if you compare how much you would spend a month eating organic meats against a whole foods plant based diet (without any processed junk or vegan substitute meats - they tend to be quite expensive, and that’s where the myth of veganism being expensive comes from) then the latter option is way cheaper and more comfortable.

One last argument I have to acknowledge is that veganism is said to be too “extreme”. In my opinion, it should not be considered something extreme or negative to do something good for your own body and for the planet, where the pros definitely outshine the cons. Meat should not be considered an essential staple into your diet, or something you need to be happy — if anything, it should be something additional, and it is crazy to think how so many people view vegetables that way when it should be the other way around. It should not be extremist to base your way of living around plant based sources, not when our society has forced people to believe that meat is essential for a healthy, happy living when it is far from the truth.

It is true that each case has to be treated differently, because each body is different and certain foods will suit some people better than others, but it is something relatively easy to delve into as long as you do your extensive research and are aware of what you’re doing. Veganism is not extremist at all as long as you have the knowledge and the support of a professional, as any changes in your diet (not necessarily related to veganism) needs to be monitored by a doctor.

Veganism should not be perceived that way — because in my opinion, it is mainly focused on reducing animal suffering in the best way we can. It is not absolute. It is not giving up everything in your life. We cannot solve all the problems of the world, but we can make an effort into supporting one cause and having a positive influence in it within our possibilities. We are only human, and just because we are defending one cause in particular (in this case, animals), it does not makes us hypocrites nor insensitive to human issues. There will always be unjust situations we will not be able to solve, and it is in our hands to choose our own battles.

Being vegan does not mean torturing yourself for it, it does not mean to stop enjoying life or getting obsessed with food just to “live a few years longer”. One argument I always see is that we will die sooner or later, so we have to live the way we want to and in the best way possible without worrying too much about those causes or the way we nourish our bodies. But if you truly want to lead an optimal, happy life, and leave a good print before you leave this world, should it not mean giving your body good, delicious and healthy foods that affect positively both your health and the animals, so you can lead an even better life? it is quite disappointing to see that veganism and a healthy plant based lifestyle are so related with “unhappiness” or “obsessing yourself” when it is the complete opposite. When it is done for the right reasons, when it is done right, it does not suppose any major struggle and it can turn around your life for the better. A well balanced plant based diet can even give you a better emotional wellbeing (scientifically proved), which inevitably comes with more happiness.

It is not extreme, it is simply making an effort (which can obviously be hard at first, but easily becomes natural as long as you do it right). Even just going to a restaurant and ordering the vegetarian menu instead of the one with meat does so much good, because you’re creating demand for those kind of products and are showing the world that there is growing interest in this kind of lifestyle.

And I have to add that even though I do defend veganism, I also defend small steps, and that being conscious of these situations and trying to approach some of the ideals of veganism (like meatless mondays, for example), is already beyond incredible in itself, and it is something anyone could easily do. I am sure that a lot of people would genuinely consider the entire transition if they at least tried some of these small steps and saw how easy and fulfilling it is. The sensation you get when you know you’re doing something good (for yourself and for the planet) when there is no meat on your plate is quite indescribable, even more pleasing than the act of eating meat. There are just too many advantages to this kind of lifestyle, and I promise it is truly worth it in the long run.

[yellowpoptart]

So I'm about halfway through my full torso tattoo.

And wanted to do a quick PSA for those considering their first, or a generally large tat. This is in no particular order, just as they came to me.

1. The pain is more of a burning sensation than a stabbing one. Boned areas hurt more than fleshy.

2. You'll probably twitch. The artist will hit a nerve and you'll flinch or in one odd experience when he hit my waist your whole body can seize up like its been electrocuted. The artist will be somewhat used to it and will be able to compensate don't freak out.

3. The best way to both ease pain and stop the twitches is to just try and relax. Tense body is taking all your attention and you'll react more strongly because you are hyper aware. Chat, listen to music, watch YouTube on your phone, so long as the position and artist allow it. Distractions help a LOT

4. Adrenaline. So at first you'll be in pain, but the longer it goes on the more your body will block out the pain, and when you first finish you'll feel fine! Little pain, excited to show everyone, want to go party.... This is a lie. The adrenaline crash is coming. You'll be exhausted, stiff, sore, uncomfortable, you'll want to go take a nap and will hate past you for making plans. Go straight home from the parlour and rest.

5. Before you go for your session you have to prepare. No alcohol for a minimum of 24hrs before. It thins your blood and trust me you don't wanna bleed all over the artists clean room, and the reception, and the street, and the car....

6. Eat a decent meal beforehand, and take in a bottle of water. Also sometimes snacks are a good diversion but check with your artist first.

7. Arrange some sort of lift home. You do not want to be driving, or on a bus when your crash strikes.

8. All tattooists will recommend different aftercare, ask beforehand, research, and be aware no 2 bodies are the same. Most artists will recommend similar things. Wash 2-3 times a day at first, apply bepanthem (or similar, there are loads of brands of tat goop that aren't meant for nappy rash) for the first 2-3 days to prevent infection, then swap to coco butter for hydration to aid healing.

9. The artist will wrap you with cling film. This is for 3 reasons.

- Dressings can stick. Not good.

- People have a bad habit of showing everyone they know the new ink on their way home. So proper dressings are impractical.

- Cheaper, cleaner and easier than alternatives.

This should be removed when you get home and allow the tattoo to air dry. Leaving on the wrap too long will cause the tat to sweat and you may loose some of the vibrancy. But it is important to leave it covered for an long as it takes to get to a safe space where it won't be touched by clothing etc. to prevent infection.

10. Cleaning is best done with cool/lukewarm water and unscented antibacterial hand soap. NEVER SOAK A NEW TATTOO. That means no baths for a little while.

11. Sometimes the first cleaning of your tattoo, especially a large one, will make you nauseous. No, you aren't regretting it, the fact you are in pain, and watching yourself cause it and refusing to stop can fuck with your mind a lil is all. By cleaning 2-3 you should feel much better.

12. Keep a close eye on your tat. Keep it clean, and if anything seems untoward after a few days, (still/new swelling, angry red, still painful as the day you got it, lumps, deformitys etc) then seek help. Usually it's easiest to go back to your artist and talk to them 1st, before your doctor as they not only see this all the time, but are usually more available. THIS DOES NOT MEAN DON'T SEEK MEDICAL HELP. But the artist may be able to identify what is happening and reccomend action while you wait for a drs appointment. They can also help put your mind at ease.

13. My experience so far has shown regular sessions will help build up a better pain tolerance, but also decrease the adrenaline response. I start my crash at soon as I leave the table. It's not fun.

14. Taking a break for a few months might not help this. My pain tolerance went back to normal but my adrenaline did not. Be aware of the possibilities first. Everyone is going to be different, but knowledge is power.

15. The sternum, for me, was BY FAR the most painful part to ink. That's why I started there, while I still got the adrenaline high to help me through. Plan around areas like this.

16. People will wanna touch it. Including you. Please don't, not till after the peely stage!

17. Newbies; start small and fleshy. Don't go straight for a big rib piece, you need to get an idea of your response and what you're getting into, because once you start a big tat theirs no going back. Not unless you want half a bird on your back forever.

Right that's all the wisdom I can think of. Be informed, and be prepared and all will be well! Tattoos are a beautiful extension of oneself and deserve the same care and consideration you do. Look after yourself!

[takecharge]

The health care costs you weren't expecting

Tl:Dr - fees can be hundreds of dollars that you have to pay for every office visit or test at a medical center. Do your homework before choosing a doctor to find out if you will be paying these fees out of pocket.

Two years ago at my job a new chat room was started. It was called Insurance Issues. In the span of two weeks three people at my job were charged an extra $300 dollars for routine medical tests at our local hospital. One was a simple blood test. I moderated the chat room because I was one of them, and I'd done the work to figure out where these fees were coming from.

What are facility/hospital fees

The charges were facility or hospital fees. The word hospital may be misleading here, if you go to a medical center, these may also apply. They are a surcharge you can be charged for simply being at a hospital or larger care facility when you see a doctor or get a test done. They can be charged even if the hospital lab is in-network for your insurance. And in some cases even after you've paid your deductible, these are out of pocket costs.

Where you can go to get cheaper tests

The insurance company would rather you go to get your tests done at a testing facility like Quest Diagnostics. These places offer far cheaper rates and for some people going to them it's not that much of an inconvenience. But none of the people at my company, nor HR, knew that. We'd watched the webinar at the beginning of the insurance term and hadn't walked away realizing we had homework to do every time we needed a blood test.

We were all confused. In the large city I live in even PCPs are usually part of a hospital network. When we read the patient information materials the hospitals in question were in-network. The document stated that any outpatient labs were covered for any in-network locations. Only when we looked up each test in the document did we find that the insurance would pass any extra costs like facility fees on to us.

I had already been fighting the insurance company for months so I had the person whose job it was to make me stop calling on speed dial. I walked her through the materials and she agreed that they were extremely misleading. Eventually the $900 we paid got waived. I'm pretty sure the next year those documents were written differently.

Cost estimators will help you make a choice to lessen or prevent these charges

Insurance companies in the US have websites and often apps that exist just to help you figure out what charges you might be on the hook for. Get to know them before you need them. Look up an ankle x-ray and you'll be able to see based on the facility how much it will cost you. I recently did this when I knew I needed an ultrasound. My out of pocket costs ranged from nothing at a hospital over an hour away to $300 from the hospital where my specialist works. When I factored in the cost of transport to and from the other hospital, the $300 didn't look too bad, but I also had another strategy in mind.

Sometimes where the test is done changes the billing

I'd learned before my last surgery that blood draws done in my doctor's office, instead of the lab downstairs. The charge numbers are different, so the hospital fees didn't apply. I asked my specialist if the ultrasound might be the same story and if possible could we do it in his office. I got it done in the office and didn't get charged the hospital fee.

Office visits can charge hospital fees too

When looking for a provider, I would recommend contacting the billing department where they are located and asking if a facility fee is charged for office visits. My new pain specialist is at a facility that does charge this fee and I've decided to pay it. The clinic is a good one and it's worth it to me. I also can afford it until I've paid my deductible, at which point my insurance will pay it.

Insurance companies think they've given you enough information

When I saw the facility fee for a routine office visit, I called the claims department at the insurance company to find out if this was the new normal since I'd never been charged one for an office visit before. The woman on the phone said it's becoming more common for hospitals to bill this way. We chatted about my concern that many patients are going to be blindsided by this. She commiserated. She and her colleagues have to explain these bills daily.

To be totally honest, the insurance companies are trying to be more transparent. That's why the cost estimators exist. The materials insurees get every plan year do recommend using the cost estimator so you don't get unexpected bills. But most people who have insurance won't use the estimator. They go to the doctor maybe twice a year and when they're injured. Preventative care appointments are usually covered at 100%. And the last thing you're going to do when you break your ankle is consult the estimator before deciding which hospital to go to.

The people these estimators help the most are those of us who are already insurance savvy. We know we better check for unexpected fees. So do your friends and family a favor and make them read this post or articles on the same issue. Be the person who asks about this at the webinar even if the presenter went over it (because your colleague that was playing a game on her phone will probably pay attention to your question because she's frustrated you're making this boring meeting go longer).

Just like ballooning mortgage bills these fees are things even well people need to know about. I just had this discussion with my parents and colleagues and they were convinced they didn't need to know this until I spelled out the potential costs.