#tw: medical emergency

[thestressedsimmer]

May 1st, 1316: The Willow Creek Royal Residence

As king, Louis often awoke before the rest of the family. Which means he often ate alone, without his mother and sister's company and before his brother came to the castle from his manor.

During his breakfast on the first morning of May, he started to feel woozy halfway through his meal. He found it odd but tried to ignore it, he had been under much stress lately. . .

Eventually, he fell out of his chair and onto the floor. Unconscious.

Luckily for the king, his little sister was known to be quite the glutton and often was earlier to meals than even her mother. So she found her brother in the dining room not long after.

"Louis? Watcher's gaze, Louis!" She shouted in surprise.

She rushed to her brother's side, frantically shaking him. She could see the rise and fall of his chest so he had not joined the Watcher just yet, but she couldn't help but feel panicked.

She had lost so many people, she did not think she could lose her brother too.

With a soft groan, the king opened his eyes. He could hardly see, his vision was still so blurry, but he would recognize the girl hovering over him anywhere. "Ysole. . .?"

"Oh, thank the Watcher you're alright!" It sounded as if the girl was about to cry. It wouldn't be surprising. She is still so young and she is going through far too much.

But what she had gone through is no matter right now. With the feeling of unconsciousness already hanging over his head, he reached up and grabbed his sister's shoulder.

"Listen to me very carefully. Run to the physician, tell him I have been poisoned. You are the only one I can trust to do such a thing, do you understand me?" Because Ysole was the only person who was sure to be innocent. Her and his mother.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"That's a girl. Go on now. Go."

As his sister ran off, he felt the darkness of unconsciousness grip him again. The young girl must have done well, though, because he did awaken again; still alive and breathing despite the attempt on his life.

[halfdent]

/ going to be more active tomorrow I was holding my breath as my Dad is in hospital && we weren't sure if he was going to make it for a while there . But he is fine , he is safe && soon they'll be able to help him.

[the-writing-mobster]

Hey guys! This is gonna be a tough post but I just need somewhere to vent a bit, I've been through the ringer this past week. This is kind of a personal post too? So by all means scroll by if you don't want to read stuff about medical emergencies...

...

Kay. So... I had to take my mother to the ER due to complications with a recent surgery. Scary. Emotional. Exhausting.

Recovery for her will be a long and very difficult journey. Painful. She's doing better now and she gets stronger everyday but it's still a deep concern for me. I know the first week after she's released from the hospital will be extremely tough for everyone, especially her.

Personally, I've been really emotional. Crying on and off. Trying my best to be strong for her. So tired. So tired.

We were hit with a bombshell that she could have cancer, but the very next day were relieved to hear pathology reports showed the mass that'd been removed last week was benign, so that's def one less thing to worry about and a huge weight lifted off our shoulders....

All that being said — Honestly?

I could really use some kind words. Encouragement to help me get back into the right mindset to continue with art and writing. That's my safe space, you know?

Anyway, thank you all, and thank you to my wonderful mutuals who have been listening to me vent these past couple of days.

🫶🏻

[monaisme]

Sicktember: Day 5

#5- Rogue Organ

“—and then suddenly, there’s Brad Davis, with spaghetti dripping down the front of his shirt, and MJ swearing it was an accident. I’m telling you, Pepper, I’m ninety-six percent positive that I saw her stick her foot out after he yelled at Ms. Thelma because, like, who does that?!” Peter was gesturing wildly as he relayed his day to one of his favourite people, “She’s practically an icon—and she’s like- seventy years old! Big whoop! So she didn’t give him the biggest piece of garlic bread! That’s so not cool—”

Pepper loved that bit of time she had with Peter before Tony got home. And she loved Peter’s daily retelling of the shenanigans he and his friends got into at school, but made a point to try and cut him off when he seemed to get especially worked up, “You’re right, honey, and kudos to MJ if she did manage to mete out some justice.” She turned around and started her way to the refrigerator to get a glass of milk for him. “I hope someone on staff has a chance to more officially correct-his—” Pepper stopped short of her goal, black dots encroaching on her vision, heart suddenly racing, and her knees feeling weaker by the moment. “um...”

Peter was by her side in a blink. “Pepper?” He’d already wrapped an arm securely around her waist as her knees gave out all together. “Whoa, now—I gotcha!” With superhero reflexes, Peter caught her, adjusting his grip and lifting her up into a bridal carry. “FRIDAY!” Peter called out as he rushed the now unconscious Pepper to the couch, “Call Dr. Cho and Tony, now! Tell Cho to get medical up here, stat, and let Tony know what’s going on.” He laid her out as gently as he could, then started softly patted her cheeks, “Hey, Pepper. C’mon, wake up, wake up, wake up,” Peter pleaded.  

Pepper’s eyes suddenly flew open as she gasped for air, “I’m okay—I’m okay!” She insisted even as she tried to sit up.

But Peter put an immediate stop to that. “No, Pepper!” He pressed her back down onto the couch. “Stay still, ‘kay? Just ’til someone who knows what they’re doing checks you out? Please?”

Her confusion was apparent and her eyes darted back and forth while she tried to figure out what happened. “Wha—? Peter?” Pepper finally focussed on him, “Are you okay? Did something happen?” She reached up and pressed a tender hand to his cheek.

The relief was overwhelming, and Peter had to wipe away the tears that appeared out of nowhere before he pulled her hand from his face and clutched it to his own chest. “I’m fine, Pep. I’m good. Just relax, okay?”

She nodded, then drew in a deep, calming breath as she closed her eyes. “I’m just tired, I think,” she said, mostly to herself, she thought.

But Peter replied. “Try to stay awake for a minute, please? Help is gonna be here in—” Peter stopped abruptly and looked up to the ceiling.

“Medical staff are in the elevator now. They will arrive momentarily.” FRIDAY filled in the blanks.

“See! Less than a minute!” Peter exclaimed.

Pepper smiled and nodded in agreement, “Okay, sweetie, I will... love you...” and then drifted off into sleep.

/-/-/

“Tony.”

“Hang on. Let me get these pillows fixed for you,” Tony shuffled over to the head of the med bay bed and tried to plump the pillows already set comfortably under Pepper’s head.

“Tony. I’m fine.”

Tony smiled awkwardly, “Of course you are...” he trailed off while he blatantly ignored the dark liquid in the small I.V. bag hanging on the stand at Pepper’s bedside and around the room commonly reserved for Peter on most days, and Tony less often now that he’d retired, “In fact, it’s completely normal for you to pass out for absolutely no reason at all. But no worries, you’re fine!”

Pepper sighed. “Tony, you’re being dramatic. I’m a little anaemic, that’s all.”

“No.” Tony pointed an accusing finger at his beloved. “You are a lot anaemic and currently hooked up to an iron infusion in order start trying to get your iron up to a point where we can trust that you won’t do another nosedive like earlier!”

Pepper rolled her eyes at Tony’s dramatics. “It wasn’t that bad and you know it.”

“Only because Peter was there to keep you from braining yourself on the kitchen floor!”

Pepper chose not to respond to the accusation, simply asked the question on her mind, “Where is Peter, by the way? I’m surprised he’s not here.”

Tony huffed as he sat himself back down in the recliner by Pepper’s bed. “He figured he’d be more of a help upstairs with Morgan and Happy—and he didn’t think you’d want him close by with all of the “doctor talk.”” Tony air quoted. “Yes, I’ve updated him and he knows that you passed out because of your iron levels, but the specifics, once you get them, are going to be yours to share.”

“I guess he has thoughts on having to deal with everyone and their dog knowing his diagnosis.” Pepper smiled softly. “Poor kid. We’ll have to be better about that...”

But Tony crossed his arms in frustration, “Yeah, yeah, oh, the burden he must bear. How’s about we worry about the kid later, okay?” Tony uncrossed his arms and fussed her blanket. “Where the hell is Dr. Cho?” He looked past Pepper and out into the hallway. “She said she wanted to talk to us about something when you were a little more coherent.”

It was Pepper’s turn to cross her arms in frustration. “I was coherent,” she insisted.

Tony scoffed. “I’m sorry. I’ll rephrase that... she wanted to talk to us about something when you were able to keep your eyes open for more than thirty seconds at a time.”

Pepper scowled, hating that he was probably right, and especially hating the fact that she was already starting to feel the pull of sleep again, not that she’d ever tell him now.

Pepper blinked, and the shadows in the room had shifted.

“Knock, knock.” Dr. Cho appeared at the door to Pepper’s room, rapping her knuckles against the door frame as she announced herself. “Are you feeling up for a chat now?”

Pepper rubbed the heels of her hands against her tired eyes, “Of course.” She shifted to sit up.

“Hang on, let me help, Pep,” Tony spoke softly as he pressed a button and brought up the head of her bed. “Better?”

She smiled and nodded, “Much. Thank you, love.”

Dr. Cho waited patiently as they pulled themselves together, then stepped completely into the room, and closed the door behind her. She quickly wheeled over a stool from the corner and set herself down opposite Tony at Pepper’s bedside. “Well,” Dr. Cho pulled a small tablet from her lab coat pocket and placed it beside her on the bedside table. “I’m guessing it’s safe to say this is not the evening any of us thought we’d be having, right?”  

Pepper snorted at the understatement, “Right.”

“And how are you feeling? The infusion is agreeing with you?”

“It’s fine—I might be feeling a little queasy but that could just be that I haven’t been feeling that hungry today.”

“I’m not surprised to hear that,” The doctor acknowledged. “Now, before I proceed any further, I do need to confirm that you’re okay with my having this conversation in front of Tony.” Dr. Cho looked serious. “It’s simply formality, but I have to ask.”

Pepper reached out blindly for Tony’s hand, sensing something big coming, and grasped it for dear life. “Please.” Pepper whispered. “I’d like Tony here.”

“I’m glad,” Dr. Cho smiled sadly, “because this is something I’m sure both of you will want to discuss together.”

Tony blanched. “Dear god, no. She has cancer?” His hand tightened around hers.

But Dr. Cho was quick to respond, “No! Absolutely not!” She grabbed the tablet from beside her and pulled up Pepper’s medical chart. “Let me assure you that I have seen nothing in your blood work that would have me thinking that, I promise. Now, if it would put your mind at ease, we can absolutely run some extra tests, but your white blood cell count is good. In fact, most of your numbers are good. I mean—” Dr. Cho swiped to a different screen. “Your B12 could be higher, but aside from that, your iron levels are the only real issue here, and Pepper,” she focussed her attention solely on the woman in the bed. “We’ve had enough appointments together over the years that I suspect we both know the issue.”

“Oh.” A look of realization passed across Pepper’s face.

Tony, however, sat clueless. “What- oh? Pepper?” Tony asked, “What’s going on?”

Pepper opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t seem to find any words. She looked to Dr. Cho instead.

Smiling sadly, Dr. Cho spoke directly to Tony, “Obviously, I am aware that you and Pepper have been trying to have another biological child before Pepper enters menopause without any sort of medical intervention. With Morgan being a spontaneous pregnancy at age forty-five, we had all hoped you could pull off another miracle.”

Tony nodded, confused. They all knew that.

“Over the course of the last year, Pepper has had some concerns that her cycles were changing, with her menstrual flow becoming heavy enough that she was experiencing some fatigue.”

Tony knew that Pepper had been tired. They had a kid after all... but knowing that it had been something more? “Pep? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Pepper voice shook as she whispered, “I didn’t want you to be disappointed...” her voice trailed off. “And if I didn’t talk about it...”

Tony smiled sadly at his pale wife. “Mi amore? What’s this? Taking a page out of my playbook?” He teased lightly as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple. “We both knew it was a long shot—and even if we’d only ever had Morgan, she’d have been more than enough! But now that we have Peter... and Ned and MJ are practically ours too for all the time they spend with us. Please, love. I never wanted you to sacrifice your health for a maybe or a someday. Our family is already so incredible.”

Her chin wobbled as single tear fell down her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

Tony pressed another kiss, firmer this time, to the crown of her head. “Ugh. No more of this ‘I’m sorry’ crap.” He brought his focus over to Dr. Cho. “So now it’s time to fix this. What would you recommend as the next course of action?”

“Honestly?” Dr. Cho looked to Tony before setting her sights back on her patient. “With your hormone levels still settled at pre-menopausal levels, we have no idea how much longer this will continue to be an issue; and with your cycles being heavy enough that you’re now passing out... For the sake of your health, Pepper, I’d advise at least a partial hysterectomy, but at your age, I would wholly prefer that we remove everything simply so we don’t need to risk the ‘Big C’ conversation at any point in the future. The difficulty with that, however, is that we’ll be throwing you directly into menopause, which comes with its own set of challenges.”

It was all too much for Pepper to take it.

“I’m sure that you both have questions.”Dr. Cho offered.

Neither Pepper nor Tony could think of anything to ask.

But Dr. Cho seemed understanding. “I’m going to give you two some privacy to discuss things, but before I leave, please know that this is not something we need to deal with in this exact moment. We’ll need to get your iron back up before we can plan for anything, Pepper, be it through another infusion if I’m not happy with your numbers next week, or supplements, or even a blood transfusion. Just—” Dr. Cho looked at the two of them, “take the time to talk to each other, okay?”

Pepper wiped away another tear as she nodded while Tony stood at her side, already prepared to care for the love of his life—whether Pepper liked it or not.

“I’ll instruct the nurse on duty that you are free to be released to the penthouse once you’ve finished the infusion and saline. I’m ordering modified bed rest until you’re feeling steadier on your feet.” Dr. Cho pointed directly at Pepper, “I know what you Starks are like, but I am trusting you to be honest about your physical limitations in the coming days. If you feel weak, you sit. If you need help, you ask. Slow and steady is your mantra until you’re good, but if we hit your appointment for follow up blood work and you’re still feeling shaky, like I said, we’ll need to have another chat, deal?”

“Deal,” Pepper managed a weak smile.

Tony squeezed her shoulder in support. “Thanks, Doc.”

“You are welcome,” she turned to leave, but had almost forgotten to add, “Oh, and one more thing, please be sure to tell Peter I said he did a great job when you get upstairs. You scared the ever-lovin’ shit out of that boy today, if you’ll pardon my candor, and he’s worried about you, but he also came through like a real hero. And, not that it happens often, but Tony was right. You both are a part of what I think is a pretty incredible family unit.”

Pepper and Tony both beamed at the compliment. “We really are lucky, aren’t we?” Pepper replied. “Thank you.”

With those words, Dr. Cho smiled and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Without a word, Tony climbed up onto the bed and pulled Pepper into his arms, the silence bringing peace to both of them. Pepper was unintentionally falling into another dose when Tony finally spoke, “You know what this means, don’t you, my love?”

Pepper hummed in question.

“I need to buy Peter a car.”

Pepper laughed and swatted his arm playfully. “Stop.”

“Okay, okay... seriously.” He hugged her a little closer, “This means that I get to take care of you for once. I’ll run baths for you, and I’ll make your meals...”

She smiled at the thought, “Mmm. You’ll make your mother’s lasagne?”

“I’ll make you whatever your heart desires... as long as I can hide liver and brussel sprouts in it.”

Pepper giggled and nuzzled into his chest. “Sounds like a plan.”

Tony pressed his face into her hair. “Perfect, because I’m planning on forever.”  

[jjcre8]

✩˚｡⋆ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋.

Below is a list of sentence starters themed around being in the hospital. Sorted into categories of the hospital staff , the patient , & the loved ones. Feel free to change pronouns as needed. Do not add to the list , & always reblog from the source.

TW. HOSPITAL , MEDICAL EMERGENCIES , MEDICAL CRISIS , MEDICAL ENVIRONMENT.

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐅𝐅.

“ I'm going to tell you what I tell every young doctor. Hopefully you'll be the first to listen. On your day off, get as far away from this place as you can. Go someplace where you feel most like yourself. ”

" You've been at it for hours. It's slowing down, you should go get some rest. "

" This place is like a madhouse. It's like everyone decided today was they day to get injured. "

" We're gonna make sure you're as comfortable as possible. You're in good hands. "

"It's going to be okay. We have some of the best doctors and nurses in the country working here.

" We'll, probably keep you overnight. Just to be safe. "

" I think it's best that we don't jump to conclusions just yet. "

" You suffered a major accident. You're lucky to be alive. "

" In my professional opinion ... Surgery is the best option I'm afraid. "

" It's a long shot but I think it's the best chance you have at a full recovery. "

" This isn't my first 48 hour shift ... I'll be fine. Promise. "

" Right now, we need to be talking about what to do, if they don't make it. "

" The surgery was a success! You can be happy to know you'll be back on your feet in no time. "

" It's not gonna be the same. You'll have to work harder ... But you'll live. "

" I became a doctor/nurse to save a life. So that's what I'm gonna do. "

" Sir/Ma'am?! You can't be back here! You need to be checked in to see any patients here! "

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓.

" I'm in this hospital bed. I'm barely conscious. Delirious. Drowning in my own blood. And all I can hear myself think is ' Today's the day. Today's the day you die ' "

“ I'm not gonna die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot. ”

" Is there anything else that you can do? "

" So what's the damage Doc? Am I gonna live? "

" I hate hospitals. It's nothing but people sitting around , waiting for some old guy to come give you the news you don't wanna hear. "

" I'm pretty sure it's a requirement that all hospitals serve crappy food. Don't be such a baby. "

" As soon as you get walking around, the sooner you can get out of here. Sound like a fair trade? "

" So that's it then? There's nothing you can do? "

" Can I at least get something besides pudding? "

" I hate hospitals. It's always so bleak.

" Listen, I appreciate everything you've done, but I'm fine. So draw up those discharge papers and I'll be on my way.

" I can't believe I'm finally getting out of here! "

" Give it to me straight Doc. How bad is it? "

" If I have to have another iv put in I'm gonna go crazy. "

" Can I at least get up and walk around? "

" I'm actually feeling really good this morning. "

" You guys really don't have to hang around here and watch me lay here feeling sorry for myself. "

" I'll be fine on my own. You guys shouldn't have to stay cooped up here too. "

" I just need something for the pain. An aspirin would be at least some help. "

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒.

" They're gonna be okay … Right Doctor? "

" As soon as you get walking around, the sooner you can get out of here. Sound like a fair trade? "

" I'm not going anywhere. So stop insisting. I'm staying. "

" The doctor's said you'll be fine in a few days. Just gotta stay here and rest so they can an eye on you. "

" You've been out for a long time. "

" Had us worried for a second. Glad to see you're awake. "

" You were banged up pretty bad. "

" Doctor's say we're lucky we got you here when we did. Otherwise we could have lost you. "

" Don't scare me like that ever again. I thought I lost you. "

" You don't know how happy I am to see you awake. "

" It's gonna be okay. I'm gonna be right here when you get out. "

" You're gonna stay in that bed, and do what the doctor's said. I'm not taking no for an answer. "

" I'm gonna go down to the cafeteria. Want me to sneak something back for you? "

" I don't mind hanging around. I'd just be worrying about you at home. "

" I'm fine right here with you. So stop asking okay? "

" I'm right here with you. Okay? "

" We can get through this. "

[lady-harrowhark]

If anyone remembers/still cares about my bizarro jaw bone spur debacle from this summer, I have an update for you! I'm fine now, this is all past tense, but probably don't read this if you don't want to hear about dental/bone stuff.

So to recap, earlier this summer I felt some irritation in my mouth and when I checked it out in the mirror, there was a tiny little off-white shard of something sticking out of my gums on the inside of my lower molars. I figured it was a little piece of food that poked me, but when I touched it, it 1) was hard and sharp, 2) would not move, and 3) hurt so bad that it about knocked the wind out of me. Even in the moment I knew this sounded dramatic and highly improbable, but I was immediately Very Sure that it was a little shard of bone.

By the next morning it was so swollen that I couldn't see if it was still there, and after four or five days I ended up calling around and found a dentist who could get me in to take a look because my usual dentist at the student health center didn't have any immediate openings. By that point I was taking Tylenol + ibuprofen around the clock as well as using Orajel numbing gel and icing it, but nothing was touching the pain. Also, the side of my face and down into my neck was starting to swell, and sleeping and eating was extremely difficult due to the pain.

The dentist I ended up seeing was very friendly and pleasant but ultimately pretty dismissive. Nothing showed up on an X-ray but he could see a spot of "hyper-irritation" where I'd had the little shard, and he said it was possible that a "bone spur" worked its way out through my gums. Usually that only happens after oral surgery or an injury, but I'd also had a dental cleaning a few weeks prior that was weirdly aggressive and left that part of my gums bleeding and sore for several days, so it was possible that was enough to dislodge something left over from when I had my wisdom teeth removed years and years ago. Or maybe it was just a little cut. He then told me to alternate the Tylenol and ibuprofen instead of taking them simultaneously and to call back in two weeks if it wasn't better or if it started getting hard to eat or sleep. I reiterated that it already was hard to eat and sleep, and asked if I was understanding him correctly that he wanted me to take LESS pain medication. He paused, and then said to call back in one week if it wasn't better.

So obviously I went out to my car and cried. I have a very skewed pain tolerance from a lifetime of chronic illness experiences and I'm a very smiley and friendly person in general, so I do acknowledge that I don't usually LOOK like I'm in pain, especially to someone who's only just met me. But for me, the fact that I even made an appointment for it is a giveaway that this is like, off the charts levels of pain. I called my dad since he's a doctor and he was able to prescribe some antibiotics for me just in case, and walked me through how to adjust the ibuprofen dose to be the equivalent of prescription strength. I'd decided that if it wasn't any better by the next day, I was going to urgent care. Thankfully it was a smidge better, and over the next maybe two or three weeks it mostly went away, although for while I could still feel sort of a divot on my gum where the bone spur had been.

ANYWAY yesterday I had my regular dentist's visit, the first time I'd been in since then. I told the hygienist about it, and she seemed kind of alarmed, especially because she could also still feel the little spot on my gum. The dentist ALSO seemed pretty shocked and could feel where it was as well.

So here's the update: I apparently have a little bit of extra bone built up around my back lower molars, which is unusual but not unheard of, and mine is very very mild in comparison to what you see when you Google "mandibular tori" - mine is really just that it's slightly rounded or mildly bowed right below my molars rather than going straight down to the bottom of my mouth as is typical, minor enough that no dentists have ever mentioned it to me. I never even realized that wasn't what everyone's were like until this spring when a massage therapist I saw for TMJ stuff mentioned that she noticed it. So in general that's not any sort of issue for me, EXCEPT that the dentist yesterday said that the gum tissue can be pretty thin where it has to stretch over the extra bone, which can also be kind of pointy or sharp.

Given that plus the fact that I hadn't had any sort of recent injury or surgery in the area like you would expect for a bone spur, she said it was more likely that I somehow scraped or cut the gum right down to the bone.

It wasn't a bone spur. That was my literal, actual jaw bone showing through my gums.

[artmolonara]

Urgent Assistance needed.

Ok, I really need some help. My current job I've only been able to get through with earplugs due to my sensitivity to sound, as constant loud noise aggravates my Tinnitus and causes Migraines. Despite them being uncomfortable, near painful, to work with, I stuck with it. But recently I got sick and they checked my ears, and it turns out that the constant earplug use is causing my ears to develop ulcers. So it was recommended to use external ear mufflers to combat the noise, which I did (these were also uncomfortable after a long time), but it seems that this method is not as efficient at dampening the noise, as now my Tinnitus is flaring up.

On top of the poor pay and the fact that I'm on my feet for 8 hours a day, which leaves me extremely exhausted and unable to do basic functions at home, let alone sleep properly, I've ultimately come to the conclusion that I need to get out of this job for my own health and sanity. No work I do should make me experience a panic attack at the thought of having to preform it.

I'm going to be pursuing an art position somewhere, given that I have a portfolio now on Cara.app. While I do that, I ask those of you who like me for my work, please show your support and donate to my Ko-Fi. I need help more than ever to support myself as I do some life restructuring.

Currently, I'm doing a 2 for 1 commission deal, where if you request a commission, I will do an second request of equal or lesser value free of charge. Also, any donation of $3 or more can request a timed sketch.

Please help, the fact I've been sick the past week has put me in a dire financial situation, and I will not have enough to pay upcoming rent. Every little bit will help, so please donate.

[gabbagepatch]

My insurance just informed me I owe a total of $4,000 for a six hour ER visit. I guess next time I have an emergency I'll just die.

[x-is-okay]

//New Axl AU dropped. Hi.

//[Copy and pasted from my Discord rambling]

// X is probably the anxiety dad type, like reasonably worried because his kid is a mess and a half, but a lot of people probably would shrug it off.

//X literally pulled him out of a trashcan, so his nickname ended up being "itty bitty Racoon" or any name like that.

//Some of his safety items have a racoon theme

//Axl does his best to be independent and move around on his own, though often can only make it a few feet before his legs want to give out.

//He can talk and can be very chatty when alone with someone or environments he likes! The moment those are not there he's completely nonverbal, For the first year, Axl only spoke to X.

//Can often have self-destructive stimming habits. Think biting, scratching, and hair pulling. Usually caused by his environment, Zero was actually the one to help with this.

//Zero snuck him model pistols to play with [Non combat, basically a toy]

//X and Zero are super divorced, and like with most AUs, Axl is the bridge for that

//X is, while maybe not the greatest leader for a while, an amazing dad. Even if he doesn't realize he's a dad. He's sees himself as a caretaker often and nothing more. Axl sees him as a parent, There's no doubt about that.

//There will be a moment where X slips and calls Axl his son, likely out of panic.

// Nabbing a small headcanon from someone else, he's Aro/Ace. No interest in having him in any romantic situation when he's older, He's just a fella who likes guns and is a medical nightmare

//No one but X and Zero really knows of Axl, Signas and Alia are aware X is busy, but that's it.

[audreycritter]

time for my pet PSA again:

if you or a loved one or friend are on an SSRI, please be aware that SSRIs inhibit activity of a liver enzyme that metabolizes some opioids. if you have surgery or an injury/emergency and your pain meds are not working, let your doctor know you might need a different class of pain meds. this info is from a major nine-year study and many doctors STILL don't know to flag contraindications for SSRIs in patient charts.

if you or a loved one are an addict, please be aware that SSRIs increase the risk of opioid overdose because of the uptick in dosage to achieve a high. (if nothing else, make sure you carry narcan in some form for emergencies. goodrx has information on where to get it for free or reduced cost in the united states, or you can search "free narcan" and your state or county in your favorite search engine. this is also useful for anyone who may have an opioid rx for pain management, in case of accidental overdose in the home.)

the study mentioned in the NPR article is here.

[ranma0]

Regarding your wounds in fanfic post, what do they actually do for people post epipen/naloxone??? All i ever see is "medical attention" and that just seems so vague.

Thank you for asking @satansvoluptuousthighs I consider this to be very important information

but it's also gonna be long.... so long.... so:

TLDR: The meds might either leave the system too fast, causing the problem to come back, or be too much for the patient's body, causing other new problems. Medical attention typically means observing the patient and treating said problems safely

Here's the long version:

So an epi-pen is basically a straight shot of epinephrine (AKA adrenaline) into a body that did not produce it naturally, and there's no guarantee that said body will be able to handle that. It causes vasoconstriction(1) in order to raise blood pressure and divert blood towards the vital organs(2)

If this blood is diverted for too long, it can cause complications like kidney failure, since the "nonvital" organs will be starved for oxygen. So medical professionals need to ensure that the epinephrine isn't working for too long

Also because it raises blood pressure, and increases heart rate, we need to make sure that the epi-pen hasn't put too much pressure on the patient's circulatory system, especially if they have comorbidities such as congestive heart failure (CHF) or hypertension (high blood pressure) which in combination with epinephrine could cause cardiac arrest, stroke, or any number of severe problems(3)

It is also possible that the epi-pen will not contain a high enough dosage to completely treat the anaphylactic reaction that the patient is experiencing(4) and a medical professional should always be present when administering a secondary dose of epinephrine to avoid or treat the previously mentioned issues

vasoconstriction means the blood vessels (veins and arteries) constrict, or tighten up

the term "vital organs" usually refers to the heart, brain, and lungs

there are also a large amount of daily medications that can interact with epi-pens to cause dangerous side effects. To quote my boss, "epinephrine is a hell of a drug"

there is no guarantee that the patient isn't still in contact with whatever they're allergic to. It could be on their clothes, or if they ate it, it could remain in their system for some time. In the ER the patient is usually stripped/changed and sometimes also washed off depending on how the allergic reaction presents

The reasoning behind emergency care after administering Narcan/naloxone is similar, but not the same. Naloxone is an opioid agonist, which means that it binds to the same receptors in the brain that opioids do, blocking them so that the opioids can't set off the chain reaction of effects that they typically do.(1)

Opioids are dangerous largely because they cause respiratory depression(2), that can lead to respiratory arrest. Breathing too slowly for too long can cause brain damage.

The reason that emergency medical treatment is necessary after administering it is that the effects of Narcan only last for about 30-90 minutes. Opioid drugs can stay in the system for much longer than that and a patient may go back to overdosing as soon as the Narcan wears off.

Just because naloxone has been given, it does not mean that a fatal overdose has been prevented. The patient may require a second dose or external respiratory support, such as intubation/ventilation(3)

Narcan can also be overdosed(4) which causes the patient to go into precipitated withdrawal, a very sudden chemically induced drug withdrawal that I have been informed "royally fucking sucks"(5)

While this immediate withdrawal isn't dangerous per se(6) it can lead to the patient leaving to seek out more opioids to reverse their withdrawal, beginning the danger anew (7)

Opioids cause euphoria, relaxation, respiratory depression, confusion, etc.

Respiratory arrest means that a person has stopped breathing. Irreversible brain damage usually begins within five minutes of respiratory arrest, death typically occurs within ten minutes. This varies from person to person depending upon the baseline function of their respiratory and circulatory systems, so younger and healthier people typically have better outcomes

Intubation means that an endotracheal tube (ET) is inserted through the mouth into the patient's airway, it is almost always done while the patient is sedated/unconscious. The ET tube is then connected to an ambu-bag where a medical professional pushes air into their lungs by rhythmically squeezing the bag, or a ventilator (a machine that pushes air in and out of a patient's lungs at a set rate)

Narcan overdoses typically happen in the field when either one dose does not cause the patient to regain consciousness, or the patient's companions decide to continuously dose them rather than seek emergency medical care

This is what is happening when your EMT friend says that the patient sat straight upright, screamed, punched them in the face, and puked, after getting a second (or third, or fourth) dose of Narcan

You cannot die from opioid withdrawal, but it is an awful, painful, uncomfortable, and long process that some claim will make you wish that you were dead

Opioid addicts are still adults and medical professionals are legally required to respect their rights, including their right to refuse their care, but only if they're sober. A patient who is still high cannot be released into their own care (at least not where I live) and must sober up within the facility. They will typically not be given Narcan unless they are still overdosing, instead medical professionals will let their body process the drugs in their system naturally (AKA "sleep it off") while under observation

this is an ambu-bag and an ET tube for reference

Anyway I hope this answered your question! I had fun writing it out because tbh I love talking about this shit

Please please correct me if I got anything wrong, I did research this post, but that doesn't mean that I didn't miss anything, I'm not a specialist or anything

[monaisme]

Sicktember: Day Five

[f1-disaster-bi]

Short Whumptober Drabbles

Day 8: Tummy Hurts - Lando/Daniel (Single Parent au)

“Daddy!” Lando startled awake to the sound of Eloise yelling for him from down the hallway. There was a panic to her voice that set off every parental instinct in his body especially since the teenager rarely ever called him Daddy anymore. He was moving before he even registered that Daniel was sitting up as well, the two of them sharing a scared look before Lando darted out the door.

[whumpbump]

🛁 for baby

Baby pt. 15 - The Rescue

Cw: emeto mention, nonsexual nudity, abandonment, drawing blood in a medical setting, medical treatment, first responders including police

Sirens grew louder as the young mother and Whumpee sat on the bench together. First responders approached carefully.

“Did someone call for help here?”

“Yes, hi,” the woman started, “I brought my child to the park and I found them here, covered in vomit, cold, and I think they’ve been abandoned.”

“Ma’am, I need you to answer some questions while we help them. Could you come this way with me, please?”

Obliging, she looked back at Whumpee. So sad, she thought. I hope their guardians rot in hell for leaving them like this.

The paramedic and officer stepped closer. Whumpee looked up at them. “Do you know where my BiBi and ZaZa are?”

Shifting uncomfortably by this question, they looked at one another in concern.

The paramedic sat on the bench with Whumpee. “Hey there, you look like you could use some help. Can you tell me your name?”

“Oh. BiBi and ZaZa told me it’s Baby, but,” they shifted in excitement of their secret, “I used to have a different name that we don’t use anymore.”

“If you tell me, I can help you.”

“I don’t want to get in trouble with BiBi and ZaZa though, they’ll make me get sleepy. I don’t like it when they make me get sleepy.”

This was much worse than a distress call. Thinking quickly, the paramedic said, “I promise I won’t tell BiBi or ZaZa that you told me.”

Eyes lighting up with relief, Whumpee whispered their true name in the paramedic’s ear. Writing it down and handing it to the officer, the paramedic said “hey are you hungry?”

Whumpee nodded vigorously.

“If you come with me and my friends, we’ll get you all cleaned up and something to eat.”

Whumpee allowed themself to be guided to the ambulance and giggled as their vitals were taken.

The officer rode along and took note of everything Whumpee was saying, who was in blissful ignorance of what had truly occurred to them. Casually answering the questions about what happened when BiBi and ZaZa made them made them “get sleepy” and why they did that and how they knew BiBi and ZaZa in the first place.

“Well they put this stuff in my eyes. It doesn’t hurt but it makes me sleepy and I don’t like it.”

“They only put it in my eyes when I’m being bad.”

“Oh. Well, they weren’t always with me and then, they were.”

In the emergency room, Whumpee met a new friend - an advocate for adults with disabilities.

They were very friendly and sat with Whumpee the whole time, making sure they always had a friend. Whumpee thought this was very nice.

After a preliminary examination, Whumpee was told that the doctors needed to test Whumpee’s blood to make sure it was healthy.

As the nurse pulled out the needle, tears welled in Whumpee’s eyes.

“NOOO NOT AGAIN! PLEASE NOT AGAIN!”

With sadness in their eyes, knowing something terrible happened to their patient, Whumpee was quieted by the advocate and the nurse gently took blood.

Tears ran down Whumpee’s face. “I-I’m SORRY I didn’t, didn’t mean to be b-BAD. PLEASE-HE-HEASE don’t give me any more shots!”

“No, baby, they aren’t punishing you, they’re making sure you’re ok. Sometimes doctors and nurses do things that are uncomfortable to us because that’s how they make sure we’re healthy.” The advocate handed Whumpee a tissue and talked them down from their panic.

A special nurse came in and asked if Whumpee was ever touched in a bad way on their bathing suit area. Everyone took a collective sigh when Whumpee said no. The special nurse wrote that down and left.

A different nurse entered the room. “Let’s get you clean, now,” they said.

All together, Whumpee, the advocate, and the nurse walked down the corridor to a room with a bathtub.

Whumpee pulled their vomit-soaked clothes off as the nurse ran a warm bath. Holding their hands, the nurse and advocate assisted Whumpee into the bathtub.

Sinking into the warm water, Whumpee exhaled deeply. For the first time in about two days, they finally felt warm.

“Can you clean yourself, or do you need some help?”

“Um. BiBi and ZaZa always helped.”

“Do you remember how to clean yourself?”

“I can try.” Whumpee, a little unsure, took a washcloth and wiped the grime off of them. The nurse offered to wash Whumpee’s hair. Whumpee melted into the touch as the nurse’s fingers massaged Whumpee’s scalp with the shampoo.

By the end of the bath, Whumpee was finally starting to feel the exhaustion of sleeping on a bench and withdrawing from the drugs.

They toweled off and were helped into a hospital gown, socks, and adult briefs before walking back to their bay.

As Whumpee fell asleep on their gurney, the advocate, responding officer, and doctor all met outside the curtain.

Sharing notes, they couldn’t help but remember the string of bodies found in the last few years that had stopped for a few months with shockingly similar patterns.

“The others showed symptoms of being well-fed but lost muscle for someone of their age and ability. As if they weren’t allowed to move around as much.”

“That,” interjected another, “shows that they’re being kept hostage and paired with the clothes that we found them in, would suggest that someone- or- some people, are keeping Littles.”

“If we can get them to identify their captors, maybe we can break into the world of abducted Littles. We know there are more out there, but they’re hard to catch.”

The officer ripped open the curtain, invigorated by the new lead only to find a note on the gurney.

‘Thank you for taking care of our Baby.’

[zuzsenpai]

Update on Zuko

Surgery went well and he’s recovering normally. He’s got some kidney damage that is expected to bounce back. Apparently there were still more crystals in his urine after the blockage was removed, so they’re still flushing them out, and then he’ll be on observation for another 12 hours. Supposedly coming home tomorrow night. Once he’s home I have to monitor his peeing and give him two different pain meds regularly, so I unfortunately had to cancel going to Otakon. He’ll have to be on prescription food to keep this from happening again. Not looking forward to the price of that on top of the insane vet bill.

In any case, thank you so much everyone for being so supportive yesterday 💖🫂

[catkin-morgs-kookaburralover]

it's like the thoughts saw me all worn out by being sick and decided this is the time to move in. so many possibilities. so many ways i could kill myself. not going to though