Stomach pain with fever and headaches

Hello, I hope anyone reading is doing well today.
After dragging out filing a claim I finally went through with it. My apprehension came from two areas. 1) I feel others deserve it more than myself.
2) My friends and family have beaten "deny until you die" into me and I was just worried about wasting my time.
I've made peace with the fact it is better to start the process and get these things looked into. So my post is a two part one.
First up. My current claim in progress is tinnitus and hearing loss. Have had my exam with loss in both ears, but worse in the one that I have the ringing in. So I am awaiting that, just curious how ears are actually rated? Like is there a formula, will I get to see the readings from the actual exam, simply out of curiosity.
Second, I have records of visits while active regarding a shoulder injury and headaches. So I submitted that documentation as well, someone told me the headaches could get lumped into the hearing? I just didn't know how that would work since I've only had the one exam for hearing.
Lastly, I have these issues that developed while in, BUT I have absolutely zero documentation. Being medical …..and young, we always just treated ourselves when I was attached with the Marines. These issues would be, lower back pain and GERD, but the thing about these issues is I manage them fairly well on my own with the occasional flare up, so I am very hesitant to even claim anything like this for lack of documentation and the fact that on most days they don't really impact me. However, the lower back when I do aggravate it, I'm out of commission for a solid 24-72 hours.
Anyway, I was just looking for some insight and to hear about some experiences. I have no expectations truly, just passing the time while I wait my current claim.

Huge shout out to & for helping with Brainstorming and Co-Writing this.
As always, all credits for the original Nature of Predators and it's content goes to Space Paladin15, thank him for allowing artist and writers to use his original work of art for their own uses.
Gaian Ref Sheet-Here, Done by the artist
As well as a *Huge* thank you for Julian Skys for filling in for the editor for this chapter. I'll post a comment as to why I haven't been posting too much, safe to say though, kept ya waiting huh?
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[Subject Memory Transcription: Rux Limpbut, Venlil News Anchor and TV Show Host]
Date [Standardized Galactic(?) Time]:August 1st, 2136
Now I'm regretting not taking that transfer last week. This just keeps getting better.
I was in my car outside of the Network’s station. I was at my wits end yesterday and was trying my damnedest *not* to freak out on air. Now? Now I had the pleasure of my network telling me they needed me to come in way early to report on some breaking news. Just as I was about to leave for Solgaliks sake!
I took a small sip of the “coffee”. Now this was a blessing, coffeehouses on Gaia were open paw around, no matter what. I was giving a small prayer to those “ancestors” for their love of anything strong. Well, anything strong that wasn't alcohol. They could stomach one drink or two but after that? They were out.
Slurrrrrp
I let out a relieved sigh as the warm liquid flowed down my maw, the reward of caffeine soon following after this. Hopefully in time for the recording. With that I opened the door, grabbing my briefcase as I greedily drank the rest of the coffee as I approached the wide doors of the Networks station.
They creaked a little as they always did as I appeared in the doorway, a sleepy, overworked ghost. I tossed the coffee cup into the trashcan by the door as I nodded over the after work plans that I had to either postpone, or completely not do.
No bar time, going to be too tired. Not going to have enough time to do more digging in what that Farsulian diplomat released, even after it's been nearly two months. Brahk. Still need to be ready for the shift tomorrow-
“Rux?” The front desk secretary pulled me up and out of my thoughts as I blinked a couple of times, my ears raising as one of my eyes focused on her, a bit frizzled from the overtime I was clocking at the moment.
“Hm? Oh. Hey Liakal, caught me off guard almost as bad as the padcall I got. What's up?” I rubbed my eye as I fully focused on her, making my way over to her.
“Well, whenever you're ready for them they'll give you all you need, apparently, when you get into the studio. What they told me is uh, it's not a pleasant amount of news.” She nervously played with her claws and her headset, her lips quivering a bit.
“That bad? Speh. What about that uh, guest? She gets off-”
“O-oh! Mrs Tarva. She got off the planet easily. I can't say anything else though Rux. They said whatever they have to tell is very, very pertinent not to be let loose until you broadcast it… sorry Rux.”
I patted the top of the semi circle desk that Liakal was sat into, before giving her a quick, albeit small smile with a finger gun before I quickly deflated. It was that bad. With a nod from me I departed into the hallway to the left of the front desk, approaching one of the elevators.
A button press, a chime and the feeling of gravity and anxiousness about to make me hurl later, I was on the floor with the studios. I retraced the steps I had taken only claws before to mine. The green sign saying “Predator Problems” told me I hadn't failed as usual. Something had to be done with our program and segment name, if for nothing else there was apparently much more juicy stuff to talk about.
Opening the door, I expected the hustling and scrambling of the cameramen, the lighting crew, audio specialists. But nothing except a small huddled group of uniformed men. Brahk, I was hoping this wasn't the case but I was never that lucky. I resigned myself to fate as the group finally paid attention to me, and the door clicking and shutting behind me.
“Mr. Rux. Please come over here and sit. You're all good, we just need to go over what we need you to announce in this upcoming impromptu broadcast.” Why the hell were the Gaians on Prime? Wait no. That's not the problem. Why are officers from their military here? Oh stars.
However I could feel my body coming towards the oval shaped table. Eventually knocking into a chair and pulling it out, resting my briefcase onto the ground and taking a seat, pulling up to the desk. I rested my paws on it as I gave a look to the group assembled around it.
All were wearing roughly the same uniform, their fur patterns one of the only differing things between them. Aside from the one at the end of the table. They wore a green beret atop their head, nestled in between the horns that adorned it. They cleared their throat and slid a small packet of papers towards me, startling me a tiny bit.
“While I wish to be polite and respectful, there's simply no way to say this without being blunt. Sole Speaker Jikem is dead. With the current atmosphere on Gaia we thought it'd be best to announce the formation of an emergency government and a leader to head it. All of which has been done in a roundabout manner so as to not alert any radicals or terrorists.”
I had only taken a cursory glance at the front of the small packet before that bombshell of an information was dropped onto me nonchalantly. My paw was halfway to the front page to turn it before my gaze looked up at the Gaian at the end of the oval table who had done so.
“What? Sorry can you-”
“Rux. Come on, you know what I said. Now, I know it isn't everypaw that you get to report on the death of a head of state, let alone be the first one to do so. I'll most certainly give you that. So, we'll give you some time alone…well mostly, to get acquainted with the packet and once you and your crew are roaring to go we'll release the news to the Commonwealth.”
I took a small lookover of the second page but had to pause for a short moment again as I took it in. Yes, yes I did have some questions. Half from the large info dropped on me and the other half that I was now reading with my very own eyes now.
Before they could fully get up I had worked up the courage to get a short clearing of the throat and read out of the lines in the packet out aloud after I had decided it would be better to ask now rather than after. “In conjunction with recent attacks the Armed forces has decided to-” I put down the packet in its entirety now.
“What in the stars could you possibly mean by “safeguarding” democracy? This just seems to be some type of justification for a military takeover. I mean, who's going to fall for this?”
The chairs of the small clique of officers seem to find themselves filled once more as they returned to their positions, most of them now gazing between me, some random crew member scurrying near me and the head honcho with the green beret.
The intensity of the stare of the Gaian at the opposite end of the table seemed to intensify, seemingly his gaze looking through me. “Mr. Rux, I can assure you any such speculation to that matter and that, frankly, justified if albeit imaginary fear is going to be the last thing people on Gaia are going to worry about. Alright?”
I anxiously nodded back, sighing. “L-look I'm just-”
The Bereted officer seemed to nod while holding up his paw, my line of reasoning and thought being stopped by the intrusion. “Worried, you ancestors are always worried. It's why we're here, yes? Anything too dangerous or otherwise unsafe we've always volunteered for so as to save our more cultured self from such. Think about this announcement like that. A warning and an update from our side of the Commonwealth about current affairs, nothing more, nothing less.”
With that it seemed settled for the time being, as the small clique once again rose, and this time was actually able to depart to the booth that overlooked the studio, keeping what I was sure to guess a keen pair of eyes to observe anything.
I settled into my seat more as I gave the small packet a read. It was general stuff as of this point when it came to announcements. Why it's happening, what happened in more details, what they planned to do in the upcoming future, all that juicy stuff. Overall a very plain, if very informative script to go by. Still, being the first to announce the death of a head of state via “Unnatural Causes” would make even some of the most resolved Gaians a bit jumpy, yes?
Once I finally gave the entirety of the packet a quick read over I sat it down giving a glance to my, by now, very familiar set that we used for “Predator Problems”, the entire reason for why I had started it had been to educate and warn people about what to do with predators and the like. Now I was going to have to educate them, apparently, about the fact that our “brothers” in species so to speak were having a bit of topsy-turvy time on their capital planet. Now I was kinda hoping I was one of the more conspiracy theorist nut jobs just so I didn't have to get contacted.
Resigning myself to fate, and the fact that apparently I of all Vens was the most level headed to announce this, I looked over the studio, eventually finding the small group of uniformed men again. I got up and out of the chair as I made my way over to them, flicking my tail into a questioning sign as I did so, my approaching presence quickly noticed.
“Seems like you've got some questions, you read the packet though yeah?” One of them said, I simply signaled a yes with my ears to respond.
“So, is this immediately being aired? Or is it being aired later on tomorrow-well, this paw? Should it be the first thing or the last thing or is it the only thing I'm doing for this one?” With these questions the small clique seemed to talk in-between themselves, small glances were made in my general direction, they seemed to come to some type of conclusion though as they turned back to me, the bereted one now taking center stage again once more.
“Yes. It's being immediately aired. You do realize you are a bit of a celebrity on Gaia, yes? A special breaking news from you would certainly draw the right eyes. Then it'll spread from there. We do have other stuff for you to read, but it'll appear on the prompter. Other than that though we'll take our leave once everything is said and done.”
I gave a small thanks to Solgalik, as that would mean I would be able to go back home and get at least a claw or two of rest. Speh, if I just slept here I could get an extra one easy. But I didn't have much time to dwell on that, instead I apparently had a job to do right now.
With that bit of information I decided to go around, talking to the crew, who as of this point has finally settled down and has stopped scattering from the Gaians. A small conversation with each helped us plan out the next few tantalizingly painful minutes that were about to unfold live on air.
With everything and everyone in place, I took my seat at the curved table in the middle of the cameras, getting my little tie ready. With a countdown from 3, I settled into my on screen persona as the red lights of the cameras went on.
“Good Paw to everyone tuning in! I'm your host as always, Rux Limpbut, and this is Predator problems. This time though, we do have some breaking news that we need to get to. So with that being said, I suppose it's time for me to get to it.”
I straightened my back, placing my paws firmly as I closed my eyes, breathing in and then opening my eyes again.
Alright. Just gotta break the news that the head of state of the other half of our Commonwealth is dead and their Army just decided to seize power for democracy's sake.
“I have some sad, and what some can and should be saying is unsettling, news. Sole Speaker Jikem of the Gaian Cooperative, has died earlier this paw. Details are scarce and hard to come by as of this point, but from preliminary reports and investigations, it seems as though he *may* have been assassinated while at a checkpoint. As many of you know he was elected on a lockstep ticket with the current governor of Venlil Prime, Veln. He oversaw the last closing years of the Dominion-Federation war, as well as the beginning of closer federation ties. Many people are bound to ask as of this point what is going to happen, and the easiest and most truthful answer is…we don't know.”
I shuffled some papers, discarding the packet to the side of the table before continuing on with the information I was to spout out.
“Already reports are coming in that the Armed Forces of Gaia have declared a state of emergency and already there are rumblings that they have formed… an emergency government?”
I gave a bit of a confused look before continuing, I could see the group of uniformed Gaians nodding as I did so, apparently that was good enough for them.
The rest of the news report was generally a bit unsettling, or at least info packed by many people's standards. Updates on the federation at large, some reports on the status of the Venian Commonwealth and what was the plan going forward and before I knew it the red blinking light on the cameras had vanished, and the lights overhead had dimmed.
“Alright, that's good for us. We'll have one of our guys stay over the paw to help your team edit it but other than that? You can head on home.” The bereted one informed me, before signalling to one of the clique, most likely the one to stay here and “help” us edit.
I rested back in my chair and closed my eyes, I think it was time for me to get some shuteye.
—----------
Smoke billows out from the mouth of the Uniformed figure, a lit cigar cradled in his claws. He takes a survey of the trio gathered in front of him.
“So.” The figure grunts out, leaning back into his chair.
“So, what?” One of the trio asks inquisitively, shifting in their seat.
“So now what? Not many paws you get to make a masterstroke of a situation like this. Sole speaker is dead, people are looking to any type of stability and we perfectly fill the slot.” The Uniformed figure takes the cigar up to his mouth, smoking it lightly.
“Well there are numerous concerns.” The most center of the trio speak.
“Like what to do with those brahking predators that apparently still exist.” To the right of the first speaker.
“I vote we integrate them posthaste!” And finally the one on the other end.
A thick billowing cloud of smoke escapes the lips of the Uniformed figure, fidgeting for a moment before rolling forward. His face now fully lit.
“Gentlemen. Calm down. We have plenty of problems with plenty of solutions. But that's why you put me in charge of this little emergency government anyhow right? Levelheaded, warhero, clean political record.”
The trio murmur for a moment before returning a nod, the middle one piping up as he did so.
“Yes, that is why we decided to throw our towel in with you Marshal.”
The Uniformed figure now places his elbows on the table, his paws bridging each other while the cigar is still in-between in his paws.
“That's Marshal-at-Arms Jyuvernik to you. Now where were we? Ah right. The Dark corner. I want you to send a diplomatic team to assess the cattle debacle.”

Hi! 37/f actively seeking diagnosis. I have been dealing with “paresthesia” for 6 years. That’s what my primary care called it. To me it feels like a significant loss in sensation but it isn’t clinical. It comes with an increased awareness of the limb and feeling like it doesn’t belong to my body though it’s still functional. It has come in what I call “episodes” that seem to last weeks on end, usually affects my whole right side. I’ve had fleeting right arm numbness with migraines in the past, never lasting more than a few minutes. These prolonged episodes started after a tick bite with a rash, but by the time I had testing, Lyme was negative according cdc (I did have 2 bands on the test, so I still wonder about Lyme or coinfections) this first episode left me with neck pain and numbness down the side of my right arm and leg and face, and clumsiness. After 4 weeks of it I went to the ER and they did Ct and said that was normal and it was anxiety. About 8 weeks later it faded away, and I became pregnant, during which time and subsequent breastfeeding I didn’t really have an episode again until my baby was 6 months old, the numbness came back with headaches. COVID happened shortly thereafter and I began a journey of weird symptoms that didn’t seem to align or show on tests- headaches, head pressure, pain behind eyes, really dry red eyes, heart palpitations/high heart rate and adrenaline dumps, and again the paresthesias, all flaring after Covid exposures or vaccinations. I ended up having a brain MRI which was totally clear, I saw and was cleared by rheumatology, endocrinology, cardiology. The episodes would last a few weeks then fade. In November of 2023 I went to the ER after a week of worsening paresthesia, it was getting concerningly stroke like. My MRI showed lesions in the brain consistent with demyleinating disease or migraines. The neurologist at the hospital told me my loss of sensation and odd feelings on my right side for the last week were psychosomatic and the lesions are from migraine. My cervical spine mri showed some mild degenerative changes but no lesions. It took a few weeks but the sensations again faded away. 6 weeks ago in April I started to feel the same sensations come back in my right foot and arm, and over the next few weeks it was accompanied by RLS type/tingling sensation that have been creeping up the limbs slowly, (now felt in my hip and shoulder) and now I feel like I’m losing dexterity and strength in that arm and leg. I also started waking up with that arm and leg feeling completely asleep without the pins and needles, regardless of sleeping position. The arm and leg feel heavy but still through all of this remain operational but they now feel weak. I feel some odd tingling in my face and groin as well. I finally called for a neurology follow up as this is the worst episode to date and they seem to get worse each time. It’s telehealth which is all I could get as a new patient, for months.
How can I get this neurologist to not blaming migraine and anxiety and dig deeper? Is there any hope they’ll try prednisone and see if that provides relief? I don’t know if it’s MS, CIPD, Lyme, whatever it may be, I just want to know and work on treating it. I can confidently say I am not stressed, anxious, or having a 6 week long migraine making my arm and leg weak. My routine bloodwork and ANA and even digging deeper into endocrinology, are always perfectly in range. They just keep saying on paper I’m perfectly healthy and I feel like I’ve been fighting a mystery illness for 6 years with no one believing me.

I have a UTI. I’m a 44 female and this is not my first rodeo. I get 1 or 2 a year. I take bubble baths way more than I should.
I know the signs and symptoms like clockwork.
I thought I could wait until tomorrow but it rapidly intensified so I opted to use Telehealth through UHC. They literally list UTI as an example of an ideal Telehealth condition.
So my assigned provider calls me and asks the typical questions. She agrees it sounds like a UTI.
Then she checks my current medications.
DR: Oh, you’re on Zepbound? You didn’t mention that you’re diabetic.
Me: I am not diabetic.
Her: Then why are you on Zepbound?
Me: Weightloss. It’s a weightloss drug.
Her: For diabetics.
Me: No, I don’t believe so. You’re thinking of Mounjaro.
Her: They are the same medication.
Me: I know. But one is for diabetics and the other weightloss.
Her: I’m sorry but I cannot call you in antibiotics. You need to have pathology to rule out kidney issues. This is a problem with diabetes.
Me: Uh, I’m having no kidney issues. No side or back pain. No fever. Urine is clear. Some Pink after wiping. Also I am not diabetic. It burns when I pee and there’s spasms when I’m done that hurt really bad. That’s it.
Her: You must be diabetic if they approved this medication for you. I know it’s inconvenient but I cannot call you in antibiotics from this appointment.
The end. Basically.
What in the world just happened? Also, called right back and got some other provider who sent in a script for both antibiotics and diflucan without issue.
So bizarre.

Sorry, big vent incoming. Just want to get it out somewhere.
Our house got the stomach bug last week. My daughter picked it up at a local mom get together (why do you go to those if you are/were just sick??? UGH) So it was 5 days of me, my husband and my toddler girl being sick with all the gross stuff. Luckily my husband and I got over the stomach things, but the diarrhea is lingering in my toddler (to my understanding this is relatively normal, but it still makes me anxious).
I hated those 5 days. I felt like crap, I felt bad for my sweet husband who felt like even worse crap and I still feel so bad for my little baby girl who is still dealing with stuff.
And just when my gut started feeling better I picked up a sore throat which luckily wasn’t strep, doc thought it was just something viral, but that quickly turned into laryngitis and now I’ve lost my voice and my nose is starting to get stuffed and I’m worried I have a sinus infection coming on. And oh yeah I’m 20 weeks pregnant 😭 (don’t worry I’ve been in touch with my medical provider this whole time and baby isn’t in any danger, it’s just a little icing on this cake of discomfort). And I’m only three days into this nose/throat thing, and it could easily last another week.
I just hate losing more sleep than I already am due to not being able to breathe + throat pain. I hate that I can’t communicate with my daughter or my husband. I hate not being able to swallow without pain. I hate that I feel like crap.
I realize I have a LOT to be thankful for, I just want to be back to my normal so I can be a happiebetter mom and wife.
So yeah, being sick with a sick toddler is definitely top 3 least favorite part about parenthood. It might take spot number one but I’m saving that for something worse that may come along 🙃

Long story short, 11 months ago my gf was on the freeway in stop and go traffic, accidentally tapped someones rear bumper going maybe 2 mph, they both pulled over, exchanged info (his insurance he gave her was expired and he was being super sketchy the whole time, not wanting to give her any info) she took pictures of both cars and video on the side of the road showing absolutely no damage to either car, guy was even up and walking fine in the video, and they went their separate ways.
Fast forward to today when my gf gets a call and email from her insurance that they guy is seeking $25k compensation for bodily injury sustained during this, and i quote, "rear end accident with great force", apparently he has been going to a doctor and chiropractor for neck, shoulder, low back pain, headaches etc etc you name it, even has an MRI of his low back showing big disc bulges (I work as an xray tech for an orthopedic surgeons office and the findings on this MRI were definitely not caused by a 2mph accident), he got epidural injections, the whole nine. Also claiming he was unable to work due to the pain, typcial stuff that a fraud will try to claim.
Her insurance company is saying they are accepting liabilty and are wanting her to sign a declaration. Is there anything she can do? Is it worth it to fight this guy over $25k or should she just accept that her insurance is accepting liabilty, take the increase in her premiums and go on with her life?

I get like random sensations all over the body like rushing in the head, tingling all over but especially the head front and back, pain in the mouth or teeth randomly, headache, pain in the lower head and neck, pain in the legs/feet, upset GI, high heart rate sometimes with any kind of movement, this has had me bed bound convinced I’m dying cause it’s getting worse everyday the worst is the head and neck stuff cause the sensations can get so intense, along with my heart rate like just getting out of bed and it’s at 140.
This has become debilitating. I’m trying to avoid going to the hospital but it’s getting worse everyday, been ongoing for a week today the start off of this getting so bad was having a panic attack while out for a walk my HR went from 140 to 200 in just a min and I collapsed outside alone took an hour to get back up. (I have PTSD, Panic Disorder, Major Health Anxiety.)

Sorry for the long post but I really want to see if anyone relates and how to deal with it.
All my life I've had vasovagal syncope (not sure if that's what it is, but I'll call it that because I think it's what it is). Usually it would happen as a kid at the doctors when I would get shots. Didn't happen every time but it did happen. They always told me it was because I got myself so worked up over it that once it was over I felt so much sudden relief I had that reaction because it all happened faster than my body could keep up with. Also one time when I was 10 I got sick on a cruise. I experienced intractable vomiting, high fever and other things. I was given an injection at the medical center on the ship (I have no idea what they injected me with, I assume antiemetics, I just remember it was particularly painful) and I collapsed when I tried to walk out of the room afterward.
Nowadays some of my triggers are weird. I get the main ones like blood draws and injections, but also simply reading about procedures such as nasogastric tubes, colonoscopies, spinal taps and things like that are also triggers. I remember nearly fainting in high school health class when we were learning about epidurals. Then years after that I also nearly fainted when I found out what the initial COVID test entailed (the nasopharyngeal swab...ugh). When I am exposed to those bizarre triggers, it's very weird. I'll get all squeamish and weird. I'll start squirming, holding my breath, moving around and grimacing. I can't explain why I do this, it just kinda happens as a response to information about invasive procedures.
The actual experience is horrible. I don't know how to explain how bad it is, it's something you really have to experience to know what it's like. I don't JUST pass out. There's a period of misery before that. I'll start feeling off, then the room seems bright but dark at the same time if that makes any sense. Then my vision gets all weird, tunnel vision and sometimes I'll see a bunch of colors. Then comes the intense nausea and malaise, and I'll think I'm about to vomit. At this point I'll usually be asking for water and to lay down, but all I wanna do is curl up on the floor. I'll want someone to hold me. I'll feel really hot and I'll be dripping with sweat. I'll feel dizzy and won't be able to see straight. I'll go super pale. I'll always have this frantic terrified look on my face. Not sure what it looks like, but I know I make it and it's to kind of express that I'm not feeling well at all and I don't know how to verbally express it. Kind of like a "help me, I feel terrible and I don't know how to express how it feels at this moment" kind of look. Eventually my hearing becomes muffled as if I'm underwater. It happened recently when I was getting a skin abscess treated and they were taking swabs to check the bacteria. It was a particularly bad episode though. Not even drinking water and laying down could help much. It did help but didn't solve it. Eventually I leaned forward and hugged my legs to my chest and I recovered from the episode doing that.
The nurse that witnessed it told me it was a vasovagal response. Then I was told it might've been a panic attack. Having a lifelong history of anxiety, I know my panic attacks and they're different depending on the trigger, but I know this was not simply a panic attack. Due to having health anxiety I guess the vasovagal episodes happen and maybe panic attacks happen at the same time as a reaction, so maybe that's why it's so miserable but I don't know. Then I'll typically get a bad headache on one side of my head but it'll usually resolve within 15 or so minutes.
I know this sounds dramatic (I mean, the episodes ARE dramatic and I have no idea why my body goes that far) but I'm not trying to exaggerate. They feel HORRIBLE. Having anxiety on top of it is even worse. Usually I don't actually end up technically becoming unconscious, but sometimes I do. It's mainly presyncope. When I get blood tests they will have me keep my eyes open and keep my head up (despite it being very difficult) and by that point I'm wanting to beg them to just let me pass out so the feeling goes away.
Any idea what this is? When I first feel an episode coming on I get so frustrated with myself and I usually roll my eyes and think "oh come on...great, another episode, why am I so squeamish over everything and why am I having such an overreaction and why does nobody else have this?"
If anyone has anything similar to this, please share. Any differential diagnoses? Someone mentioned dysautonomia to me but I'm not sure. Whatever it is, I'm sure my anxiety exacerbates it but I know for sure it's not just anxiety.

I was reading some summarized medical notes from childhood just for kicks and giggles and man, talk about really seeing some of the ableism. I knew what I was in for since I had recently requested later records, so for this one I opted to just get abstract summaries. I had no particular motivation in getting these records other than a strong idle curiosity. I now have a few connected diagnoses, you know the ones, POTS/EDS, allergies, asthma, and also narcolepsy is thrown in there just for fun. Plus the occasional eczema flare up and recurring headaches that never stay on my chart.
I think some small part of me hoped that the notes from my pediatric time would show doctors who cared but couldn’t figure out the problem. With the records I found from my high school years, that tiny hope was quashed without a bit of surprise.
When I was a kid, we’d been in and out for years between headaches and abdominal pain. Lots of the abstracts imply my mom is somehow at fault for bringing me in but oh this one section just made me put my phone down. I was 9 at the time of this visit, just for context. Cynicism was clear in the notes that I was being coached on describing my headaches because I sometimes looked to my mother to help me explain or give details on symptoms of my severe headaches, specifically the possible auras. Probably because I was in too much pain at the time to code the memories properly and also I was barely 9, of course I was going to check with my mom.
Multiple notes reference me watching TV or reading or listening to soothing music “despite” my headaches and idk maybe I did but I also know I had a lot of times I laid in the bathroom because it was the only quiet and dark place.
Apparently abdominal migraines are a thing and even when one of the medical professionals said that seemed to be part of my problems, the sheer skepticism oozing from these notes…I have to laugh so I don’t get angry. It 100% sounds like my symptoms were worsened by my anxiety/depression but my mom brought me into the office during one and I was clearly suffering, that wasn’t “just” psychosomatic. Also, luckily, I outgrew the abdominal migraines.
I also had an essential tremor (now treated perhaps thanks to my POTS beta blocker) worsened by anxiety and I acknowledge it was worsened by anxiety, that doesn’t mean caused by anxiety ffs. That issue came up later, in the previous set of requested records. Also we kept bringing it up with doctors because my teachers were commenting to us on it out of concern.
Back to the records I just got though. Multiple instances occurred where we got blamed by one specialist for trusting another. Example: with the GI issues, one person told us maybe it was lactose intolerance. Another person down the line would take notes like we were hypochondriacs for saying “person 1 said maybe there’s lactose intolerance, maybe that’s part of it? We were told to track if symptoms were worse after milk. They didn’t seem to be but maybe?” The test for it later came back negative and the notes sound so high and mighty that again, it’s laughable.
Also the amount of “in no acute distress” despite coming in for complaints of pain, etc. I’m not surprised but I am somehow still disappointed.
Mom did get anxious about my health sometimes, seems she tried to keep me away from milk for a bit just in case. I also do believe there were some things where she brought me in unnecessarily but the poor woman was an anxious first time parent. I fault her for lots of other things but not being overly worried about my health to doctors who kept dismissing everything. Plus, I’ve always been extremely sensitive to physical stimuli and imagine I was deeply unpleasant when dealing with that discomfort while learning how to be a human.
On a more lighthearted note, apparently I took a prescription of belladonna for a while, I didn’t even know that was a thing but it was a fun Google rabbit hole to go down. I guess I also played soccer when I was in 3rd grade, which was news to me! I don’t doubt it, I just didn’t remember I’d played it.
I’m not genuinely distressed, like I said, I expected the ableism. Mostly I’m just satisfied to have my curiosity largely sated and a better timeline of certain things in my own life. As sad as it is, I can’t help laughing that multiple grown ass adults with medical degrees seemed to have one-sided beef with prepubescent me. Why even go into pediatrics, especially a pediatric specialty like urology, cardiology, etc.? (Rhetorical question)

Does anyone have any experience with this stuff? I see there are some vendors pairing it with kratom and some are pairing it with PEA.
Study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8908788/
Video of a vendor discussing how it's changed his life.
https://youtu.be/2sZgBw8zUmA?si=lCY_ZLh7rlgeaXHo
Excerpt from NIH study
2.2. Conolidine Conolidine has unique qualities that can be beneficial for the management of chronic pain. Conolidine is found in the bark of the flowering shrub T. divaricata, otherwise known as the pinwheel flower or crepe jasmine, and is used in traditional Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Thai medicine to treat pain and fever (57). The compound makes up .00014% of T. divaricata bark. Tabernaemontana divaricatea contains several alkaloid compounds with a carbon-based framework resembling opioids (57). It is plausible that conolidine induced analgesia may lack complications associated with classic opioid medications (58). It is now being investigated for its effects on the atypical chemokine receptor (ACK3), an opioid scavenger of the dynorphin, enkephalin, and nociceptin families (59, 60). The ACK3 receptor has been found to regulate the availability of these opiates to classical opiate receptors. It is found in high concentrations in several important opiate-related centers of the brain (59). It was demonstrated that this novel receptor does not trigger the G protein cascade signaling pathway, and peptides specific to this receptor block the downregulatory effect it has on endogenous opiate levels, resulting in increased availability of opiate peptides for other classical opioid receptors (58). Modulation of this receptor has been postulated as an alternative opiate system target, and evaluations by Szpakowska et al. found it to be highly responsive to conolidine (58). Conolidine is a potent non-opioid analgesic and has been found to lack the typical complications associated with opiate analgesics like nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, constipation, tolerance, and physical dependence (60).

I just feel really lost. My life has been hell since last October. My dog died. Then I starting having the worst headaches of my life and arm/shoulder pain out of no where. I Was told I needed an acdf and admitted to the hospital 2 weeks later abruptly. I had to take emergency leave from work. It all happened so fast.
I went back to work after 6 weeks to my hour commute drive even though I didn’t feel ready. I was basically told a few weeks ago I was going to have my days cut and let go because ‘I wasn’t the same after my surgery.’ Ok life isn’t going my way for a while I get it. Then today I found out they’re replacing me with the person who was filling in for me while I was gone on surgery. One thing after another. I guess they like her better. But they hid that from me. I’m so furious and I agreed to finish up this month and work two days a month next month. There’s no way I can claim discrimination but I absolutely feel discriminated against. I feel so sick after finding this out I don’t know how I’m going to continue: they kept trying to get me to admit I’m not the same physically or mentally and I refused to. All I kept saying is ‘I’m exactly where I should be after going through what I did and my doctor agrees’
I’m so depressed, everything feels like it’s going wrong and all I can do is lay here and stare at my ceiling. I feel like I can’t talk to anyone. I feel more lost than ever after this procedure. I feel like maybe I could shake the post op depression if something could go right. Anything.

Hi, so for backstory: My Mother (62) had a ruptured aneurysm May 2nd. It will be 2 weeks on May 16th and she hasn't woken up. All the research I've seen and experiences read here mention subarachnoid hemorrhages but I was told she had a Intraparenchymal hemorrhage and Intraventricular hemorrhage. I asked the doctors about what it means and it essentially just has to do with areas of the brain. She is mostly breathing on her own with some assistance from ventilator and her reflexes vary when it comes to pain stimuli. Im trying to be hopeful here. What are the chances she will wake up? They are asking me about doimg surgeries for a stomach feeding tube and tracheotomy because they worry about risk of infection and pneumonia. Isn't it too soon for this? I'm so lost and heartbroken.

Hi guys,
I took Wellbutrin for a brief period of time 5 years ago. The stuff changed my life, but after the prescription ended I decided to try to raw dog life. I unfortunately have found myself in another depressive state and have had to resort to anti depressants once more to keep myself stable, safe and afloat. My doctor prescribed me Wellbutrin, and on the prescription it said the words “Wellbutrin”. No other name, nothing. I even have a picture of it on my phone.
I go to fill out the prescription and the pharmacist asks me if I have any health insurance. I don’t, but I was willing to pay up front for it no matter how much it was. I get my prescription and take it…. 8 hours in I felt like I was going to simultaneously have a heart attack and vomit. I had hot flashes, an accelerated heart beat and nausea with stomach pains and had an anxiety attack.
This was an immediate red flag to me because Wellbutrin has never made me have side effects like that ever in the time I was on it. I read the bottle and realize the word “Wellbutrin” isn’t on it at all. Instead, it read “Teva bupropion”. I search it up and it’s the generic brand.
I was absolutely pissed the pharmacist did this without consulting me or without my consent. I called the pharmacy and asked why I was having all these side effects and the answer I got was “well you shouldn’t be having those side effects”. Great answer, Jack ass. I did some more research and found that these side effects are consistent with Teva Bupropion and that a lot of other people on Wellbutrin haven’t been able to handle the generic brand because it also gives them wierd side effects too.
I just want to know if the pharmacist was gaslighting me because he was a Jack ass for not warning me ahead of time and did this without my knowledge and he’s trying to save his own ass, or if anyone else has had the same experience. It honestly feels like I’ve taken 9 tablets of adderall and I feel like I’m going to die. Is this common?

hi guys. i posted here awhile ago. i’m self recovering. i do have an appointment to meet with a ed specialist and a dietician next month :) but i’m self refeeding as of rn… i went from 100ish cals a day to slowly upping my intake. well, it was acc kinda fast and not very slow… but i’ve been eating over 1,000+ sometimes close to 1,500 a day since may 4th, it’s may 13th now. so far so good, had some chest pain and palpitations the first few days but went to the er and they said my electrolytes were all good. so far so good now, chest pain is gone away. i just get super duper bloated and stomach aches after eating but they go away after awhile. am i no longer at risk and can up my intake a lot more? thanks in advance

I’m so desperate for help, advice, answers, experiences (anything!) from someone/anyone who may have experienced or is going through the same as me!
In March 2024, I had a horrible sore throat so naturally I went to get tested for strep, Covid, and the flu. My rapid test came back negative for all 3 and the next day I was completely back to feeling great. 3 days later I get a call that my strep culture came back positive but I wasn’t prescribed any antibiotics because I was symptom free.
Early April 2024 I very suddenly came down with a high fever and body aches (with no warning signs or any other cold symptoms). Got tested again, everything was negative and I was fine within 24 hours.
**1 week later on the tail end of my period I developed horrible vaginal pain and sensitivity to the point I couldn’t sit down. My vulva was so irritated that it became raw and was bleeding light pink externally. I went to a woman’s clinic where they swabbed me. took a urine culture, and prescribed me bactrim while we waited for the test results. The test came back positive for strep 2 days later and a very high count of white blood cells (the untreated strep from march travelled through my system south!!! Didn’t even know this was possible). That same day I ended up in the hospital for a fainting spell, confusion, and nausea. After more testing the doctor found that the antibiotic wasn’t treating the infection so he prescribed Keflex 4X/day for 7 days. By day 2 I was feeling so much better (vaginal pain and all other irritations were fully resolved!)
5/1/2024 (5 days after finishing the keflex) I woke up with a severe sore/swollen throat and tested positive for Strep throat AGAIN. Here goes round 2 of antibiotics, now prescribed cefdinir 2x/day for 10 days. 2 days in once again, feeling great and took the 10 days finally felt better than I had in 2 months. I finished the cefdinir this past Friday (it’s now Monday) ….
I got my period yesterday (Sunday) and it was extremely heavy, much heavier than usual. Accompanied by severe cramps. Today mid morning I developed the same exact vaginal symptoms I had before testing positive for vaginal strep A!! The same rawness, tender, swollen feeling all external. Just a pad touching the area is excruciating pain and I can’t even fathom using a tampon.
What could this be? Strep again?! pH imbalance from the 2 rounds of antibiotics?! The blood from my period being such a high pH?! As I’m writing this all out I’m wondering if my period last month is what trigged the symptoms of the vaginal strep.. the month between my periods my vagina was completely healthy and feeling fine! HELP!
(Ive been tested for STDs which have all come back negative. I’m in a monogamous relationship (for 8 years). He was tested for strep orally and the results were negative)

Hey girls!
I wrote this poem last year about my experience as a trans girl and didn't really have anywhere to share it. I thought this might resonate with somebody. TW: References to Transphobia
Her
Didn't you know she's a freak?
A twisted pervert in disguise
Insatiable in libido and debauchery
She carries more than meets the eyes
Didn't you know when she cums,
even the angels shriek?
Demons summoned with every kiss
Her cunning pillow talk so sweet
Didn't you know she's snipped and botched
Always drinking crack and snorting wine
This is how she stomachs herself
A chimera worse than Frankenstein
Didn't you know she peels the girls?
Wears them like an ill-fitting suit
Mockingly she parades around
Their birthright, her loot
Didn't you know she dabbles the children?
Stealing their innocence, their youth
They say she smells of rotting flesh
Who cares if it's the truth
Don't you know to be wary of her?
Depravity and deception in every breath
She's disgusting and worthless
A danger only acceptable in death
Horrid, putrid, sordid, lurid,
the lies we weave to excuse our hate
For cruelty cannot be worn with pride
Nor unfairness, a namesake
It's easy to burn the witch,
Stake the vamp, mock the shrew
Their guilt so clear you'll never question
If they're more innocent than you
Who is she? Who am I?
I am her, she is me.
A woman, a daughter, a soul
Trapped in psychosocial duality
The me that haunts their minds
The me that haunts my own
Both enemy and protagonist
Two narratives that can't atone
Everyone's story needs a villian
Someone to battle and defeat
I seem to play the role well
They say my performance can't be beat
So I will play the role,
Reluctantly accept the acclaim
As their showering roses
Turn to stones bringing bloodied pain
Maybe when the act is over
And curtain is finally drawn
They'll see the error of their belief
They'll see that they were wrong

Hello,
Our baby is just over 2 months old and EBF. Around the 1 month mark she was diagnosed with silent reflux and uses a small dose of Pepcid currently. Around the 1 month time she also has mucus / green poops for a while. These then changed to yellow/orange and improved in consistency.
Today she had a big green mucus diaper with some blood in it. Her 2 diapers afterward have been green with mucus, some seeds etc but no blood. She is overall very happy baby, hardly ever cries. She does grunt sometimes, has had congestion off and on, seems to strain for pooping and farting but never cries out in pain. Good weight gain. Spits up a moderate amount (has good and bad days) that I would attribute to the reflux.
Communicated this with her pediatrician today who recommended eliminating dairy and soy from my diet at this point due to the bloody diaper. Unfortunately for me, I eat a lot of dairy and soy and worry if this will impact my supply as well as my sanity. I have a bit of an oversupply (have worked on this with LC) and very much want to keep feeding my baby. I feel sick to my stomach that my breastmilk freezer stash won’t be usable now??
Anyway, my question is for those with MSPI diagnoses - does this sound like your baby? Is it jumping the gun to do elimination diet with one bloody diaper? On the flip side I don’t want to cause my baby discomfort and understand the elimination diet is a small price to pay.
How soon can I reintroduce dairy and soy into my diet?
Thanks in advance for the help.

Hi!
I’ve been diagnosed for over a year with DAN, orthostatic hypotension, gastroparesis, and hEDS.
I’m currently prescribed pyridostigmine for my gastroparesis. I have slow stomach mobility and it is supposed to help.
I am starting new medications soon. Guanfacine, for brain fog/ADHD and Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for my chronic pain/stomach pain.
Has anyone else taken any of these medications? Any thoughts?
I’m hopeful for improvement. I’ve lived life with T1D and I am quite used to management, and I have little hope for ever being normal again, but my parents are hoping for improvement. My doctors seemed to believe in improvement.
These are all prescribed by my neurologist who specializes in Dysautonomia.

i wonder how you're doing. it's been a month since we last talked, you ghosted me again. for like the 100th time. no matter how much i try to not care about you for my own good deep down i just miss you so much. i will never forget the day you left me for what i thought would be the final time, oh how bad i cried. i cried till i got a headache. i cried until i felt relief after. i cried listening to our favorite song, the one you showed me... when you left, i couldn't even listen to their music without breaking down in tears...
when you left, it hurt so bad. it hurts so fucking much to lose your best friend that you care for so much. worst part was that i had no one to go to at the time, my bf would get pissed at me everytime i talked about it cause he was jealous i was crying over another guy, so i just held it to myself. (this next part is personal and i am NOT blaming it on my friend! it is not his fault. this is just my story.) the pain got so much worse and consumed me. i fell into a very deep depression last year. i didn't feel like myself at all i couldn't recognize myself anymore. eventually i had a really bad episode of insomnia and eating disorder. couldn't eat or sleep, all i did was hallucinate and cry. i still missed you a lot and would cry about it ocasionally. after a couple months or so i was able to sleep again cause i bought melatonin and i slept like a baby, slowly i began fixing my relationship with food and eating more and healthier foods aswell, i started exercising again, and i started begin to feel like myself...
around the time i started getting better, started to find meaning in life again, you came back unexpectedly... i was sooooo happy when you came back, although i tried to act casual and chill because i didn't want to scare you off, deep inside i was extremely happy to talk to you i missed you so much... i finally got to tell you all the things you missed out on while you were gone... i was over the moon. my bf and close friends didn't like seeing you return, but i didn't really care...
although the second time you came back around we weren't as close as we were the first time, we were still friends. you'd still ghost me a bit every now and then and it hurt but i ended up getting used to it after a couple months. you told me your (its complicated but basically his girlfriend) was suicidal and on the verge of k-lling herself very soon and there was nothing you could do about it. i tried my best to comfort you and give you all the advice i could. a bit after, you ghosted me again.
this is a bit odd but during january night i had a feeling you could come back soon i even talked a bit about it to my at the time bf (a new one not the other one) and whats weird literally the next day you texted me randomly after ghosting me for a bit. crazy right. anyway we talked a bit had a brief conversation talked about my new bf whatever. last we talked, you told me you were trying to better yourself and took a bit of action and i was genuinely so happy for you, like that made my day. i told you about some of my struggles. after that conversation, you ghosted again. i thought to myself, maybe he just has a distance personality. maybe this is who you are as a person and i should get used to it.
a couple weeks ago i realized you blocked me? i don't really know why. i'm not gonna trip over it though because you always end up coming back anyway lol. even if you didn't, though... i think i will be okay this time... <3
i just wanna say, thank you for everything. when we first met, we helped eachother soooo much in the short time we knew eachother. even though our friendship was quite traumatizing for me i'm still so glad it happened because it means so much to me, and the pain that came with it has also changed me so much as a person. i still care about you so much. i don't even have a problem with you being around. you always leave because your depression gets bad and you think leaving will benefit me, but it's actually the opposite. o, i love having you around. i love talking to you. i don't know why you convince yourself the best thing to do when things get bad is isolate yourself and go ghost on everyone that cares about you. (something that touches me is that when he ghosted me the first time, i was the last one. he went ghost on most people he knew and i was the last one he let go of... it took me months to realize. that makes me feel quite special though despite this behavior is toxic lol.) i'd support you every step of the way no matter how bad things get for you, i'm not sure why you always leave. but at this point, you should definitely know i will always welcome you with open arms... even though it hurts me. i don't know why despite i know you're toxic for me, i still care about you. maybe it's the close bond we had at the beginning idk. i will always welcome you with open arms, i still (platonically) love you no matter what. all i want is to see you happy and healthy, sometimes i even pray for you. i <3 u sm o. (platonically!) even if you reach happiness while not in my life, all i care is that you are happy and okay. even if you don't come back, i'll be okay this time.

I finally published for the first time. Not the first time I've finished a novel, but certainly the first time I have actively published one .. one that I've been a little proud of. I know it's a long process to get noticed, or even start to see some traction in sales & downloads, but how do you go about promoting your novel? I feel like I'm stuck. 😕
Beginning of chapter one below - if anyone would like to provide feedback that would be lovely. 🙂
[2,310] It began like a surreal haze, a fever dream dancing with unknown figures swirling around her like a languid tornado, their movements seemingly slowed by some unseen force as she awoke to a world spinning out of her control. She found herself surrounded by strangers who moved like spectres in a dream, fragmented flashes who assaulted her consciousness - a woman gently pressing a cloth to her throbbing head, another offering sips of water while she coughed and struggled to swallow, a man peering down at her with a furrowed brow, and a mysterious figure lingering in the doorway with an unsettling glint of desire in his eyes.
The room buzzed with a quiet urgency as they hovered around her, their faces etched with concern and something else she couldn't quite place - an undercurrent of tension that seemed to pulse in time with her own racing heart. These disjointed images flitted in and out, creating a mosaic of fragmented reality. Awake, her body throbbed with pain; asleep, she plunged into a black abyss, time slipping away unnoticed. Each awakening brought the desire for oblivion as her mind plunged back into the depths of darkness.
Beth jolted upright, startled by the sharp bang of a car backfiring. A cry of pain escaped her lips as she attempted to sit up, her back and legs resisting her will. A woman, the same from her fleeting visions, hurried into the room with a damp cloth and a glass of water.
"Easy now," the woman spoke gently, her mild Spanish accent adding warmth to her sharp words as she pressed the cloth to Beth's forehead and helped her sit up, "you're weak, rushing won't do you any favours. The sooner you regain strength, the sooner you can move."
A man, the one with the odd expression in her visions, appeared in the doorway once again; "and the sooner we can leave this place, I'm sick of it." He grumbled, striding away with urgency and frustration. His steps were heavy and fraught with agitation, each one seeming to leave a deep imprint on the ground beneath him. His grumbling was like distant thunder, punctuated by the clenching of his jaw and the tightening of his fists.
"Don't mind my brother," the woman interjected sharply, "it's not you - he hates everyone." Hate, Beth pondered, wondering what she might have done to earn his disdain.
"Are you hungry?" The woman stood, walking to the other side of the room to adjust another pillow behind Beth's back. Beth nodded; "I'll get you some soup."
Left alone, Beth surveyed the room - beige walls, a shattered TV, torn brown curtains. She squinted at the notepad on the side table, revealing the branding - Mill Village Motel Eatonville. The coffee pod machine at the room's far end, covered in dust, hinted at a neglected past.
"You're awake," startled, Beth turned to find the man with the furrowed brow at the door - tall and dark, with piercing brown eyes, he appeared softer now, "how are you feeling?" Beth managed a brief smile before adjusting herself, wincing in pain. He rushed to offer a hand, and she took his arm to shift as he adjusted the pillow.
"Want to give walking a try?" The man's warm, brown eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled down at her, his features etched with concern, his furrowed brow now smooth and his brown eyes sparkled with an unfamiliar kindness.
She shook her head, and the woman returned with soup and water; "she needs to eat before attempting to walk, Austin," she said, setting the tray before Beth.
"Then we'll try again tomorrow," Austin expressed, heading towards the door, "the sooner we leave, the better - we've been here for too long." His footsteps echoed with determination and authority, less frustrated than the other man's but equally resolute.
"I apologise if it's cold. Heating options are limited here. Need a hand?" The woman offered. Beth shook her head, the pounding of her headache resonating through her body.
"Well I'll leave you to it then. Shout out if you need anything, if you can talk at all." Beth glanced down at her bowl of soup, parting her lips as if to speak, but no words escaped. A deep sigh escaped from the woman's mouth as she turned and left the room, leaving Beth alone with her cold, untouched meal. The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the sound of muffed chatter outside.
The days stretched longer as Beth's need for rest diminished. Boredom and confusion settled in, intensifying as the people from her visions became tangible presences, moving in and out of her room. They attended to her needs but seldom engaged in conversation. At night, their muffled voices in the adjoining room became a distant comfort, and the faint echoes of their arguments a source of intrigue.
"We need to leave," a frustrated male voice pierced through the thin walls, "we have to head further south before winter traps us with little supplies and an extra mouth to feed - considering you're all so intent on keeping this girl alive."
"This woman," a familiar female voice retorted, likely the one who had been caring for her, "needed help - I distinctly remember a time when I wasn't doing well and needed it too."
"You're my sister, of course, I wasn't going to leave you behind."
"I'm not talking about you, Luis," she yelled, "I'm talking about before you came back from Minnesota and found me."
"Why can't we just leave her here with some supplies and a gun. Why do we need to bring her with us?"
"Jesus Christ Luis we're not leaving her here alone and you two can have it out later," intervened another man, "but Luis is right - we need to leave before the snow settles in."
The argument faded into muffled voices again, and Beth strained to catch the words exchanged between the trio. A knock at the door startled her.
"May I come in?" A young girl, the same from her visions, had opened the door quietly without her even noticing. "I thought the yelling might have woken you." Beth nodded, maintaining her silence.
"I'm Chantelle." Her soft Southern accent flowed like a gentle breeze through a cornfield. She pulled up a chair beside the bed. "Luis can get into it with everybody, but he means well. Well, no, that's a lie. I don't know why I said that. He's a dick."
"I gathered," Beth whispered and laughed a little, suddenly overtaken by a violent cough.
Chantelle rushed to hand her water; "so, you do speak. From the way Austin and Val were sayin' it, it sounded like you were mute. I thought, you couldn't be deaf because you've been nodding and smiling like a dang puppet."
Beth laughed and took another sip; "I didn't really have anything worth saying until now. No one has bothered to make conversation."
"Your accent, where are you from?" Chantelle sat down on the wooden chair, her long dark hair cascading down her back in gentle curls. Her bright brown eyes sparkled with kindness as she looked towards Beth.
"Australia," Beth paused, realising she hadn't thought about home for a while, "I'm from Australia," she repeated.
Chantelle pulled out a deck of cards; "well, I figured you might be bored and needed a little human interaction that didn't make you feel like you were in a hospital."
Beth's eyes lit up, and Chantelle smiled; "what do you want to play?"
— — —
"What do you think you are doing?" Austin stormed into the motel room.
"We're leaving. Today," Luis' words cut through the air.
"The van's still in bad shape, and we won't survive this winter on foot." Austin's arms were folded tightly across his chest, the muscles in his biceps and forearms bulging with tension. His jaw was clenched, and his brows furrowed in frustration.
"Then fix the damn van!" Luis yelled, the sound piercing through the walls and resonating outside the motel room for others to hear the heated exchange.
"Oh, sorry, I'll just take it down the road to the mechanic, shall I?" Austin raised a quizzical eyebrow, smirking at his friend. The men paused their argument, exchanging laughter.
"Luis, what's going on with you?" Austin softened his tone, taking a seat on the other bed. "We've been friends since high school, grew up together, served in the army together. This isn't you."
"I don't know, man." Luis sat on the other bed, facing his friend, his face buried in his hands. He rubbed his face hard, threw his head back, and sighed heavily. "This just isn't—" he paused.
"Isn't what?"
"Isn't life." Luis gestured around the room.
"We'll get to the coast, find a boat, just like we planned." There was a slight taste of bitterness in the air, as if Austin's mild frustration was tangible.
"And then what?"
"Do the best we can," Austin stood up, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, "we all have our dark moments, brother. You helped me get through mine, I'll help you get through yours."
Austin walked out of the motel room into the crisp morning air. The atmosphere was fresh, with a subtle scent of dew and grass. The sweet aroma of winter's imminent arrival filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of burning oil from their broken down van across the parking lot.
"Ben thinks he can fix the van by tomorrow. He found the parts we need on the other side of town." Val caught Austin as he had walked outside.
"He went scouting alone?" Austin looked across the lot at Ben, deep into the hood of the black church van they had found a while back.
Chantelle bounded up before she could answer; "Beth seems much better today. She's eatin' and drinkin' more. I think she could try walkin' today."
"Beth?" Val and Austin remarked in unison.
"Mmm, she speaks - she might have a lot more to say if either of you bothered to converse with her instead of just talkin' to her." She walked off towards Ben, a light air in her hopeful stride.
— — —
Austin found Beth sitting on the edge of her bed, her feet bare and dangling idly over the side. Her toes were curled, squeezing them tightly as she wiggled them back and forth. Her face was tense with concentration as she tried to alleviate the tingling sensation in her feet.
"Beth." His voice was soothing and calming, his words spoken with a gentle tone as he tried to ease Beth's discomfort.
"Chantelle?" She looked up at him, as he nodded, smiling gently. "She's a good kid." She smiled and looked back at her toes.
"Do you want to try walking today?" He walked towards the chair on the other side of the room and sat down as it creaked underneath the weight of him.
"The sooner I can walk, the sooner you can get out of here." She said with a sarcastic air, mocking Luis.
"The sooner we can get out of here." He repeated sarcastically with a smile, a light spread of jest washing over him as he joined her in mocking his friend.
"Your friend Luis seems to be very against bringing me along with you." She looked back at him.
"I'm not in the business of leaving people behind. Especially in Washington in the middle of October," he sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees, "you wouldn't survive the winter."
"Then maybe you should have just left me to die." She turned her body to face him abruptly. He opened his mouth to speak, but she interjected before he could respond.
"Why did you help me? You don't know me, why did you even bother?"
"Like I said, Beth," he stood up, his wistful tone switching back to cold and dry, "I'm not in the business of leaving people behind." He walked over to her slowly.
"I've lost too many people. I've watched people kill others over a can of soup. I've seen friends leave friends behind to save themselves," he sat down on the end of her bed, "I don't leave people behind."
His brown eyes cut through his words like a thunderstorm. She looked at his face, tired and weathered from sleepless nights with one eye open to ensure his group's safety. She pegged him as their leader - strong and determined with clear military training.
"What happened to you?" She asked softly.
"What happened to you?" He countered; "I refuse to believe you survived a pandemic alone for six months in a foreign country."
She said nothing and looked back at her feet. They sat in silence for a while before he stood up and headed for the door.
"We're leaving the day after tomorrow. We need to head south before it's too cold, and we don't know how long the van or the car will last, so part of that might be on foot."
"I'll try walking today." Beth nodded obediently.
"I'll send Val and Chantelle in to help you." He replied, his voice maintaining the cold cadency.
"Thank you." She smiled, wriggling her toes as the numbness started to dissipate. Before he could leave, she looked up at him again.
"Austin?" He stopped at the door and turned to her. "I know you've all done a lot for me, including putting your friendship with Luis on the line, so thank you. But I have a favour to ask," her voice grew quiet, "before we leave."
"What is it?" He asked sternly at her audacity to ask for another favour.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He noticed her green eyes glisten with the added layer of acridity and the change in her demeanour; "before we leave, I need you to help me bury my husband."

I'm 33 F with knee swelling/pain and lateral thigh pain. I had an injury from soccer in 2007 but they never fully diagnosed it, something with my IT band. I had an xray done about a year ago that was negative for anything bone-related. I take no medications, I have no history of anything other than this problem with my knee.
The past few days I've been having swelling around my knee cap. I'm an ultrasound tech, so I scanned it, and there's a big complex cyst across the front of my knee which I think is prepatellar bursitis (live imaging I did: https://imgur.com/a/znl8m4c )... Now all of a sudden, I have pain along the lateral aspect of my thigh, so I'm walking with a limp. I don't have redness, warmth or fever, so I don't think it's infected.
I have no health insurance until June 3rd, and it'll take me a while to get an appointment most likely. What can I do in the meantime to diminish the swelling/pain?