Hello, people of Reddit! 😊
My dog Mochi, a German Spitz (Mittelspitz), has been suffering from severe itching since March. He licks his paws and scratches his head/eye area frequently. He lost a lot of hair around his eyes.
I hope that someone on here maybe experienced something similar with their dog who can point me to the right direction in where to go from here or give some advice. We’ve already visited the vet a few times because of this and have an appointment for next week as well.
Here are a few photos to show the progression of his hair loss.
As you can see he was completely fine at the start of the year. ☹ It started around the end of March.
He is nearly 2 years old and weights around 10 kg. He has been neutered last year. We’re located in Austria.
Sorry for the long post ahead, but I would like to include as much information as possible.
Information about his food & current medication:

• We have completely switched to Vet Concept Sana Horse (dry and wet food) to rule out a food intolerance
• He gets some salmon hemp oil from Vet Concept every day since the itching started
• He got Bravecto at the start of April for ticks but also as a prevention for mites
• Mochi currently gets prednisolone tablets (5 mg) in decreasing doses. We have an appointment for next week to give him Cytopoint instead. As I understand from my vet, Cytopoint has less side effects and contains no cortisone. We plan to conduct an allergy test (pre-screening) after 4-6 weeks following the Cytopoint injection

The current possible diagnoses are:

• environmental allergy (maybe dust mites?)
• autoimmune disease
• travel diseases (Leishmaniasis?) Info: Mochi has never left the country we reside in (Austria)
• something else entirely

We have also considered:

• Hair loss caused by mites: We had a skin scraping done that came back negative (for mites and fungi)
• a zinc deficiency but if my math isn’t completely off he should be currently getting around 16 mg zinc each day from his food which would cover his need for zinc

Here’s also a short summary of the last two months in case some of these things are important:

• Mochi had bloody diarrhea in early March. We visited the vet for this and got some medicine, and Mochi an injection; he recovered well. Before this point (the diarrhea incident lol) everything was completely okay. He was not itching and his eyes looked normal. I list this point in case the weakened immune system has something to do with the hair loss/itching that followed
• He started licking his paws in mid/late March. At the end of March he started losing hair around his right eye at first, a bit later around his left eye as well
• At the beginning of April we suspected he had mites but the test (mites + fungi) turned out negative. We also changed his food to Vet Concept at this point
• All blood test results so far were perfect (nothing abnormal)

Aside from the itching and loss of hair around his eyes, he is otherwise completely healthy. He still loves to play, has a lot of energy, eats his usual amount and poops like a king.
We are also considering going to a specialist / dermatologist. We actually got a letter of referral from our vet to a dermatologist, but the reviews we saw online were pretty mixed (leaning towards pretty bad) and we will probably try to find another one on our own. Still considering our options here.
I’m feeling pretty lost with all of this since it sounds like it could be basically anything. After each vet visit it went from “it’s probably this” to “actually, it might be this AND this” to “well, we could do this test and this test and…”
The current plan would be to see how the Cytopoint works and do the allergy test and then go from there (and probably look for a good dermatologist). I’m not sure if we should also do a test for Leishmaniasis since most of the other symptoms don’t apply to Mochi.
I also sadly don’t have a pet insurance and now I’m not sure if it’s already too late since Mochi already gets medicine for allergies so I’m not sure if he would automatically get excluded from any future tests even if he doesn't have an official diagnosis yet.
If anyone read all of this – thank you so much! I would be thankful for any advice.

Hi Courtney! I'm a huge fan of your channel and I've been watching you for a while now, and I would just die if you read my story! It's gonna be a little longer since I don't want to miss any important details. Also tag warning for some serious topics (drug use and pedophelia)
Okay so, let's start back in 2012. My mom worked in the NICU taking care of little premature babies. (I had been 6 weeks early, which inspired my mom) I was 11 at the time that she met her ex-husband, my ex-stepdad. We can just call him B (for bastard lol). They worked together, he was funny and stole her heart. Well at the time he was going through a divorce but lived in a house twenty minutes from where we were living at the time. B had told my mom that things were over with his ex for sure (he told his ex wife at that time that he wanted to work on things! She was so blindsided by the divorce papers!) <--- of course we didn't know about any of that until recently End of 2012 comes, he marries my mom and my older sister move in with him and his 7 year old son in this three bedroom house. Two rooms upstairs and a master bedroom downstairs. Now of the top two rooms, my ex stepbrother (lets call him C) had the larger room, while my older sister (who was high school age, I think she was a senior) and I shared the other room and slept in bunk beds.
Now C had a problem with sleeping in his room at night. He would tell us about how he was afraid of the closet (the closet also had a tiny door that led up to the attic). Ever since he was little it was always the same problem. C was simply terrified of something in the house. He had an experience where someone woke him up and warned him that there was a spider, he started screaming and sure enough they found a brown recluse spider under his bed.
Then my mom gets pregnant and gives birth to my little brother, H. My sister had moved out pretty much as soon as possible. B was awful. He would belittle us and talk down to us, constantly try to make everyone feel stupid around him- he had to be the smartest one around at all times. He was an asshole, and he would say rude stuff and then complain that we were taking him too serious and he was just being sarcastic. That we 'didn't get his sense of humor'. And for a while, he had my mom wrapped right around his finger. He was manipulating her from the very beginning. He even treated her like shit most of the time. 8th grade all the way through the end of my senior year I endured his treatment every day. I had to be careful about what I said at all times, about who came over, about being too loud at night. If my room was messy, he would take a garbage bag and take all of my stuff- I had to 'earn' back my stuff.
When the baby was born they had to do renovations on the house. There was a ton of attic space, so they ended up breaking into it- a game room leading to two bedrooms and a bathroom. This was when things went from humanly hellish to supernaturally chaotic. During the renovations before any walls went up and it was mostly just wood and plastic, C and I had seen a dark shadow of a man pass behind a plastic tarp- and it was so clear because the sunlight was coming from the other side. When I checked there was no body there. Once everything was completed the feeling changed.
My room ended up being on the other end of the opened up attic.
At the time I was watching a lot of Supernatural- so my spooked ass started putting salt barriers on my bedroom door (which guess what! Yeah! It was one of those attic bedrooms!) and also on my window too. My mom and B would ridicule me for this but I stand by my decisions to this day!
This was mostly because of the feelings you would get in the game room. Even if you were just passing through. There were always eyes on you- especially when your back was turned. I never ever walked through that room without the light on. I didn't even sleep with the light off in my room. When I would I would get really bad sleep paralysis,
One of the worst ones I was laying on my stomach with my head turned to the side. I opened my eyes and I was utterly frozen. At first I know it's just sp, so I try to stay calm and take deep breaths but then I start to feel this pressure starting down on my feet. It feels like two hands grabbing my ankles and pressing down. Then the hands move up my body and then there's more pressure- like someone's whole body is crawled over top of me. It gets closer and closer to my head. All the while I'm trying to scream but I can't open my mouth so it's just coming out as quiet whimpers. I can feel it breathing on my neck and then in my ear. That's when it finally stopped and I jerked up and immediately turned on the light. I remember just crying for a while. At the time B had made it impossible to trust my mom- and they would've just gotten mad at me for waking them up.
There was another night where I had been up late, probably 3 or 4 in the morning and I was drawing or something just sitting on my bed. All of the sudden I hear 4 distinct knocks from INSIDE my closet! No joke I shit bricks. There was no rational explanation. Because there was siding on our house that was damaged and it would make noise but it was always specific like a scraping/tapping. But this was a knock, like someone is at your door with your DoorDash meal type knock. I always tried to rationalize what was happening. Make excuses for the weird stuff.
Then one summer, my cousin had come up from another state to stay with us. We spent a lot of time in my room, just hanging out. One day, we're both up there just chilling when all of the sudden I notice something under my door.
Someone was walking back and forth in front of the bedroom door. You could even hear the floor creaking on the other side. You could see the shadow pass to the right and then to the left. I remember locking my door and calling my mom to see if it was an actual human, nope. She ended up sending B up there (of course this made him mad for some reason) to verify that there was no person up there. Basically they just said we were being kids with overactive imaginations but I can tell you right now there was no rational explanation for that experience.
A lot of the time at that house you could feel constant eyes on you, mostly in the attic. Like always- at all times, someone or something was watching.
There were also times when there was a sort of 'mimic' situation where you could think you heard something upstairs but you really didn't; one time my sister went to pick up our dog- and she thought she heard the dog crying upstairs, she started to go up and get her when her boyfriend who was there at the time stopped her because the dog crate was downstairs in my moms room AND GUESS WHO WAS IN THE CRATE and NOT upstairs.
There was also one time I was babysitting my younger siblings and it was pretty late when I heard giggling upstairs. Thinking it was my brother, I went up to reprimand him and basically tell him to go to sleep but when I entered his room- he was dead asleep. Like fully passed out. I just shut the door and quietly went back downstairs. Nope nope nope.
B ended up doing work out of state- I was like 20 ish and moved back in with my mom and the kids. What was weird that during this time I didn't really have a lot of paranormal experiences. Once or twice you would hear weird things or my cat would get tiffed up staring at blank corners of the room. It was mostly really nice when he wasn't there.
A few years ago we ended up having to leave that house. B as it turns out had gotten himself addicted to meth and also started downloading explicit photos of underage girls (11-13 approx.) I was at the house when the police came and everything. He's still not in jail btw which is such bull. When it first happened, my mom reached out to B's ex wife to talk to her.
Turns out from the moment B and his ex bought this house, she immediately noticed negativity. Weird things and scary things that would happen. We sort of deduced that HE was the one bringing that negative energy into the house, which totally made sense because most of the extreme haunting stuff was happening WHILE HE WAS THERE. So yeah I blame him because he is a disgusting demon himself.
Anyway that's all I've got for now- thank you so much for reading! Love you girl!

I’m pretty prone to UTIs and had issues a few years back with recurrent symptoms after sex, but no infections found when I sent samples away. This totally cleared up 3 years ago when I was pregnant with my first child, and hasn’t really bothered me since… until last week.
I had a discomfort down there and then the familiar symptoms- frequency & urgency with not much urine output when going - so I handed a sample into the doctor not expecting much and got a 3-day prescription of nitrofurantoin, which eased things but didn’t get rid of them completely. A few days later my GP confirmed that it was a UTI and the lab showed sensitivity to nitro, so she gave me a further 5 day course which did help the urgency/frequency go. I finished that on Saturday, but now I still have this really strange burning sensation down there.
It doesn’t hurt at all when I pee and I’d say the other symptoms are mostly gone, but I just feel a general discomfort down there between pees. I can’t really tell if it’s external or internal discomfort? I don’t think it’s thrush as I have no itching/abnormal discharge. Could this just be residual inflammation from the infection?
I handed another sample in to the GP this morning and she gave me a course of cefalexin, but I’m reluctant to take them unless there’s actually still an infection there. Any advice is much appreciated!

Long read but here it goes..
90 y/o gma fell last week at the A.L. (Apparently a staff member wasn’t paying attention, opened a door that bumped her and she fell and completely fractured her hip). For reference - gma was placed less than a month ago in this place for her worsening Alzheimer’s dementia/wandering. My father (her son) has POA, and it’s been a joint effort keeping her at home until her placement recently. She was immediately taken to the hospital, where the ER doc seemed to really push a total hip replacement. He warned that without the surgery she wouldn’t last but 6 months. I am an RN so I do have some medical knowledge there, and understand that risk. I tried warning my dad it’s not always recommended to place these types of patients under anesthesia and to really think about our options. My big concerns about doing this surgery was also quality of life afterwards. She will be able to get up and bear weight..sure, but she is past the point of skilled therapy. My dad chose surgery and surprise surprise gma is significantly worse. They deemed her ineligible for skilled therapy due to the dementia, she hasn’t ate or drank since last week, she can’t speak or sit still and has fallen twice since her discharge from the hospital this weekend because she can now get back up (her baseline before the fall was ambulatory with a walker, had good days and bad days with her memory, but able to do a lot for herself still). We got her admitted to hospice yesterday and today they started the liquid morphine. I feel so defeated and angry..I guess if you are reading this far.. thanks..and to top this week off I have been 9 months pregnant..gave birth on Saturday, and I have not got to see gma since after her surgery last Wednesday.
If you have words of encouragement please share.

I (22F) thought I was pregnant recently. My breasts were sore and tender and felt fuller and firmer than normal, which started about 2-3 weeks ago. I also was having cramps that felt similar to menstrual cramps for that amount of time. I was nauseated, dizzy, and had trouble keeping food down. I was going to the bathroom constantly too. I had a lot of discharge, normal color and smell, but I don’t normally have much of that in my cycle. Overall, I also just had a feeling that it wasn’t PMS symptoms (usually those only begin the week before my period, not 2-3 weeks before like this did).
I took a pregnancy test a few days ago and it came out negative, but this was before a missed period (it was 4 weeks from my last menstruation but I had 2 more weeks before I was due for my next one).
Yesterday I started my “period”, but it’s extreme heavy flow. I bleed through overnight pads in less than two hours, and I’ve never seen this much clotting before. The bleeding is a normal color, but there is extreme excessive clotting that I don’t normally get. My periods are normally medium-heavy, but this level of flow and clotting is very uncommon for me.
My nausea is not strong anymore but I’m still dizzy and having horrible cramping pains.
It was never confirmed that I was pregnant, but I wonder if I’m miscarrying or just having an unfortunate surprise period.

Original post:
https://www.reddit.com/polyamory/s/xpahbY5bmz
After my previous post, NP stopped responding to/answering Callie’s messages and calls. I was correct to be concerned that her behaviors would continue to escalate. In early December, she managed to worm her way into attending our baby shower through manipulation of a family member she knew. Initially, we didn’t want any drama and just dealt with the fact that she was there. It was easy to ignore her presence as we had ~150 guests in attendance (NP and I both come from large divorced families that remarried). Many family members had come from out of state and the shower turned into a huge family gathering that lasted well into the night. About half way through, guests started questioning her erratic behavior and expressing that she was making them uncomfortable. At this point she had not attempted to interact with me in part because I avoided her and also because my amazing meta Marie ran interference. People started avoiding her and dispersing when she came around (the weather was gorgeous and guests were mingling indoors and outdoors). As the evening was winding down and many guests had left, Callie’s behaviors became even more erratic. She started moving outdoor furniture. She kept aggressively throwing more and more wood onto the fire and yanking sticks away from our dog (to the point that he started piling sticks under my chair to hide them from her). My NP went inside to ask for assistance in asking her to leave from the family member who brought her along. While he was inside, she started carrying large branches from the wood pile over my head and throwing things into the fire causing embers to fly everywhere. She started moving furniture again and when asked to stop she launched the outdoor chairs she was carrying across the lawn. She was asked to leave and refused. They had to call her ex boyfriend to come get her. Marie and I had left to back to the home I share with NP. He stayed back to deal with the situation. I suggested calling the police, but his family wanted to avoid that if possible. The day after the shower, NP told all family members that Callie is not to receive any information regarding our family.
In the end of December, Callie used a fake instagram account to harass me and message my business partner and some of my clients with accusations that I abuse and kill dogs (I own a pet services business). Our course of action was still just to ignore out of concern that any reaction would instigate the issue.
In early January, she texted me calling me a bitch.
In February, she called me. I did not answer and she left a message requesting to come to the house and asked that I not inform my NP. Did not respond.
In March, she saw a post on instagram of my NP on vacation with his friends and she flew across the country and was there the same day the friend posted the photo
Two weeks ago, CPS showed up at the house. In our state, they no longer allow anonymous reporting and while the case worker couldn’t explicitly say Callie is the one who called, she did, in a roundabout way, confirm it was Callie who reported us for “deplorable living conditions.” Our case will be dropped once they’ve run the mandatory investigation. We have filed reports with local PD. For the time being she has not done anything to warrant an RO, officers said we’d probably be awarded a TRO, but didn’t think a judge would award a permanent RO. A TRO that does not become pregnant may make it more difficult for us to file a RO on her in the future.
On a positive note, baby and I are both very healthy! He is an extremely happy little guy, NP and I are very much in love with him, and my daughter is absolutely thrilled to be a big sister!

My wife and I have an 3 month old baby at home and a 1 year old labradoodle puppy at home. It was my wife’s decision to get our puppy last year after we suffered a late term miscarriage. I think she thought it would help her cope with the loss even though she’s never been much of a dog person and in hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have agreed to it knowing all of this but I love dogs and have always wanted to have one.
A month after we got our puppy, she got pregnant again (high risk pregnancy where she was in bed rest for most of it) and we recently welcomed our daughter a couple of months ago.
Ever since bringing our daughter home, my wife has had bad anxiety about having the dog and baby interacting with each other. She has told me that she regrets getting her and wasn’t thinking clearly when we got the dog. She has gotten mad at me for walking out of the room and leaving our puppy and daughter alone for literally seconds to grab something from the kitchen for example. She’s told me that she feels bad and guilty for feeling this way, given that our puppy has never shown any signs of aggression, but genuinely can’t help how she feels and doesn’t know how to curb this anxiety. She is planning on starting therapy for PPA soon and bringing this up as one of the points to address.
Does anyone have any suggestions for how else to navigate this? She hasn’t brought up rehoming our puppy yet but I’m worried that that may be coming up soon. I don’t want to rehome our puppy as I feel like she hasn’t done anything wrong and would love her and our daughter to grow up together.

My MIL & FIL live in a 3 bedroom lake house about 4 hours from us. My husband’s aunt and 2 adult cousins are flying in from Alaska for July 4th. The only come to the state every two years. But will be on our side of the state the week after. My MIL has been asking us about coming up for the 4th since Nov. He agreed without talking with me. I have seen her several times since then and have said “I’m not sure what we have going on”. We have been together for 5 years and have spent 3 July 4th’s with them. So there’s somewhat of an expectation that we go up there for the 4th. We didn’t last year because I was 9 months pregnant.
My husband (35) and I (28) have a 10 month old. I don’t want to go for a multitude of reasons. His father has made several derogatory comments about my body that make it hard for me to want to go spend the weekend around him in a swimsuit.
I have several safety concerns regarding my daughter. They have several large dogs and 2 have displayed aggression. 4 unfixed males so there’s a dog fight almost every time we’re there. We’ve been up there 2x since she was born and both times we were promised the dogs would stay put up & they weren’t. Several times my MIL encouraged the dogs to get near my daughter. I have voiced my concerns about this several times and each time my concerns are validated but when we’re physically there the dogs end up getting out and staying out.
They have a very steep/slippery walk to their dock and the only safe way to get out there is through the back yard where they keep the large agressive dogs. Their boat is quite old and has had a number of mechanical issues. They also usually let the dogs on the boat with them.
This is where I think I may be being a bit petty. His brother and SIL are coming into town splitting their time up between his parents and our house May 25- June 7th. They are spending the first week (Memorial Day Weekend) with his parents. My husband originally wanted us to drive separately so he could spend the whole week up there. I refused to drive with my baby 4 hours through two major cities alone. So we agreed to be there for 2-3 days. My family planned a vacation to the beach to spread my grandma’s ashes June 13-18. Everyone is going, aunts uncles, my parents, siblings, nephew, etc. We planned on going but bc his brother and SIL are going to be here the two weeks before we can’t go on my family trip. He can’t miss that much work during wheat harvest. (He’s a John Deere mechanic). I could still go but I don’t want to bc it’s his first Father’s Day and his birthday and that just feels wrong. My thought process is since I’m missing my family vacation because of his family I don’t want to spend the 4th with his parents. We will have been there the month before. I’d rather spend it with my family (who will likely be gathering for the 4th but haven’t confirmed plans yet).
His parents have been an issue with us off and on for years. I knew how he was about his parents before we got married. He would go up there monthly. This is the only source of contention in our marriage but it is a big one. I don’t know how to talk with him about this without bringing up the same points I’ve discussed several times. It feels we have reached an impasse. Should I just suck it up and go for the 4th or dig my heels in and cause contention and likely a fight?

Why is it so hard to find 1.) clothing that is cute AND comfortable for hollering while pregnant and 2.) why the hell aren’t there more affordable options for children’s out door clothing? Why is Patagonia’s $ 40 upf 06-12 months seemingly my only option? I know that adapting your child to you lifestyle rather than changing your life style to accommodate the child is a bit newer generation style of parenting but seriously, it’s should not be this hard or expensive to protect my little bub from the elements, bugs and the sun.
*edit* Before having our child, my husband and I loved backpacking and mountaineering we move around the country a lot and it’s a great way to stay outside and learn about our new area. at the moment, we are living in an area where there are a lot of ticks (and a lot of Lyme disease!)makes me apprehensive to take into the woods without clothing. I’ve been able to find nice UPH/sun shirts for myself and my husband at places like target Walmart thrift shops fairly easily. But it seems as though this is a new idea to have for children. Yes, I did find a couple of uph items made from moisture wicking materials for my little. But the majority of it is still heavy fabrics like cotton that is not ideal for multiday backpacking. Nowhere in my post did I say that I was buying things like Patagonia for my child but rather annoyed seems to be one of the companies that specializes in children’s outdoor clothing more particularly for infants and toddlers. Finding a rated (20f and down)sleeping bag for a toddler seems to be difficult as well which is weird because I have one for my dog. Unless I just buy another one and use it for a-year-old instead of a dog?

She said she got home from work one day years ago she said and her brother was hanging out with her ex and they demanded she make them food. The ex was abusive, drunk and often demanded things from her. She said she went to the kitchen and had cans of dog food and made them dog food tacos. Both men said they loved it 😂😂😂😂 they wanted more. She said he woke up the next morning and asked why there was empty dog food cans and she said barked at him ☠️ she shared this story with my coworkers and two customers LOL I’m surprised she didn’t murder the guy. She said she also stabbed holes in the waterbed so her ex would drown but it didn’t work and she had to patch the holes. 😂 the man ended up dying eventually because of health issues. She added another story how she was 6 months pregnant with his child and he came home drunk from a bar and his toe was cut up and he yelled at her to fix it so she dumped a whole bottle of rubbing alcohol on it. 😅

Helena Pederson had few people knock on the door to her cabin. A life ostracized from her community left her with mostly her chickens and sheep and her dog for company, though there were several friendships that sustained themselves despite her exile. She grew food in her garden but also traded, her chickens giving her more eggs than she needed and her sheep growing wool she used to knit.
The knock that came at night drew her out of a reverie, having been sitting on her couch, sipping a cup of tea she’d just brewed. Her dog Grant lifted his head in curiosity, but didn’t bark, accustomed to knocks and not interested in wasting energy at his older age. Hesitating, Helena put the cup down in its saucer and stood, her socks still on to keep her toes warm against the chill of her hardwood floors. She went to the door, opening it wide.
She stared. “Marius,” she finally managed.
The king stood before her in clothing that made it almost difficult to recognize him. Whether it was the beautiful robes he wore for ceremonies or impeccably sewn clothes for day-to-day life, he always appeared as a king should. But now he was draped in a shabby, worn cloak that covered whatever he wore beneath. She saw his horse nearby, tied to a post, but he was alone, not accompanied by so much as a single guard.
“Helena,” he answered softly. “May I come in?”
Pursing her lips, she paused tersely for a long moment before she moved aside. Marius pulled back the hood of his cloak and stepped inside as Grant trotted over to take in his scent. The unfamiliar presence in the dog’s home made him wary, but the demeanor of his master and her permitting his entrance kept the dog from so much as growling.
Helena shut the door and walked over to the kitchen area. “You still take your tea the same?”
“I do.”
Marius sat on the couch and Grant plodded back over to his bed, laying down on it but keeping his head up and aware. The seconds ticked by slowly as Helena poured the still boiling hot water into another cup. She prepared it as she remembered, down to the exact size of the splash of milk, bringing it over on a saucer.
Marius nodded once in thanks and blew on it before taking a careful sip. Helena took a seat in the handcrafted wooden chair adjacent to the couch rather than beside the king, dismissing her own cup of tea, letting it cool, forgotten. “What’s happened?”
The king paused, taking another sip of tea that Helena knew was still hot enough to burn his tongue. “The battle at Hempstead. We lost…too many men. The situation is declining sharply, and the Empire threatens to overtake the kingdom.”
Helena took in and let out a deep breath, silently. She shook her head. “I know you’ve worked hard to protect this kingdom, and you’ll do what’s best. You always do.”
Marius raised his gaze to meet hers. “Always?”
Helena’s face tightened into a glare. No. Not always. “That doesn’t tell me anything,” she said. “What in God’s name would bring you to my door?”
“Desperation,” he confessed. He took another sip of the tea. “The Empire brings subjugation. They rule with an iron fist and many will die just in their invasion alone. And of course, many men will be conscripted.”
“Are you here to…complain?” Helena asked, leaning back in her chair, confusion thick in her tone.
Marius sighed. “No, Helena, I’m here…” He paused heavily before he met her gaze, with some effort, she noticed. “I’m here to ask for your help.”
Helena stared for a long moment before her confusion turned to shock. “You…” She swallowed hard. “Help.”
The king placed the tea down on the saucer on the table in front of him. “These are my people,” he whispered. “And they will suffer, and there is nothing I can do but watch as it happens. They deserve better.”
“And I didn’t?” she asked, a vice gripping her heart as she felt emotion swell up inside her. “You come asking for help? Your nerve, your arrogance, is unmatched. Besides which, what would you have me do?”
“I need an army that will not fall from an arrow or a sword, and army that feels no pain, that follows orders just as my men do,” he told her. He visibly forced the words out and Helena’s expression descended further into disbelief as he spoke each one. “We have thousands of dead soldiers. Helena, I am more desperate than I’ve ever been because I know what is coming for my citizens and I am afraid.”
Helena’s face twitched in disgust. “I told you,” she whispered, “that I only ever did this for those mourning a loss. For a last goodbye, for a grieving widow or parent or child. And now you come here to ask me to use my skills to raise you an army?”
“I’ve no right.”
“You don’t.” She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat and regulated her breathing, refusing to allow herself to descend into tears. “I’m an exile, Marius. Because of you. What makes you think I would even consider doing this?”
“Because you’re a good person,” he said quietly. Helena’s eyes narrowed in anger. “You broke the law, repeatedly and with no remorse. It forced my hand, you must know that-”
“You are king,” she said. “Nothing forces your hand.”
Marius fell silent for a long moment. “I know I’ve not seen you for many years, but I still care for your well-being. I still have love for you. I’m not sure if that changes anything here, if it’s even relevant, but I wanted to say it, nonetheless. You’re still my sister.”
Helena’s expression slid into a wearied resignation. “Is that meant to sway my response here? This is an affront to everything I’ve ever tried to do with my necromancy.”
“It’s simply the truth.”
They lapsed into a long silence. “What makes you think I could even wield such power? Over so many at once?”
“You would have support,” he answered. “I’ve come to you first, but if you agree to help, there are other witches who would support you with their power. And the battle won’t be lengthy. It can’t be. We need a show of strength that turns the tides, that reveals we will not be conquered as easily as those who’ve fallen in their path so far.”
Helena slowly leaned back in his chair. “They could try the same thing, you know,” she muttered. “They surely have the same intolerance for my kind of magic, but they will find other necromancers among their people if they truly must. Where will you be then? Your soldiers will be pulled back to their decaying, bloody bodies, forced into battle until they can no longer stand, until their spirits untether from this realm because there is nothing left to hold to. The Empire will be the same. All soldiers will fall and even their corpses will become useless, falling to the ground as desecrated shells. What then?”
“I don’t know,” Marius said softly. “I only know that I need to try. I promised that I would try everything to keep our kingdom, to keep their families, safe. And I intent to keep that promise. To try everything.”
Helena’s gaze slid over to her now chilly cup of tea, a part of her wishing she had ignored that knock at the door. She folded her arms around her tightly, emotions she couldn’t describe roiling inside her, trying to hold tight to the life she’d had ten minutes ago. A life that was simple and, in a way, quite sad, but it was enviable from the position she found herself in now.
“How can I say no?” she whispered. Helena met her brother’s eyes, seeing in them a mixture of relief and utter despair. “I’m an outcast of the highest order save for a special few of my oldest friends, but they are still my people. I remember my home in the village, the children who would play in the streets, their parents doing their best to support their families and to simply…live their lives. I couldn’t leave them to be trampled underfoot in a war that is determined to arrive at their doorstep.
“And I hate you for it,” she continued, her gaze thick with a burden of emotion. “I will always hate you for it.”
“That is something I am willing to live with, and I’d expected nothing less,” he said.
Helena pushed herself to her feet. “I’m determined to have one last cup of tea. Then I’ll need someone to look after my animals. You can send word to Kasper Friis; he’d be willing. And then…” She let out an exhausted sigh. “Then…we prepare for battle.”
***
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Species: Dog, mixed breed rescue
Age: 11 years old
Sex: Female, Spayed (she was spayed later in life than is recommended)
Weight: 40 lbs, very lean and has never been overweight
Relevant History: She has a history of both benign and malignant lumps including benign skin tags (4 years ago), benign mammary duct ectasia (4 years ago), malignant mammary tumor that was low grade/very small and caught early removed 2 years ago, had chest x-rays every 6 months since and all have been clear of indications of metastasis or reoccurance. The type of cancer this tumor was is considered a low to medium risk of metastasis or recurrence.
Current Presentation: About 5 weeks ago I noticed during a regular inspection for lumps and bumps that my dog was developing a skin infection near her rear most mammary region. She did have a run in with some fire ants so I assumed it had been an ant bite that got infected. When I brought her to the vet, the vet noted what felt like a tumor directly below the infection. It was hard to feel/palpate when the dog was in most positions, but she was able to feel it was there. The recommendation was to treat the skin infection and then, once clear of infection, proceed with lumpectomy and biopsy. She completed a 14 day course of cefpodoxime oral antibiotics but the infection did not improve. She was given a second course of the same but after 5 days it was getting worse rather than better. The vet prescribed oral clindamycin instead to see if that would clear it. She did a full course of that and when it was clear the infection was persisting we were advised to consider moving forward with the lumpectomy in case the tumoassociated hormone impact/immune impact may have been causing the infection resistance to improvement.
She had surgery on May 8th to remove the lump and some of the infection damaged tissue. Since then, her incision has stayed looking good (no swelling, no unusual colored discharge, appears to be closing up nicely) but as of yesterday, she developed an odor that I can only describe as smelling like infection. I might be wrong as I am not sure what a normal odor from a surgical site might be, but from an instinct level, it just seems off to me. She is still on clindamycin and the skin itself does not appear infected despite the odor. She does not have a fever or any other infection symptoms.
Her energy level is good and normal (she's still a highly active dog/more active than most young dogs we know), has a good appetite, and healthy bowel movements. She has no other health issues besides this. We have been keeping her confined other than potty breaks so she does not run and jump and ruin her stitches.
With all this context, yesterday we received the histopathology report from her lumpectomy. It does not sound good at all. The vet has offered a referral to an oncologist.
Clinical Report: I don't know how to attach the histopathology report directly, so I am copy/pasting the relevant sections below.
Description Haired skin, masss left caudal mammary chain: Elevating the epidermis and extending from the superficial dermis into the subcutis is a densely cellular, unencapsulated, poorly demarcated, infiltrative neoplasm composed of polygonal cells with distinct cell borders arranged in lobules, islands, nests, loose sheets, and rare tubules on a dense fibrovascular stroma. Neoplastic cells have a moderate amount of eosinophilic cytoplasm and a single round, centrally positioned nucleus with finely stippled chromatin and 1-3 prominent, round, basophilic nucleoli. Anisocytosis and anisokaryosis are moderate. Four mitotic figures are noted in ten high powered fields. Occasionally, neoplastic cells have karyomegaly, are multinucleated, or contain bizarre mitotic figures. Multifocally, throughout the superficial dermis and subcutis there are neoplastic emboli in the lumens of lymphatic vessels. Throughout the mass are small areas of hemorrhage and necrosis. The overlying epidermis is ulcerated and covered by a serocellular crust. Neoplastic cells abut and continue through the medial and caudal surgical margins.
Histopathologic Diagnosis Haired skin, mass left caudal mammary chain: Mammary gland anaplastic carcinoma – grade III (high grade) - incompletely excised - with vascular invasion.
Comments
The left caudal mammary chain mass is consistent with a grade III (high grade) anaplastic mammary gland carcinoma. Neoplastic cells abut and continue through the medial and caudal surgical margins, and surgical removal of this mass is considered incomplete. Many dermal and subcutaneous lymphatic vessels also contained neoplastic emboli, and there is concern for local or distant metastasis of this neoplasm. Full clinical staging of this dog is recommended. Mammary tumors occur commonly in female dogs, particularly in those that are intact or were spayed at an older age, and ~50% are malignant. In intact animals, tumor growth can be hormonally influenced. Mammary gland carcinomas can metastasize, most often to the local lymph nodes followed by distant sites such as the lungs and other viscera. This carcinoma is classified as grade III (high grade) according to the most recently proposed grading system. Grade III mammary gland carcinomas have the highest rates of metastasis, recurrence, and cancer-related death. The histologic pattern of this carcinoma is consistent with an anaplastic carcinoma subtype. Anaplastic carcinomas are the most malignant subtype of mammary gland carcinomas and all are classified as grade III. They have very high rates of metastasis and a reduced median survival time (~3 months). This patient should be examined for evidence of regional and distant metastasis.
My Questions for this community:
1) Based on the grade and type of cancer, what are the chances that an oncologist can help prolong things for a reasonable amount of time? I don't want to put my dog through chemo or procedures/etc if it will only add weeks or months, on the other hand, if it could add years of high quality of life than of course that could be the right choice for her. I want her final chapter to be comfortable, joyful, and peaceful. I do not want to put her through unnecessary stress just for my own sake of having more time. Her best interest is my only basis for decision making.
2) Given the odor but otherwise lack of infection symptoms, how likely is it that the cancer has weakened her immune system so much that she won't recover from the infection?

Yesterday I lost it at my 3yo daughter. She’s been sick the poor thing. I’m also getting sick and am also pregnant. Running low on sleep, not taking my ADHD meds due to pregnancy (a personal choice) and feel out of whack with everything. Yesterday my daughter refused to take her medicine. It is a nightmare getting her to take it. I was home alone with her. I tried everything with her and then long story short, I ended up having a meltdown in front of her. I ended up spraying the medicine all over us in a fit of rage and started pretty much scream/crying like a nutcase. “Just take the bloody medicine! Just take the bloody medicine!” I looked crazy. I WAS crazy. This is maybe the second major meltdown I’ve had in front of her. She started crying too and saying “I’m sorry mama, I’m so sorry mama”. I instantly held her and repeated i’m sorry over and over again, mummy shouldn’t have yelled, I’m so sorry etc.
I spoke to her a few times trying to explain to her that mummy was so upset that she burst and she was tired and it wasn’t right. I spoiled her rotten the rest of the day. I feel so so so guilty about it. Every time I remember it I cry. Today I read her a book about anger and said sorry to her again. She said mummy went crazy yesterday! And I felt terrible but I just hugged her and said sorry again. I should probably not bring it up again, I know. I want her to forget about it. I just want her to love me. I love her so much, i don’t want to fuck her up.
I have a lot of trauma from childhood with the way I was raised and am trying to break the cycle but it’s so fucking hard. I’ve been to a number of psychologists and nothings really ever helped. I just sometimes have meltdowns. I’m too scared to take my ADHD meds while pregnant. I know a lot of people do, I just don’t want to. I know they’ll help me but I’m scared it’ll affect the baby and my psychiatrist recommended I don’t. Idk. I feel like a failure of a mum. This baby is killing me and I’m exhausted all the time. I feel so guilty.

Hello!
My period was due three days ago on the 28th day of my cycle. I normally come on between the 28-30th day. It's day 32 of my cycle and I haven't come on my period properly. I had some light-brown discharge in my pants on the 28th day then nothing since then. But if I stick my finger inside or wipe when I go to the toilet, I see there is brown (kinda on the dark side) inside my vagina. Normally when I get this, I expect my period the day after. But to have it for four days! I don't know whether this is actually my period and it's super super light. Up until today, I've been having sore nipples for the last week. Since the 28th day when I had that discharge in my knickers, I've been having dull back ache like I normally would before my period. It just hasn't intensified yet. My BBT is also still above the cover line (although my BBT tends to be lower than average temps, skinny girl problems). And I have started my period when my BBT was above the cover line (sometimes it goes down a day or so later).
So yeah, anyone else had this? I basically feel like I'm on my period but my uterus isn't contracting the fluid out of me if that makes sense? The devil on my shoulder keeps saying I'm pregnant, but really apart from the delayed period I've had all the other symptoms before with non-pregnant cycles. So I'm trying not to jump to that. Realistically it's probably not that (I've been scarred before from thinking I'm pregnant when it was just PMS).
Let me know if you've had brown discharge for this long... would feel better knowing it's not just me!

Oh, the tale of the loyal hound, With ears that flap and ears that sound, A quest begins for you today, To cure the pain and keep it at bay.

Key Takeaways 📝

1. What are the common symptoms of ear infections in dogs?
   • Answer: Scratching, head shaking, redness, odor, discharge.
2. How can I safely clean my dog's ears?
   • Answer: Use vet-approved solutions, avoid cotton swabs.
3. What home remedies can help?
   • Answer: Apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, tea tree oil (diluted).
4. When should I consult a vet?
   • Answer: Persistent symptoms, severe pain, or chronic issues.

Understanding the Symptoms 🌡️

When your pup is scratching, shaking their head, Their ear a shade of painful red, A smell that tells of woes inside, An infection they can no longer hide.

Symptom	Description
Scratching	Persistent pawing at the ear
Head Shaking	Frequent shaking of the head
Redness	Inflammation in the ear canal
Odor	Unpleasant smell from the ear
Discharge	Fluid or pus coming from the ear

Cleaning the Ears with Care 🧼

To clean those ears, a gentle touch, Vet-approved solutions mean so much. Avoid the swabs, they push too deep, Gently wipe and make the ear canal sweep.

Home Remedies to Try 🌿

Apple cider vinegar, a mix so fine, With water dilute, it's cleansing time. Coconut oil to soothe and heal, Tea tree oil, but dilute with zeal.

Remedy	Preparation
Apple Cider Vinegar	Mix 1 part vinegar to 1 part water
Coconut Oil	Apply small amounts directly
Tea Tree Oil	Dilute with water, apply lightly

Knowing When to Seek Help 🆘

When symptoms linger, or pain's too much, Seek a vet's care, a healing touch. Chronic issues, severe dismay, To the vet, you must make your way.

Sign	Description
Persistent Symptoms	Symptoms lasting more than a week
Severe Pain	Excessive crying or whimpering
Chronic Infections	Recurring ear infections despite treatment

Conclusion

Oh, the journey, it may seem long, But with care and love, you'll be strong. Your pup's ears will heal, pain no more, With a wagging tail, they'll thank you, for sure.
So heed these tips, this guide so true, For healthy ears, and joy anew. Treat with love, treat with care, And your loyal hound, will always be there. 🐾❤️

Insights from Canine Ear Care Experts 🐕👂

What are the underlying causes of ear infections in dogs?

Ear infections in dogs often stem from a variety of underlying causes. These include:

• Allergies: One of the most common triggers, allergies can cause inflammation in the ear canal, leading to infections. Environmental allergens like pollen, dust mites, and mold, as well as food allergies, can be culprits.
• Moisture: Dogs that swim frequently or live in humid environments are more prone to ear infections. Excess moisture in the ear canal creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and yeast.
• Ear Mites: Tiny parasites that infest the ear canal, causing intense itching and inflammation. These are more common in puppies and young dogs.
• Foreign Bodies: Grass seeds, dirt, or other small objects can become lodged in the ear, leading to irritation and infection.
• Hormonal Imbalances: Conditions like hypothyroidism can affect the skin and ear canal, increasing the risk of infections.
• Structural Issues: Breeds with floppy ears or narrow ear canals, like Cocker Spaniels and Bulldogs, are more susceptible to ear infections due to poor air circulation.

Can you explain the process of cleaning a dog's ears in detail?

Certainly! Proper ear cleaning is essential to prevent infections and maintain ear health. Here's a detailed guide:

1. Gather Supplies: You'll need a vet-approved ear cleaning solution, cotton balls or gauze, and treats to reward your dog for their patience.
2. Prepare Your Dog: Have your dog sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Use treats to keep them calm and cooperative.
3. Apply the Solution: Hold the ear flap up to expose the ear canal. Pour a small amount of the ear cleaning solution into the ear canal. Be cautious not to insert the bottle tip too deeply.
4. Massage the Ear: Gently massage the base of the ear for about 20-30 seconds. You should hear a squishing sound, indicating that the solution is breaking up debris and wax.
5. Let Them Shake: Allow your dog to shake their head. This helps to dislodge any debris and excess solution.
6. Clean the Outer Ear: Use a cotton ball or gauze to wipe away any debris from the outer part of the ear. Avoid using cotton swabs, as they can push debris further into the ear canal.
7. Repeat if Necessary: If the ear still appears dirty, you can repeat the process. Be gentle and patient to avoid causing any discomfort.

What home remedies are effective for treating dog ear infections?

Home remedies can be useful for mild ear infections or as a preventive measure. Here are some effective options:

• Apple Cider Vinegar Solution: Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water. This solution helps to restore the natural pH balance of the ear and has antimicrobial properties. Apply with a cotton ball to clean the ear.
• Coconut Oil: Known for its soothing and antibacterial properties, coconut oil can be applied to the outer ear and gently massaged in. It helps reduce inflammation and irritation.
• Aloe Vera: Aloe vera gel can be applied to the outer ear to soothe and heal irritated skin. Ensure it is pure aloe vera without additives.
• Tea Tree Oil: Dilute tea tree oil with a carrier oil (like olive oil) before applying. This mixture can help combat fungal infections, but it must be used cautiously to avoid irritation.

When should I consider taking my dog to the vet for an ear infection?

While home treatments can be effective for minor issues, there are times when veterinary intervention is necessary:

• Persistent Symptoms: If symptoms persist for more than a week despite home treatment, it's time to see the vet. This could indicate a more serious infection or underlying condition.
• Severe Pain: If your dog is in significant pain, crying, or showing signs of distress, seek immediate veterinary care.
• Chronic Infections: Recurring ear infections may indicate a deeper issue, such as allergies or a systemic condition, which requires professional diagnosis and treatment.
• Discharge and Odor: If there is a foul-smelling discharge, especially if it's dark or bloody, this could be a sign of a severe infection or foreign body in the ear.
• Behavioral Changes: If your dog becomes lethargic, loses appetite, or exhibits unusual behavior, it could be a sign that the infection is affecting their overall health.

Are there any preventive measures to avoid dog ear infections?

Preventive measures are crucial to keeping your dog's ears healthy and infection-free. Here are some tips:

• Regular Cleaning: Clean your dog's ears regularly using a vet-approved solution to prevent wax and debris buildup.
• Dry Ears Thoroughly: After swimming or bathing, dry your dog's ears thoroughly to prevent moisture from becoming trapped in the ear canal.
• Monitor Allergies: If your dog has allergies, work with your vet to manage them effectively. This may involve dietary changes, medications, or allergy shots.
• Check Ears Frequently: Regularly inspect your dog's ears for signs of redness, swelling, or unusual discharge. Early detection can prevent infections from becoming severe.
• Balanced Diet: Ensure your dog has a balanced diet to support their immune system and overall health, which can reduce the risk of infections.
• Proper Grooming: Keep the hair around your dog's ears trimmed to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of infections.

It is a man, old and scraggy. He wears a jacket that lays over the red plaid button shirt and blue jeans. He wears an old baseball cap and a pair of glasses. He yelled something to Dad, holding his hands up like he was pleading, although we couldn’t hear it over the truck engine. They talked, but we couldn’t hear what they were saying.
“Hey, what are they saying”, I asked, while petting Matt’s hair, calming him. The old man then put his hands down and came close to Dad in a cautious way. They seem to start having some kind of conversation.
“I don’t really know, hopefully, something good”, Mom answered. They talked for a little while, with daylight beginning to disappear, giving us a sense of dread, and making me more worried about what weird creature was going to show up. Eventually, the old man turned and pointed toward what I think is the northeast. They then shook hands and walked back to their respective vehicles. “What’s going on”, Mom asked as Dad got into the truck.
“Well, our new friend here invited us to dinner at his farm”, Dad replied.
“Does he have supplies?”
“Well, he says has supplies for us to make the journey.”
“Should we even trust him? We just met h-”
“Relax, he’s just an old man, living alone at his farm, feeding his cows. What could go wrong”, Dad countered. The old man then entered the truck that was running and drove slowly, expecting us to follow him.
“Alrighty then, but we have to be cautious”, Mom said, with her suspicions of the old man. We then followed the old truck along the dark, frozen road. It just feels like something is going to show up along the road, but nothing happened. Matt did eventually stop crying, but he is still upset about the Joe escape thing.
“Where are we going”, Matt lamented, with the prior series of events in mind.
“I guess somebody is offering us dinner”, I answered.
“Why can’t we just go home?”
“It’s only going to be a stop, like a hotel. After that, we go to our new home, I guess”, I said, taking another look at Matt and cradling to comfort him. “It’s going to be okay.” I stared out into the darkness. I looked to the sky from the window and I faintly saw something in the clear, dark sky, lit up by the waning moon. They were brilliant, green auroras that defy the bright moon, dancing across the sky like ribbons in the wind. The truck eventually took a right-hand turn into another road, with us following suit. I can see a bright, orange light emerging from a patch of tree. When we passed by, it seemed it was a house, at a farm, burning in a massive flame.
“I guess those people aren’t so, uh, lucky”, Dad said, taking a quick look at it before looking at the road. Passing by, we went on and continued to follow the old man’s truck. We passed onto another intersection until he turned into a driveway to what I believe to be his farm. Going into the driveway, I can see an old house, along with a dilapidated farm further away, barely visible by the headlights. The old man parked by the house, where there were a few other trucks there. We parked alongside the truck and we got out into the cold, near-silent night.
“Welcome to sanctuary, where all are welcome”, the old man bellowed. This is the first time I’ve heard his voice. Matt was the last to get out of the truck, slowly and clumsily climbing out of the truck.
“What’s your name”, my Mom politely asked the old man.
“Oh, I guess your husband didn’t tell ya. My name is Steven, but you can call me Steve”, the old man said, with some crackling in his voice. “I am very proud to host a dinner for you and your family”, he continued. “What’s your name, ma’am?”
“Oh, my name is Janice”, Mom replied, quite pleased at his politeness.
“Hello, Janice, and what are their names”, Steven asked, pointing to me and Matt.
“That’s my daughter Kate and my son Matt”, Dad said to Mom.
“Oh, what wonderful names for a couple of beautiful children you have”, Steve grinned. “Come, it is dangerous out here.” We followed him to the house, which looked like it had seen better days. He entered through the double-set door, the first a solid door and a screen door behind. Entering the house, it smelled like what you’d expect, old man. Looking onto the floor is made of glossy wood and walls with cracks, likely caused by the earthquake. It is dark in there, lit by candlelight from many candles, yet it’s fairly warm here. I don’t know why we went into the house, but Dad was right, Steve is just a lonely, old man. Matter of fact, there seems to be nothing wrong here, other than the cracks in the walls. “Sorry, the power went out. Had to resort to the candles. I knew my wife would come in handy”, Steve explained as he took his coat off. “Oh, supper will be ready right away. Had to use the fireplace to cook. Also, can you take your boots off?” We took our boots and set them aside. We went into what seemed to be a living room, with dusty old-style furniture.
“So, where do we sit”, Mom asked.
“Oh, well, follow me”, Steve commanded, leading us to the dining room, with a long, wooden table and six wooden chairs, along with their corresponding old-fashioned plates, glasses and cutlery, lit up in the candlelight. We noticed that everything on the table was covered in a thin veil of dust. “My apologies, the recent shocks dropped a bit of dust on the table”, he explained as he noticed us looking at the plates and moved into another room nearby. “Take your seats if you like.” We all settled onto the chairs, and blew off our plates of the dust settled there.
“When will we eat”, Matt impatiently said.
“Once Steve comes out with the food”, Mom answered. Matt sat there with a tired look on his face. Dad seemed to be in a better mood than before and it looked like he wanted to start a conversation.
“Hey, should we talk about something”, Dad asked. I then see Steve with a bowl and a silver plate.
“Here we go, may not be much, but at least it’ll fulfil the soul”, Steve said, smiling when he served us mashed potatoes and meatloaf. “So, shall we pray?” That came unexpectedly, as we are not too religious, but we were in his house and gave us shelter and food.
“Sure, we can do that”, Mom said and we all bowed our heads and put our hands together. Steve cleared his throat
“Thank you, Lord, for this good food to feed the soul in these hard times. I shall pray, in the name of the Lord and Jesus Christ, that these hard times shall be over, so we can get on with our lives. Amen.” We raised our heads and grabbed whatever food there was onto our plates. “Oh, there’s no gravy, so we have to deal with bare potaters and meatloaf.”
“Oh, not to worry. Thank you for the food”, Dad thanked Steve. We began to eat the food once we got it sorted.
“So, what brings you here”, Steve asked.
“Well, there is an evacuation order in effect for this area, so we had to go to Regina”, Dad explained, with Steve taking in every word. “So, we came from Strasbourg, we tried going south towards Regina, but we hit an obstacle in the way and we had to take another route, leading us here.”
“And we encountered a few odd things along the way”, Mom added.
“Huh, interesting. What do you guys think is going on”, Steve inquired.
“By the things we saw, we have no idea. Dinosaurs, devil dogs, hell pigs, the whole deal. I shouldn’t forget the earthquake. They told us a pipeline leak caused by the earthquake”, Dad clarified to Steve.
“Hmm… is that so”, Steve wondered. “Wonder what I think is happening? The Rapture is happening. Do you know how the Bible tells us of the end times? Good people sent to be with God and his kingdom, the rest here to suffer the Hell unleashed by Satan.” By this point, he was beginning to rant, but we couldn't stop it as we all began to feel tired and powerless. “So, the Devil will send his demons in the form of these illusions so that they can torment the sinners. It is happening, it is-” Steve manically continued as I drew towards blackness and his voice becoming less coherent. My vision is now all black.
I saw those same lights, but more rapidly than before. I then emerged onto the same clear sky, but something felt different. I can smell something in the air. I can smell what seems to be chemicals in the air. Looking down, I was terrified. Dark, grey rock in the shape of ropes and folds, similar to those I saw of lava flows on a volcano in pictures. This went on as far as the eye could see. I can see no tree this time, just the cooled lava everywhere. I then walked, feeling every bump and crag. I thought I walked forever until I heard a rumbling sound and woke up.
I am in total darkness. It is cold and it smells like cow manure. I tried to move my hand, but it seemed to be bonded behind my back by a rope. I tried to move my feet, but they were also bound by rope to the legs I tried to speak, only to realise my mouth was agape by a cloth in my mouth. I heard shuffling nearby but I could not see. It was then shone in light when Steve entered the door, holding a candle, revealing all of us in the same situation. I then can see what we are in. We are in that same wooden dilapidated barn we saw earlier and seems to be more damaged than the house, wood creaking can be heard.
“These sedatives are more effective than I thought. Maybe I should use them more often”, Steve smoothly explained, like he’s some kind of agent and began pacing. “Wonder why you are here? Well, I wondered the same thing to myself, why didn’t God take me to his heaven? When I first heard of the government telling us of those evacuation plans, I thought it was that, a leaking pipe. I began to notice things I couldn’t believe myself, at least at first. Earthquakes, weird creatures showing up, people disappearing, the whole spiel. I connected the dots. The Rapture is happening, for sure, but why me? Why was I the one left here on this Earth”, Steve calmly ranted, pacing around the barn, but it seemed to sound crazier and angrier the more he paced. “I thought I had lost my way. I’ve been unfaithful to God and his son. But, I realised that God always has a plan and he left me on this Earth to serve a purpose. I wondered what my purpose was until I had a moment.” He then stopped in place and calmed down. He turned to look at Mom with accusing yet crazed eyes.
“I’m supposed to keep the sinners here in line, to earn a place in God’s kingdom, or suffer in Hell. I know you are a sweet woman, Janice, but your treachery with Satan is over and I am going to do what’s right.” Mom then looked at all of us, with assuring eyes like that of an innocent yet caring mother we all know knew. I began crying and trying to speak through the cloth, but I was helpless to watch by. “Forgive me, Father, for what I am going to do.” He then pulled a knife from his pocket and plunged it into Mom’s neck with no mercy. I looked away once he did that, trembling, with tears pouring out and my vision glazed and I fell limp. I could see my brother tearing up, but he did not look away. I can hear Dad behind me, with his screams of agony and anger covered by the cloth. It felt like I was in slow motion, taking in every moment.
I then heard the chair, screeching as Steve dragged the chair containing Mom’s lifeless body towards the door, leaving behind a trail of blood. I couldn’t bear to see my mother like this. I shut my eyes very hard and hoped it would go away. The door then shut, leaving us alone with a candle, fearing what would come next. I stared at the candle, seeing it dance in the flames like a woman dancing in the darkness. Is this how it’ll end, I thought. End up dying to this sick man? My Mom was killed in front of me. I sobbed with that thought, then I began to think about the inevitable death of me. I hope there’s something after I die. Maybe I’ll see Mom again.
It was silent for a while, nearly no sound other than our moans. Dad seems to be fidgeting at the back of his chair, rocking it slowly. Looking past him, I shuddered at the glistening pool of blood, where Mom was last alive, could be my fate. I then see Dad release his arms from the back of the chair and remove the cloth from his mouth. He silently stood up and bent down to untie his legs from the chair legs. He then went to me and removed my cloth.
“H-h-how did you do that”, I silently wept, fearing that Steve would show up at the door and kill us all.
“My binding is loose. The old man probably took a liking to me”, Dad whispered. “I should remove your binds.” He untied them, releasing me, doing the same for Matt. “Now, we need to be quiet.” We then walked, quietly, along the painfully creaking wood in the near dark, following the blood trail, glistening in the candlelight. We cringed and dreaded each sound we made and watched the door in case it began to creak open. A few silent steps later, we made it to the door and we slowly opened it so as not to make any noise. What was revealed to us is nothing new, other than the blood trail continuing in the snow directing towards the back of the barn. “Okay, Kate, Matt, you guys run to the truck.”
“What about you”, I sobbed.
“Don’t worry about me”, Dad responded, giving me his keys and forcing them into my hand. “If I’m not back in a few minutes, leave. Don’t look back, take care of your brother, okay? I love you, no matter what happens.” He then kissed me on the head and ran to follow the blood trail. We quickly walked towards the black truck, stranded there for maybe hours. Getting closer, freedom is getting closer. When we got to a fair distance to the truck, I heard footsteps behind me and, the next thing I knew, I was knocked over to the ground into the hard snow on my face. A hand turned me over to give me a glimpse of a crazed Steve, his eyes wilder than before.
“Oh, yes, trying to escape”, he bragged. I looked at him, frozen in fear, like a deer in headlights and he caressed my face with his bloodied blade. “You do have a pretty face, but I’m afraid you are just one of Satan's creations, made to pull me to lust.” He then raised his knife in the air when a familiar side emerged, out of the blue.
Joe came and bit him in the arm that was holding the knife. Steve screamed in agony the moment he realised what happened. He shook Joe off and stood up to stand his ground. I stood up as Joe hissed and walked around the crazed being he wounded, not in fear but in aggressiveness. “Is this one of your pets, demon”, Steve screamed as Joe came in for another attack, but Steve countered that with a slash to the snout. Joe then ran away, whining, into the darkness. This sequence of events gave me the chance to enter the truck on the driver’s side. I had some trouble starting it, besides this is my first time driving a truck.
Steve menacelily walked towards the when Dad came barreling and tackled him to the ground. Dad was on top when he went limp. I finally put the keys in the engine turned it on and backed out, with memory serving me the instructions on such a vehicle. Steve pushed Dad’s body and stood up, but by that time, we left the farm.
“Turn back, we have to get Dad”, Matt cried, but I was very emotional, accepting what happened. I felt that, without my parents, I feel… useless.
“Dad’s dead”, I screamed at Matt and he began gagging uncontrollably in tears. I began to feel sorry for him. “Sorry, I, I don’t know.”
“It’s okay”, Matt sniffled. “I guess Mom and Dad are dead anyways.” It was silence for a few more minutes, tears welling in our eyes.
“Hey, our parents are in a better place”, I said, trying to make the situation positive.
“But we are stuck here, without them? Don’t we deserve to go to a better place?”
“Don’t say that”, I huffed and I paused for a bit. “I know we are in the, uh, right place now. Let me tell you something, once we get to Regina, I will take care of you, no matter what life throws at us.”
“What about Joe”, Matt asked.
“He’ll be fine. He probably found his girlfriend already.”
“Hey, don’t you have a boyfriend?”
“I, uh, I don’t have one. That I know of”, I spoke, bringing me back to Sam, remembering that she’s the only friend that I ever knew, and I left her. Without her, I felt alone, no one would ever relate. I began to tear up. “I don’t have any friends. I am alone,” I sobbed.
“What do you mean? I’m your brother!” I looked at Matt, and smiled, happy that he acknowledged that we were in this together.
“Thank you”, I thanked him. I slowly stopped on the road, just to hug Matt hard, crying my eyes out. We then heard what sounded like an elephant in front of us. We looked up to see a walking snow-covered brown fur wall with four pillar-like legs in front of us. Its curved tusks gleaned in the light and the eyes reflected in the light. The furry trunk waved around like a searching snake from a tree. We both knew what it was.
“Hey, look at that, a woolly mammoth”, Matt said, excitement running through him. At this point, we weren’t surprised.
“Yep, that is a woolly mammoth”, I added. The mammoth turned to us on the road, seemingly confused about where it was. It looked at our truck and seemed to growl, like an elephant. We are starting to realise this thing is becoming aggressive.
“Uh, should we move”, Matt asked. I remembered hearing something about standing your ground in case of an encounter with an elephant. I hoped it would work for a bigger, furrier version of one.
“No, we have to stand our ground.”
“But, it’ll attack u-”
“Trust me!” I then honked my horn and it backed up. It then rushed, then stopped, a mock charge. Eventually, it moved out of the road, disappearing into the darkness. We sighed in relief.
“That was close”, Matt sighed. I then continued to drive in the night, headlights leading the way. The road is bumpy, as noticed by every ditch and peak we hit, but surprisingly, Matt was fast asleep. I began to get comfortable driving and used to the road by that point. It was silent for a while until we hit a smaller intersection. That is when the truck shut down, completely and stopped. I tried the gas many times but with no effect. There is no light, nothing. It is near-darkness here, shone only by the moonlight.
“Shit”, I yelled, desperate to turn the truck on without much success. Matt woke up, confused.
“What happened”, he yawned.
“The truck turned itself off. I can’t get it back on”, I fretted and at that moment, Matt was just as panicked as I am.
“Why?”
“I-I don’t know. One moment, we were driving, another it just-”, I quavered, when I heard something rustle in the distance. We stood still, hoping whatever it was didn’t find us. I looked around, hoping to see something in the moonlight. I then see a long, walking animal. It looked like some sort of alligator at first, except for a dinosaur-like head. Once I strained my eyes to the darkness, my fear levels rose as I could see it walk on its hind limbs, with its forelimbs dangling nearly touching the ground.
It was wandering around on the road when I heard a near-crocodilian growl at Matt’s side of the truck. Another of those creatures appeared, seemingly looking into the window like a hungry bear, giving us a chance to see its scaly head. Its exposed alligator teeth gleaned in the light like knives, but more terrifying was the eye. Its serpentine pupil shone brilliantly in the light like eyes in the dark. It then ducked down, gave a hiss, and moved towards the other one. A few more showed up and formed a group.
“What should we do”, Matt asked. “Should we stay?” I looked around, hoping for another way to escape them without them noticing. I further strained my eyes and mentally mapped out the area. There is a cemetery on my right-hand side, a grain bin storage yard on my left and a series of trailers on the other side of the highway, which is ahead of us, from the storage area. There, I see a series of white, storage buildings, something we can go to and wait it out inside.
“Okay, so slowly open the door”, I instructed Matt. The click of the doors opening cringed us. We looked at the group, but there was no response from them. We then, as slowly as we could, opened the door and stepped out. Still no response. Matt then quietly ran to the other side, towards me. “Okay, we are going into the storage yard and go to the other entrance”, I said, pointing to the other right-hand corner. I wanted to get as far away from these things as possible before making a safe crossing. “Then, we cross the highway on the other side, run into the buildings and stay there for the night. Are you ready?”
“I guess”, he whispered, looking at me in fearful doubt.
“We are going to do this”, I whispered back. We then silently ran over, having to rely on our night-adapted eyes, to the corner, walking past the bins. We made it and nothing behind us so far. “We’re good so far.” We then crossed the road and noticed nothing. We noticed a tanker truck, leaking some sort of fluid across the road. I easily recognized it as fuel, based on its distinctive, sickly smell. I wouldn’t be worried about it if it weren’t for a collapsed light pole that is somehow still flickering with electricity near the area where the fuel would be flowing. We quickly avoided the fluid when I froze to see the group of the walking alligators, running towards us. “Run!” Matt tried to run, but one of those things appeared and clamped its jaws at the back of his neck. He yelped in pain and it took him down to the ground. “Matt”, I yelled, helplessly watching as the creature tore into him.
Matt reached out his arm before the others came to him, then a flash of fire came. At this point, I knew what happened, but I couldn’t even think before it exploded. It blew me towards the building, far away. I was knocked out for a few seconds before I regained consciousness, groaning in pain on the ice. I noticed something especially painful just below my chest. I reached towards the area with my hand. I pressed on it, more painful than ever and raised my hand, only to see blood, brightened by the fire. I realised I was wounded, maybe by shrapnel made by the explosion.
I looked toward where the truck was and all I saw was a blaze. Those things weren’t there, at least. I also noticed something else, too, there’s no Matt. I tried to look around for something, some sort of sign of my brother within the fire, but I saw none. I then wept, realising I had failed. I have failed to keep him safe. I have failed to give him a better life. I failed him as a sister. I could’ve done better. The thoughts poured in as tears glazed my eyes. At that moment, I failed to look around me.
I noticed a dark thing beside the blaze. I thought it was Matt, preparing to greet him back, even though I knew he couldn’t survive the explosion. The image became clearer and clearer as I noticed it was one of the walking crocs that, glazed by the fire, was coming towards me.
“Just kill me”, I screamed, preparing to painfully die to meet my maker. The creature was about to attack me when something large, silent as the wind, came charging and clamped down its massive jaws, filled with conical teeth on the hapless creature and raised it. The crocodile struggled before going limp with a crunch within its strong jaws. The big, dark and scaly monster that it is towered over me and is as long as a bus, possibly longer. Its large legs are a contradiction to its small arms that hide beneath its scarred, bulky body.
It turned to look at me with an oddly bird-like expression, revealing in the firelight numerous scars from battles I could never know and looked at me with its beady bird-like eyes, breathing out wisps from its nostrils like a dragon in the cool air. I recognized it as a creature I know too well, a T. Rex. I breathed heavily and sickly, looking at the thing, nearly expecting me to drop the body and go after me. Instead, it simply walked away, carrying its bloody prize with it, and steadily retreated into the darkness.
I then lay down in agonizing exhaustion on my back, thinking of the next step of action like I'm on a suicide mission I would never come back from. I looked in the direction of the graveyard and had one thought. I guess I am dying. a graveyard will do. I struggled to stand up, noticing my blood-soaked clothes and felt a broken left leg. I grasped my wound, limping step by step and enduring the sharp pain while shaking in the cold. Every step I took, I remembered all the memories, good or bad, that I had with my parents. My brother. My friends. My family. I eventually reached the cemetery and slouched at a tree.
“Guess I’m joining you, guys”, I said, speaking to the snow-covered gravestones, only to hear something. A familiar sound of chirping emerged and, lit by the blaze, it was a sight I can hope for. “Joe, what are you doing here”, I depressingly cheered as Joe went to me and curled up in my lap as if he were a cat. I noticed the new-found scar he had on his little snout, but I paid no mind as I petted him. “I guess you came back. Thank you so much for what you did”, I thanked him, not expecting such a loyal creature would be with me, comforting me, to the end, like what my mother used to do when I was a newborn. I heard another noise, this time a deep rumble.
I thought it was another earthquake coming, but it got louder the closer it got to me, becoming more animalistic only felt small vibrations I barely felt. Joe stayed put, oddly enough, as T. Rex, different from the first one, came. It walked towards us until it stopped short of us. It began to produce a low-pitched, bird-like purring, attracting Joe. I realised something, that this T. Rex is Joe’s parent. He joined the rest like him, whom they showed up and all chirped around.
The grown Rex then brought its snout closer to me, not to kill me, but to look at me. It did not reveal its teeth and was still purring. I put my hand out and its nose came close to it. It rubbed it against my hand and started to pet its cold, scaly skin as it breathed through its nose and put it on my chest. I rested my head on it before it pulled away. It gave out a hiss, but I knew it wasn’t that of a threat, but more of a thank you for bringing its small, sometimes immature, child home.
That gave me relief, as it felt like I at least did something for once. They walked away, along with Joe, towards the darkness amongst the gravestones in the cemetery. I glimpsed one last desperate look at Joe before walking beside his parent. I looked up at the sky and I could see all the stars, twinkling, and the dancing green auroras. I began to feel limp and felt the cold embrace of death coming over me, tears pouring out of my eyes. The sky then grew brighter and brighter, the stars faded into the light and I could see my family welcoming me to a new home. It then slowly went black, darker than a cave.
You would think this is the end of me. It wasn’t, or else I wouldn’t be writing this right now. I eventually woke up in a hospital in Regina. I was told I was rescued by a team that transported me while I was in a coma. The doctors said I was very lucky to be alive, as the shrapnel narrowly avoided my vital organs. After that, I was adopted into a new family, but I was only with them for a couple of years before finding a new job and moving out.
As for Sam, I don’t know what happened to her. I would like to think she is safe, somewhere else. As for my family, I think of them all the time. I was in a depressive period right after that. Eventually, over the years, I accepted that they were gone and went to a better place. For Joe, I would like to think he is all grown up, like his parents, and becoming the king of the jungle. I hope we meet again.
As for the evacuated area, it wasn’t some pipeline rupture that caused an evaluation, but an anomaly, with the exact reason not known. There are excuses for the claims of weird stuff going on in there, from disease to chemicals, to eventually a previously unknown geological event, but I saw through it all.
You may ask how, it's because I've been there. Take it or leave it, this is the story I have. As the decade came by, cover-ups were made to hide it, even walls were put around it. Since the incident, the exclusion zone grew from a mere 80 kilometers in diameter to 460 kilometers in diameter, emptying entire cities of the likes of Regina and Saskatoon. I had to move to North Battleford, by the recommendation from the same government covering it up, making me think that time will tell before the floodgates of truth open.
The anomaly didn’t have a name initially, however, over the years, everyone agreed on one name in particular: The Saskatchewan Anomaly.

Hi - I’m really unsure of what to do so I’m posting to Reddit to probably just rant - and maybe get some advice - honestly I’m not too sure but here we are.
For the past week my girlfriend has said her boobs have grown and are super painful - I recommended she took a pregnancy test/go to a doctor regarding this - low and behold she took a test and it came back as a VERY faint line. She has always been on the pill - however I am a coil baby so I know that contraception doesn’t always work.
Any hoo - my partner isn’t happy with her job so is currently looking for other positions - I too am being offered jobs from a few different sectors right now and unsure what the future of both our jobs will be. We are currently struggling with debts - we’ve been working our way slowly out however my partner had a dog with her previous partner - and when it got ill ran up a £8,000 vet bill - which she is about £2,000 into… I know we will make it work financially but I would have wanted another 2 years as a minimum - we live in a very small studio flat (our bedroom is also our lounge and kitchen) neither of us are in a position to move house or could afford anything bigger currently.
I should also mention my partner and I dated for 3 months when we were 15 and 16 - we were long distance but when we did see each other was great - we ended because of this and cut conversations- 3 years later we reconnected- we both had partners and remained friendly with one another during this time she told me she had fell pregnant before we cut things off and because we weren’t talking or together and very young had the child aborted - which I can understand is a horrible thing to go through alone.
She broke up with her partner at a similar time as I did with mine and we ended up getting back together - honestly couldn’t be happier - we’ve been together for just over a year however she moved in almost straight away - so we’ve been living together for a year and things are great - we know how each other work and have respect for one another - it’s true love and I could not be happier.
Now… the pregnancy - I’m nervous and I believe understandably so. I personally do not feel ready to bring a child into our lives - as I’ve said to her not for another two years as a minimum - we’ve spoken about everything and I’m 33% for a child and 66% against - whereas she is the complete opposite- 66% for 33% against. I don’t want to put her through having an abortion again but I don’t think I’m ready or in a good place in life.
No matter what decision is made I will stay and raise the child the best I bloody can and will love them as much as I love my girlfriend but i really don’t know what to do.
Thanks for listening to me rant. Hopefully some good comes from this