Baby cough fever diarrhea

I‘m realising how much of a doormat I‘ve become in my 7 year relationship. It’s like waking up from a fever dream. It just happened so quickly.
Met, fell in love hard and fast, moved across the world to be together, got married, had a child, all within two years. Baby is three months old when I test positive for an STI. Baby was four months old when I, as a healthcare professional, stopped being in denial about the S of the STI. Counselling. Attempts to repair. So much lying. So much fear on my end. Baby is 1,5 years old when I find out the supposed ONS was a full blown affair. Relief I now know the truth. Attempts to repair. Fear. Baby is 2 years old. More emotional cheating, sexting. He’s not afraid of being left anymore now. Says he’s kept the evidence for me to find, to show he’s unhappy. Grand gesture. Repair. Fear. Baby is now three years old. Another discovery. At the same time he reveals he read my diary, knows I thought about leaving him. He cheated because he feels betrayed, he says. I go to therapy. Therapist tries and fails to get me to see thinking about leaving someone is not a betrayal equally as bad as cheating on them. Denial. Fear. Denial. Baby is now no longer a baby. I found out he‘s carried on two other full relationships. Since before we were together. Until this day. He says again he left the evidence for me to find. To show how unhappy he is, he says. Counselling. The therapist asking why I am choosing this.
I did not use to be this person. I was confident when I met him. So happy. When we first started dating, I broke things off for a few months just because he had been late for a date twice in a row. And now I needed to be told, twice in a row, not that he cheated on me. No. I needed to be told twice that he kept evidence of his cheating to punish me. For not making him happy.
I‘m not asking for or expecting pity. It stops being on him at some point doesn’t it. It’s me who‘s doing this to my life. And I just can’t believe who I‘ve turned into. I never thought this would be me.

My little noodle is 5 months old and got her first viral infection. Coughing for about a week, congested the last few days and continuing to just get snottier and gurglier. We're doing steam, cool mist by the crib, warm baths, saline, suction machine and bulb depending on what's nearby.
Shockingly, she hates the suction tools. She's amazing at dodging the nozzles. So my question is:
Have any of you used your mouth to suck the snot out of your baby's face?
I almost made a throwaway for this question but I decided I'm proud of entertaining the idea. Please help. If you have any other tips besides sucking mucus out of my baby, I'm so open to them. We are seeing the pediatrician in an hour to make sure it's nothing scary.
Thank you!

Went in to obgyn because I feel like I was mugged and hit by a truck. I have fever with Aches and pains, lower abdomen super tender and after two week still bleeding with no letting up I also had cramping. Got the ultrasound and there was a good bit of tissue just hanging out. I wasn’t really given the option to go under. He felt it’d be later in the week and due to me already feeling sick it would become an emergency. I don’t know I don’t regret getting it done but if I could go back I would’ve fought for myself better and went under. Jesus Christ it was horrendous. Nobody should be awake during that. Just a vent. This baby was so wanted and since finding out I’ve just wanted to get everything done and over with to be able to start healing. Just being kicked while I’m down. Sending love to all

i dont know whether to tag this side effects, experience, or rant, but...
SORRY THIS IS SO LONG !!!
i (19f) have the kyleena iud, which is the lowest dosage of progesterone hormones on the market. i have been on it since i was 16, so 3 years now.
i was told it was the best choice for me, because i forget to take pills, its the smallest choice for iud, and iuds are localized so "there shouldn't be any side effects shown in the whole body" i feel like ive been lied to, i was told "there are no side effects, youll be okay, atleast you wont have a baby!"
which is why i got on in the first place (besides my parents pretty much telling me i have to after meeting my boyfriend), is i am absolutely terrified of pregnancy. not just the normal amount, but the tokophobia amount.
i feel like im trapped. i want to be safe and have an extra layer of protection so i wont fear intercourse every time it happens like i did before i got on. i would always be too focused and anxious if the condom was on to enjoy it. thats why i choose to still be on it.
but since getting on birth control- i hate myself. so much. i dont know what i look like or who i am anymore
there are so many side effects...

 1. SO. much. weight. gain. i hate my body. 

i was only 135 lbs before i started BC. within the first year i gained 60lbs- now im steadily still climbing, and im 205lbs after being on it for 3 years. i dont recognize myself, i cant dress how i like to anymore, im so ashamed of my body... now before you say anything like "just lose it", i've tried, asshole.

 2. i can not lose all the weight i gained no matter how hard i try. 

ive eaten in a calorie deficit of 2,000, 1,500 cals, 900 cals, 500 cals, then even i tried not eating anything at all for a month. i tracked it all on myfitnesspal and you could see the graph of my weight going up up up and my calories going down lower and lower.
during these time periods i would do consistent cardio, exercise, lifting, pilates. i tried so many things yet i kept on getting weaker and weaker at the gym and gaining more and more weight.
food isn't food to me anymore. i regret eating. i feel sick when i think about eating. its all just numbers reminding me about how fat and hideous i am.
135 to 205 is 70lbs in just 1 year. it stretched my skin so bad i have deep purple stretch marks all over me that haven't faded even after 2 years.
when i wanted to get a bellybutton piercing the piercer told me my stomach was too fat to get one. at my doctor's appointment i had when i was 17 a year after i got on it, she told me "wow youre gaining a lot of weight! let's discuss eating fruits and vegetables." as if its that simple. my boyfriend is a bodybuilder and tells me im not trying hard enough to lose weight. how hard do i have to try? i stopped eating but i still gain...
i hate the way i look. no one tells me im pretty anymore.

 3. i was supposed to stop my period, but now i bleed for 10-17 days straight 

it never stopped. it comes every month right on time, i actually have a pretty normal schedule. but GOD the fucking bleeding. i have to wear a pad so long that it gives me diaper rash in-between my thighs like im a fucking baby. and its not just the bleeding for 15 days that pisses me off, its the cramps and the bloating.

 4. horrible cramps and bleeding, that akin to actual contractions 

when i cramp it makes me lay on the floor and shake and cry. i told my gyno ive cramped so hard it makes me vomit and my head spin and i sweat. they told me the birth control should fix it in time, and made sure my iud wasn't stabbing my uterus and sent me on my way.

 5. im so tired all the time. 

physically and mentally. i cant lift anything at the gym and i cant run like i used to.
i have constant brain fog, my entire last year of highschool i couldn't even tell you what happened because i was constantly tired and could barely pay attention or retain any information.
im the age where im supposed to be choosing what college i want to go to, but i feel so mentally burnt out all the fucking time the thought of trying to go to back to school seems impossible.

 6. PMDD, i go hysterical every month 

(PMDD means pre menstrual dysphoric disorder.)
i worry all the time, i cry all the time, im always overthinking. but the week before my period. thats different. i literally feel like i want to k! myself. im inconsolable, the hysteria or mania or whatever doesn't stop until i stop bleeding, and then i go right into it again within a week. it feels like BPD. its not mood swings, im in a constant low.

 7. ovulation cramps and fever 

i only have maybe 4 good days out of the month. i cramp and bleed and get a fever when i ovulate.

 9. weak/numb when i try to "finish" & pain during sex 

my "O"s are way less intense, sometimes it feels like it doesn't even happen. its weird ? and it feels like i cant really even feel stuff down there anymore. its like it went numb and its a lot more effort that it ever has been to finish. it makes me feel guilty sometimes. my boyfriend is 6'4 and i am 5'5, even tho hes large compared to me, its always painful during intercourse, and it wasn't before i got on it.

 EDIT- 10. i also think i have miscarried a few times. i brought this up to my gyno and they said "sometimes that happens, thats what birth control does. makes sure youre not pregnant" 11. i hate myself 

i dont know who i am anymore. not physically, not mentally, not anything. i am so terrified of being pregnant, thats the only reason i stay on birth control.
i dont know what to do or who i am anymore. i dont want to feel or look this way anymore.
my boyfriend wants me to get off of it, he says he doesn't like that i have artificial hormones messing with my brain... but sometimes i wonder if im not physically attractive to him anymore. i am almost 100lbs heavier than what he fell in love with.
i dont know where to go from here...
should i try the copper coil with no hormones? i heard it constantly makes you bloated and crampy... i honestly dont know what my other choices are.
i just wanna be and look myself again.

 TL;DR- im fat and ugly and hypomanic and bleed so much and am in lots of pain and hate myself lol. 🎀 im just a girl 

22f. 150lbs 5’4 medications: lexapro. the last 3 weeks have been hell to say the least. it started out with joint aches in my lower legs, then went to a back ache and turned into hot flashes and dizziness. I thought i was coming down with something but i went to the er (april 19th) 4 days after it all started and got a flu and covid test. as well as urine and blood tests. everything came back normal including kidneys, wbc, and liver. i got out of the er in two hours and was given tylenol. my aches continued and i went to my doctor the following tuesday. (april 23rd) and i explained everything going on, ive been completely stressed out about something else so maybe thats what caused all of this. i tend to vape more when im stressed out and was told im going through a nicotine overdose. i was then put on lexapro and given anti nausea meds for the dizziness. ever since that day i have not been dizzy. magically disappeared. i started to feel better a couple days after, however the past week ive been having pains in my entire body. i can mostly feel it when im laying down. my left side hurts and my lower back feels like something is pressing on it. ive been having diarrhea, tingling feet and hands, all over body aches, muscle spasms. when i lay down it feels like something is moving around on my sides and they tingle. my body aches are on my shoulders, lower legs, wrists, knees, feet, fingers, breasts occasionally. its mainly when im laying down, if im walking around or standing i feel nothing basically. i have an appetite, im not more tired than normal, not losing weight, no fever. nothing is swollen but i cant tell if its bone or joint pain at this point. i dont know what to do. im convinced i have the c word. im afraid im slowly dying, my anxiety is to the max. do i book a sooner appointment with my doctor? or go to a different er? i have another doctors appt in june and get a blood test a week before. do i wait?

Regularly we receive questions about Dr. Clark Parasite Cleanse and the possible symptoms of the parasites being flushed out of the body. These symptoms occur because parasites can harbor bacteria and viruses that are released when the parasites are eliminated. Not everyone is the same and symptoms can vary from person to person.
Pre-Cleanse Measures: To minimize detoxification reactions, it is advisable to start with Dr. Clark’s Bowel Cleanse. This initial step not only helps in getting rid of parasites and bacteria but also clears out toxins from the intestines, setting a cleaner stage for the subsequent parasite cleanse.
Common Detox Symptoms and Solutions for Dr. Clark’s Parasite Cleanse:

• Flu-like symptoms (chills, fever, cough):
  • Cause: Release of the flu virus.
  • Remedies: Elder tea to boost the immune system and Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic remedy (1 dose in the morning, 1 at night).
• Nausea, diarrhea, fever, digestive issues:
  • Cause: Release of bacteria like Salmonella.
  • Remedies: Lugol's iodine (ensure no allergy to iodine). Recommended dosage is 6 drops in water, six times a day, preferably on an empty stomach.
• Emotional distress (sadness, melancholy, crying):
  • Cause: Release of Clostridium botulinum affecting the hypothalamus.

Remedies: Oregano oil, 5-10 drops in an empty capsule taken with 1 or 2 meals.
To better symptoms and support the body during Dr. Clark’s Parasite Cleanse, do the following:

• Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water helps flush toxins out of the body. Aim for at least 8-10 glasses daily.
• Balanced Diet: Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can provide the necessary nutrients to support detoxification.
• Rest and Sleep: Ensure you get adequate rest; the body heals and detoxifies most efficiently while you're asleep.
• Gentle Exercise: Activities like walking, yoga, and light stretching can enhance circulation and help in managing stress.
• Activated Charcoal: This can be used to absorb toxins and help reduce symptoms like nausea or gas. Always consult a healthcare provider before using it as it can interfere with medication absorption.
• Herbal Support: Milk thistle, dandelion root, and turmeric can support liver function, a key organ in the detoxification process.

Prepare for cleansing and follow the suggested steps to make your cleansing process as comfortable and effective as possible. 🌊🪱🌊

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be dead in the next 24 hours.
Whether that's the Costella family, or whatever this is, I'm not sure.
The police are taking forever, and part of me knows they're either refusing to believe me, or RC got them too.
I'm holed up on our school bus, so I've got nothing better to do.
I want to tell you about my team.
We met in our sophomore year.
Strangers standing outside the club room.
Levi was the freckled brunette who wouldn't stop talking about Game of Thrones.
Sunny, a pretty redhead, told him to shut up.
Tom, a sandy blonde, nodding his head to music corked in his ears.
I just wanted to be part of a club, and get away from my overbearing mother.
I won't say it was a perfect start. Our school was lacking in funding, so anyone could join, which made us more of a Quiz Club. I had some serious anxiety, so I stayed on the sidelines for a while, watching, rather than taking part.
It's not like we actually talked to each other initially. The first few weeks, we played Jeopardy, and attempted to find more members to cement us as an official Academic Decathlon club.
Unfortunately, though, it was just the four of us.
Which made it extremely hard for us to be taken seriously.
According to Google, Academic Decathlon teams were made up of nine members, placed by their GPA.
Our principal laughed at us, but he did let us become official.
Which was out of pity, I assumed.
The club was assembled, and we started meeting up after school.
Sort of.
Sunny barely showed up, and Levi didn't take anything seriously, preferring to spend the time telling us about his weird family turf-war.
Our principal dumped us in a tiny classroom with a resident rat living under the floorboards.
There was barely enough room to move, and the four of us crammed together for three hours was less than appealing.
Still, though, I wanted to be part of a club.
I had grown up with parents who were obsessed with board games, so I was pretty good at general knowledge questions. Our club room was too small for anything else but three desks (Sunny and I shared one) and a whiteboard we had to shove through the door.
But, again, we didn't start as an Academic club.
It was more akin to Story Time Club.
Arriving late on my third day, armed with quiz cards from home, I found Tom and Sunny completely mesmerised by Levi’s storytelling skills, drowned in shadow.
They didn't even turn the lights on.
I strictly remember squeezing next to Sunny, and hearing the words, “But there was so much blood all over the floor, and my Mom told me to go upstairs and hide under the bed…”
Sitting in front of them was Levi, perched on a desk, his legs swinging, a whiteboard marker between his teeth.
Sometimes he'd get up, and illustrate parts of his story.
It sucked that his drawings were all stick people.
I won't go into full details of his life, but Levi grew up as part of a family who had… interesting methods of making a living. I had seen the guy’s father multiple times when we hung out at his place, and, yeah, my friend’s family definitely had Soprano vibes.
Levi’s Draw My Life was nothing to do with the club, but it did bring us closer.
Even if, at that point, I was considering leaving.
But it's not like it was easy to walk away from these guys. It's like finding your soulmates. Levi wasn't the only one with an interesting life. Sunny Lang was an ex kpop trainee, who was kicked out for being too fat, which led her to develop a severe eating disorder, and a hatred for her own body.
Sunny explained her family were originally from Boston, her mother growing up in Korea.
She signed up for an idol agency focusing on creating a new girl group, and had gotten all the way to the final stages, before being kicked for her weight. Sunny told us her story with a smile, though there was a hollowness in her eyes I couldn't ignore. The other girls were judgemental bullies, and the idol diet and brutal regime almost killed her.
Sunny lived in a tiny apartment with 9 girls, who would tear each other apart for a chance to debut. Sunny said all the other girls debuted, and when we (not so patiently) asked for names, she shrugged, admitting she signed an NDA that prevented her spilling the beans.
What she did say, was the K-pop idol is a product, not a person– and are made and moulded into a product.
She had zero interest in throwing her humanity away to become a manufactured doll.
So, one of us was the son of an underground family, and the other was an ex idol.
Tom was an aspiring horror writer with a famous older step-brother.
His story times were usually, That one time I went to the Met Gala.
When it was my turn to reveal my story, I told them the only interesting thing about me.
I could smell when something bad was going to happen.
They laughed, but I was being serious.
When I was a kid, I smelled my mother’s brain tumor.
I remember it smelled like curdled milk.
I asked Mom why her head smelled of mouldy milk, and Mom laughed and said it was her shampoo.
It was actually a grade two tumor growing inside her brain.
Thankfully, the tumour was found quickly and removed.
Growing older, I became sensitive to smell. The little girl choking on the bus smelled of singed wood, and the old man crossing the road stunk of gasoline.
In the fourth grade, my classmate Alex Castor smelled of lemons all morning.
I sat behind him, choking on the stink all the way through class.
Ever since I met him, Alex had always smelled… off.
It was a distinct smell I could never understand, and as the days and months and years went by, that smell morphed into a subtle orangey musk that was so strong I had to cover my mouth and nose. Then, he smelled like lemons.
During Recess, I watched Alex fall off of the jungle gym, straight onto his head.
Alex Castor was dead before the paramedics arrived, my panicked teacher attempting CPR when his brains were leaking out of his ears.
The school claimed it was an accident, but Alex would have been fine if the jungle gym wasn't built on solid concrete.
I told my team members this, and Levi was sceptical.
“You can smell bad things?” He said, his lips curved around his milkshake straw. In the early days, we hung out in the local bar. It's not like we were allowed inside, but Levi could get us in anywhere.
I was squeezed between Tom and Sunny, while Levi took the seat opposite us. I couldn't help noticing our waitress was insisting on free milkshake refills, her frantic eyes glued to Levi.
I had zero idea why. Levi Costella was about as intimidating as a fruit fly.
Wearing a white shirt with a popped collar, a leather jacket thrown over the top, Levi was giving rebellious Harvard student, rather than son of a crime family.
Leaning forward, he raised a brow, clearly not believing me.
“So, you're like a stink psychic?”
I shrugged, sipping my own shake.
“Sure.”
I wasn't planning on telling him the club room smelled off on our first day.
Once we actually started the club, Levi surprised us as the smartest member, and getting to know him further, I came to the realization his family were infamous in our town.
However, his parents hid it well. Lucy and Michael Costella were the owners of a popular ramen store in our town, hiding under the facade of two successful business owners. The Costella’s were an attractive family.
Lucy was a sophisticated brunette with a lipstick smile, Michael, a handsome fluffy haired man who looked like he modelled glasses.
The two were fiercely protective over their youngest son, not so casually reminding us behind grinning smiles, that if anything happened to Levi, we would automatically be involved in the family.
I mean, they did laugh and say, “We’re joking! Look at your little faces!” when Sunny went deathly pale. But there was definitely truth behind their words.
Being Levi’s friend was… challenging at first.
Tom and I were in his room studying for finals, and an alarm went off, flooding Levi’s room in red light.
I had zero idea where it was coming from, but it locked all the doors and windows, forcing the Costella residence into temporary lockdown. Levi didn't seem fazed, casually mentioning his parents were taking care of it.
He had a whiteboard set up in his room, and was standing in front of it, cramming all of our textbook notes into one easily digestible drawing.
Levi wasn't just smart.
He was Ivy League smart, so we had struck gold with him.
His family were questionable, and yes, sometimes I did fear for my life, but as the more time we spent at his house, the Costella household became a second home. We got used to the alarms.
I just brought along ear plugs.
I wish I was writing this post about Levi’s family, and sure, they are a factor in what is going on right now, but I want to preface this by saying the events below involve the 2024 scholastic decathlon final in our town with the school’s listed:
Starbrook High School.
Ratcliffe High School.
Please note, the incident that took place last night was immediately covered up, and all phone footage was destroyed. Our town is mostly out of the way, and does not show up on Google searches.
We also have our own version of the academic decathlon, which is a more town-level competition, due to lacking funds. The four of us were desperate to start competing with our schools.
So, we started taking things a little more seriously.
We got a coach.
Mr Hanes, who was hesitant at first.
In his words, “You will hate me as your coach.”
He started by recruiting more members, announcing, “If you want to be taken seriously as an actual club, then I'll be taking the reins from now on.”
He did, and with our teachers guidance (and sometimes brutal honesty), we reached a level where we could start competing with other school’s in town. Now, none of us knew this, but Mr Hanes was obsessed with winning.
So, club meetings were twisted into two hour study sessions with no talking, followed by Mr Hanes Jeaprody, which was Jeaprody, without the actual fun.
We were quizzed multiple times, answer cards and practise questions quite literally thrown directly in our faces.
I hate to admit this (I really hate to admit this) but Mr Hanes’s tactics worked. Sure, we had been mildly brainwashed by our slightly unhinged coach, but with Levi Costella, we destroyed our competitors. Like I said, our town held their own version of the academic scholastic decathlon, but it was pretty much the same, with some changes.
Ten subjects. Language and Literature, Math, Social Science, Economics, Art, Music, Interview, Speech, and Essay.
Unlike the official Decathlon, ours was more like a game show, with the ability to be knocked out if a team member answers a question wrong. Whoever answers the most questions correctly wins. Team meet ups were either tests, study sessions, or quizzing each other.
Which leads me to last night.
The finals were held in the reigning champions, Ratcliffe High School’s, auditorium.
And we were about to win our town’s Scholastic Decathlon 2024 Championships.
Well…I was knocked out in the music section. Standing next to my coach who I was sure was going to asphyxiate from excitement, I could smell the sudden potent stink of lemon. I tried to ignore it at first, but the more questions my team were answering correctly, the smell got worse, suffocating my senses.
This wasn't just lemon. The stink was like a burning, singing smell trickling into my nose and the back of my throat.
It was stronger than what Alex smelled like.
This was suffocating, drowning my thoughts.
“Are you okay, Cassandra?”
Mr Hanes nudged me when a Ratcliffe girl was struggling to answer a question, only for Sunny to jump in with the answer. “You look quite pale.”
I nodded, forcing a smile.
My gaze was on the Ratcliffe coach, a scary looking blonde woman, whispering in one of her student’s ears.
The Ratcliffe kid freaked me out. He was way too tall, dark blonde hair, and bulging eyes I swear were not blinking.
His gaze was glued to Levi, who wore a smug grin.
There was a smaller girl next to the Ratcliffe kid, a Macbook balanced on her knee. Every so often, he leaned into her, the two of them in deep conversation.
“I'm just nervous.”
I jumped when Ratcliffe scored a point, their side erupting into cheers.
During the break, we had a mini team meeting.
Sunny rushed to the bathroom to freshen up, and I noticed a Ratcliffe girl with a bouncing ponytail following her.
Ignoring our coach’s speech, I joined the two girls in the corridor, that lemony scent hanging thick in the air.
I caught them in an awkward position.
The Ratcliffe girl had her fingers pinched between the material of Sunny’s dark blue shirt bearing our school’s name.
Sunny looked confused, her lips parted like she was going to yell.
Ponytail dropped her hand, suddenly, with a nervous laugh. “Oh! I'm so, so, sorry,” she gushed. “You had, like, the biggest spider crawling on your back.”
Sunny caught my eye, shooting me a reassuring smile.
“Thanks.” She made sure to keep her distance. “Uh, where's your bathroom?”
The Ratcliffe girl nodded down the hallway. “It's just down there. I'm going there too if you want me to show you?”
Sunny motioned for me to go back to the auditorium. “Uh, sure! That'd be great!”
I did try to follow them, only for Sunny to cough loudly.
I took the hint, reluctantly heading back into the auditorium.
My team was hyping each other up, Levi in the centre, sweating through his team shirt. He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “I can't do this,” He groaned. “Ratcliffe High is known to play dirty, man. They're unbeatable.”
“In what way do they play dirty?” I asked, joining them.
Levi gulped down water, shrugging.
“I dunno! They're already trying to distract me with the stink eye.” The boy narrowed his eyes at a grinning Ratcliffe kid who, after noticing our stares, jumped to his feet, waving at us.
“Hey guys!”
“That's Harry Cartwright, the son of the Cartwright family who tried to kill my parents in the third grade.” Levi mockingly waved back. “As you can see, their kid is a fucking sociopath.”
Huh. I wasn't expecting the smiley kid to be the mobster’s son.
Harry Cartwright was not what I expected.
Unlike his team members, he was the only one in casual clothing, a short sleeved white shirt and jeans, a pair of sunglasses perched on top of his head.
Tom went pale.
“Fuck.” He hissed. “He’s one of you? Then those bastards will have a reason to play dirty, right?”
Levi shrugged, averting his gaze. It was the first time I saw his eyes darken, like he was subtly telling the boy to back off.
“The Cartwright’s have been trying to buy our land for a while,” he muttered. “I wouldn't put it past them to use the Decathlon as a way to attack.”
“Attack?!” April, another member of our team, hissed. “Like, attack attack?”
Mr Hanes grabbed the boy, resting his hands on Levi’s shoulders. “Ignore them,” he said. “Hey. Look at me.”
Levi did, raising a brow.
“You're losing that spark in your eye, young man.”
“Spark?”
Our coach nodded. “Look at me, kid.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “I am looking at you, Mr Hanes.”
The man was shaking. I was guessing his whole career (or coaching career) was on the line.
“They know they're losing, Mr Costella.”
Hanes shook the boy, squeezing his shoulders. “You are being positive and Ratcliffe doesn't like that. They want you to be nervous. They want to make you second guess yourself and lose confidence. Don't let them get into your head.” he smiled, giving the boy a playful shove. “Kick their asses.”
“Exactly!”
I didn't realize Sunny was back from the bathroom.
The faint smell of lemons had followed her. I noticed a wet patch on her shirt collar, though she was quick to smile at me, admitting she'd spilled water down herself. Sunny wrapped her arms around Levi, squeezing him into a hug.
She hung on for a little too long, Tom dragging her away with a laugh. “Good luck, all right?” she backed away, ruffling his hair. “We’ve got this!”
When I hugged Levi good luck too, I had to resist covering my nose.
The smell of lemon was unbearable, just like fourth grade Alex.
But it wasn't as potent as earlier.
I vaguely remembered the smell starting to fade once Alex’s body was being carted away on a stretcher.
Following my captain through the crowd, I was right. The smell was less suffocating. Before he went back to the stage, I grabbed the back of his shirt.
The material was soaking wet.
“How are you so wet?” I said, swiping my hands on my shirt.
“Huh?”
I shook my head. “Never mind. Do you remember what I told you in sophomore year?”
Levi settled me with a confident, but nervous smile. “Thaaaat you're scared of clowns?”
“No. I mean the boy who smelled of lemons.” I gritted out.
Levi surprised me with a laugh. “What are you talking about?”
Something ice cold trickled down my spine.
Levi did know what I was talking about. He brought up my stink sense a day earlier in front of his parents, and I had to cover his mouth to shut him up.
Leaning close, I whispered in his ear. “You stink of rotten lemons.”
He nodded slowly, pulling away. “Uh… thanks?”
I bit back a hiss of frustration. “No, you don't understand what I'm saying–”
“Starbrooke High School,” The host announced. “Can all members please return to the stage.”
Levi held up his hand for a high five.
“Can we do this later?” He winked. “I'm kinda busy carrying this spelling-bee on my back right now.”
I nodded shakily, high fiving him, and letting him jump back onto the stage.
Before his words hit like a tidal wave, ice cold water slammed into me.
Spelling Bee?
Slowly making my way back to the stands, Levi’s mistake was circling around my head. He did win a spelling bee, but that was in middle school.
Thankfully, the smell of lemons was gone when I returned to my seat.
Mr Hanes handed me a soda. “Chill out, Cassandera, it's just a game.”
He could talk. The guy was on his fifth coffee.
Mr Hanes was not chilled out in the slightest.
Surprisingly, the event went well. I was half expecting my team to be crushed by the rafters, or caught in a blaze started in the crowd. But we were doing well. No, we were winning.
Reaching the climaxing round, Sunny choked against a smug Ratcliffe boy, joining me on the sidelines.
Levi answered the next question with a confident smile.
We were winning, but Ratcliffe could still catch up with a miracle.
The second to last question was to Ratcliffe, and it was general knowledge.
”Where on the human body would one find the *orbit?*
I knew the answer, and so did Levi, his lips breaking out into a smile when the Ratcliffe boy was hesitating, eyes wide.
Our school’s buzzer went off, Levi slamming his hand down.
Bzzz!
The host turned to our team. “Starbrooke, can I have your answer?”
Levi nodded, shooting our team a victory grin.
“It's…!“ He opened his mouth to answer, his jaw slackening suddenly.
The boy’s shoulders slumped.
“Uh… “
“Um…”
“Huhhhhh…”
Levi inclined his head, blinking, his eyes glazing over. There was a sudden, hollow vacancy that sent chills down my spine. It was like someone had reached into his skull, and yanked out his brain, leaving a shell in his place.
To my confusion, our team captain frowned at his buzzer like he'd never seen one before. He pressed it, exploding into child-like giggles.
Bzzz!
The audience laughed along nervously.
Tom nudged me. “What the fuck is he doing?”
Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz!
Levi’s entire body was slumped, his hand slamming down on the buzzer.
I caught something pooling down his chin.
“Is he… drooling?” I whispered.
Mr Hanes looked mildly horrified. “Has he been drinking?
“Levi?” Tom spluttered. “Drinking?!"
Whatever we were watching, however, was definitely influenced by… something.
Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz!
“Young man, that is not a toy!”
The host wasn't amused. “Starbrooke High School, I need an answer from you,” He nodded to Levi, who was pressing the buzzer, his smile growing.
“Once again,” The host backed away, like Levi was contagious. “Where on the human body would one find the Orbit?”
Levi cocked his head, lips parted.
His gaze found the overhead lights, and he winced, his lips curling into a frown.
“Starbrooke High School!”
Levi jumped, tipping his head back and blowing a raspberry. “Palm tree?”
The audience laughed, and I started feeling nauseous.
Across from us, I could see the twist of a smirk on the Ratcliffe coach’s lips.
Bzzz! Levi slammed the buzzer again giggling.
“Starbrooke High School, if your team member continues to act like this, I will be forced to disqualify all members.”
Our captain stopped, gaze glued to the host, his hand creeping towards the buzzer, like it was a big red button.
The audience loved it, laughing like they were watching a sitcom.
“He wouldn't.” Tom whisper-shrieked.
The auditorium was silent for a moment, awaiting Starbrooke’s response.
Levi stuck out his tongue, slamming his hand down.
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz–
When Tom dragged Levi away from his podium, a Ratcliffe girl hit her buzzer.
“Starbrooke High School, you are disqualified,” the host announced. “Ratcliffe High School, do you have an answer?”
It was Ponytail who nodded with a grin.
“The answer is the eye socket! The Orbit is part of the eye socket!”
“That is the correct answer.” The host was distracted, his eyes glued to Levi.
“Ratcliffe High School wins.”
Levi jumped when the Ratcliffe wide erupted into cheers.
His eyes were wide, clinging onto the buzzer for comfort.
Next to me, our coach looked like he was going to faint.
I barely noticed Ratcliffe’s victory, too busy watching our team captain, who was Harvard bound, tipping his head back and smiling at the ceiling like a new-born baby. Tom dragged the stumbling boy over to me, his mouth twisted.
“This was Ratcliffe, right?” He hissed, shaking our captain, who was struggling, squirming in his grip.
“Did they put something in his drink?!” He prodded Levi. “Hey! What did they do to you?!”
Still, though, drugging his drink didn't make sense.
Levi never left the auditorium, and kept his water bottle with him the whole time.
How did they even manage to slip something into his drink in the first place?
Did I smell our competitors drugging him?
Sure, intentionally inebriating my teammate was morally wrong and illegal, but why could I smell lemon?
“I doubt it was Ratcliffe.” Sunny squeezed next to me. “I've been watching them. They're harmless.”
“Then how the fuck do we explain this to his parents?!” Tom whispered, grappling with Levi, who was fighting to get back to the buzzer.
When Tom let go of him, he dropped onto the floor, crawling over to his podium. It was like watching a child.
Who was determined to piss off the adults.
Levi jumped back to instead feet, his gaze was glued to the host, a smile curved on his lips, when he slammed the buzzer again.
Bzzz!
“Someone, please remove the Starbrooke boy from the stage!”
I was embarrassed, our whole team ducking our heads as our captain was forcibly removed from the podium.
Mr Hanes grabbed Levi, pulling him off of the stage.
I expected our coach to be mad at him, but I think the teacher was more worried, a phone pressed to his ear while he forced the boy into a sitting position.
No, I don't think it's influence from alcohol, I could hear his conversation.
Levi kept trying to get up, mesmerised by the buzzer. The teacher was firm but gentle. “Hey. Sit down, all right? Keep still.” He went back to his phone call, gently prying Levi’s eyes open.
From what I can see, there's nothing wrong. He's just kind of…
Mr Hanes swiped his own hands on his jeans. ... wet?
Team Ratcliffe came over to rub it in our faces, though I was still tuned into our coach’s hissed whispering.
Water? No, I don't think it's water. It smells… no, I haven't told his parents…
“You guys did awesome!” Ponytail's voice was sugary sweet. Too sugary.
She held the 2024 trophy, bearing a satisfied smile. I noticed the Ratcliffe members were surrounding Harry, like guards.
“Better luck next time, okay?” She held out her hand, her eyes twinkling.
“No hard feelings?”
“Control your dog.” Harry said, amused eyes flicking to Levi, who was once again sprinting back to the fucking buzzer. His eyes had visibly darkened, lips curled into a triumphant smile.
Harry Cartwright was watching Mr Hanes chase our team captain like it was his own personal entertainment.
I had to look away before I died of second hand embarrassment.
“What did you put in his drink?” Tom demanded. “Weed? Edibles?” the boy attempted to shove Harry, only to be pushed back. “What the fuck did you do to him?”
Harry’s smile didn't waver. “Like I said. Control your mut.”
When the Ratcliffe team walked away, our red faced coach struggling with Levi, who was behaving progressively more erratically, informed us we were longer welcome inside the school.
Tom suggested calling an ambulance, but our coach was hesitant.
We all knew who Levi’s family were.
On the way out, Tom matched my stride. He was frowning at our team captain struggling to walk.
The way he was acting was already eyebrow raising.
But walking at an angle and being unable to stand up straight was worrying.
“I don't think they drugged his drink.” Tom muttered.
We pushed through the doors out of the school, and I revelled in the cool night air grazing my cheek. “If they did, he would be acting out of it, right? So, what's the deal with him acting like–”
“A child.” I finished for him.
“Yeah.” Tom leaned closer. “Do you think this has something to do with their turf war?”
I slapped at a bug creeping across my cheek.
Levi fell over again, this time bursting into giggles.
“Almost definitely.”
Levi was right about Ratcliffe playing dirty. I didn't realize how dirty until we were on the losers bus home. Levi was in the seat next to me, and the kid hadn't moved since we left Ratcliffe, his eyes wide, lips pulled into a dazed grin.
Bzzz!
The noise startled me from slumber. I was drooling, my head pressed against the window. Outside, the sky was pitch dark, and squinting through the glass, I couldn't get a bearing on where we were. I thought I was hearing things, but when I sat up, I heard it again.
Bzzz!
It was close.
Leaning over the boy, I glimpsed a smear of scarlet on his headrest.
I choked on my next words.
“Tom.”
Tom was in front of me, listening to music.
He didn't reply, his head of dark blonde curls nodding to the beat.
“Levi.” I managed to get out. I prodded him, and his head lolled into his shoulder. “Hey. Can you… sit up?”
Bzzz! Bzzz!
When the boy didn't move, I gently grabbed his shoulders and pulled him forward myself, something contracting in my stomach.
I don't know how long it takes for your mind to fully register something, but my body was already reacting.
Levi’s seat was infested with bugs, eating their way through the upholstery. I was aware of my body moving back. I threw up, instantly, screaming into my hand.
The back of my best friend's skull resembled a deflated soccer ball, what was left of his brain leaking from his skull where a swarm of skittering bugs chewed their way through brain tissue, metallic legs scratching the curved, pearly white of the base if his skull.
Levi’s head hung, his body flopping into mine.
But his eyes were still open, lips still stretched into a smile.
Blood ran in thick rivulets from his nose and ears.
Bzzz!
I could see them, black writhing dots alive in his eyes, wriggling movement under his skin.
“Tom!”
I jumped up, stumbling into the aisle, my stomach heaving.
And it was only when I was on my knees, swiping bile from my lips, when I realized the others weren't reacting.
Tom wasn't moving.
I pulled an Airpod out of his ear, a long, slithering string of pink attached to the end.
There was a stray bug skittering across his hand, his face starting to twitch and writhe.
Moving back, I checked myself over, my hands shaking.
Head.
Shoulders.
Hair.
Clawing through it, my breath was stuck in my throat.
Arms.
Legs.
Feet.
Mr Hanes was slumped against the window, a reddish froth bubbling from his mouth.
Sunny.
I started towards the back of the bus, but all I had to see was her bowed head, half of her skull chewed through.
Sunny was in a far more deteriorated state, her face had been ripped through, a skeletal smile glinting in the dim.
The thick black smear on the window next to her was moving.
When I screamed for the driver to stop the bus, he ignored me.
If anything, he stamped on the gas.
I moved forward to shake him, before glimpsing a bug creeping down his face.
Calling 911, the operator laughed at me.
“Bugs are eating your friends.” He said. “Do you know the penalty for calling with bullshit pranks?”
The bus didn't stop, so I stayed at the front, while the bugs took over the back, eating through my teammates.
After four hours, I risked leaning over the seat next to Tom to check on Levi.
They were eating him.
Chewing all the way through skin, muscle and bone.
I tried to stop the bus, but the driver’s hands were tightly wrapped around the wheel.
Another hour, and blood was seeping down the aisle, crawling with bugs.
Levi was gone, and in his place, a buzzing skittering pile of bugs, that I thought were going to move to a second victim, maybe burrowing into the seats.
But, no.
These things began to tremble, replicating.
Building.
Slowly, nothing became static, and static became muscle.
Then bone.
Then flesh.
When a body began to slowly form, moulded from the dead boy, I stumbled back.
These things weren't eating Levi Costella.
They were rewriting him.
…
Edit: I'm still on the bus. I'm 99.9% sure that I'm infected with whatever this thing is. I can't stop fucking itching.
I keep picking them off me but they won't stop. This bus isn't going to stop until I'm like the others.
…
Edit 2:
I can feel them chewing into my skull. They're in my ears. I keep spitting them out. Please, someone get them off of me. Help me. I don't want to die at 17.
Edit 3:
Still alive. Still breathing. Maybe they're leaving me alone????? I think I'm okay. There is a pile of bugs at my feet, but they're crawling off of me.
Edit 4:
Levi really wants to go home. Like, he just told me he REALLY wants to go home. He's got a gift for his parents.
~~Edit 5 :) ~~
Levi is next to me right now, an odd smile on his face.
The bugs are not finished building him yet, but he'll be ready soon.
We will be ready soon.
Your son says hello! He is a wonderful boy, is he not?
Mr and Mrs Costella, I cannot wait for you to meet him.
He is our greatest achievement, and rest assured, you will give us what we want.
Warm regards.
The Cartwright's.

Hi! I’ve been a nanny for a few years, with my current family since February. They live in an expensive neighborhood and I am a visibly queer young woman and I get a lot of comments from neighbors. I’ve had 4 people ask me what house I live at which I thought was crazy since they are strangers so I’ve never divulged that information, but I’m autistic so I thought they were just making conversation. I’ve come to learn from one of my friends they wanted to know what I was doing in their neighborhood with a baby in the middle of the day. I got a comment today “that baby gets a lot of walks” I said “yep” and kept walking. Both parents are WFH and I’m sorry if I want 2 20 minute walks in one day because I don’t want the parents to hear every move I make. I currently can’t drive the kids anywhere, the dad wants to do a test drive with me which is totally reasonable but that means I’m in their family room for 9 hours a day, and their offices are close enough that if you cough I can basically hear everything so they can too. This neighborhood has no sidewalks so there’s only one road the parents are comfortable with me walking the baby on. It’s rough but it’s the highest paying job I’ve ever had and the parents are nice. Am I overthinking what the neighbors are saying or is it real that because I’m not a Pilates girl decked out in lululemon that the neighbors are giving me odd glances?

This might seem a simple question, but I'd really like to get the answer right. I have a dog who has never required sun block as we don't normally walk her in the sunshine. However, we walked covered about 3 miles long and it's not very shady, so i was looking to apply some sunscreen to her while fur especially. However, I'm not sure if there's any chemicals or brands to avoid. I'm open to any dog safe recommendations. I'm wary of applying a human one in case it's toxic to dogs. Your thoughts please.
Signalment (species, age, sex/neuter status, breed, body weight)
Boston Terrier-Chihuahua cross, age 3y 5m, spayed, 6.5kg

• Short history

There isn't really one; just trying to protect her from sunburn

• Relevant clinical signs (vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, fever etc)

None....yet.
3

• Links to any test results, vet reports, X-rays etc. that you have

N/A

• Your general location - Central England

When I was in my early 20’s, I worked at a dog boarding facility.
It wasn’t a bad gig by any means. A lot of menial work, sure, but it paid the bills, and most of the time I was stationed at the front desk, which meant I avoided a lot of direct interaction with most of the dogs. Instead, I dealt with the owners (or “pet parents,” as we called them), which, while more my forte, was oftentimes arguably worse. At least with a dog, you can justify it being stupid.
Looking back on that night now, I would have much rather dealt with a person than the dog that I had encountered.
One of my duties when working the front desk in the evenings was cleaning the lobby and locking the front doors for the night. The opening shift would then come in the morning, unlock the doors, and the cycle would repeat. This is what I had been doing when I realized I had locked myself out of the building.
For a little additional context, the building itself had three front doors. Two led into a sort of breezeway before you got to the actual front door, which led into the actual building. The first two doors had to be locked and unlocked manually, but the main door locked and unlocked itself automatically on a timer. Normally, this was no issue. Every employee had a fob that, when pressed on a sensor near the door, would unlock it briefly to allow entry. But my fob was attached to my keys, which were tucked away in my locker within the building.
Usually, again, this would have been a minor inconvenience at worst. I could simply go around to the back door, bang on it for a minute or two, and wait for one of my coworkers to open the door. But, I had to stay behind that evening and finish cleaning the lobby, having been delayed by a few last-minute pickups and a particularly chatty client on the phone. We had been working with a skeleton crew, as new hires had been few and far between, and the girl I had been working with was tired and eager to go home. I let her go and told her I would lock up on my own.
I wish I had told her to stay.
Standing there in the breezeway, with nothing but the singular key to the two front doors, I was kicking myself. I’d fucked myself over this time, and now I was going to have to make the humiliating call for someone to come to the building and let me in. I could feel the weight of my phone in my pocket, and I slipped my hand into it, only to freeze in place.
It was not my phone, but my wallet.
Shit. It only then occurred to me that my phone was also still within the building. During the slower parts of the day, I had it out and had been texting my boyfriend at the time. Now it sat at the front desk, so close but so far at the same time. Not only had I locked myself out of the building, I had locked myself out of the building by myself, with no way to get help. In my overdramatic mind, suicide was starting to sound like a very good option.
There was a gas station about a mile or so away that I knew would be open and that, I guessed, was where I was going to have to go. There, I could presumably use a phone and get a hold of my roommate to come pick me up. In the morning, I could drop off the key and get my stuff.
I unlocked one of the two doors and stepped out, locking it once again behind me. I slipped the key into my pocket and started walking. It was already dark out and I was cold and eager to get this over with.
That’s when I heard the clicking of nails against the pavement, just barely audible.
My first instinct was that somehow, a dog had escaped. Sure, stray dogs weren’t uncommon, especially in the city that I lived in, but given the proximity to the building, I had feared that somehow, some way, a dog had managed to slip out under our noses and get out of the building. This would have taken either some incredible negligence on our end or some incredible intelligence on the dog’s, but it technically was possible.
I turned around and scanned the area, trying to locate the source of the sound. The parking lot was illuminated by a singular streetlight and the outside lights from the nearby buildings, and the dark of night was creeping in, thick and inky black. The noise came from further back, near the employee parking, which only fueled my suspicion that a dog had escaped. I really didn’t want to go back there in the dark, but I also wasn’t too keen on getting in trouble for letting a dog get out. I slowly crept over, keeping my ears and eyes open, trying to find the dog.
Finally, it stepped out from the shadows, standing near my car. It was a large, filthy Great Pyrenees, and we briefly had a staring match as I tried to figure out who it was. We had a few Pyrenees dogs come in, but it was mostly for daycare, and we didn’t have any in the building that night. I didn’t recognize this specific dog, either, but I hoped that it had a collar with a name and number on it, so that I could at least call the owner and let them know where I had found their animal whenever I got a chance. I knelt and extended my hand, making a kissy noise in the hopes of drawing it over.
“Hi, baby,” I said, using my “dog voice,” making it as soft and non-threatening as I could. “C’mere.” The dog took a few steps forward, eyes still focused on me.
That’s when I noticed the smell. Rotting meat and blood, strong enough that I could smell it from where I stood. The dog was reeking of decay. In my mind, I rationalized it. We were next to a highway, after all. No telling what kinds of roadkill it could have been getting into. I just did my best to push through it in favor of making sure the dog was alright.
I continued my beckoning for a few minutes, doing as much baby talk as I possibly could. I didn’t want to approach the dog myself, just in case it was nervous, but if I could just get a look at that collar…
After about five minutes of this, I stood up, watching it for another moment. It wasn’t a dog I recognized and I couldn’t get it to come over to me on its own terms, so my tired and still-panicked brain decided that it wasn’t my problem. I’d just let my manager know in the morning that I had seen a dog sniffing around and that I was fairly certain it wasn’t one that we’d ever had to stay with us. Then, maybe we could find it again, clean it up, and see if it belonged to anybody. The animal control in my city isn’t particularly well-regarded, so I figured it would be better to wait and see than to get them involved.
I turned around and started to walk away, back down to the road, when I heard the clicking of nails against the pavement once again. I turned around to see the dog moving closer once again. Its movements were jerky and uncoordinated, and that combined with its condition made me think it was injured, so I stopped.
The dog never stopped moving towards me, but when it noticed that I had stopped to look at it, it stopped as well. Then, staring straight at me again, it broke out into a sprint. Its legs flailed and its head lolled as it headed straight towards me, and my stomach dropped.
Have you ever been prey? Have you ever looked something in the eyes and just known, in some deep, primal portion of your brain, that it was going to kill you? It’s a funny feeling— all the cold, heavy dread that seeps into you, like liquid into cloth.
At that moment, my mind screamed at me to run. Panicked, I broke out into a sprint, heading straight for the door to the building. I had precious seconds before it would reach me, and I fumbled with the key as I hurriedly unlocked the door and swung it open, grabbing it and slamming it closed just before the dog made it. Breathing hard, I locked the door and stepped back, my eyes still on the dog.
All that separated us now was some metal and about half an inch of glass.
I could see the dog much clearer then. Its fur was filthy with dust and dirt, and its chest was caked with something dark that I could only hope wasn’t blood. Its eyes were bloodshot and glazed over, and from its mouth dripped saliva, thick and red.
The smell was even stronger at this point, nauseatingly strong.
Whatever was going on with this dog, it was bad. I wasn’t sure of what else to do. Even if I went through the opposite door, there was no way I’d be able to outrun it. I couldn’t make a break for my car because I didn’t have my keys, which were locked in the building alongside my fob and my phone.
No way out, no way to call for help. All I could do was sit and wait in the breezeway. I figured that eventually it would give up on me. It would have to, after all. And I figured once it moved on and was gone, I could haul ass to the highway and hitchhike over to the gas station. Shakily, I sat down, my gaze never leaving the dog. It stood there, watching me, and then it whined.
I say “whined,” but it was more like a long, drawn-out wheeze, like something trying to imitate the whine of a dog instead of doing it. It punctuated the noise with a sickening gurgle, and then it held its head down to hack up a mixture of blood, saliva, and phlegm, spitting it out onto the window before it. It oozed down the glass, leaving a slimy trail behind it, and I had to look away before the sight made me vomit.
I turned my head away from it entirely, trying to steady my breathing. Despite my best efforts, the fear and nausea were about to get the best of me anyway, and I curled in on myself, doing my best to keep everything down. I inched away from the door in favor of the one opposite, trying to put as much distance between myself and the dog as I could. I have no idea how long I stayed like that, curled up into a ball. But when I looked up, the dog was still there, watching me.
I was half-convinced that I was dreaming, or that the situation wasn’t real somehow. How would I even begin to try to convince somebody of what was happening right now? What would I tell my boyfriend? “Sorry, babe, I couldn’t get to the phone last night. Zombie dog and whatnot.” What started as simply a shitty end to the night had managed to turn into the car scene of Cujo, of all things. But the churning in my stomach and the cold biting into my skin was enough to reassure me that this was all very much real. There would be no waking up, no suddenly being pulled back into reality.
I dipped my head back down, trying to convince myself that I would be okay, when I heard its nails scrape against the glass. I jerked my head back up and looked over, inhaling sharply as the dog stood on its hind legs and rested its front ones against the glass. It started to scratch at the glass, trying to claw its way in, and I flinched at the sudden movement, scooting further back. I was all but pressed against the opposite door by this point, unable to keep my eyes off of the dog.
It scratched at the door for a minute longer, stopped, then started to scratch again. Scratch, stop, scratch, stop. This pattern repeated for at least fifteen minutes, and I had almost gotten used to it. The glass was thick enough that I was fairly certain it would withstand the dog’s scratching, and if it didn’t, I figured I wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore after that.
When the noise had become a somewhat tolerable pattern, I curled back up into a ball, hoping to ride out this nightmare of a situation. The noise stopped altogether and I raised my head back up to see what had happened. The dog had turned around and was walking away.
The relief was like a two-ton weight being lifted off of my chest, and I stood up to watch the dog leave. My relief was short-lived, though, when it stopped and turned around. We were once again locked into a staring match.
A pretty common rule with animals is to never look them in the eye. I had been actively avoiding doing just that this entire time, but finally, my gaze slipped down and locked into the dog’s.
There was nothing there. It was empty, like someone had removed the dog’s original eyes and replaced them with glass.
The dog broke out into a sprint again, making me flinch and jump back. As it ran, it staggered and swerved as if it were drunk, but the distance between us was short. Within seconds, it had thrown itself against the glass of the window, slamming its head against it.
I screamed. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I screamed and huddled back in the corner and watched with terror as the dog backed up, ran, and threw itself at the door, over and over again. The door was, fortunately, holding steady. Despite the dog’s repeated attempts, it was standing strong, the only thing that entire night that had done me any good.
The dog was becoming agitated. It gargled and whined as it scratched at the door once again, seeming to give up on throwing itself against the door. I noticed it had injured itself in the process, the skin just above its eye having broken open and its mouth a bloody mess. Blood oozed out of the injuries and dripped onto the ground. Then, it backed up and tried one more time.
The world went silent for the briefest moment, and then there was a sickening crunch.
With its swerving, it must have made a head-on collision with the hinge, or maybe the brick beside the door, because the moment it landed, the dog’s skull busted open from the impact, splattering gore across the window. I screamed again, and this time, the urge to vomit was too strong. I threw up then and there in the corner as the sights and smells became too much for me. I don’t know how long I spent there, on all fours, coughing and gagging as I threw up the contents of my stomach, and when I had nothing left to expel, I dry-heaved.
I collapsed on the ground after that, gasping for air between sobs. I didn’t know if the dog was still alive and at that moment I didn’t really care. I didn’t even realize I had passed out until I heard voices echoing.
When I woke up, I was aware of three things: I was on the floor of the breezeway, there was a horrible taste in my mouth, and that people were talking.
As soon as I woke up, I remembered what had happened. Locking myself out. The dog. My whole body felt like dead weight. Even when my coworkers opened the door and came over to see what was going on, I couldn’t bring myself to stand. I was still afraid if I got up, it’d still be there with its busted skull and rotten stench, pawing and scraping and gurgling.
The smell must have hit my coworkers as well because the moment they stepped in, I could hear the “oh my god”s and “what happened”s. Then, I assume, one of them noticed the gore on the window. That’s when the voices became more frantic, and the more I became aware, the more I could pick out whose voice belonged to whom.
The voice of my coworker Holly was the closest to me. I could feel her hand reach down and shake me. She was calling my name, trying to rouse me, and I did my best to focus solely on her throughout the commotion.
“What is that?!” I recognized the voice of Mertle, who worked in the back and must have spotted the dog.
“Is that a dog? Oh my god, is it dead?” There was Carlos, who had worked the front desk the previous morning and had no doubt come in to do the same today.
Holly was shaking me harder now, and I moved in response just to let her know I was alive. “Eddie, are you okay?” I could hear her asking. I didn’t want to get up, or even respond, but I had no other choice.
I got up, slowly but surely, dragging myself into a sitting position as I opened my bleary eyes. Sure enough, there was Holly, looking back and forth from the window door to me. There was Mertle, hand over her mouth, and Carlos, staring dumbfounded out the window at the dog outside. Everyone was talking all at once, and to me, it was just a massive block of noise. The dog was dead, though. The dog was dead and that, at that moment, was all that mattered to me.
“What the fuck happened?” Carlos suddenly turned around, looking down at me.
The only thing I managed to croak out was “Sorry.”
The rest of that day was a haze to me. I remember going through the motions, but not really being “there”, if that makes any sense. I can remember little details- tossing my shirt in the washing machine in the back because it was covered in vomit, sitting with my manager as he argued with the local animal control to come to collect the dog's body, watching the camera footage of me sprinting across the parking lot with the dog in tow over and over again, like a broken record.
I never did find out what was wrong with that dog. My manager suspected some kind of rabies, but I don’t know.
I quit that job not too long after. The paranoia got too much for me. Any time I would go into the back of the building, where the dogs were, I would get that feeling again. That cold, sinking dread in my stomach that would make me want to hurl. I had to have someone sit up at the front desk with me as I locked the door, as I’d be too scared to go out into the breezeway by myself when it got dark.
It came to a head when a dog got off of its lead and tried to make a bolt for the door, as it usually would. Unfortunately, I had just so happened to be between the dog and the door, and the sight of it running at me sent me into such a panic I collapsed to the ground and shook. After that, I was gone. I don’t think anybody blamed me.
I’ve put it all away in my mind, both the place and the incident. I try not to think about it too much.
I’m always mindful of my keys now, though, just in case.
Prey never stops being prey.

This pissed me off so much.
Caroline made sure to pack that expensive cooking pot. She made sure to pack up SWEATERS in may. But she didn't pack formula for her baby, even just one day's worth, even though she knew she's arriving on a Sunday, and she knew that local stores are closed.
This is the kind of mother she is.
And this isn't the first time she's being so reckless and irresponsible - remember when she made several rant videos about Charlie getting a fever while they were travelling, and she didn't have any medicine? And she blamed the flight attendants on their flight for not having kids medicine! And mind you, this situation has happened at least TWICE to her.
This isn't your usual "busy mom forgot something, it slipped from her mind". It's happening time and time again. And it summarises Caroline perfectly - she prioritises her needs being met first. She cared more about her clothing than her child's food or sleep sack.

Several people have approached me that they might have endometriosis. Lifelong warrior so thought I would share my tips and tricks I put together for my friends and family to share with you :) Hope this helps someone!
ENDOMETRIOSIS SURGERY FACTS

• EXCISION SURGERY! I cannot stress this one enough. If you have an ablation, it will grow back and likely quick (but consult with your doctors on your case 100%). Excision is when they cut it out vs. it gets burned off. You will have a better success rate and slow rate of growth if they excise. Not all cases can be depending on location so again, please talk with your doctor about your situation. This is not the same for everyone.
• If your doctor cannot do excision surgery. Skip and move on to the next! Trust me, well worth the time to research and find the right doctor. You will thank me later for this one too haha.
• Finding a doctor is stuff. Also tough to find resources. If you cannot find an Endometriosis specialist in your area who does excision, you may need to look out of state, but one tip is exploring gynecological oncologists. Some will take benign cases, but not all so do your research. But it’s a good avenue for help in your area or you want insurance coverage.
• Nanny’s Nook is a good resource for online information regarding endometriosis: https://nancysnookendo.com/
• Dr Seckin’s book called The Doctor Will See You Now is also worth the read (https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Will-See-You-Endometriosis/dp/1681621126)
• Definitely look into Egg Freezing before doing any permanent surgeries. The ovaries are more intact when there is a uterus in place, so I recommend immediately following any excisions with Egg Freezing if you can and if it’s part of your plans. I found my AMH levels low (1.2) but still retrieved 25 eggs, so never be discouraged if this is your future planning path.
• My Symptoms: I experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting as the main culprits. I have irregular periods in regards to the number of days and if it comes or not (even with an IUD). Pelvic pain is probably the worst of all since it accompanies these symptoms and is present a majority of the time. Others may have different symptoms, and there’s many others I didn’t list but wanted to paint the picture of some I’ve experienced.

ENDOMETRIOSIS LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY (WHAT TO EXPECT)
PRE-SURGERY

• List of questions to ask your doctor
• Insurance Information and ID
• Necessary forms or paperwork the doctor requires
• Make sure any medical records are sent that would be relevant

POST-OP PREP

• Eat smaller meals and simple foods days beforehand. If bowel prep is necessary, they also recommend taking a laxative in the days leading up to help prep.
• Pack a bag! Not every surgery is an overnight stay but even if you have a day-of surgery, back an overnight bag. Here’s the essentials:
  • Phone/Headphones/iPad/Kindle/Books
  • Device Chargers
  • Medications that you currently take
  • Glasses (do not wear contacts day of)
  • An extra pair of underwear
  • Sanitary Pads or Always Discreet
  • Comfy pants with light elastic band around the waist
  • Non wired bra
  • Slip on shoes (this is clutch! Recommend slides -https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BL7LJKZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
  • Layers - Sweatshirt, Long Sleeved Shirt etc. - Hospitals are cold!
  • Toothbrush and tooth paste
  • Hairbrush
  • Face wipes, wash cloth, small towel and bar of soap.

SPACE PREP

1. Make sure your bed or couch is prepped. I stayed on the first level for the first 2ish days before feeling well enough to stay upstairs.
2. I used a pregnancy pillow on the bed to help me stay on my back while sleeping and help you feel cozy.
3. Stock the house with foods that will be light for your stomach. Think soups and casseroles! Saltine crackers, broths, rices etc..
4. If you have a raised bed, get a step stool to assist. It’s best to sit on the side of the bed and slowly lay your upper body down while bringing your knees up and over to your back. You will need to use arm strength the first couple of days to get you up and over since you can’t use the abdomen.
5. Water and Beverages stocked at all times. I have a reusable water bottle and avoid carbonated beverages for the time being. They fill you with gas for the procedure so it may make those symptoms worse.
6. Netflix, Kindle, Puzzles, Craft Projects…visits with friends. Whatever makes the time pass, set it up ahead of time so it’s handy.
7. Items to Keep on Hand: Baby Wipes, heating pads, pads/diapers, candles, essential oils, things that smell good haha

BOWEL PREP
This is dependent on the type of surgery you are having, but its good to have Gatorade, Magnesium Citrate (liquid), laxatives and enemas on hand just in case you need these.
ON SURGERY DAY
It’s important to follow the instructions on what to stop taking and/or eating/drinking prior to the surgery. Wear comfy clothes (wide elastic waistband) and slides with cozy socks. Double check your to go bag and breath.
AT THE HOSPITAL

1. Do your check-ins and keep your people with you as long as you want.
2. Make sure to read all the consent forms and ask any questions upfront. Make any advance directives clear.
3. Just try to remain calm as there’s a lot of down time while they do intake. It is about 2 hours of prep before they bring you in for the surgery itself.
4. They will ask you the same questions over and over again, that’s normal and trust me, you want to confirm it’s all being done properly.
5. If you need something for anxiety, they will be sure to give you something if you ask :)
6. You will be wearing a gown, socks, funky underwear and a cool hair net haha wear the gown backward so you keep warm and keep the butt covered.
7. Vitals will happen and the anesthesiologist will come and speak with you to make sure they prep the right meds beforehand. Bring up any concerns here with them!
8. You may be wheeled or walked into surgery. I’ve only ever walked in and laid on the table myself.
9. They will then put the IV in your arm and sometimes will put on a mask, they will then ask you to count backwards and before you know it, you will be awake again!

RECOVERY

• You will wake-up and feel groggy. Totally normal and you will be in a different room. They will likely say a lot really quick about your surgery. Before leaving ask for them to walk through it or see if you can speak with the doctor again when clear headed. RECOMMENDED!
• Your throat will be sore, that’s normal from the tube.
• Just relax and sleep it off if you want, the goal is to be relaxed and pee once before leaving.
• Before you go, eat and drink and pass smoke urine. They’ll provide you with the meds and you’ll be good to go.
• Make sure someone brings you home after :)
• Make sure you have a bag for vomit in the car.
• Bring a small pillow that can be strapped between the car belt and you for maximum comfort on the trip home.
• Pain Med Management: This one is important. I messed up night one and didn’t take it soon enough and was in too much pain so make sure you stick to the schedule the doctors give you to ensure you are comfortable.
• Keep Walking: It seems unnatural to have a surgery then walk, but the sooner you get up and keep moving around the house, the better. Just avoid heavy lifting and immense bending like movements. Stairs are also ok but also consult with your doctor!
• Gas Build Up: I did feel pain in my shoulders from the gas. Just keep moving! It will help get that out of the system but this pain is normal.
• Relax and let people take care of you! Don’t be too quick to recover.
• Keep an eye out for fever, increased vaginal bleeding, or feeling terrible.
• Keep all post op appointments and follow all post op instructions!

ENDOMETRIOSIS MAINTENANCE
Here’s the tips and tricks I found helpful for maintaining my pain and symptoms (GI and back pain related):

1. Pelvic Floor Therapy: This is important for keeping the muscles in your pelvis healthy and strong to maintain your structure and also help manage pain. Consult with your doctor on whether this is right for you.
2. Physical Therapy: I do PT for my back and pelvic floor since it’s all related. We focus on Myofascial Release Therapy to help break up the adhesions and give me more mobility. This helps with temporary pain relief (reduction in number), but that is always welcome :)
3. Acupuncture: I swear by Acupuncture. I don’t know what it does or why, but it works. It’s not a cure by any means, but it's great for relaxation, fertility, digestion, endometriosis, sleep, etc.. I can go on, but it’s not covered by insurance plans all the time so you will need to check and see what you’re able to take on.
4. Diet/Exercise:
   1. Eating high protein, lower fat/carbs (not none just low) helps your body, but overall learn your trigger foods! This will go a long way.
   2. Ginger, turmeric and fennel all help with bloating. I like to drink them in tea form when I’m feeling particularly hard stomached as it’s a good natural way to decrease the bloat. Peppermint also works for some, for me it irritates my GERD.
   3. Chamomile for relaxation
   4. Walking and movement are important. I cannot do anything high impact due to my sacroiliitis diagnosis, so I stick with light yoga and walking.
5. Alcohol/Other Substances: Don’t do it. Don’t touch it. You’ll thank me later on this point.
6. Sleep: Insomnia is a very real thing. I think I went 2 or 3 days at its worst one time and I cannot say enough how important trying to keep the same sleep schedule will benefit you. Waking and sleeping around the same time each day will still feel exhausting but at least you know your body is getting the most sleep it can get.
7. Medications/Supplements:
   1. Ibprofuern: This does NOT work for me. I have GERD and ulcers so I cannot take NSAIDs, but with that in mind, NSAIDs are supposedly the best pain medication over the counter to help you manage it.
   2. Pain Killers: These are AS NEEDED. I try to refrain and leave these for the TRULY bad days which I try to spread out. Not even worth it sometimes, because I don’t like how I feel and sometimes vomit after taking them. But they do help the pain!
   3. IUD/Orilissa: An IUD will NOT do anything. If you are diagnosed, ask your doctor about Orilissa or similar medicines instead of birth control methods. This will not stop the growth, just suppress it. There are side effects and it is only a short term solution.
   4. Linzess: This worked well for me for constipation symptoms when they got severe. Definitely recommend bringing this to your doctor if you’re truly suffering and they have not yet mentioned. I also resorted after trying magnesium citrate
   5. CBD Lotions/Salves: For my pelvis, I use Healing Rose CBD Salve in Orange and Lavender (https://www.thehealingroseco.com/product/orange-lavender-with-chamomile-herbal-salve-300mg-cbd/). For my back, I use a medical grade CBD lotion with menthol (https://cbdclinic.co/clinical-strength-series/). I also use a CBD massage oil from Healing Rose of the same scent when doing myofascial release at home. I also use Somedays Cramp Cream (https://somedays.com/products/period-cramp-cream?variant=42062153842853).
8. Heating Pads and Ice Pack: I have several varieties of heating pads. A cordless travel heating pad (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FPTJL4G?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details), a plug-in heating pad (lhttps://www.hsn.com/products/pure-enrichment-purerelief-xxl-heating-pad-with-9-cord/22188460) and stick on patches (https://www.thermacare.com/ - I use the back patches but reverse them to the front for better coverage). For hot flashes and night sweats (also if you need to relax while anxious) place an ice pack over your chest to help cool or calm down.
9. Self-Care: No joke, massages, facials, epsom salt baths, sound baths, reiki….anything that you find relaxing. Do it. Try it! They also make CBD bath bombs Ive been wanting to check out.
10. TENs Machine: I really want one, don’t have one, but people swear by them (the heating pad linked to MyObi has a TENs version - https://myobistore.com/en-us/collections/my-obi-belts/products/apollo-2-0).
11. Pregnancy Pillow: This one sounds so lame, but I bought a pregnancy pillow for my first endometriosis surgery since I’m a side sleeper to help keep me on my back during recovery. It changed by life! It helps my anxiety and makes me comfortable while sleeping. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YYVRXLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)..
12. Heated Blankets/Cozy Blankets: Make yourself feel better with a cozy blanket. Do it, I dare you!
13. Endo To-Go Bag: Includes heating pads (travel, plug-in and patches), medications, balms/salves, essential oils and pads/protection items, change of clothes, wet wipes.
14. Sex Life: I’m single, I don’t have a partner to worry about communicating this issue with at this point, but go slow and communicate given eventually this will have to be a conversation. What I have learned is that if you do have sex and feel pain. Immediately stop! If you associate sex with pain mentally in that moment, it may cause fear in doing so down the line so it’s best to stop the moment you feel any pain occur.
15. Work Life: I work a demanding job so it was not working with the appointments and care I needed to manage pain. Always get FMLA from your doctor for intermittent leave based on your company's policies. This protects you from flare-ups and appointments. Short Term Disability is based on your situation with work so talk with them about any leave of absence for surgery and recovery and ensure the medical providers fill out the paperwork appropriately.
16. Friends/Family: This one is the worst. I have to cancel and make plans all the time based on how I feel. I like to line up a bunch of plans for three months out and do my best to make them happen at the beginning of the month when I know I’m most likely to feel good. I just say I’ll make things up to them when I get better and those who have stuck around have been truly amazing friends, but don’t be upset that some might be over the day in and out of what you’re going through. It’s hard for you and sometimes others and it’s just a part of the relationships we’re meant to experience in life. Most people (unless they have endometriosis) don’t understand it so it can feel isolating, but there’s others out there who know what you’re going through and are willing to chat. Just gotta find them and reach out on social media, online etc..
17. Journaling Symptoms: Guilty of not being the best at this always, but it's good to track your symptoms to see how they work and operate. It helps not only you plan for it, but also your doctors in how best to handle your care. Take photos of things that make sense to show your doctors! Discharge, bowels etc..can sometimes help diagnose or judge with the images.
18. Next to Bed Kit: Make sure your nightstand is stocked with the essentials for your bad days. Makes it easier to access the items you need when you just can’t get up and get it.
19. Squatty Potty: Another thing that is majorly life changing on constipation days! Get one or you can make your own :) Take a stack of books and stack them at equal heights on each side and put your feet up. The trick is making sure you’re in a squat with your knees high to your ears.
20. Clothing: Dressing for this is key but you still want to look cute! Joggers with a stretchy waist are my go to pants, but wide leg trousers with a stretchy waist help with ease of removal but also comfort and brings some style to the look.
21. Pads: I wear Always Discreet vs. pads. I find when you need to wear them full time for incontinence it just makes it more comfortable. They have different cuts and styles so definitely check them out!

Several people have approached me that they might have endometriosis. Lifelong warrior so thought I would share my tips and tricks I put together for my friends and family to share with you :) Hope this helps someone!
ENDOMETRIOSIS SURGERY FACTS

• EXCISION SURGERY! I cannot stress this one enough. If you have an ablation, it will grow back and likely quick (but consult with your doctors on your case 100%). Excision is when they cut it out vs. it gets burned off. You will have a better success rate and slow rate of growth if they excise. Not all cases can be depending on location so again, please talk with your doctor about your situation. This is not the same for everyone.
• If your doctor cannot do excision surgery. Skip and move on to the next! Trust me, well worth the time to research and find the right doctor. You will thank me later for this one too haha.
• Finding a doctor is stuff. Also tough to find resources. If you cannot find an Endometriosis specialist in your area who does excision, you may need to look out of state, but one tip is exploring gynecological oncologists. Some will take benign cases, but not all so do your research. But it’s a good avenue for help in your area or you want insurance coverage.
• Nanny’s Nook is a good resource for online information regarding endometriosis: https://nancysnookendo.com/
• Dr Seckin’s book called The Doctor Will See You Now is also worth the read (https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Will-See-You-Endometriosis/dp/1681621126)
• Definitely look into Egg Freezing before doing any permanent surgeries. The ovaries are more intact when there is a uterus in place, so I recommend immediately following any excisions with Egg Freezing if you can and if it’s part of your plans. I found my AMH levels low (1.2) but still retrieved 25 eggs, so never be discouraged if this is your future planning path.
• My Symptoms: I experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting as the main culprits. I have irregular periods in regards to the number of days and if it comes or not (even with an IUD). Pelvic pain is probably the worst of all since it accompanies these symptoms and is present a majority of the time. Others may have different symptoms, and there’s many others I didn’t list but wanted to paint the picture of some I’ve experienced.

ENDOMETRIOSIS LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY (WHAT TO EXPECT)
PRE-SURGERY

• List of questions to ask your doctor
• Insurance Information and ID
• Necessary forms or paperwork the doctor requires
• Make sure any medical records are sent that would be relevant

POST-OP PREP

• Eat smaller meals and simple foods days beforehand. If bowel prep is necessary, they also recommend taking a laxative in the days leading up to help prep.
• Pack a bag! Not every surgery is an overnight stay but even if you have a day-of surgery, back an overnight bag. Here’s the essentials:
  • Phone/Headphones/iPad/Kindle/Books
  • Device Chargers
  • Medications that you currently take
  • Glasses (do not wear contacts day of)
  • An extra pair of underwear
  • Sanitary Pads or Always Discreet
  • Comfy pants with light elastic band around the waist
  • Non wired bra
  • Slip on shoes (this is clutch! Recommend slides -https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BL7LJKZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
  • Layers - Sweatshirt, Long Sleeved Shirt etc. - Hospitals are cold!
  • Toothbrush and tooth paste
  • Hairbrush
  • Face wipes, wash cloth, small towel and bar of soap.

SPACE PREP

1. Make sure your bed or couch is prepped. I stayed on the first level for the first 2ish days before feeling well enough to stay upstairs.
2. I used a pregnancy pillow on the bed to help me stay on my back while sleeping and help you feel cozy.
3. Stock the house with foods that will be light for your stomach. Think soups and casseroles! Saltine crackers, broths, rices etc..
4. If you have a raised bed, get a step stool to assist. It’s best to sit on the side of the bed and slowly lay your upper body down while bringing your knees up and over to your back. You will need to use arm strength the first couple of days to get you up and over since you can’t use the abdomen.
5. Water and Beverages stocked at all times. I have a reusable water bottle and avoid carbonated beverages for the time being. They fill you with gas for the procedure so it may make those symptoms worse.
6. Netflix, Kindle, Puzzles, Craft Projects…visits with friends. Whatever makes the time pass, set it up ahead of time so it’s handy.
7. Items to Keep on Hand: Baby Wipes, heating pads, pads/diapers, candles, essential oils, things that smell good haha

BOWEL PREP
This is dependent on the type of surgery you are having, but its good to have Gatorade, Magnesium Citrate (liquid), laxatives and enemas on hand just in case you need these.
ON SURGERY DAY
It’s important to follow the instructions on what to stop taking and/or eating/drinking prior to the surgery. Wear comfy clothes (wide elastic waistband) and slides with cozy socks. Double check your to go bag and breath.
AT THE HOSPITAL

1. Do your check-ins and keep your people with you as long as you want.
2. Make sure to read all the consent forms and ask any questions upfront. Make any advance directives clear.
3. Just try to remain calm as there’s a lot of down time while they do intake. It is about 2 hours of prep before they bring you in for the surgery itself.
4. They will ask you the same questions over and over again, that’s normal and trust me, you want to confirm it’s all being done properly.
5. If you need something for anxiety, they will be sure to give you something if you ask :)
6. You will be wearing a gown, socks, funky underwear and a cool hair net haha wear the gown backward so you keep warm and keep the butt covered.
7. Vitals will happen and the anesthesiologist will come and speak with you to make sure they prep the right meds beforehand. Bring up any concerns here with them!
8. You may be wheeled or walked into surgery. I’ve only ever walked in and laid on the table myself.
9. They will then put the IV in your arm and sometimes will put on a mask, they will then ask you to count backwards and before you know it, you will be awake again!

RECOVERY

• You will wake-up and feel groggy. Totally normal and you will be in a different room. They will likely say a lot really quick about your surgery. Before leaving ask for them to walk through it or see if you can speak with the doctor again when clear headed. RECOMMENDED!
• Your throat will be sore, that’s normal from the tube.
• Just relax and sleep it off if you want, the goal is to be relaxed and pee once before leaving.
• Before you go, eat and drink and pass smoke urine. They’ll provide you with the meds and you’ll be good to go.
• Make sure someone brings you home after :)
• Make sure you have a bag for vomit in the car.
• Bring a small pillow that can be strapped between the car belt and you for maximum comfort on the trip home.
• Pain Med Management: This one is important. I messed up night one and didn’t take it soon enough and was in too much pain so make sure you stick to the schedule the doctors give you to ensure you are comfortable.
• Keep Walking: It seems unnatural to have a surgery then walk, but the sooner you get up and keep moving around the house, the better. Just avoid heavy lifting and immense bending like movements. Stairs are also ok but also consult with your doctor!
• Gas Build Up: I did feel pain in my shoulders from the gas. Just keep moving! It will help get that out of the system but this pain is normal.
• Relax and let people take care of you! Don’t be too quick to recover.
• Keep an eye out for fever, increased vaginal bleeding, or feeling terrible.
• Keep all post op appointments and follow all post op instructions!

ENDOMETRIOSIS MAINTENANCE
Here’s the tips and tricks I found helpful for maintaining my pain and symptoms (GI and back pain related):

1. Pelvic Floor Therapy: This is important for keeping the muscles in your pelvis healthy and strong to maintain your structure and also help manage pain. Consult with your doctor on whether this is right for you.
2. Physical Therapy: I do PT for my back and pelvic floor since it’s all related. We focus on Myofascial Release Therapy to help break up the adhesions and give me more mobility. This helps with temporary pain relief (reduction in number), but that is always welcome :)
3. Acupuncture: I swear by Acupuncture. I don’t know what it does or why, but it works. It’s not a cure by any means, but it's great for relaxation, fertility, digestion, endometriosis, sleep, etc.. I can go on, but it’s not covered by insurance plans all the time so you will need to check and see what you’re able to take on.
4. Diet/Exercise:
   1. Eating high protein, lower fat/carbs (not none just low) helps your body, but overall learn your trigger foods! This will go a long way.
   2. Ginger, turmeric and fennel all help with bloating. I like to drink them in tea form when I’m feeling particularly hard stomached as it’s a good natural way to decrease the bloat. Peppermint also works for some, for me it irritates my GERD.
   3. Chamomile for relaxation
   4. Walking and movement are important. I cannot do anything high impact due to my sacroiliitis diagnosis, so I stick with light yoga and walking.
5. Alcohol/Other Substances: Don’t do it. Don’t touch it. You’ll thank me later on this point.
6. Sleep: Insomnia is a very real thing. I think I went 2 or 3 days at its worst one time and I cannot say enough how important trying to keep the same sleep schedule will benefit you. Waking and sleeping around the same time each day will still feel exhausting but at least you know your body is getting the most sleep it can get.
7. Medications/Supplements:
   1. Ibprofuern: This does NOT work for me. I have GERD and ulcers so I cannot take NSAIDs, but with that in mind, NSAIDs are supposedly the best pain medication over the counter to help you manage it.
   2. Pain Killers: These are AS NEEDED. I try to refrain and leave these for the TRULY bad days which I try to spread out. Not even worth it sometimes, because I don’t like how I feel and sometimes vomit after taking them. But they do help the pain!
   3. IUD/Orilissa: An IUD will NOT do anything. If you are diagnosed, ask your doctor about Orilissa or similar medicines instead of birth control methods. This will not stop the growth, just suppress it. There are side effects and it is only a short term solution.
   4. Linzess: This worked well for me for constipation symptoms when they got severe. Definitely recommend bringing this to your doctor if you’re truly suffering and they have not yet mentioned. I also resorted after trying magnesium citrate
   5. CBD Lotions/Salves: For my pelvis, I use Healing Rose CBD Salve in Orange and Lavender (https://www.thehealingroseco.com/product/orange-lavender-with-chamomile-herbal-salve-300mg-cbd/). For my back, I use a medical grade CBD lotion with menthol (https://cbdclinic.co/clinical-strength-series/). I also use a CBD massage oil from Healing Rose of the same scent when doing myofascial release at home. I also use Somedays Cramp Cream (https://somedays.com/products/period-cramp-cream?variant=42062153842853).
8. Heating Pads and Ice Pack: I have several varieties of heating pads. A cordless travel heating pad (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FPTJL4G?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details), a plug-in heating pad (lhttps://www.hsn.com/products/pure-enrichment-purerelief-xxl-heating-pad-with-9-cord/22188460) and stick on patches (https://www.thermacare.com/ - I use the back patches but reverse them to the front for better coverage). For hot flashes and night sweats (also if you need to relax while anxious) place an ice pack over your chest to help cool or calm down.
9. Self-Care: No joke, massages, facials, epsom salt baths, sound baths, reiki….anything that you find relaxing. Do it. Try it! They also make CBD bath bombs Ive been wanting to check out.
10. TENs Machine: I really want one, don’t have one, but people swear by them (the heating pad linked to MyObi has a TENs version - https://myobistore.com/en-us/collections/my-obi-belts/products/apollo-2-0).
11. Pregnancy Pillow: This one sounds so lame, but I bought a pregnancy pillow for my first endometriosis surgery since I’m a side sleeper to help keep me on my back during recovery. It changed by life! It helps my anxiety and makes me comfortable while sleeping. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YYVRXLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)..
12. Heated Blankets/Cozy Blankets: Make yourself feel better with a cozy blanket. Do it, I dare you!
13. Endo To-Go Bag: Includes heating pads (travel, plug-in and patches), medications, balms/salves, essential oils and pads/protection items, change of clothes, wet wipes.
14. Sex Life: I’m single, I don’t have a partner to worry about communicating this issue with at this point, but go slow and communicate given eventually this will have to be a conversation. What I have learned is that if you do have sex and feel pain. Immediately stop! If you associate sex with pain mentally in that moment, it may cause fear in doing so down the line so it’s best to stop the moment you feel any pain occur.
15. Work Life: I work a demanding job so it was not working with the appointments and care I needed to manage pain. Always get FMLA from your doctor for intermittent leave based on your company's policies. This protects you from flare-ups and appointments. Short Term Disability is based on your situation with work so talk with them about any leave of absence for surgery and recovery and ensure the medical providers fill out the paperwork appropriately.
16. Friends/Family: This one is the worst. I have to cancel and make plans all the time based on how I feel. I like to line up a bunch of plans for three months out and do my best to make them happen at the beginning of the month when I know I’m most likely to feel good. I just say I’ll make things up to them when I get better and those who have stuck around have been truly amazing friends, but don’t be upset that some might be over the day in and out of what you’re going through. It’s hard for you and sometimes others and it’s just a part of the relationships we’re meant to experience in life. Most people (unless they have endometriosis) don’t understand it so it can feel isolating, but there’s others out there who know what you’re going through and are willing to chat. Just gotta find them and reach out on social media, online etc..
17. Journaling Symptoms: Guilty of not being the best at this always, but it's good to track your symptoms to see how they work and operate. It helps not only you plan for it, but also your doctors in how best to handle your care. Take photos of things that make sense to show your doctors! Discharge, bowels etc..can sometimes help diagnose or judge with the images.
18. Next to Bed Kit: Make sure your nightstand is stocked with the essentials for your bad days. Makes it easier to access the items you need when you just can’t get up and get it.
19. Squatty Potty: Another thing that is majorly life changing on constipation days! Get one or you can make your own :) Take a stack of books and stack them at equal heights on each side and put your feet up. The trick is making sure you’re in a squat with your knees high to your ears.
20. Clothing: Dressing for this is key but you still want to look cute! Joggers with a stretchy waist are my go to pants, but wide leg trousers with a stretchy waist help with ease of removal but also comfort and brings some style to the look.
21. Pads: I wear Always Discreet vs. pads. I find when you need to wear them full time for incontinence it just makes it more comfortable. They have different cuts and styles so definitely check them out!

Hi all
First time mum here.
My baby was perfectly fine after the 8 week and 12 week immunisations, but today, she had her 16-week ones and isn't handling them so well.
She spat out all the calpol I tried to give her after the appointment, she just cried and gagged and coughed and drooled it out every time (she wasn't AS bad at taking it previously for 8w and 12w jabs but she still managed to get some, today I dont think she swallowed ANY) My GP says not to give the calpol before the appointment as they need to check her temp before giving the jabs.
She's been really whiney and cranky all day, did 2 40 min naps and 2 almost 2 hr naps, when she's recently been only having really crap naps unless she contact naps - but these naps today I've managed to get her in her cot and she's stayed asleep.
I tried to give her the other doses of calpol throughout the day, but she just kept spitting it out when I tried to give her any more.
Her forehead has felt very warm all day, but her chest and back are comfortably warm. Her temperature is only something like 0.2 above what it usually is (e.g., if she's usually 36.5, it's showing 36.7 today)
She hasn't finished her bottles today apart from the one before she had her jabs (usually, she would have had around 800-900ml by the end of the day, but today she's only had about 570ml)
I have just tried to give her some more calpol, and I got the tiniest amount in her mouth. She gagged and then threw up a mouthful or two of old curdled milk from her previous bottle. She was then just endlessly crying for about 10 minutes. She kept refusing her last bottle and pushing it away.
I waited until she had calmed down and tried again, but she was definitely not interested in it and kept jabbing her tongue out, pushing the bottle away.
She's now lying on me fast asleep. I'm pretty sure she's down for the big sleep now.
Is this fairly common?
Did I just luck out with her not really reacting to the first 2 sets of immunisations?

Zhongli: literally got bored and became a homeless man
Nahida: coughing baby
Ei: snort mimimimi'ing in her realm
Furina: grifter
Venti: alcoholic starbucks barista
And all of them have multiple versions/bodies/personalities that are stronger than their main forms. Why would they hold back if they are qualifying to be the strongest user of one element.,.,.,.. have a good day

Before I go on my Eli & Eclare rant that will probably be just as long as it was last time let’s get the other stuff out the way first…
Alli Bhandari you will always be famous I’m so sorry for everything you go through I just wanna give you a hug and some freedom. Her file was large and she was wildin at some point but let’s be truthful, Alli being in the boiler room was a moment of weakness (that didn’t even come to fruition) what Bianca & Drew did in the boiler room was a moment of character. Those scum should be the LAST to have ANYTHING to say about ANYBODY!!!!! Alli I really want healing for you girl, no matter what she does her parents treat her with some much disdain and disappointment and anger and resentment and disrespect and want to be surprised when Alli wants to leave? Yeah, go to hell. If I was her I’m no contact at 18. Anyways..
I think the saddest thing about alli’s runway arc was that she and Sav were both right in their argument but due to all the history it was all just too complicated and made so much more so by the added pressures and the runway itself. They love each other so deeply.
MY SAVY J HEARTTTTTTTTT 💔💔 ughhh I wish they would’ve made it, sav stood up to his parents for her, supported her, understood her, forgave her, like he really stepped up and was her man. But I will say Holly J not feeling it does feel in character, she’s someone who’s always gonna want more. And idk maybe… if only Sav could be the man he was for Holly J, for Anya, then we would be living in a proper society. But the fact of the matter is as much as I love Anya, I don’t think Sav actually respects her. I know he loved her but I think what he liked in Holly J was her ambition and her determination and strong will, all being coupled with her looks, humor, and compassion. She had an arc, she feels like a complete person who’s really growing and I think Sav maybe appreciated Holly J more because he could clearly see how much she asserted what she wanted for herself and her future and it’s a trait he’s growing but at the moment was lacking and it’s really what he wants for himself, I think he just admired Holly J more as a person because of what she stood for as a person. And that’s kinda something Anya’s always been missing, which is why neither ship could ever work. They connect, but they don’t truly compliment one another. It’s sad because the chemistry for both ships is absolutely there.
Riley wasn’t as bad as I remember, I don’t dislike him he’s just neutral to me now but he’s still on the lower side for me. I’ve chocked up his violent streak to roid rage and called it a day 💀
Also literally don’t bring Dr*w up to me at alll like bye
Degrassi has a nerd problem. Their interesting characters usually come in the form of nerdy archetypes at least to me. : Wesley, Liberty, Toby, Claire, Alli, Conner, all either become completely about something entirely different (Clare, Alli, Liberty, Conner) or fall off the face of the earth with zero explanation (Toby, Wesley) and it’s like hello???? Give me my nerdy main and let them carry stories and finish their nerdy arcs pls thank you!!! Only person I can say starts and ends as someone with decent screentime where their nerdiness or intellect is one of their main storylines still is Conner, and even he feels slightly underused at times.
Bro everyone’s always taking about “you told me to play BASKETBALL” but no one ever talks about Jenna’s delivery to set up that iconic line. “WHERE’S the BABY suppOSED TA’ SLEEP?!?!” Like I replayed that scene like 8 times just dying 🤣🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭😭😩😩😩😩😂😂😂😂💀💀💀💀💀
Speaking of Jenna, two things : her hating Bianca for being a boyfriend stealer while being pregnant with KC’s baby is laughable, don’t piss me off 💀
Second thing : GOODBYE WHITE HORSE GOODBYE BRAVE KNIGHTTTT ok that’s it
Love that Fiona got some help and won her trial , love this for her so bad.
I like characters like Dave, Anya & Holly J whose flaws and virtues both feel consistent with their character. Like Dave’s desire to be cool resulting in him tazing Wesley was an asshole thing to do, and it was wild, but also, it tracks? So does Dave being there for his friends he’s just a good, well written character regardless of him being flawed. It feels natural. I compare this to Anya & Holly J because they’re similar . Like, I can still see glimpses of young Holly J in her wit, some of her dialogue and decisions are consistent with her more ruthless previous personality but it comes from a different place now. She feels like a changed and grown person and not a completely different character with. A whole new personality. She’s just older and wiser now. Anya hasn’t been through as much change but her personality and decisions feel very Anya to me whether I agree with what she’s doing or not. Unlike some other characters i’ll talk about later ( cough CLARE cough )
Adam is a deeply insecure person and the way he reacts to Drew flirting with Fiona after he sets them up is very psychotic to me because wtf did you think was gonna happen??? Just very dramatic, and the way he acts when interested in someone it’s like early signs of the same problems he eventually has with Becky before his death it makes me sad they never really attempted to therapize this man. It’s kind of the same issue I had with Toby like this man is very clearly troubled and no one is doing anything.. for why????? It’s also how he got sucked up in the Fitz drama in S10 part 1, like no one around him sees these signs, oh I know why, because his FREINDS CLARE AND ELI ONLY THINK OF THEMSELVES!!! Ok it’s time for the Eclare rant takes massive breath
ELI’S RED FLAGS COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN REDDER, AND CLARE LITERALLY IGNORES THEM ALL UNTIL THE VERY END AND ITS LIKE GIRL IM GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO WAKE UP BUT IMMA NEED YOU TO MAKE HASTE NEXT TIME BC WTF!!!!!
first of all, Clare starting the second half of season 10 by saying “the knife fight wasn’t Eli’s fault, Fitz was a psycho” and standing on that after being the only one with any self awareness previously and calling out how Eli not only perpetuated but continued the cycle of violence before it went to far is annoying and almost a little inconsistent with her character. Season 8, 9 & even the first half of season 10 Clare would never have just been so openly blind to all this man’s MANY MANY problems and it’s this change to her character that allowed things to get so out of hand by the end of the season. Eli also refusing to take 0 accountability for being the one who POISONED A MAN and expects everyone to believe a knife was pulled on him for no reason is so unbelievably annoying and disgusting. He’s manipulative as hell almost the entire season with all his little revenge plans and schemes to win Clare’s affection. Yeah, Fitz was wrong but Eli was wrong too. 2 wrongs don’t make a right, and you’d think someone like Clare who has been known to point that out and uphold good morals would … you know… point that out and uphold good morals??!? I’m not gonna forget what all you did Eli, THE NORTH REMEMBERS!!!!! PEPPERIDGE FARM REMEMBERS!!!!!!
I think they did an amazing job tho of showing you all the good of eli’s personality and making you genuinely feel empathy for his character and making him and Clare rootable while also showing you the bad and all the growing red flags pretty constantly in a way that doesn’t discount or contradict their connection or his character growth but works in tandem and shows the duality of human nature. Is Eli sweet, thoughtful, loyal, smart, clever, accepting, loving, but troubled and just trying his best? Yes! But is he also super possessive, manipulative, temperamental, arrogant, obsessed with death, not over Julia, and clearly a threat to himself and others around him who constantly cries for help while simultaneously denying that help? Also yes! Truly a complex and multifaceted character who you’re completely justified in loving or hating. Craig walked so Eli could run.
But also, this man wrote a story about killing you and drinking your blood, wants to take you away alone for two days IN HIS HEARSE on the anniversary of his ex’s death who he feels like he “killed” while dressed as the parader from My Chemical Romance “welcome to the black parade” album and then crashed a car while laughing hysterically knowing you were listening after you asked for space… idk Clare I think it’s time to switch schools girl…… i- I don’t know how you could ever come back from something like that like…. Help wanted?!
Also does Eli kind of look like that emo whooville boy from the Lorax to anyone else 💀 whenever he tries to intimidate Fitz I’m like no one is afraid of you sir. What are you gonna do? Speak for the trees? But then I remember he’d probably frame you for arson, or poison you or something instead
Season ranks 3 = 10 > 2 > 8 > 9 > 6 > 5 > 4 > 7 > 1

33 year old female. 5'7" 155lbs. I take 60mg of fluoxetine and 1 loratadine daily.
Starting March 18th I had fatigue/headache, just feeling unwell and I noticed both of my feet were numb. I thought I had pinched a nerve or just sat on them funny, but the pins and needles feeling has remained constant since then. The general sick feeling went away and I was just trying to ignore my feet.
Then May 1st I started feeling sick again. Headaches, major fatigue, sore throat, cough. I went to my PCP on May 3rd. I tested negative for covid and strep. She also ran blood work - CMP (nonfasting), Vitamin B12, TSH, CBC, and magnesium, everything came back normal. She also did a general exam with reflexes and whatnot. Since nothing showed on the bloodwork, she referred me to a neurologist for the feet neuropathy.
I have to wait until the end of September to see a neurologist, but I'm still feeling quite ill. I've burned through all my sick days.
The last few days I've been having a constant headache, fatigue, sore throat, lack of appetite, nausea and some dizziness, no fever, however, I have been living on Tylenol.
On May 13th I went to my doctor's office, my PCP was not in, the PA I saw said she thought I had an upper respiratory infection and prescribed me doxycycline. She said I had a little drainage in my left ear that may be causing the vertigo. She also said my B12 was on the low side of normal, so she recommended I try B12 supplements while we wait for the neurologist appointment.
I didn't ask for a prescription or anything. I understand antibiotics don't work for viruses.
Do you think antibiotic actually going to help my headache/fatigue/sore throat or is this their way of getting me out of the office?
Thanks.

WARNING: This is long as shit. Scroll down if you want to see a TLDR.
Look I’m not going to front and say that I don’t prefer Kendrick to Drake. He’s made two of my top three favorite projects ever even if Drake does have a decent share of projects in that list as well (In order being NWTS, IYRTITL, Views with that last one being a fair bit lower than the others). However I don’t think I’m so unreasonably biased for or against one party that my input is invalid. I’ve always gave Drake his flowers for the disses he released throughout the beef and you can check my post/comment history if you want to verify that. I’ve always been honest with how I felt regarding the big 3 and have had my fair share of criticisms regarding Kendrick. I’m going to break this into three sections. What he did right, what he did wrong, and what he should have done in certain scenarios. With that being said, let’s start with the good.
WHAT DRAKE DID WELL

1. Controlling the Narrative Around Kendrick’s Silence - From the release of Push Ups until Euphoria, Drake was doing great manipulating public perception. ‘Dropping’ Push Ups and then hitting a back to back with Taylor Made was a great move. It pissed Kendrick off, showed how low Drake was willing to go, and made people scrutinize Kendrick for not responding. Pair that with his constant trolling on IG and Drake had people looking at Kendrick worse for not dropping within a week than they did at Drake for not dropping within three. Combine that with having his team push the AI Kendrick song as real for days alongside his other antics and he was up in most people’s eyes for over two weeks.
2. Great Rapping - I’ve always been on Drake for his inconsistency when it come to his rapping quality on his recent albums. Way I’ve seen it he’s an A student who consistently turns in C+ songs because he knows he can get away with it. But every single project he’ll come out with at least one song that reminds me that when Drake is on he’s a top tier MC. With diss tracks, Drake never has that dip in quality. Look at his catalogue. Back to Back, Duppy Freestyle, Family Matters. Except for Charged Up (and a track from this beef I’ll be getting to in a later section) Drake hasn’t released a bad diss track that I can remember. He did a lot of stuff that I really loved here. He absolutely beat Kendrick when it came to the MJ/Prince flips. He consistently had double and triple entendres throughout his best songs and generally didn’t feel overwhelmed or outmatched from a solely lyrical perspective against another all timer. While I expected him to cook, Drake surprised a lot of people with how good he was here.
3. Making the 20v1 Narrative - Drake was smart when it came to how he played this (At least initially but we’ll get back to that). He fed into the Thanos narrative really well on Push Ups and demonstrated exactly why the vast majority of the rappers dissing him waited until someone like Kendrick was leading the charge to say anything about Drake. It really felt like he was taking on the industry by himself and that gosh darn it he was holding his own at worst and winning in the eyes of a lot of people. He made sure to address everyone who came for him on Push Ups and while he didn’t destroy anyone’s career or anything, they were all solid shots and he definitively put himself in the lead.
4. Moments - Drake had a lot of iconic moments throughout the beef. Whether it was telling Metro to shut his hoe ass up and play some drums or crushing the GKMC van or even the first moments when AI Pac and Snoop hopped on Taylor Made, there’s a lot of stuff that got people talking on Drake’s end. A lot of these moments are going to be talked about for years to come and even if not on a wider scale, members of his fanbase will appreciate them for decades to come. Creating moments is one of the most important strategies when having a battle in this day and age. Virality is oftentimes the judgment by which outsiders will judge the beef by when the credits roll.
5. Underhandedness - While it might not seem like a positive, rap beef is rap beef. Lying, low blows and smear campaigns aren’t just accepted but encouraged. You and your opponent are essentially doing your best to try and ruin the other person’s image as much as possible and Drake showed that if nothing else he had the stomach to do whatever it takes to piss of Kendrick and play to the crowd. AI Tupac, baiting Kendrick by mentioning Whitney, making fun of Kendrick for being “abused” etc. While the success of these tactics varied MASSIVELY, I appreciated the fact that Drake showed that for him all restraints were off from the get go.
6. Keeping a few consistent Narratives - Now Drake picked up and put down a lot of angles throughout this beef but he stuck to his guns throughout the latter half on two things, Whitney was cheating on Kendrick and that Kendrick was an abuser. And while he never really got those narratives to stick as much as the ones levied against him, they’re still out there in the public consciousness and he kept the story consistent from Family Matters to the Heart Part 6. If nothing else he kept the allegations in people’s mind and caused people to question Kendrick’s character more.

WHERE DRAKE MESSED UP

1. Overplaying the 20v1 Narrative - Look it was pretty obvious based on the music video and the teaser at the end of Push Ups that Family Matters was at the very least conceptualized before the release of Push Ups. While there were a few modifications like the whole “Nigga I said it I know that you’re mad”, this track would have been thought up while We Still Don’t Trust You was fresh in Drakes mind. As a result he played into the 20v1 narrative heavily. However by the time of Family Matters actually releasing, the only person who responded to Push Ups other than Kendrick was Rick Ross. Euphoria and 6:16 in LA had just dropped and it was pretty clear now that Kendrick was the main threat and who Drake needed to be worried about. Think about how many people were calling Drake Thanos and talking about him taking on the industry after Push Ups released vs in the lead up to Family Matters. He did not need to waste the best beat on Family Matters dissing A$AP fucking Rocky.
2. Underestimating Kendrick - Look let’s be honest for a second. Family Matters was the red button. It had a music video, Got teased on Push Ups, Drake called the beef twice in the second verse plus he announced his leave, and the Heart Part 6 mostly stuck to the same digs at Kendrick. If Drake still had a red button, the Heart Part 6 never gets dropped and we’re all better for it. The issue is that when Drake tried to 8 Mile himself by predicting Kendrick taking the pedo angle on Taylor Made, Drake didn’t actually have a decent response set up as we saw, he was just hoping the nigga would scrap the idea and use something else since he thought mentioning it first would take the sting out of it. When Kendrick predicted Drake saying stuff about his family on Euphoria, it’s because he had something prepared if he did. Drake figured that Kendrick was trying to do the same thing as him and get ahead of the familial problems angle without having a decent response if it went there which is why he still banked on Family Matters being enough. He had no real plan for what to do if Family Matters didn’t kill Kendrick and he certainly didn’t have one for what to do if Kendrick dropped 20 minutes later and overshadowed his release.
3. Making his lies too obvious - Look, this is a rap battle not a court room. The vast majority of claims made on either side are made by someone who has all the motivation in the world to lie about their opponent and isn’t required to give any evidence. Unverified claims are the backbone of most diss tracks. And I’m going to assume a decent amount of those are lies. However the problem Drake had throughout this beef, especially on his last two tracks is that he didn’t just make claims that are unverified but impossible to disprove, he made a bunch of claims that anybody with google or common sense can prove are straight up lies. Drake calling Kendrick an abuser can’t ever be truly disproven, nor can Kendrick saying Drake is a diaper sniper. But Kendrick not giving back to Compton is an easily searchable lie. So is Baby Keem writing Kendrick’s best stuff considering he wasn’t an adult for four of his five studio albums. So is Kendrick not having gang ties. So is Kendrick being molested on Mother I Sober. And as of a couple days ago so is Drake planting the evidence from the cover art of Meet the Grahams and of the secret daughter. A lot of what Kendrick has said is similarly unverified and unreliable but almost none of it is definitively without a shadow of a doubt proven to be false. Now that doesn’t make it true in the slightest but it does make Drake look goofy when he’s talking about all his stuff being facts when he gets caught definitively lying so often. If you’re going to lie on someone, make sure it can’t be debunked.
4. Failing to Consider Public Perception - Drake has always been a very controversial figure in Hip Hop. Whether it be in the early days where people were after him for being too lightskin or too soft or the present where he’s being lambasted for a variety of reasons (some more/less valid than others), he’s never been universally liked at least as a person. Drake is no stranger to controversy and has moved pretty suspiciously both behind the scenes and to our faces. It’s safe to say that while way more people love than hate Drake, he’s polarizing in a way Kendrick isn’t. Prior to Like That the worst thing anyone really said about Kendrick was that they weren’t fans of his music. So when he comes out and says stuff about Drake, it seems more real because Kendrick has no real marks on his credibility the way Drake does. Furthermore when Kendrick alleges that Drake has a secret daughter or likes kids, there’s a lot of heavily publicized behavior of Drake’s that doesn’t confirm but does lend credence to the allegations in a way Kendrick’s doesn’t. Now obviously Drake has a much more public personal life than Kendrick and for all we know the latter actually is a monster behind closed doors while Drake just got caught in a series of unfortunate events. But when one party is already controversial and has a history of consistently weird behavior with underage girls, has a well documented record of promiscuity, and already got one kid exposed in a rap beef and the other has a rather spotless public image as well as nothing supporting the DV case but an allegation from 10+ years ago that got no attention from any major media outlets and that had a lot of pretty obvious holes, the public is a lot more likely to believe one crime happened over the other.
5. The Heart Part 6 - It seems to age worse literally every day it’s out at this point. It’s probably the first or second most poorly received track released since the start of this conflict and my personal least favorite. The big reveal of him secretly manipulating Kendrick sounded like bullshit when it first dropped. If he had the proof, he could have just made it the cover art instead of the Dave Free comment (if it was audio he could have sampled it). He could have won right there. He could have posted it on his story instead of just repeating ‘I don’t have a daughter’ in the face of Meet the Grahams. Anything instead of let two extremely well received diss tracks drop on his head and let a record breaking song come out saying he doesn’t go easy on the young ones. Even if he were telling the truth he’d look like a total goober not a war general. But with everything that came to light with that EbonyPrince2k24 account it’s now a fact Drake lied about planting the evidence and even Akademiks corroborated that. He also came with zero new evidence of his claims on Family Matters which on its own wouldn’t matter since, again, it’s a rap battle. But it rings pretty hollow when he’s seen as less reliable as Kendrick already by the public and he himself is asking for proof from Kendrick and claiming that “All [his] shit is facts”. Probably one of the worst things he did here was also how he defended himself from the allegations of being a baby bandit. A diaper sniper. Catching a bad case of “Teenage Fever”. Being P. Drizzy if you will. I mean aside from all the weird stuff about Kendrick hating child molesters because he was molested as a child (which would have been a bad angle even if it wasn’t easily disprovable), saying that you’re too rich and famous to be a creep is asinine. Weinstein, Epstein, R. Kelly, P. Diddy, Mick Jagger, MJ, Cosby etc. All got away with their depravity for decades before there ever came any mass movement to depose them with most of these guys having careers well after the first allegations were levied with their downfall only coming when their accusers numbered in the low dozens and they were mostly geriatric despite these crimes going back in some case to their twenties. In fact the majority of weirdos you hear about are the higher ups in politics/entertainment etc. It’s such a weird thing to say in your own defense.
6. Gassing Out - It’s very clear what the gameplan was based on Drake’s actions looking back. Put Kendrick in a position where he needed to respond (hopefully with his supposed nuke) then clap back with Family Matters to secure a definitive win in the public eye before riding off into the sunset and taking a much needed vacation. He probably had that break planned before he even dropped his first track. That’s is not what happened. Drake dropped as many tracks in the span of the past four weeks as Kendrick dropped in the span of four days with the latter seemingly upbeat and raring to go on his last track whereas Drake seemed low energy and unceremoniously ended things on the Heart Part 6. Compare his attitude on the Heart Part 6 vs on Taylor Made Freestyle and the difference is very clear. Drake wanted a short and simple battle where he baited a beatable response and then slammed it with Family Matters ala Story of Adidon. Instead he was put in a position where not even 20 minutes after he’d dropped he was already back on the defensive and then a day later got hit with a back to back a lot nastier than even the actual Charged Up/Back to Back combo with the promise of more on the way if Drake didn’t back out. Drake wanted out since Family Matters but if he left the game for a while without responding to Kendrick’s two tracks he’d look like he totally pussed out even if he announced his leave before Meet the Grahams/Not Like Us were released. There was never supposed be a Heart Part 6 and it shows a little too obviously in his voice and lyrics on the track which to an outside observer doesn’t seem strong.

WHAT DRAKE SHOULD HAVE DONE: He should have lied about stuff that was harder to dispute instead of things that could be disproven by any bum with an internet connection and access to Genius. He should have also tailored Family Matters to solely focus on Kendrick with at most a few Ross bars and no one else being mentioned. He could also have put out another bait track heavily mentioning the Duckworth household but only hinting at what he knows hoping to draw out something like Meet the Grahams before releasing Family Matters. He also should have never dropped the Heart Part 6. Legitimately musical silence was the best option if it ever got to that point. Just make a PR statement denying the allegations, leave the beef behind, and go on about your life. This was not totally unwinnable but Drake really messed up tactically towards the end of the beef.
TLDR: Drake did a good job of manipulating the crowd and creating a strong narrative for himself during the weeks from Push Ups to Euphoria, lost momentum for a few days with the release of Kendrick’s first set of tracks, regained it with Family Matters and then shit the bed tactically from then on. This wasn’t an unwinnable fight, he just made bad some very poor decisions towards the end.

I (39F) found out through another family member that my mother (60), believes she can gain conservatorship over me because of what she imagines. We live in Michigan. Other family members and I do not believe that this is age related dementia because the behavior is nothing new and, has been present since before I was born. I also have been no contact with my mother for a little over four years due to a variety of issues and her exposing me to dangerous people.
My mother has a history of seeing a news headline or watching a talk show and suddenly becoming obsessed with the subject matter and forcing it on to everyone else. She watched an episode of Oprah on meth back in the day and suddenly believed everyone was on meth. A Dateline special on teen pregnancy, suddenly me and every teen girl in my high school is pregnant because allegedly teen pregnancy came with weird symptoms include coughing up blood. (I had bronchitis and clearly wasn’t pregnant). I have tried to find this episode of Dateline but no luck. If there was one of those local news stories about “What dangerous new trend is every teen is doing right now” she 100% believed them, even if it turned out to be 4 teen boys in rural Montana and didn’t happen anywhere else. Another issue, is that a lot of the males in the family think it’s really funny when she gets worked up and paranoid and encourage her delusions to her face, while also making fun of her behind her back. She also continues to believe I am doing “teenage stuff” despite me turning 40 later this year.
My mother also refuses to accept how old I am. I’m told that my mother got a new job and has managed to frame the story to her new co-workers as I am a much younger person who hasn’t finished my teenage rebellion “phase” and she is a loving mom who just wants to save her baby from evil men. She currently believes I am an unemployed alcoholic living out of my car. None of this is true and nobody knows what show or news report she watched to get this idea in her head. Her new coworkers feel really bad for her, but they don’t know the truth, and have “been doing research” and believe it would be super easy to have me declared mentally incompetent based on being a veteran with an 80% disability rating. They also tell her that I could be forced to move in with her and she could get control of my disability payments.
My primary concern isn’t that she will be successful, I know veterans in much worse shape then me who are doing just fine living on their own. My worry is that she could use this process to try to find out where I live, work, and go to school. I have made sure not to tell anyone in my family what is going on with me so there is no way for anyone to “accidentally” slip up and tell her where I am. She already sabotaged me going to college about 18 years ago and I don’t want her doing that again.
Is there a way for me to keep her or her lawyer from getting a hold of any personal details. Could I get the court to seal any evidence I provide to them to prove I am capable of living on my own. I assume my first contact would be with a social worker, and I was wondering do I have any way to force them to not divulge information about me to my mother. Most of my knowledge about conservatorship comes from what happened to Britney Spears and her case is clearly very different from mine.

My 8.5 month LO only contact naps. Very occasionally I can set her down in her crib after she’s in a deep sleep, but she’ll only take a half hour nap that way and frequently it’s hard to extend after that… so we contact nap to keep naps fairly consistent.
I got a bad cold this weekend. Friday was my birthday and Sunday way first Mother’s Day so that was fun! I’m feeling a little better but it’s moved into my throat. LO hasn’t gotten it yet (knock on wood).
Point is… how do you contact nap when you have a cough?? I’ve read that oral decongestants/cough suppressants aren’t necessarily safe for breast milk. I’m loaded up with cough drops, but they only do so much good!!
Anyhoo… sort of a weird question and I know it will only be a few days, but just thought I’d ask if anyone has tips on how to sleep with a baby when you aren’t feeling so hot! Just don’t want to wake her up a bunch, especially if she’s fighting something off. Thanks!