I find it hard to find reasons that I contribute to society or that I deserve to live. I continue living bc I love my dogs so much and they love me and I find strays and I love them forever. I also don’t know how to comment on peoples post that I want to respond to. I’m not very smart even though some say I am. I know I’m not. I don’t know how to make money I’m 40z . And I bring nothing to the table. Actually I have several tables cause I’m a hoarder kinda. It’s odd I feel like I want to die but then go thrifting and buy stuff. I buy stuff with my ex husbands money which he is my current bf. I yell alot. I’m mean to him. I just am not a nice person to humans. I don’t relate much. I mean I do t identify as anything except female. I was born soo . Yeaha just wondering why strangers care if I live. You’d never know. Also I’d probably do it wrong. So there’s that. Once I took all the pills but they were ibuprofen soo . Just want to restart from birth go to school meet friends or don’t and just get knowledge and own pet farm . America is not nice for jobs that pay well. I’m scared to die but I want to . I love sleeping bc my dreams feel real! I tell my friends that I annoy my dreams but it doesn’t matter to them they just think it’s great I can remember them so well. I dream a lot of going home. And the people that died are very alive in my dreams its lovely and when my dogs are there I’m so overwhelmed and happy I just wanna get right back to dreaming if I wake. I have gotten fat a double chin 120-200 lbs bc of thyroid. It happened in 2020 after the shot go figure. My body my joints hurt so much my limbs feel like they are being poked with knives needles and torn apart. Why don’t I just excercise? It hurts and I used to have a 12pk abs I worked out intensely soo it’s not a good pain and then I can’t move for weeks later I just want it to be over and everytime my dogs get old a stray dog comes and cycle starts over this happens every 4 yrs or so

Currently in the ER for chest pain (from the flu) and it took them 11 tries to get an iv started. It was like the needle would touch it and it would blow. Wasn’t like this before the eliquis, any one else?

Background
Demographic: White, male, age 30, 5' 5", 175 +/- 5lbs.
Lifestyle: Active (workout 3-4x per week), Desk/Physical work split of 90/10%.
Complaint: Abdominal injury and pain (1 year and 8 months since injury), presently inconsistent pains levels between 3-5/10 and consistent lingering discomfort (1-2/10).
Medication: No consistent medications, no allergies.
Drug use: alcohol (1-3x per month), non-smoker.
History of the Injury
Late August of 2022, I hurt myself doing a kip on horizontal bar outdoors. Right after raising my feet to the bar and kicking my legs out I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. (I've done this and similar moves many times before through my 20s, while exercising)
Bar kip example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRPFWdelsDY
I couldn't stop slouching and crunching my abdomen. Stretching backwards and straightening my posture was very discomforting. The severe pain subsided in a day but in the following months I couldn't stretch my stomach and had to sleep on my back with pillows under my knees to keep a flexed/crunched posture. Sleeping on the side was discomforting, because the stomach would hang to the side, bringing up the pain.
In 3 months, I felt better. However, there were always some flare-ups of pain.
Pain Description: The pain always feels along "horizontal lines", on 1-3 locations at a time, around the belly button level, below, or above it, with varying intensity of pain. Through my personal touch/observation, these horizontal lines of pain are always along tendinous inscriptions of the ab structures. Sometimes I feel lower 1 or two lines in pain. Other times it’s one of the upper line(s).
Tendinous inscriptions image: https://test.usabcd.org/courses/lk-native-ld2-basic-ugra/lessons/lknative-rectus-sheath-block/topic/3-anatomy-the-rectus-abdominis-muscle/
Causes of Pain from Movement: Pain flare-ups happen when moving heavy objects rapidly (without prior prep), pulling something heavy from ground, rapidly stretching the abdominal area, or a day after the occasional exercise. Jumping and landing on ground from 1 ft. or above can make me brace my abdomen, leading to some pain as well. Twisting my torso side to side could also make pain worse, stretching one side of the abdomen, especially if twisting in my full range. Slight turns are okay.
Causes of Pain from Food: Flare-ups also happen immediately after eating specific foods, like sunflower seeds, nutty bars, and when a bit bloated from eating. Trigger of this pain doesn't need to be a substantial amount of food either. Sometimes just a bite or two gets the sensation going.
Pain Relief: Often immediately after having bowel movement there is some pain relief. If pain is not too intense, and more of a discomfort, bowel movement can sometimes end the discomfort
Medical History and Pain Progress Timeline

• September 2022, within a week of the injury, ruled out hernia at a clinic.
  
• 3+ months of slow pain relief, with flare ups. Mostly sedentary life and very little physical activity.
  
• Late December 2022 through early February 2023: Doctors visit, abdominal ultrasound, and physical exam. No specific conclusions on either physical injury or gastric issues. No diagnosis.
  
• February to June 2023:
  

Slow increase in physical activity and exercise. Some running. With a good warm up, stretching the abdominal area isn't too painful (though I did not stretch the area at this time)
Rare ab exercises can feel discomforting, and some pain returns the day after.
Jumping high or landing from high jumps/drops can bring about the pain or worsen it.
Bloated stomach, or consumption of some foods (as mentioned above) can feel discomforting or even painful along 1 or more " horizontal lines". Bowel movement often relieves discomfort and even pain.

• July 1st, 2023, MRI of abdomen. No diagnosis or findings. Quote from the report: "IMPRESSION: Normal noncontrast MRI of the abdomen. There is no abnormality to explain the patient's pain."
  
• August 2023, start of physical therapy. Therapist's hypothesis - myofascial layer causes pain. Prescribed exercises to do at home with light stretch and some balance/strengthening of abdomen.
  
• August 2023, start of journaling of my pain in 1-10 scale on daily basis, as I do the PT.
  
• September 26, 2023, endoscopy was done, no notable results. Results were normal
  
• August 2023 - March 2024, pain fluctuates with steady 2/10 (pain discomfort) with multiple flare ups of pain, one reaching up to 5/10 and lasting and others staying at 3/10 or higher for 2-3 days in a row.
  
• April 2024, colonoscopy revealed no remarkable results. 1 week post colonoscopy pain levels increased to an all time high or close to it (5-6/10). Mostly pain along tendinous intersections, in 3 locations, with some lower right and left abdomen pains, burning sensation around or above bladder, and other discomforts. No issues with bowel movements or peeing.
  

Post colonoscopy I did not return to physical activities and PT as the pain lingers on and is too consistent and limiting to do much in terms of consistent exercise.
Self-medication: On a few occasions, I tried to apply heat or cold, which didn’t help with pain much. But the cold helped numb things down. Heat helped to warm the abdomen and make some movements easier for a short time.
Rare/inconsistent instances of ibuprofen use (around 400-600 mg). Can't remember how effective pain relief is.
Massage/poking: Generally, I do it when I feel pain or discomfort along the horizontal lines. Massage, poking, deep massage does NOT reduce the pain for me. Sometimes even makes me feel the pain more. But mentally feels good to do and feel out where I feel it.
Present day condition (May 2024)
Some pain flare-ups with physical activities, infrequent feeling of discomfort after food (for both, often relieved through bowel movement).
Concern: While pain level has overall gone down since 1.5 years ago, I am not certain what I should and should not do, given there is no diagnosis or clear understanding of cause of pain. The occasional pain increases made me curious if someone had an experience with pain like this. Doctor's appointment all have lead to little to no improvement.
Additionally, I sense a lot of dismissiveness in all the doctors and specialist for this entire timeline described above, where with no results to show on diagnostic tests, I am sent home to "rest" without any hypothesis or brainstorming, and telling me "come back if pain gets worse". It gets worse and I run another round of catching doctors for, what feels like, waste of time with more tests, same questions and same story being told over and over to each new referred specialist I see.
Note: I asked the doctors on multiple occasions to review the MRI images or query a radiologist to do so as there are 100s of frames. I genuinely don't believe that initial look at it was done properly, with only 1 page report showing "unremarkable" for all metrics they looked at. I don't sense that my pain patterns (which I described extensively to every doctor and the radiologist) were accounted for when looking through any of the tests done.
Thanks in advance for any feedback!!!
[Previously posted on with no luck so far.]

I was at the OBGYN today for some hormonal issues I’ve been having. We were going through some of my symptoms and I mentioned a right side pain under my ribs that started about a year ago but has gotten worse in the last few months. The NP looks at me and goes “well did you know about this cyst on your right kidney?” I said “what?” She goes “Yeah there was a cyst on your right kidney in this CT scan from 2022.”
Not one doctor in the ER in 2022 told me about this cyst. Last year I was diagnosed with NAFLD and started seeing two gastroenterologists who I had complained to about this pain and they both failed to mention this, sending me on my way with no answers. Seems as if no one had read my medical history and I could have avoided a ton of anxiety had any of the doctors done their job and their research. I get they’re busy but geez. This has been a big deal for me for a long time and I’ve never had answers. Thank god for NP’s that read their patients’ charts.
I guess my question is, if it’s starting to hurt a ton (sharp pains that come in waves, really bad episode last week, haven’t figured out what makes it worse) I’ll probably need to have it “removed” or whatever they do with that long needle right? And is there anything I can do in the meantime to help ease pain or even reduce the cyst?
Before you say “see a doctor,” I have an appointment tomorrow with my primary to get me set up with a specialist. I just have health anxiety and thought maybe some advice would help me sleep better tonight lol.

Memory Transcript Subject: Carlos Jose Rodriguez, Mechanical Engineer, Florida Man
Date [Standardized Human Time]: December 29th, 2136
When Yalga passed out on the couch I sent a message to the family group chat making sure everyone knew of the situation.
I needed to get Yalga into the hospital, but I didn’t want to do it myself. Pyon also needed a sitter, so I was waiting for mom to come back so Salisek and I could focus on Yalga.
Me: Yalga burned herself on the heat pad. We’re taking her to the ER. Mom, could you come home to take care of Pyon.
Mom: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BURNED HERSELF?! We’re coming home!
Tarvik: On our way. We’ll help you take her.
I didn’t want to bother them, but I couldn’t complain. I needed help. While I waited for them to arrive I poured a cool glass of water for Yalga so she could hydrate herself when she gets up. I gently nudged her awake, which made her groan in discomfort as her eyes opened.
“Dad? What’s going on?” She asked weakly. Her voice was a little rough.
“I’m gonna take you to the doctor,” I answered bluntly. “I am aware, you don’t love doctors but these people can help you much better than me. I’ll be with you as much as I can, holding your hand. Can you be brave for me?”
My daughter nodded yes, so I got up and went upstairs to grab something we’re definitely gonna need. I also made sure Salisek got the news. She probably saw through the chat, but I needed to be sure.
I peeked into our room, or at least the room the girls were staying in together. “Honey?” I called the mother of my children. Salisek was cradling Pyon, trying to calm him down. Pyon was holding his teddy tight enough to cause some visible rips and tears. I need to ask mom to fix that later. “How is he?”
Pyon buried his face in Saliseks chest fur, and made some small whining sounds. “He’s scared. We heard Yalga scream and didn’t know what was going on. He soiled himself when he heard Yalga and has been crying for a while now. He only just stopped. He can sense I’m worried too.”
“You changed him right?”
“Yeah, although I didn’t think now was a good time for potty training. What are you getting?”
Salisek followed me to my mom’s room and watched me search around the closet. “Almost a decade ago, my dad was hit by a car. Something about the sensors being screwed up. He’s obviously fine now, but the car didn’t stop just in time so he broke a leg. Thank God that’s all he got. Anyway, he bought a wheelchair and kept it- Aha!”
I freed the simple contraption buried under a mountain of clothes dad considered put away and carried it downstairs.
“We’re gonna need this. It’s gonna be way easier to move Yalga.”
Salisek continued to cradle Pyon, rocking him back and forth, as she talked to me, “What do you need me to do?”
“Stay with Pyon.”
“No.”
“We’re not arguing about this. I need you to stay-”
“Pardon me, could you repeat that!? Have you forgotten that despite that fact we aren’t married yet we both signed as the legal guardians of both Pyon AND Yalga. Or did you want to call your barber for help?”
Hearing Salisek use her angry voice when talking about anything other than Exterminator and Federation bigotry felt like a punch in the gut.I tried to defuse the situation. That worked about as well as it did when dad tried it.
“Hun, that’s not what I mea-”
“MY-” Salisek paused when she remembered she was still carrying Pyon who was looking at her as if she yelled at him. “Oh, I’m so sorry pup just…” She shifted Pyon's position so he could bury his face into her fur to distract her. She softened her voice, but made it stern as steel. “My daughter is in an incredible amount of pain. She is scared, she is tired. I will be there. Pyon will come with, so he can see his sister being taken care of. I. Will. Be. There. For. My. Daughter. Am I clear?”
I help up my hands in defeat. “Okay. We’ll leave as soon as the family gets here.”
Saliseks voice and posture softened. “Okay. Again this time. What can I do?”
Seeing how serious she was, I realized doing this on my own was a stupid idea from the start. “Pack some snacks. I’m not getting overcharged for crappy hospital junk. And while you’re in the kitchen please grab more water for Yalga. I gotta make sure the bandaging is on well and she’s okay.”
“Okay.”
Salisek walked to the kitchen, still carrying Pyon. At times like these, I know I made the right decision marrying her.
“I love you sweetheart!” I called out.
“I love you too hun!” She called back.
I pulled the wheelchair out so Yalga could get in it. I could try and carry her, but unfortunately with her size and weight it would be better to transport her like this. Even if it’s a short distance.
“Daddy,” Yalga called.
“Yeah.”
“Are you and Mommy mad at each other?” She asked innocently. “Did I do something wrong? I heard Mom say my name.”
I knelt down to give my daughter an assuring kiss on her head. “No kiddo. We had a disagreement like all adults. It’s solved now. We still love each other.”
Despite her monotone voice, it couldn’t hide the tears building in her eyes. “Okay.”
I ignored it for the moment because she was probably gonna cry more in a moment. I opened the chair as much as it could go and gave the seat a nice solid pat.
“We’re gonna put you here, then we’re going to the Emergency Room.”
“Do I have to get up?”
“Yeah. You do. Grab my hand. We’ll go slow.”
Yalga held my hand and grasped it tight. I need to remember that she has a very strong grip. To keep her even I used my other hand to push her up from the other side so she didn’t have to do the work.
I’m so glad I go to the gym.
We slowly worked together to lift her up so she could sit straight.
“Ow, ow!”
“I know it hurts. Take your time.”
Once we got her up we had to get her into the chair. I thought about the best way to put her tail. Through the hole in the back? Would it just drag to the ground? Wait!
I went to the side of the couch where there was a thin blanket for me and Salisek when we slept here. If I can tie the blanket on the handles it can keep her tail up without squishing it. I just need to get her on first.
“Okay Princess. Let’s get up. Can you stand?”
“Y-Yeah. Um, Dad?”
Yalga awkwardly clutched her tail. “I need to use the bathroom.”
My eyes darted from the bathroom to the couch and back. “No better time to test the wheelchair.”
[Memory Transcript Time Skip: 40 Minutes]
Even though it was getting late the traffic was still a lot. Once Salisek was ready we both called our parents and they both said that traffic was heavy. With it being the last Saturday of the year, Florida residents and tourists alike were enjoying their day.
We decided to just meet at the ER. The blanket trick for Yalga’s tail worked well and it didn’t hurt too much for her to walk once she got up. However, sitting down hurt her a lot unless it was in the wheelchair. Her tail probably played a factor since it didn’t have a place to sit except on the side when dealing with regular chairs.
Once we got to the hospital I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t that packed. Because of increased tourism and parties things can get crowded this time of year. Thankfully that wasn’t the case today. I didn’t want my daughter waiting more than she had too.
When I opened the side door, Yalga was already half up just so she could get into a chair with room for her tail. I helped carry her down and rolled her through the hospital's parking lot.
Salisek was having a difficult time carrying Pyon. He was pretty nervous. “Mawmy, I don wan to gow en.”
I didn’t understand why Pyon was scared but Mawmy was able to calm him down. “It’s okay pup. This place is filled with very nice and smart people who can help your big sister.”
My daughter didn’t say much, instead she looked around the large hospital and took in all the architecture and bright lights at the front. The front and lobby areas were clean and comfortable which helped a little to ease the tensions of anyone going in with something they believe is serious.
I rolled Yalga straight to the front desk and we were greeted by the medical receptionist. “Hello, how may I help you?”
I smiled politely and spoke calmly, “Hello, I’m Carlos Rodriguez and this is my daughter Yalga. She was using a heating pad and unfortunately suffered some burns. I was able to patch her up a little, but the gels and methods we have are for humans so I want to make sure she can heal properly. I would also like a professional to look at other areas of concern dealing with her limbs and back.”
“Any pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, profuse bleeding?”
“Her back usually causes her pain and the burning made it worse.”
She gestured to my fiance and son, “Are those two with you?”
“The tall Venlil woman is Salisek, my fiance, and she’s holding our son Pyon. They came for emotional support and to assist with anything Yalga may need.”
“We’ll get you someone right away. Please wait in the lobby.”
“Thank you.”
I knew they probably wouldn’t rush us in since even though Yalga is in pain, there’s no direct threat to her life. The most they’d do is probably a tetanus shot. I suppose I’ll have to worry if Yalga reacts to needles. I’ll try to calm her down because I could tell Yalga was still tense. I rolled her to a seating area with a TV playing Tom and Jerry.
Peak Fiction
With all the stress Yalga was going through, there’s nothing like cartoon violence to ease the mood. What would also ease the mood is having the family visit which according to a message they just sent, they were already here just finding parking.
Soon everyone entered the hospital and after a quick chat with the receptionist, along with me flagging them down, they joined us in the lobby. Helen and Chalta ran to Yalga the quickest.
“Yalga, are you okay?!” Chalta asked. “We heard your back got hurt!”
Helen was about to tackle Yalga into a hug before I stopped her. “Helen, Yalga isn’t feeling well. Please be careful she’s in a lot of pain.” Helen was visibly worried but still gently gave Yalga a supportive hug.
“Get better soon please.”
Talice and Tarvik were surrounding Salisek, asking questions on how they could help.
“Mom, it’s fine, really.”
“No, it’s not fine. Your father and I are here to help so please be honest with us. We’ll help with anything you need. We’ll take Helen home soon but the moment you need anything we’ll be right there.”
“Why isn’t she seeing a doctor yet? What kind of place is this?!”
Mom went over to Salisek who was still holding Pyon. “I can take him sweetie, get some rest.”
Salisek cradled a stressed Pyon in her arms, “Do you wanna go with Grandma, little pup?”
“Gwandma.”
Salisek gently handed Pyon over to my mother who instantly knew how to calm him down. Salisek fell into the chair next to me. She was pretty exhausted and it was getting late. The stress of everything is what really made her worry. Seeing your child in pain isn’t fun. My father put a hand on each of our shoulders.
“Is everything alright?” he asked.
I looked over to my daughter who was trying to watch the cartoon with her sisters but still had a hard time focusing because of the pain, as evident by her trying to adjust herself. I gave her a tap on her shoulder and mouthed “how are you feeling?”. I could only hear a little whisper, but it was enough to understand she was saying “It still hurts.”
Dad could overhear what we were trying to say and knelt down next to Yalga. “What would you like to do when we leave?”
“I’m a little hungry. Can we go eat later?”
“Of course, anything you want.”
I was grateful for my dad, that we remembered to comfort Yalga in all this. I was so new to everything, not to mention the speed at which everything was happening.
…
Where’s the doctor!
“Carlos Rodriguez,” She called just as my patience was wearing thin. “We’re ready to see you now.”
“Thank you. One moment.”
I quickly talked with my parents and in-laws about who is going home and who is staying. My mom offered to take Pyon home and to tuck him in, Salisek agreed. Talice decided to go with and made sure to bring Chalta and Helen back since they knew they might get bored or cause trouble. Tarvik and Dad were conversing for a bit about who should stay before settling on Dad since he’s more familiar with the hospital.
Salisek gave Pyon a strong nose nuzzle, “I’ll see you later, okay Pyon? Mommy will be home soon. Be good to grandma, okay?”
“Owkay Mawmy.”
“I love you.”
“I wuv yu tu.”
Helen and Chalta gave Yalga a big, but gentle, hug.
“Get better soon.”
“We’ll play lots of games together when you get back.”
Everyone quickly said their goodbyes so it was just me, Yalga, Salisek, and Dad. We followed the nurse to a room and were asked to wait until the doctor arrived. Yalga was really on edge.
“Dad, are you gonna tell Odin about me?”
“It hasn’t crossed our minds. Do you want us to call him so you can talk for a bit?”
“No thank you, I don’t want him to worry.” My daughter fidgeted with her claws in shame. She didn’t want Odin to see her hurt. The moment she’s okay, I’m planning a date for her and Odin. With chaperones of course. “Are the doctors here nice?” Yalga asked nervously.
“Of course they are, Princess. Just answer honestly and they’ll help you get better.”
They’ll help you get better… I hope.
[Memory Transcript Time Skip: 60 Minutes]
“So the spray will help heal and clean the burn so it doesn’t get sick?” Yalga asked curiously.
“That’s right,” Dr. Brown stated. “Soon we’ll give you a small shot to help protect against tetanus. It’s a very dangerous condition that can happen when you get a cut or burn. But you’re being very brave, I’ll see if we can get you a treat later. That is, if your parents are okay with it.”
“gasp Can I daddy?! Pleeeeeeease, I’ve been soooo good.”
I smiled brightly, “Of course you can.”
Dr. Brown was a huge blessing. The guy had been working with kids for a while and was great with Yalga. He was really good at relaxing her and explaining to her what was going on. He was honest and genuine. Salisek really liked him too, and even asked some questions herself. I also remembered him during my reckless years. He recognized me too.
“You’re daddy was quite the troublemaker back in his day.”
“Really?”
“Yup, when he was small he proudly came to me with a broken wrist.”
“Why would he be proud of that?”
“He got it trying to impress his crush.”
Seven-year-old me told you that in confidence.
I awkwardly looked at Salisek, but all she could do was stare and slowly smile while turning to my dad for more information.
“Do you happen to know the full story, dad?” Salisek teased.
“Well daughter, Carlos had a small crush on this girl named Jessica in the second grade and he tried to impress her by jumping off the swing set. He succeeded and flung himself so far into the air that when he landed on his wrist he needed a cast for months.”
“H-Hey! You laugh but it worked. She sat next to me at lunch and gave me her lunchables, that’s like… the pinnacle of love in second grade.”
I earned a laugh from everyone in the room, which almost made me forget that it was at my expense.
“Um, what is a lunchable?” Dr. Triva asked. She was a Zurulian working with Dr. Brown, trying to work with and understand the Arxur biology. While she was important in treating Yalga’s burn with her experience with Harchen Exterminators she would be even more important in trying to understand her condition as a whole. Zurulians have the best medical understanding compared to… pretty much everyone.
“It’s a children’s meal kit for both vegan and non-vegan foods, it’s popular for kids in school lunches.” Dr. Brown took his eyes off his colleague and gave me a sly look. “But let’s be honest, there was never any real meat in those things.”
Yalga’s interests also peaked. “Were they tasty?”
“Back in my day they were the best part of school. They were also a status symbol. Having the best lunchables meant you were the coolest kid.”
“What was the best one, Daddy?”
“Pizza.”
Of course it was pizza. It’s always pizza.
Pizza is God’s gift to the world.
Dr. Triva grabbed the syringe for the shot while Dr. Brown prepped the area. The sight of the needle made Yalga nervous.
“D-Daddy, do we have to…”
“Hey Princess, look at this.”
Yalga took her gaze off the needle and onto my phone where I showed her my favorite distraction.
[Behold Distraction]
“What is that?” Yalga asked. “I like the sounds.”
The legend Zach Choi, his legacy continued by his descendants, loved making short videos of him just cooking. This one was one of the rare ones that didn’t feature meat. Yalga was fully entranced into the process that she didn’t even react to the needle or the bandaid.
“Good job my beautiful pup!” Salisek cheered.
“Yeah… in a minute, mom.”
Dr. Brown chuckled, “I think I should start using those for nervous patients, right Dr. Triva?”
“Yeah… in a minute, Dr. Brown.”
I took my phone away before everyone forgot why they were here and we were ready to proceed. The doctors wanted to really get a look at Yalga and her condition. On the promise of peanut butter cookies and meat lovers pizza Yalga bravely went through all the X-Ray’s, bloodwork, medical history, and any other examinations they needed.
It took a while and she was starting to get frustrated with all the tests, but she persisted, and soon it was over. They allowed us to stay the night to monitor the burn area in case complications arose. So we all stayed in the hospital room, enjoying our time together as if it was a little adventure.
“Mommy look, the bed moves!”
“Pup, please don’t break it.”
Yalga went crazy when she saw how many buttons the hospital bed had, and needless to say, she was enjoying it. She kept Dad occupied with all her questions both about the hospital and about anything else her mind could think of. She was happy to be done with the tests.
“Grandpa, do you think they’ll let me see my bone pictures later?”
“Sure, but they need someone who is trained to look at them first and show them to the doctors.”
“There’s someone who knows how to look at pictures of bones?”
“Yup, they can see things we can because they’re bone smart. Do you wanna be a doctor when you grow up?”
“I dunno. Maybe I can be a doctor for bones, a bone doctor!”
It was nice seeing her happy, but Salisek and I were still worried about what they would find. What would it take to heal Yalga? Could they do it? I think so, but how long will it take? I don’t care about the financial cost, I care about the physical and mental toll it would take on Yalga. But would we have a choice?
I looked to my fiance who was rapidly tapping her foot onto the ground, impatiently waiting for the doctor to come back in and give us the news on Yalga’s condition.
“It can’t be that bad right?” she whispered. “With aid from the Zurualians they must have a way to easily fix Yalga’s condition. So what’s taking them so long?”
“They’re probably just double checking some things. I’m sure it’s nothing.” I could tell she was still stressed, so I held her hand and kissed her cheek. “Our daughter will be fine.”
Salisek tried to keep herself from crying for Yalga’s sake, but had the doctors not finally arrived she might’ve broken.
“Carlos, Salisek? You’re the parents correct?” Dr. Trivia asked. “I’ll just need to see you both very quickly to discuss some things.”
Finally ready for some answers we quickly got up, kissed our baby goodbye for now, and followed the Zurulian to a small room with Dr. Brown.
“Mr. Rodriguez and Mrs., do you prefer to be called Salisek or are you fine with adopting Mrs. Rodriguez?” The doctor politely asked.
“I’m fine with either, but I would like to get used to Mrs. Rodriguez.” I could feel her hand strengthen her grip in mine.
“Wonderful,” Dr. Brown took out a small folder that showed some of Yalga’s X-Rays, notes, and documents. “First things first, your daughter's burns should heal very soon.”
“Courtesy of Zurulian medicine and Harchen Exterminator Accidents.”
“Yes, thank you Dr. Triva. But of course this is not the only information you wanted to know about. The condition of your daughter is concerning. Not only because of the condition of her injuries, but also her condition that allows her body to grow at an exaggerated rate.”
Dr. Triva put the X-Ray slides on a projector for us to see. Seeing Yalga’s bones and how badly they were broken made my stomach turn, and my heart sink. I could hear Salisek’s gasp from how shocked she was.
It looked like a child had rearranged the right side of her body like a poorly constructed jigsaw puzzle. What made things worse was that the other side of her body looked nearly untouched meaning we could see all the damage her sperm donor did. I know how it felt to have broken a few bones as a kid. Her life would’ve been torture for me. I have know idea how she could live like that.
Why didn’t I take her here the moment we got home? How long has she been suffering like this?
“As you can see the limbs that didn’t grow as much were the ones that were injured the most. Trauma can be a factor in how limbs develop,” Dr. Triva explained. “You can see here how the bones didn’t heal correctly. Upon questioning your daughter it’s no question her back holds the most problems, but looking at her arms and legs it’s possible they’re also providing an incredible amount of discomfort and pain.”
Salisek wrapped her tail around my leg nervously. “So, what does this mean?”
“It means,” Dr. Brown continued. “That before we even think about her back we should address what’s going on in the rest of her body. If you look at her pelvic bone you can see it isn’t straight due to her walking on uneven legs for lord knows how long. So we think it would be best to first start realigning the bones as well as doing the appropriate extensions. My only concern is that her accelerated growth may cause complications, so she’ll need to visit here frequently.”
My fiance’s grip tightened as she looked deeper into the X-Rays, “I see. How long will it take for her to recover?”
“Several months, due to the severity of it. We can do the arms and legs separately, but that would be up to you. There’s a possibility it could take longer. We just can’t be certain with her growth, but we’ll have experts working round the clock on her case.”
“I-I see. But you can help her right?”
“We will do all within our power to make sure your daughter is healthy and lives a pain free life.
“Thank you… could you give us a moment. We would like to let our daughter know about it before we make arrangements.”
“Of course. Please let us know when you’re ready.”
We politely walked out of the room and turned around the corner away from where Yalga was.
“Honey?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”
I almost fell over when she pulled me in for a hug. I could barely hear her through her bleats and cry’s. “Look at what that monster did to her.”
First Previous

Hey y’all!
So a little over 4 weeks ago, I had my 4 wisdom teeth removed. Last week I was well on my way to recover after being extra careful when I suddenly hear a giant “pop” or “crack” while chewing ground turkey and it’s the most painful pain I’ve ever felt.
I couldn’t chew or even swallow water without pain from my jaw area and I thought I broke a tooth.
I went to the dentist for a follow up and they did a bunch of X-rays and didn’t find anything. No broke bone or jaw fracture. The dentist said it was likely my jaw dislocated from my muscles suddenly tightening up. She also noticed a bit of an infection in that area and gave me anti biotics.
One week later and swelling is mostly gone but I still feel really sharp pain on my bottom back part of my jaw where I heard the pop and I can’t bite at all without pain.
I’ve also started to get a bit of loss of sensation in that area and slight numbness in my bottom lip on that side.
I called today to set up a follow up but soonest the surgeon can see me is next Friday. Dentist there said it was odd but nothing to rush to see them for. Yesterday I also was able to open up enough to see I have some exposed-ish jaw.
Should I ask for the X-rays and have a second opinion from someone? I’m going to try and see if I can get something this Friday with them because I’m getting worried about it.
Anyone have advice or ideas as to what this could be? I took so much care and didn’t eat anything solid to mess anything up and I was finally getting back to my normal foods and exercise routines so I’m really bummed right now.
Thanks for reading!
Edit: when it first happened I came across this thread from 2 years ago and it's almost exactly what happened to me. https://www.reddit.com/wisdomteeth/comments/tvd78w/huge_crackpop_in_my_jaw_while_eating_chips/

I went to physical therapy because my doc just said I was overweight, that's why it hurt. PT did not really help it. It's been hurting on and off for about a year.
In my lower right back, close to my hip, it hurts so bad sometimes. Especially if I've been driving a while. Standing after hurts, bending over hurts. It's un-crackable. I've also noticed when my bladder is full I have lower left abdominal pain. But it's the opposite side as back/hip pain so possibly unrelated. It does not hurt to pee (no burning or difficulty going/emptying), just the pain in my left groin until I'm empty.
The back/hip pain does not radiate anywhere else, it's very sharp and stabbing in the same spot. But it does come and go.
25, female, overweight but very physically active (I just eat like shit but my job is dog walking.) extremely painful periods, but regular. Homosexually, monogomously active with same partner for 5+ years. Alcohol, nicotine and marijuana user.
I don't think it's sciatica or a kidney stone. Symptoms don't quite fit. And I did lose 20lbs since it started and that did not help either. Idk.

Predictions may tend to change as usual. The 2024 Cannes Film Festival just started, so there may be some alterations during and after if the movies featured in the festival are praised or panned, and whatever wins the top prizes (especially the Palme d'Or) later on this month.

Best Picture

• Blitz
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Kinds of Kindness
• Joker: Folie A Deux
• Nickle Boys
• Nightb\**h*
• Parthenope
• A Real Pain
• Sing Sing

Next in line: Anora, Bird, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Gladiator II, Queer
Alt: All We Imagine As Light, Civil War, Didi, Megalopolis, We Live In Time

Best Director

• Steve McQueen, Blitz
• Edward Berger, Conclave
• Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two
• Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie A Deux
• Paolo Sorrentino, Parthenope

Next in line: George Miller, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; Ridley Scott, Gladiator II; Yorgos Lanthimos, Kinds of Kindness; Luca Guadagnino, Queer; Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing
Alt: Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine As Light; Sean Baker, Anora; Andrea Arnold, Bird; Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis; Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain

Best Actor

• Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
• Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie A Deux
• Daniel Craig, Queer
• Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
• Andrew Garfield, We Live In Time

Next in line: Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice; Barry Keoghan, Bird; Paul Mescal, Gladiator II; Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Alt: Austin Butler, The Bikeriders; Timothee Chalamet, Dune: Part Two; Adam Driver, Megalopolis; Tenoch Huerta, Pedro Páramo; John David Washington, The Piano Lesson

Best Actress

• Saorise Ronan, Blitz
• Zendaya, Challengers
• Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie A Deux
• Emma Stone, Kinds of Kindness
• Amy Adams, Nightb\**h*

Next in line: Mikey Madison, Anora; Celeste Dalla Porta, Parthenope; Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door; Florence Pugh, We Live In Time
Alt: Jodie Comer, The Bikeriders; Noémie Merlant, Emmanuelle; Anya Taylor-Joy, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths; Carrie Coon, His Three Daughters

Best Supporting Actor

• Stanley Tucci, Conclave
• Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness
• Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson
• Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
• Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing

Next in line: Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice; John Lithgow, Conclave; Willem Dafoe, Kinds of Kindness; Gary Oldman, Parthenope
Alt: Tom Hardy, The Bikeriders; Harris Dickinson, Blitz; Javier Bardem, Dune: Part Two; Austin Butler, Dune: Part Two; Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; Joseph Quinn, Gladiator II; Paul Raci, Sing Sing

Best Supporting Actress

• Isabella Rosselini, Conclave
• Joan Chen, Didi
• Lesley Manville, Queer
• Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickle Boys
• Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson

Next in line: Maria Bakalova, The Apprentice; Connie Nielsen, Gladiator II; Jennifer Grey, A Real Pain; Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door
Alt: Kathy Burke, Blitz; Rebecca Ferguson, Dune: Part Two; Zendaya, Dune: Part Two; Naomi Watts, Emmanuelle; Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters; Aubrey Plaza, Megalopolis

Best Original Screenplay

• Blitz
• Didi
• Kinds of Kindness
• Parthenope
• A Real Pain

Next in line: Anora, Bird, We Live In Time
Alt: Civil War, His Three Daughters, Megalopolis, The Room Next Door

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Joker: Folie A Deux
• Nickle Boys
• Sing Sing

Next in line: Emmanuelle, Nightb***h, Queer
Alt: Gladiator II, Here, Inside Out 2, Pedro Páramo, The Piano Lesson, The Wild Robot

Best Animated Feature

• Inside Out 2
• The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
• The Most Precious of Cargoes
• Memoir of a Snail
• The Wild Robot

Next in line: Moana 2, Spellbound, Ultraman: Rising
Alt: Ghost Cat Anzu, The Glassworker, Kung Fu Panda 4, That Christmas, Transformers One, Wallace & Gromit

Best International Feature

• All We Imagine As Light
• Emilia Pérez
• Emmanuelle
• No Other Land
• Parthenope

Next in line: Brief History of a Family, Grand Tour, Pedro Paramo
Alt: Crossing, Evil Does Not Exist (potentially), The Girl with the Needle, The Most Precious of Cargoes, Reinas

Best Documentary Feature

• Black Box Diaries
• Dahomey
• Daughters
• No Other Land
• Porcelain War

Next in line: Ibelin, SupeMan: The Christopher Reeve Story
Alt: Architecton, Piece By Piece, Sugarcane, Union, Will & Harper

Best Production Design

• Blitz
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Gladiator II

Next in line: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Joker: Folie A Deux, Megalopolis, Nosferatu, Wicked
Alt: Civil War, Here, Kinds of Kindness, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Nickle Boys, Pedro Páramo

Best Cinematography

• Blitz
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Joker: Folie A Deux
• Parthenope

Next in line: Bird, Civil War, Gladiator II, Megalopolis
Alt: Didi, Emmanuelle, Kinds of Kindness, Pedro Páramo

Best Costume Design

• Dune: Part Two
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Gladiator II
• Joker: Folie A Deux
• Wicked

Next in line: The Apprentice, Blitz, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Conclave, Megalopolis
Alt: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Nickle Boys, Nosferatu, The Piano Lesson

Best Film Editing

• Blitz
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Joker: Folie A Deux

Next in line: Civil War, Gladiator II, Queer, A Real Pain, Sing Sing
Alt: Anora, Bird, Challengers, Didi, Kinds of Kindness, Megalopolis

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
• Dune: Part Two
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Joker: Folie A Deux
• Wicked

Next in line: The Apprentice, Blitz, Deadpool & Wolverine, A Different Man, Gladiator II, Megalopolis, Nosferatu
Alt: Abigail, Challengers, Civil War, Hit Man, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Monkey Man, Parthenope

Best Sound

• Civil War
• Dune: Part Two
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Joker: Folie A Deux
• A Quiet Place: Day One

Next in line: Blitz, Challengers, Gladiator II, Megalopolis, Twisters
Alt: Deadpool & Wolverine, The End, The Fall Guy, Nightb\**h*

Best Visual Effects

• Deadpool & Wolverine
• Dune: Part Two
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• Mufasa: The Lion King

Next in line: Civil War, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Gladiator II, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Megalopolis, A Quiet Place: Day One, Twisters
Alt: Alien: Romulus, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, The Fall Guy, Here, IF, Tuesday, Wicked, The Wild Robot

Best Original Score

• Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Challengers
• Volker Bertlemann, Conclave
• Hans Zimmer, Dune: Part Two
• Hildur Guonadottir, Joker: Folie A Deux
• Bryce Dessner, Sing Sing

Next in line: TBA, Blitz; Tom Holkenborg, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; Jerskin Fendrix, Kinds of Kindness; Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Queer
Alt: Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury, Civil War; Harry Gregson-Williams, Gladiator II; Gustavo Santaolalla, Pedro Páramo; Alan Menken, Spellbound; Kris Bowers, The Wild Robot

Best Original Song

• TBA, Diane Warren: Relentless
• TBA, Joker: Folie A Deux
• TBA, Moana 2
• TBA, Spellbound
• TBA, Twisters

Next in line: TBA, Mufasa: The Lion King
Alt: Not My Fault, Mean Girls

Wildly sharp pain in my very very low abdomen for the last 20 minutes. Pain I’ve not felt before. Was certain something was horrifically wrong.
It was fucking trapped gas. Girl bye.

“Beasts all over the shop…You’ll be one of them, sooner or later…”
The strange Hunter turned around and exhaled. His breath was visible against the night’s air.
He’s bloodlusted. Aegis, I hope you have a plan.
Shimmer saw Elpis step back slightly, with a shocked expression on her face. She shakily raised a claw and pointed at something on the ground.
No. It… it can’t be.
That’s… horrible.
A shattered red jeweled necklace lay strewn across the ground, beside the mangled corpse of the Silkwing.
The Hivewing in front of the three swung his axe to the side. As it was a trick weapon, he was able to change its form on command. The axe had two forms: a shortened form that acted sort of like a sword, and an extended form specialized in crowd control and reach.
He extended his axe and Shimmer heard a low snarl from his throat.
“Do we kill him?” Elpis asked, a hint of fear in her voice.
“We don't have a choice. Steel yourself.” Aegis muttered and brandished his silksabers. The blades gleamed in the soft light of the three moons.
The hunter was taller than all of them, one head taller than Aegis and two taller than Shimmer and Elpis. Black tattered robes clung to him, marking him a Shadowhunter. Blood from tonight’s hunt stained the black fabric, showcasing his expertise and experience in the hunt. He wore a rounded dark-gray hat, and bloodied bandages covered his eyes. Shimmer wondered if he could even see.
Corpses of both beasts and dragons were scattered about the square-shaped courtyard, an equal amount of gravestones breaking up the open space. His teeth were uneven as if he had been eating and chewing rough bones. Blood dripped from his mouth down his neck, and his Hivewing stingers flexed in anticipation.
“Be careful,” Aegis started, “He’s going to use magic. Elpis, don’t use any of yours.” He told the hybrid dragon beside him, and she nodded.
The hunter walked slowly around them, searching for a weakness in their structure, and then spat out a lump of coagulated blood.
“That stench of squalid blood. No beast will be spared.” He half-muttered and half-growled. He tipped his hat respectfully, before lunging at Elpis. She dove to the side, and tried to retaliate with her scythe, but just slightly missed.
This hunter was agile, surprisingly so considering how old he looked. Shimmer gripped the handle of her silkhammer, knowing it wasn’t the time to strike. She stepped backward, seeking cover behind a grave, while Aegis leaped forward with the intent to pierce the frenzied hunter’s heart. Once again, the hunter rolled to the side and sent his axe hurtling towards the smaller Silkwing. Shimmer felt fear grip her heart, but Aegis avoided the blade. He fell back and motioned for Elpis to stay back.
“A sporting hunt. But alas, I’ve forgotten to ask your name.” Aegis growled, and the hunter laughed a sick, disturbing laugh.
“The name’s Gascoigne.” He shot back, and jumped into the air, slamming his axe down where Aegis was a split second ago. Shimmer’s ears rung from the sound of the impact. Her antennae subconsciously curled in defensively.
“Gascoigne. That’s a nice name. I’ll tell Ludwig you were a proud hunter till the end.” Aegis replied and sent his twin blades slicing into the hunter’s thigh. He recoiled, and a gleeful laugh escaped his bloodied mouth.
“Hehe… the sweet stench of blood. Just… just marvelous!” He exclaimed and raised his off-talon towards Aegis.
“Aegis! Get down!” Shimmer called, and a burst of flame erupted from the hunter’s claws across the courtyard. The limited magic the Hivewing had that he was willing to use in this hunt.
Aegis fell back, hissing in pain as a few stray flames singed his tail. The hunter chuckled under his breath, and Elpis took advantage of the opening he had presented her. She thrust the blade of her scythe toward him, opting for its sword form as of now, and the hunter knocked the blow aside. He countered with a kick to the Ice-Hivewing’s ribs, and she was sent to the ground. She coughed up a spurt of blue Icewing blood, and the hunter lifted his axe for a finishing blow.
Shimmer roared out and swung her hammer toward the hunter. The silk connected it to her wrists as it flew through the air, and it hit the hunter square in his side just as his axe was falling. He was sent into the opposite side of the courtyard, coughing and sputtering, but with a faint smirk on his face. Shimmer was in disbelief; how was he not dead?
“Ooh, what’s that smell… the sweet blood, ooh, it sings to me! It's enough to make a dragon sick.” Gascoigne laughed hollowly. He raised his talon, and Shimmer quickly rolled to the side as a ball of flame soared past her horns.
He’s going to turn at this rate.
Shimmer hid under a gravestone as a tree behind her erupted in flames, and Aegis jumped into the air. He beat his four wings ferociously before diving into the hunter. He caught both of Aegis’ horns, and he twisted his head. Aegis fell to the ground, and Gascoigne slashed his axe down across the Silkwing’s leg. Aegis cried out, and Shimmer’s heart ached. She pushed herself up, ignoring the raging fire around her, and she threw her hammer up in the air and aimed it towards the hunter. He narrowly evaded the heavy impact of the stone before Shimmer heard a metal clang behind her.
Elpis, scythe in one talon, approached Gascoigne. She had the little music box in her other.
Elpis played the music box and a song of eerie notes filled the courtyard.
The hunter stumbled back, clawing at his face, and Elpis shot Shimmer a look, her face telling her to make sure Aegis was okay.
Elpis advanced on the struggling hunter, and Shimmer leaped over to her Silkwing partner, who was injured on the ground. She felt tears welling in her eyes, but she knew this wasn’t the time to cry.
“Aegis. Look at me. Look at me.” She repeated, and he lifted his head weakly. His leg had a massive gash in it, but he could probably still walk, just with a limp.
“Ah, Shimmer. I’m alright. I’ll be back in the fight. Go, help Elpis. I’ll join back soon enough.” He groaned, and the pair heard a roar behind them.
Elpis was locked in a duel with Gascoigne, and the hunter’s stray fireballs met with blasts of frostbreath. For the first time in the battle, the hunter had a slight look of fear on his face. Elpis was relentless, her burial blade swiftly countering and stopping any attempt Gascoigne made at advancing. Aegis crawled back and attempted to stand, using a grave for support.
“Shimmer! I can’t hold him for long!” Elpis called, and Shimmer nodded. She took the hammer in her claws and swung it around her side, and in a clockwise circle in the air. It was the perfect counterweight to her body weight. She hoisted it up further into the air and then brought it crashing down onto the hunter.
It struck Gascoigne directly on the spine, and he fell to the ground.
He screamed in pain.
And then, a bright light flashed from his body.
His screams deepened in tone, morphing to be more animalistic. His posture fell forward, and his muscles rippled through his body. He grew in size, and more of his bloodied garb ripped from the size change.
Fur sprouted from seemingly random places on the Hivewing’s body, and his claws extended. His face shifted, his features becoming more and more distorted. His black hat fell to the ground.
The bandages around his eyes stayed, as well as the black-tattered garb that marked him as once a Hunter.
He was no longer a Hunter. Moons above, he wasn’t even a dragon anymore.
He was now a beast.
Shimmer’s heart pounded in her chest. She stared at the transformation for a split second, before reeling in her hammer. She took it in her right talon and dove behind a gravestone, wary of the spreading flames.
Elpis, on the other claw, held her blade in front of her. Shimmer heard a rasping cough escape the Ice-HiveWing’s throat, but she didn’t break her stance.
The beast that was once Gascoigne whipped around toward Elpis, and launched himself at her, with a ferocity Shimmer had never seen even in beasts.
Elpis sidestepped quickly. The beast slammed into the wall with a loud roar, and Shimmer spied Aegis in her peripheral vision struggling to stand. He winced as he stood on his injured leg, but didn’t cry out. He brandished his two blades as the beast charged at him.
“Aegis!” Shimmer cried.
He’s going to get hit. That beast will kill him.
Aegis ignored her, and as soon as the beast was within a wingspan from him he twisted his body in such a way that he narrowly avoided the savage charge. He elegantly sliced his twin blades across the beast’s hide, and the creature howled before rapidly turning to face him.
Shimmer flew into the air. “Get away from him!” She yelled before bringing the weight of her hammer down on the beast. It flattened part of his ribcage, but it seemed impervious to the pain. It did knock him to the ground, though, giving Aegis a moment to cut through what was once two of the hunter’s wings.
The beast quickly got back on its claws before sending a flurry of swipes towards Shimmer. She dodged to the side and readied her hammer for another strike.
That was before the beast kicked her square in her chest, its sharp, ravenous claws digging in and tearing her scales. Shimmer fell back, a slight gasp escaping her mouth, and she stumbled back into the wall. She lost her footing and fell to the ground, and gazed up at the beast locked on her.
“Aegis! Help!” She yelled, and not even a second later her Silkwing partner crashed into the beast. They fell to the ground, grappling with each other before Shimmer heard a familiar song fill the courtyard.
Elpis was cranking the music box, its ominous lullaby breaking up the noise of the fight. The beast stopped attacking Aegis and instead clawed at its face. It growled and screamed in pain, drawing blood from its very own fur and scales.
“Now! Kill it!” She yelled through the song, and Aegis nodded before driving his two blades through the beast’s skull.
They stuck, and the beast roared before throwing him off. It crawled and thrashed about on the ground, clearly not dead, and the two new blades stuck to his head pointed out like new horns.
Now’s my chance.
Shimmer stumbled to her claws and wound her hammer up into the air. With every last bit of her strength, she brought it down on the flailing beast.
It crushed what was left of the hunter.
Silence filled the courtyard, only broken by a few stray notes from the music box, the pained breathing of the three hunters in the area, and the howls and screams from other places in the Hive.
Shimmer breathed a sigh of relief, before collapsing.
I did it. We did it.
Gascoigne was free.
…
“I brought you water.”
Shimmer opened her eyes and found herself in her familiar hospital room.
The morning sun’s rays lit the room, and Shimmer felt very little pain from her chest.
It had been three days since that night.
Shimmer fixed her gaze on the purple-orange Silkwing sitting beside her and smiled.
“Thanks. I’m feeling much better, we should get going to Bloodworm soon. It’s today, remember?” Shimmer asked, and he nodded. Of course, he remembered.
The summons for every hunter to come to Bloodworm Hive. Ludwig, The Holy Blade had requested them all. He no doubt planned an attack. A shame really, the hive was only newly rebuilt. And now it was going to be the site of a horrid, savage warzone.
“I remember. Are you sure you’re feeling okay? Ludwig would understand if you couldn’t come,” Aegis asked, and she spied a hint of worry on his face.
“I’m fine. I need to make sure you don’t do anything stupid. I’ll come.” She sighed and took a sip from the canteen that Aegis had brought. It tasted wonderful, he had put something in to flavor it.
“Honeydew?” She guessed, and Aegis smiled.
“Yep. It’s your favorite, right?” He asked, and she nodded. She opened her arms, and he hugged her tight.
“I love you,” Shimmer whispered in his ear.
“I love you too. I pray to Clearsight that we’ll both be safe today. I can’t bear to lose you.” Aegis replied. He pulled away and gazed out the window.
Shimmer quickly drank the rest of the honeydew-flavored water before getting out of bed. She joined him at the window and was slightly surprised by what she saw.
Almost all of the hunters of Jewel Hive were preparing, some of them already flying in the direction of Bloodworm. They were all sharpening their trick weapons, mixing poisons, or saying goodbye to loved ones.
“We should get going. It’ll be midmorning when we get there, I don’t want to be late.” Shimmer suggested, and Aegis put a wing around her.
“Now? I need to get my stuff, and you do too. Join me at the workshop.” He asked, and she slid her head in the curve of his neck as he led her out of her sick room.
…
Shimmer beat her wings strong and fast against the morning savanna winds.
She saw what looked to be several hundred, maybe even a thousand dragons gathered around a hill. All of them had a colored garb fluttering proudly from their neck. Around ninety percent of the garbs were white, and the rest were black.
They were all different tribes and a fair amount of hybrids were scattered about as well. The gathered hunters were mostly Pantalan, but a good few were from Pyrrhia as well.
Shimmer and Aegis landed a short distance away from the hill, and all around them the sounds of dragons conversing and laughing with each other.
The sun was high in the sky, but it wasn’t quite noon yet.
“You see anyone you recognize?” Aegis asked, and Shimmer shook her head.
“There’s too many dragons here. It’s too much.” She whimpered, and Aegis pulled her close. He knew she didn’t do well in crowds. That was partly why she became a Shadowhunter. To work alone or with no more than a few other dragons.
“You’re safe with me.” He comforted her, and she leaned against him.
She had always hated being with a lot of other dragons. Aegis said it sounded like she had anxiety, which made sense. It didn’t do much to alleviate that fear, though.
None of them are thinking about you. They’re all busy with their own stuff.
Just take deep breaths.
“Do you want to move away? There’s fewer dragons over there,” He asked and pointed a claw across from them.
“…No, no I’m fine.” She whispered, and Aegis sighed.
“Alright. If you want to move, don’t be afraid to ask. I don’t mind it.”
Shimmer shook her head quickly, before the pair heard a loud voice from the top of the hill. They both looked up and saw the legendary hunter himself: Ludwig.
The menacing Nightwing stood proudly, his holy silver sword slung across his shoulder. His partner Memoria stood beside him, her tail twined around his. She had a bored look on her face as she stared at the crowd. The voices of the dragons fell silent, and Shimmer felt like she could breathe again.
The Nightwing’s loud voice echoed through the plain. “Dear Hunters.” He paused, his heroic voice inspiring pride and triumph in Shimmer, even though he had barely started.
“I’m sure all of you know why we’re here. Behind me, Bloodworm Hive stands proud against the horizon. Yet I am more than certain you all know what lies inside.” He paused and pointed his sword toward the dark shape of the Hive.
“Beasts. A few thousand. I think it’s time we put them out of their misery. That is why we are here. A battle of the ages, one that will go down in history. We, the brave heroes, fighting against evil. We will be reveled, we will be honored. We will protect the dragons we hold dear to our hearts, and save those we can yet save.” His speech roused the crowd, and Shimmer felt herself stand a little taller.
“The plan is simple. The Hunters of the Sun will lead the charge from the front. I have already talked to the leaders of the charge. The Shadowhunters will pick the stray beasts off from behind. We will attack at dusk when half the sun is hidden from the eye.” He gestured with his sword at the rising sun, and he extended his wings. His massive wingspan seemed to fill the sky, and Shimmer's heart swelled with pride.
He held his sword up to the heavens, and it transformed. It grew larger, into the shape of a claymore, and it turned a shade of sacred jade. It glowed with an otherworldly light, and the crowd was enamored by the display.
“Now, hunters. Spend the rest of today preparing. The hunt is on tonight. Ludwig, The Holy Blade will be with all of you in spirit.” He bellowed, and the crowd erupted in applause and cheers.
Shimmer saw a proud, triumphant look in Aegis’ eyes, and she felt the same. Ludwig’s blade captivated her. The blade of legend, inspiring all who lay eyes on it.
Ludwig would be with them tonight. The best, the greatest, the strongest hunter ever.
Tonight, the hunters would not know defeat.
Nor would they ever, with Ludwig alive and at their side.
May the good blood guide your way,
Ultima_8

Going on two weeks of not being able to walk, when I stand up it feels like a pulling burning from by left buttocks down my leg. When I go to put pressure to take a step burning gets worse and I lose all strength in my leg. This happened a day after I gave birth to my daughter and I haven’t been able to do any of the things I planned with her. Had to fight my doctor to order me an mri and the order is out until September at the latest…. I’m not sure how to find motivation to keep going I don’t see an end to this emotion and physical torture. They keep telling me it’s normal but this doesn’t feel normal, everything I read says walking helps with sciatica. But I can’t walk and sitting reclined is the most comfortable I can be, been stuck to my couch since coming home from delivering my daughter. Health care is absolutely insane they would rather push narcotics than do the testing necessary to tell me what’s going on. Any advice or just someone who’s gone through something similar. I’m scared I’ll be like this for months and miss her life because of this pain. I cry every single day from this

Over the last week or so I’ve been having flutters at the bottom of my right lung but for the last 24 hours I’ve had a sharp pain there as well when I try to breathe in. My inhalers don’t seem to make any difference to it.

Hi all, I am 35F, overweight, asian, I used to smoke a lot and have family history of cancer. I have been having a lot of symptoms the past months. Extreme fatigue in the afternoon I can barely talk sometimes, I'm just tired, severe pain during my period.
Last weekend, I had a severe sciatica pain during my period. Pain from right side of my buttocks down right side of my leg. I couldn’t walk for 3 days the pain was so intense. I used to have this similar pain but last weekend was the worst I had to go to ER but they sent me home with some pain medications.
3 months ago, I had my Transvaginal Ultrasound because of my irregular periods and period pain.
The result is: There is an indeterminate right adnexal lesion with prominent vascularity measuring 14 × 11 x 12 mm Haematoma or dermoid ovary. An ectopic pregnancy is thought to be unlikely. Correlation with beta hCG and gynaecological review is recommended.
For some personal and financial reasons I kept postponing my follow-up check up. I was also thinking its not serious because my OB Gyne’s clinic did not mark my followup appointment as urgent.
My question is, what does my ultrasound say? Is it possible that the lesion is malignant even if its small? Is this related to my symptoms? Thank you in advance. :)

22F. Seeing another neurologist and getting an EMG in three weeks but would like to get other people’s opinions - my PCP has no idea what’s going on with me. What am I missing/where do I go from here?
Current symptoms: - perceived weakness and neuropathy in left hand/wrist (feels like a weird burning/tingling sensation, sometimes triggered by the cold but present a majority of the time) - this is by far my worst symptom - occasional tingling sensations in other extremities, but never as frequent as left hand - bad upper back pain (comes and goes, gets worse with certain positions and never in one specific area) - derealization/brain fog (feels like I’m out of it/in a different universe, also hard to describe) - occasional chills/shivering - fatigue (sort of comes and goes in waves)
Timeline of my symptoms:
Feb 2023: fell twice while drunk (don’t have balance issues), woke up a two days later with terrible back spasms. A few days after that I noticed weird tingling sensations in my hands and feet and freaked out, also generally not feeling well/having a lot of fatigue. Freaked out about having MS - doctor did brain MRI and told me to chill out, symptoms went away.
Sept 2023: started experiencing chronic fatigue and derealization, chalked it up to weed withdrawals (I was cutting back at the time).
Oct 2023: got Covid - brain fog and fatigue got a lot worse.
Late Oct 2023: started having weird stomach issues - constant bloating and random sharp pains in lower abdomen. Got some tests done, this went away in around a month.
Early Nov 2023: started getting vaginal pain/constant burning sensation. Got more tests done, also went away in around a month.
Dec 2023: started feeling a bit better, then had a terrifying experience on THC (fully disassociated and thought I was dying multiple times), quit for good.
Mid Dec 2023: started talking birth control for PCOS as per gyno’s recommendation.
Late Dec 2023: started getting weird muscle weakness in both left hand and foot, went away in around three weeks. Also felt chest pain a few times and ended up in the ER for it, where I got my heart tested. Fatigue was pretty bad this whole time.
Jan-Feb 2024: muscle weakness mostly gone, fatigue slowly improving throughout these months, still dealing with some brain fog. Resumed weed use which was probably a bad idea.
March-May 2024: Quit weed for good. Switched to new progestin-only birth control because the combination one was giving me high BP. Started getting all this weird neuropathy and joint pain all over the place, for a few days it was super bad in my left/hand wrist and since then it’s been mostly in that area. Makes me wonder whether I have carpal tunnel or some nerve compression problem - it’s pretty painful. Sometimes shows up in left foot but not that bad there. Still have some derealization and brain fog that shows up for a few hours a day - it’s weird. Fatigue and back pain still present. Symptoms come and go in ways though - I have both good and bad days. I’d like to think I’m improving overall, but days like today make me not so sure of that.
Medical history: - had spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis in thoracic spine when I was 15 - PCOS - no family history of any autoimmune or neurological conditions except for grandmother with MS
Medications/drugs: - take 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 every day - started birth control in December (right before the neuropathy started - wonder if they might be related?) - chronic daily THC abuse for ~14 months right before all this started, been sober for several months now (possibly related?)
Tests I’ve already had: - brain MRI in Feb 2023 and March 2024 - both showed unchanged one/possibly two nonspecific T2 hyperintensities that the MS specialist said were benign - cervical spine MRI - 100% clear - neurological exams (multiple) - 100% normal - full abdominal and pelvic ultrasound - clear except for benign liver finding that doctor is not concerned about - chest x-ray - 100% clear - two EKGs - normal - thoracic spine x-ray - clear, showed that screws from surgery are in proper place - stool test - normal - urine test - normal - pap smear - atypical cells of undetermined significance, HPV negative - doctor said not to worry about it/continue screening every three years - lyme disease test - initial screening came back positive but confirmation tests were negative so doctors concluded it wasn’t lyme - B12 test - 526 (normal) - A1C - 4.8 (normal) - Rheumatoid factor - normal - C-reactive protein - normal/on lower side - ESR - normal/on lower side - SPEP panel with immunofixation - all normal - Jo-1 antibody - normal - CBC and complete metabolic panel - all normal - hepatic panel - normal - Methylmalonic acid - normal - TSH with reflex - normal - troponin - normal - PT-INR - normal - magnesium - normal - lipase - normal - serum protein electrophoresis - normal - mono (multiple times) - negative - reproductive hormones - elevated androgens (hence the PCOS diagnosis)

The last few days, I have been having sharp pain in my left side (only left) where I usually have a very strong ache instead. Does that mean it has gotten worse??

I kicked a ratchet trying to get a stuck oil drain plug off back on November 3rd. It's been one long nightmare since then. Incapacitating pain on the lateral side of that foot - figured I might have fractured the 5th metatarsal. Problem is that I had been having periodic chronic pain that I was sure was peroneal tendonitis, since it ran right along where that problem happens. Limped around for months - x-rays didn't show anything. Limped around more - wasn't getting better. On April 8th, was climbing down a steep hill when something went wrong and I was hit with a sudden sharp severe pain around the ankle in that area on the lateral side. Swelling all around the whole ankle and even down on top the whole foot. Finally went for an MRI of the foot and a separate one for the ankle. Foot came back ok no mention of any ligament or tendon or bone problems. That puzzled me. But what really blew me away was that the radiologist said it looked like a stress fracture of the calcaneus. Huh? I can put my full weight on my heel and the pain was always only ever with weight on the forefoot during push-off. Anyway, now it hurts all the time. Even just sitting here I am getting waves of pain. Right under the base of the 5th metatarsal where I hit that ratchet 6 months ago. I feels like really bad plantar fasciitis and/or really bad insertional peroneus brevis tendonitis - only under the bone if that makes sense. Went to a podiatrist and let him look at the MRI scans - he didn't see what the radiologist saw and said it MIGHT be a contusion of the calcaneus. Told me to get a walking boot and wear it for 6 weeks. Yeah, that isn't gonna happen. I tried it for 3 days and the pain from being uneven was hurting my hip and back worse than the foot pain was. Anyway, I don't understand the whole thing. I am starting to think that this injury is just a coincidence and had nothing to do with the ratchet incident and could be just a stress fracture from limping around trying to favor the ratchet pain injury. But I really don't get (and the podiatrist didn't get either) how I could have a fractured calcaneus and have pain where and how I have it. So frustrating and confusing. I don't know what to do. It isn't getting better and the pain is actually really bad at the end of every day. Not too bad when I get up in the morning.
Any ideas, suggestions, theories? Thanks.

I work at a nursing home and one of the residents has herpes… I’m really hoping I didn’t contract it from her but I’m not sure. I had a sharp pain in my legs and I saw that was one of the symptoms. Someone please help

Hi lovelies! I had my laparoscopic myo last Wednesday. My journey with fibroids has been a crazy one, starting about two and a half years ago. I’ve had two hysteroscopic myos. First one I was okay for about a year before symptoms started again, second I was okay for about 10 days before my fibroids came back “with a vengeance” according to my obgyn. My original surgery was actually supposed to be today but last week I started losing a lot of blood (I was passing enormous clots, so scary) so they admitted me and did the surgery early! I’m a week out now and things are going well I think. I still have the steri tape on my incisions, they said take it off after a week but I have a 6 hour car ride home from college tomorrow and wanted to wait until I got home so I wasn’t sitting in a car with freshly uncovered incisions. Appetite is coming back and movement is coming back slowly but surely. Walking helps and I can actually stand up straight now (could barely the first few days after due to pain). I’m still very swollen and feel very bloated. My abdomen is super firm down by my bikini incision which is slightly concerning but I was doing some reading in this sub and think it’s just scar tissue and healing irritation. Pain is being managed well, my incision areas are sensitive to the touch still but that makes sense. The most pain I have is when I’m twisting my torso, I get a sharp pain lower left side of my abdomen but I’m thinking that will go away with time as well. I’ve honestly been having such a hard time sleeping as well, I’m not sure if that’s just my body still adjusting or if it’s uncomfortable so it’s keeping me up. Who knows. This whole process has honestly been a nightmare and I’m hoping that this does the trick! They did also diagnose me with endometriosis while they were in (woohoo) so that’s the next thing I get to figure out. I have no kids as of right now but honestly this whole thing has been so scary that I’m not sure I’ll ever want to try (lol!). But I’m only in my mid 20s so I still have time to heal and figure that out. But I wanted to share my story on here as well, thank you to everyone else who has shared theirs and helped give me the confidence to post this! ❤️

I'm excited and nervous all at the same time! I'll have IV sedation and I've never had an IV or even had blood drawn so the needle part has me a bit spooked, other than that it's pure excitement. I k ow there will be pain but I also know there will actually be an end in sight and not just a free pass till the next abscess. I also can't wait to smile unashamed of what people see. I'm hoping everything goes smoothly 😁

Hi, 26M. I started having symptoms of strep throat 7 days ago, decided I could tough it out since I don’t have insurance. By Sunday evening the pain was unbearable so I went to a Walk-In clinic where they did a rapid strep test and prescribed Zpak (allergic to penicillin) I just took my third dose of the Zpak and I’m not seeing really any improvements. I can’t talk without experiencing really sharp pain and my voice sounds all weird as well as the normal strep symptoms. How long does Zpak take to help me start feeling better?

Soooo super randomly I am having very sharp pains in the nipple starting right as baby latches, and when I pump it’s the moment I turn the pump on.. my lactation consultant suggested it was probably vasospasm and to try magnesium… but seriously, what the heck???? My only issue was low supply for four months and now suddenly it just hurts again??? Super lame, dude.. super lame…