Very achy and chills

So I was originally going to post this earlier but there been an update so I’ll post both.
Original post:
I have let my FF use get the worst it’s ever been, doing 9-10 a day for about a month. About 6 days ago I decided I needed to taper. So I did 6.5 bottles a day for 3 days in a row. Then that 3rd night I got really sick and started vomiting and felt weak and achy and had the chills and felt like I had the flu. I couldn’t sleep at all. So the next day I took 9 but still felt pretty bad all day. I was paranoid that these symptoms were just a result of me tapering which was very disheartening because if I felt this bad after cutting by ~35% I didn’t know how I would ever quit. Then this morning I felt so good that I realized I must have just had the actual flu and it was not due to the taper. Which was a total mind F%#*.
Update: So today I felt really great all day and maybe it was rebound happiness from not feeling as horrible as I did the day before. So I only took 5 and now here I am vomiting again and feeling horrible and can’t sleep. Which does not seem like the flu to Leave and then come back. So my usage was basically 10-10-10-10-10-6.5-6.5-6.5 (got sick) 9(felt better) 5(got sick)
So my question is: has anyone gotten violently ill, like vomiting just from tapering 30%? It seems weird that the first time it would take 3 days for it to happen instead of the first day. Unless it’s delayed reaction. It could also be mild food poisoning as I think I ate smoked salmon both days but not the day in between when I started to feel better.

I (19 yo female, overweight (270 lb) but otherwise usually in great health) have been having some extremely concerning symptoms lately. Please no one but doctors or nurses give me advice, I really need solid and qualified opinions right now.
For the past few weeks, I have been incredibly sick.
I cannot find a doctor near me. The ones who will accept my age are not accepting new clients, and the ones that are accepting clients only want people over 21.
I have been extremely exhausted and fatigued, vomiting for no apparent reasons (the vomiting began like 2 weeks ago, since then I have not had an appetite and have thrown up 6-7 times in those two weeks. It is extremely violent when I do vomit, like legitimately vomiting every drop of food and water out of my body), my joints (particularly my left knee and both hips, are always sore and achy, the knee swelling up at times) headaches, hot sweats and cold chills, extremely clumsy (falling, sprained my ankle twice in the past two weeks), bruising easily, completely unable to sleep (3/4 hours a night if that). On top of that, I recently got accepted into LPN school (begins late this month) and I had some bloodwork done as part of my application. My WBC count was slightly elevated, 12.9 yall probably know this but the lab said normal was like 10.8 at the most? Anyways) and my lymph nodes are very firm and swollen. No recent change in any medication or supplements. Usually otherwise in great health except for the past few months (2-3 months of slight difference and discomfort, now it has been in full swing about three weeks) They did a urinalysis too and found no bacterial things going on urinary tract wise, so I don’t believe I have a nasty UTI or anything. My PH was great too. No STD’s. Neutrophils count was 8.6 (i don’t know if that’s super high) lymphs were 3.2 (so just slightly high) but that was on 4/6 when the bloodwork was taken. I do smoke nicotine, vape (don’t come for me, i know i’m 19 okay 😭) but have done so since I was 16 and never had any issues with it, so please do not tell me its that. I know it’s terrible but I really think something else is going on. No other drug usage. I also pride myself in how strong I typically am, (i am 6’0) and can lift around 350 lb (past two months is when I started noticing the decline and it has been pretty rapid since. No changes in physical activity.) . Recently though it has been difficult for me to even lift 50 pounds. Not because I get winded, because my body feels so weak. Thought it was relevant, maybe I’m just rambling. I’m sorry y’all had to read through this all I just wanted to get it all out. I’m honestly terrified for my health. Believe it or not I do eat pretty decent (I have PCOS & have always struggled with my weight. I don’t think it is a diet issue. Tonight I had Salmon & broccoli with a sweet potato, this is usual for me. I don’t eat out. I don’t drink alcohol. I have a energy drink, protein shake and protein bar in the mornings, a small lunch in the afternoon which is typically veggie based, and a good dinner in the evening.) okay I know I’m yapping but please help.
To be frank, I am extremely concerned for my health. Please help me, I really need some advice. My family seems to think it’s nothin and I am very concerned. Give honest advice, even if it is brutal.

So, I'm fourteen and my parents have been abusing me since I was six. Also quick trigger warnings for physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, force feeding and manipulation because this one's a doozy.
There's no words to really describe my parents. Both born and bred in Nigeria, then came to the UK and had me, their first daughter.
My early years... I can't really remember but it wasn't that bad. I mean, my dad didn't start beating me until Year 3 in primary school. My dad's a grown ass man at a good six foot five, literally corded with muscle and he used all his strength into beating me. Belts, remote controls, clothing hangers, but preferably his bare hands did the trick. He'd leave my body sore and achy, and my mum? Most mums would step in, use their body as a shield, call the police- literally anything.
She did nothing.
Sometimes, little me would cry to her about what he did but she would do literally nothing. She'd just rub our sore bodies and say that she was sorry and she'd talk to him. Never did.
And I say our because by then I had a little sister, who he also beat mercilessly. Two years later we had another sister, but he never actually beat her, he only yelled at her but this left her a really jittery mess of a kid, and she's eight now. She cries super easily because she was so used to getting absolutely screamed at.
He beat my mum too infront of us bit she'd never leave him, she just argued infront of him. My mum, at least to me was the lesser evil because she hit us too but she yelled at us more than anything so we liked her so much more then Dad. My dad was also a very loud and confrontational person when incidents occurred at school, and it got so bad that my headteacher sent a letter of notice to our doorstep saying how my dad made his staff uncomfortable. My school tried, I mean they really tried to get me to open up because they could sense what was going on but they just couldn't weed enough out of me to get social services involved.
The one time when I did open up, only about how mum and dad shouted at us a lot but I didn't include the hitting, they called them in for a parent teacher meeting and sent me home with them afterwards. Instead of hitting me, they shouted at me for hours and my mum acted distraught, like there was something wrong with me. She said I needed to go to a pych ward, a mental hospital and stay in a padded room all wrapped up and little nine year old me was like "Mental hospital! I don't wanna go there! Mummy, I'll never speak out again!"
This continued until we moved houses and I started secondary school. And you know how African parents really start to get on their kids asses the moment they start growing up? That was it for me. Like, if I put vaseline on my mum would shout at me and be like "So you like you're grown now, huh?"
I was in Year 7. I was 11 years old.
Genuinely so much more happened but if I wrote it all down here this would take even longer to read but I got taken away from my parents when I was 12. When I told my friends about what was going on at home they were terrified for me but I was too scared to leave. It was only after my dad beat me for walking to the literal field right next to my secondary school, a DOG walking site where a lot of other students chilled at before school started and he FOLLOWED me to school. Literally went on the next bus behind me, recorded me walking with my friends, CHASED me on that field. He dragged me out of there, threatened me that I was finished when I got home and then left.
I told my teachers everything and begged them to not send me home, but they did anyway. That night was probably the most traumatic day of my life, its imprinted in my brain constantly replaying like some 1920's movie. He accused me of being a lesbian, accused me of having a secret boyfriend and interrogated me with my mum. That night I got beat so bad my whole body went numb, then my Dad SA'D me on the living room floor, ejaculated inside of me and threatened to kill me if I told anyone.
So after that I made a plan with my best friend, told her everything (minus the rape) and I went to school the next day and told the teachers everything. Then they finally took action and called social services. The police and social workers showed up in all their special equipment, I gave a recorded statement and they arrested my parents and took me and my sisters away into police care.
So we went into care, have been for two years and it's been a wild, emotional roller coaster. My parents have learned nothing, my dad is 100% adamant that he never abused his kids, along with my mum until now. She's all like "I'm sorry IF I offended you," and "I'm sorry if I MAY have caused you harm"
Like what the hell?
My sisters buy it (literally) because my Dad bought my younger sister an iPhone 14 and Apple Watch, which she loves of course. It's so goddamn blatant it sickens me, and they took her old phone and shipped it off to Nigeria so our grandma (mum's mum) can use it.
My sisters (12 and 8 eight years old now) want to go home and it’s really impacted our relationship because they still look at the fantasy that our parents can change. Especially my twelve year old sister, and SHE was beat by my dad too so I thought she’d understand. For a long time she blamed me for this since I’m the one who went to the police, and my parents still do this too. Back when I used to go on supervised visits with them, they’ll whisper things in my ear when the supervisor isn’t looking like “When are you going to end this? Aren’t you tired being away from us?” Or “You need to retract your statement or the social workers won’t let you come home”
My sisters don’t know about my dad raping me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever tell them, but I probably will in a couple years time. My mum knows though, and she’s still with him and defends herself by saying “Okay but I didn’t witness it” and she’d only leave him if the judge told her to do so, when no court can make her do that, that’s a decision she has to make herself.
Legal wise, the sexual assault case got closed due to insufficient evidence but it did go down on his DBS so he won't be able to work with children, vulnerable adults etc. But he still found a decently paying job, whilst my mum can't get one at all. I don't care at all, as my sympathy is limited for my abusers.
My extended family in Nigeria who do know about my family's fiasco, side with my parents which is utter bullshit. I haven't spoken to my aunties in almost a year because of this. It feels SO normalised in our culture to abuse your kids. It's not discipline, get some help.
Anyway, the final hearing is coming up about where me and my sisters will live and it's pretty obvious we're staying in care. But I like it. A lot. In foster care I feel really safe and assured ten times more then I did at home. Plus, I've been on no contact with my dad in a whole year as I plan to never see him again and my mum is complicated. Relationship's very strained but I haven't seen her in almost nine months, and to be honest I probably won't see her at all. Thank you for listening to my story!

I’m a 31 yo male that’s 5’10” and 140lb. I don’t drink, smoke, or used drugs. I’m fairly fit.
Thursday night I started to develop achiness, sharp pain/cramping sensations centered around my bellybutton, nausea, loss of appetite, and a headache.
I woke up yesterday (Friday) to a fever (101 F) with worsened symptoms: chills, nausea, achiness, headache, and pain around my bellybutton that comes and goes and increases dramatically immediately after eating or drinking.
I went to urgent care and they felt unsure about whether or not this is appendicitis - my bowels were very active, which the doc explained is a good sign, but the rebound test also hurt like hell. Covid and flu were negative. Flexing my core in anyway brought up the pain.
The doc recommended going in to the ER, but also said I could wait until the morning (it was quite late).
I felt awful last night and couldn’t sleep, so at 3am I took 500mg Tylenol, 60ml of Pepto, and Alka Seltzer (citric acid + bicarbonate).
I felt WAY better and slept through to 9am. My abdominal pain is significantly improved this morning, but I still have a fever (100.9 F), achiness, headache, and general malaise.
I’m trying to determine if I should be going to the ER this morning and any insight would be greatly appreciated.
FWIW, my SO also doesn’t feel well (but no stomach pain) so I’d been thinking it could be illness.
Update: now that I’m up and moving, I’m clearly not out of the woods on this stomach pain, although it’s marginally better than yesterday.
Update 2: I’m at the ER
Major update:
I had a rupture in my intestine that originated from an infection in my ileum - no wonder it hurt to eat!
I had surgery yesterday afternoon to go in there and remove part of my intestine and install a port to drain the gunk.
when I was with the anesthesiologist right before surgery my condition started deteriorating rapidly (fever rapidly rising, heart rate going ballistic). they said if my surgery was delayed even 10 minutes I could have ended up in critical condition.

30F, started with diarrhea last Friday, body chills and extreme exhaustion. Only had diarrhea 3 times between Friday and Saturday. Saturday was the worst and I slept most of the day. Since then body aches/chills are gone, and I have a small amount of energy back. I still don’t want to eat and my stomach is VERY bloated and painful/achy/gurgles. Is this normal? At times it feels like period cramps but worse but it’s certainly not. Any insight would be helpful.

Part 1
As I stared at the horrifying imprint on my window, an imprint that only reminded me of the horror that just happened, a spark flickered in the corner of my mind. I remembered something—something Grandma said when she first told me the story of the creature: “It keeps its victims alive for seven long years.”
What kind of life could she possibly have in the clutches of that thing? Still, there was a possibility; however slim, it was still enough to ignite a sliver of determination within me. I wouldn’t let her become another one of its forgotten victims. I had to find her.
I trudged outside, the weight of dread clinging to me like a magnet. The backyard was filled with activity. Numerous detectives in crisp blue uniforms combed the woods, their movements purposeful yet unearthing nothing.
My gaze landed on a larger huddle of detectives near the tree line. They stood in a tight circle, their expressions grim. Curiosity gnawed at me, and I inched closer. As I approached, their hushed voices reached my ears, laced with a mixture of urgency and dread.
Then I saw it. A single, horrifying furrow gouged into the earth—an undeniable drag mark. My body tensed up. It snaked its way toward the dense woods, a testament to the horror that unfolded just hours ago. The mark ended abruptly at the tree line, swallowed by the thick undergrowth. It was a chilling sign, a confirmation of my worst fears, but also a single, undeniable clue.
The nagging suspicion wouldn’t leave me. If Grandma knew about the creature, then surely Grandpa must too. He’d retreated into a shell of silence ever since losing her, but maybe, just maybe, there was a missing piece of the puzzle locked away in his grief.
I got into my car. The radio sputtered static, a monotonous hum mirroring the disquiet churning in my gut. My grandparents’ house loomed ahead, a familiar sight now shrouded in an unsettling aura. Grandpa was already outside, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
A forced smile stretched across my face as I approached him. “Hey Grandpa,” I said, the cheerfulness sounding hollow even to my ears. He grunted a greeting, his eyes clouded with a sadness that mirrored the one gnawing at me. “Can we talk inside?”
He stubbed out his cigarette. “Uh, sure,” he mumbled, avoiding my gaze. The house felt empty without Grandma around anymore, it’s the same way it felt in my mom’s house, the air was thick with unspoken words.
“Haven’t seen you around lately,” he finally said, his voice raspy. “How are you holding up?”
“I’ve been better,” I admitted, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I sat down, the familiar creak of the chair a jarring sound in the suffocating silence.
Taking a deep breath, I plunged right into the conversation. “There’s something I need to ask you about Grandma... Did she ever tell you a story about a creature?”
His body tensed, a flicker of something akin to fear crossing his face. He looked away, his jaw clenching tight. “A story?” he finally managed, his voice barely a whisper. I held his gaze, refusing to back down. “The one about...” My throat tightened. “The thing in the woods.”
His face drained of all color, as if his heart had plummeted into his chest. “It got your mom, didn’t it?” The question hung heavy in the air.
I could only manage a slow nod, tears welling up and blurring my vision. They spilled over, tracing warm tracks down my cheeks. Grandpa remained silent for a moment, a hand cupping his face in what seemed like a combination of regret and frustration. Then, with a deep sigh, he lowered his hand and met my gaze.
“Then we have to find her before it’s too late.”
He got up from his chair and disappeared into one of the darkened rooms. The house creaked and groaned as he moved, the silence amplifying the anticipation gnawing at me. He returned moments later, a leather-bound journal clutched in his hand. He settled back into his seat, a grim expression etched on his face.
He placed the journal on the coffee table with a trembling hand. “Your grandma wrote about it,” he continued, his gaze flickering nervously toward the darkened hallway that led to the back of the house. “A story about a creature, saying it used to stalk the woods near her house when she was a little girl. She claimed it moved, searching for prey.” His voice trailed off, replaced by a shallow cough that racked his thin frame.
“She told me it travels to different areas,” he finally managed, his eyes locking with mine for a fleeting moment. “That’s why she was so hesitant about buying this house. Sure, the lake in the backyard was nice, but there were the woods—always the woods. “That’s where it lives," she’d tell me. It’s the one thing she always nagged at me about—the feeling of unseen eyes watching us. But, well, I brushed it off. I told her she was letting childhood stories get the better of her.“
He shook his head, the movement slow and defeated, and kept it down for a while, his labored breathing the only sound in the tense silence.
His voice, when he spoke, was laced with a raw determination that sent shivers down my spine. “Follow me,” he said, rising from his chair.
I scrambled to my feet, wiping away the tears that streamed down my face in a futile attempt to clear my vision. My grandpa, the man who usually moved with quiet deliberation, now pulsed with frenetic energy.
We reached the basement door, I was never allowed to go in there during my childhood summers. “It’s only for adults,” he’d always say, securing the padlock with a stern finality.
Now, with a single turn of his hand, the lock yielded, revealing the unknown depths below.
A single, bare bulb flickered to life as he pulled the light string. The harsh yellow glow illuminated a scene that sent a jolt of fear through me.
Guns—an arsenal of them—lined the walls. A hunting rifle I remembered from childhood hung next to a pump shotgun and a well-worn.22 pistol I vaguely recognized as the one he’d used to teach me to shoot years ago.
A horrible realization dawned on me. This wasn’t a simple search. My grandpa’s eyes, burning with a desperate resolve, told a different story. This was a mission fueled by vengeance—a descent into the darkness to confront the creature head-on. The reality of what we were about to face washed over me, and a cold dread settled in my stomach. We were going hunting, but the prey was unlike anything I could have ever imagined.
I stood there, frozen, a silent scream trapped in my throat. My grandpa moved with practiced efficiency, his hands unlocking a series of metal cages lining the basement wall. My fingers instinctively twitched as my heart pounded in my chest. My gaze darted towards the weapons, then back to my grandpa.
He finally settled on a weapon, an AR-15 with a scope and a makeshift grip. He held it with surprising ease, years of experience etched in the way his trained fingers cradled the deadly tool. He turned, the glint in his eyes a harsh contrast to the worry etched on his face.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he rasped, his voice rough. “You probably think I’m crazy.” He was right. This entire situation was insane, yet here we were
“But what else of a choice do we have?” He continued, his voice tight with desperation.
The truth of his words slammed into me. The police investigation was a dead end, and my mom’s life hung in the balance. It was a desperate gamble, going into the woods armed with nothing but hope and bullets, but it was the only chance we had.
Before I could voice my doubts, the words tumbled out of my mouth, a confession laced with fear. “I’ve never shot an assault rifle before.”
A flicker of surprise crossed my grandpa’s face, then a grim smile settled on his lips. “That’s why I’ll teach you,” he said, a hint of his old confidence returning. “You learned to shoot the .22, I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to learn this.”
He gave me a different weapon, a semi-automatic rifle with a worn stock. It looked older, more familiar—the kind of gun I’d expect him to be using, not me
“Here, try this one out,” he said, his voice gruff. “Let me know if you like the feel of it.”
Hesitantly, I wrapped my fingers around the grip. The cool metal sent shivers down my spine. Following his instructions, I located the magazine release and popped it open, revealing an empty chamber.
Closing one eye, I lined up the sights, aiming at the blank wall across the basement. The act felt strangely empowering—a tiny flicker of defiance against the overwhelming fear that gnawed at me.
I followed Grandpa toward the back of the basement, a knot of suspense tightening in my stomach. He swung open a door, revealing a dimly lit shooting range. Rows of paper targets hung on the far wall, riddled with bullet holes—a display of his countless training sessions long past.
“Here’s where you’ll train,” he said, his voice gruff but reassuring. He handed me a rifle, its weight unfamiliar in my trembling hands.
“Alright,” he continued, his eyes sharp and focused, “safety first. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire. Always.”
He patted the barrel of the rifle.
“And never point this at anything you don’t intend to shoot, even if your shoelace comes undone.“
I nodded, overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information and the weight of responsibility. He ran through the basics—stance, breathing, sight alignment—each step a hurdle in my current state of nervousness.
He set up a target with a red dot in the center and gestured for me to aim. I raised the rifle, awkwardly attempting to replicate his earlier instructions. Sweat slicked my palms as I squinted down the iron sights, the paper target blurring slightly from the effort.
“Take a deep breath and hold it,” he instructed, his voice calm amidst my rising panic. “That’ll help steady your aim.” I inhaled deeply, the air catching in my throat. The world seemed to shrink to a tunnel; the sights and the target were the only things in focus.
With a trembling finger, I squeezed the trigger. The gun roared, the sound deafening in the enclosed space. A jolt of surprise ran through me, followed by a wave of relief. The spent casing clattered to the floor, and a small plume of smoke drifted upwards.
“Not bad,” Grandpa said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He walked over to the target and examined it. “Bullseye on your first try? It looks like you might be a natural after all.”
Three months blurred into one another, the rhythm of training becoming a grim soundtrack to our lives. The initial trembling in my hands gave way to a practiced grip, and the sting of gunpowder in my nostrils was replaced by a steely resolve. With each successful shot, a sliver of fear chipped away, replaced by a cold determination. But the nightmares remained, vivid snapshots of the creature’s horrifying form, a constant reminder of the darkness we were about to face.
One crisp morning, the silence in the house felt heavy. Grandpa emerged from the back room, a weathered backpack slung over his shoulder. The weight of the pack seemed symbolic—a physical manifestation of the burden we were about to carry. Inside lay a tent, rations, and our grim arsenal.
He met my gaze; his eyes were a mixture of grief and determination. For a beat, the weight of the situation pressed down on us, a silent acknowledgment of the danger that lurked ahead. Then, with a nod, he broke the silence.
“Let’s go get your mom.”
We rumbled down the familiar road in my grandpa’s truck, the air thick with unspoken dread. Every creak and groan of the vehicle seemed amplified, a reminder of the approaching danger. Finally, we pulled up to my mom’s house, a house that now felt haunted by her absence.
We walked towards the tree line, the woods looming before us. My pulse hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs, the silence broken only by the crunch of dead leaves under our boots. It felt like the entire forest held its breath, waiting.
We located a barely-there trail, a faint hope amidst the dense foliage. It snaked deeper into the woods, a single path. We followed it for what felt like an eternity, the minutes stretching into hours. The sunlight, dappled and weak, barely pierced the thick canopy of trees, casting long, unsettling shadows that danced at the corner of my vision.
The trail eventually sputtered out into a dead end, a wall of tangled undergrowth blocking our way. But amidst the thicket, there was a narrow opening. We squeezed through, emerging into a small clearing.
I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm my escalating anxiety. My breaths came in ragged gasps, a stark contrast to my grandpa’s steady demeanor. He’d seen his fair share of hardship in his military days, a fact that both comforted and terrified me. Here, in this untamed wilderness, a different kind of danger lurked—a primal threat, unlike anything he could have trained for.Across the clearing, another trail snaked away, a faint trail leading deeper into the woods.
“There’s another trail over there,” I rasped, the words catching in my dry throat.
“Yep, I see it,” my grandpa replied, his voice betraying none of the apprehension I felt.
We crossed the clearing, weariness clinging to us like a second skin. Hours bled into one another as we followed the new trail, scrutinizing every rustle in the undergrowth and every snap of a twig.
The dappled sunlight filtered through the dense woods, casting shifting patterns on the forest floor. Suddenly, a noise ripped through the silence—a rhythmic pounding that grew louder and faster with each passing second. My heart lurched into my throat, and my eyes darted wildly through the trees, searching for the source.
Then it bursted into view—a magnificent buck, its head crowned with a rack of antlers. It leaped across the trail a few feet in front of us, its powerful muscles rippling beneath its dappled coat. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished back into the undergrowth, leaving behind a fading echo of its snort. I let out a startled scream, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Relief washed over me as my grandpa chuckled, his hand resting on my shoulder.
“It’s just a buck,” he said, his voice warm and reassuring. “Scared the heck out of you, didn’t it?”
I let out a shaky laugh, the tension finally breaking. And for the first time in a long while, I saw a genuine smile on my grandpa’s face. It wasn’t a wide, carefree grin, but a small flicker of joy that crinkled the corners of his eyes.
“I miss that,” he said quietly, his gaze distant. A single tear welled up in his eye, tracing a glistening path down his cheek.
For a moment, I didn’t understand what he meant. Then, it hit me. The smile, the laughter—they were things that had been missing from his life since Grandma passed.
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I said softly, placing a comforting hand on his arm.
The sun was beginning its descent.
“We should find a place to camp soon,” my grandpa said, his voice regaining its gruff composure. “We should also set up a fire to keep those mosquitoes away.”
He pointed off the trail, his gaze settling on a small clearing nestled amongst the towering trees.
“What do you think?“
“Yeah, that seems like a good spot,” I agreed, stepping into the clearing. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, the sound mingling with the rhythmic chirp of crickets hidden among the undergrowth.
Grandpa bent down with a grunt, lowering his heavy backpack to the ground. He took out a flimsy tent, the worn fabric whispering a tale of countless camping trips.
“Here, hold this part,” he instructed, handing me a pole. I grasped it tightly as he took the opposite end, and together we stretched the fabric out. A rogue pole decided to put up a fight, stubbornly refusing to fit into its designated slot. We wrestled with it for a moment—a silent struggle punctuated by muttered curses—before finally snapping it into place with a satisfying click.
Working together, we unfolded the tent, fed the poles through the sleeves, and staked it firmly into the ground. As we finished tying down the last flap, a wave of accomplishment washed over me. The flimsy structure now stood proudly. Stepping inside, I felt a sense of security.
“Come out here for a second; I want to show you something,” my grandpa called out. I crawled out of the tent, my muscles pleasantly achy from our work. He stood beside a pile of sticks he’d gathered, with a glistening piece of metal clutched in his hand. It wasn’t the traditional lighters or matches I was used to. This was a flint and steel fire starter—a sleek metal device with a smooth handle and a jagged piece of flint protruding from its side.
“This is how you can start a fire,” he said with a hint of pride in his voice. “No fancy lighters or matches needed.”
He held it up and demonstrated, scraping the flint against a grooved metal pipe with a satisfying screech. A shower of tiny, white-hot embers erupted, cascading down onto a pile of moss and dry leaves he’d carefully prepared.
To my surprise, a small flame sputtered to life almost instantly.
“See?” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “Easy as pie. It wouldn’t have been this simple back in my day, that’s for sure.”
He gestured towards a nearby cluster of trees. “Go grab some more of those fallen branches over there. We’ll need them to keep this fire going.”
I nodded and hurried towards the trees, pushing aside damp leaves in my search for usable branches.
The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows that danced across my grandpa’s face. Regret etched deep lines around his eyes as he spoke, his voice hoarse with grief. “I should’ve believed her. Your grandmother.”
“I don’t think she’d blame me,” he continued, his voice cracking slightly. “Who could believe something like that, right? I had every reason to be skeptical. But that damn skepticism...” He choked on the words, his gaze hardening as it settled on the fire. “It got your mom, my daughter, taken.”
He turned to me, his eyes filled with tears.
“What does it look like? Your grandma never told me.”
The question ripped open a hole of fear within me. Memories I’d desperately buried flooded my mind—a grotesque tangle of limbs, eyes that glowed with an unnatural light, and the unearthly screech that still echoed in my nightmares. I squeezed my eyes shut, the taste of bile rising in my throat.
He must have seen the struggle etched on my face, because after a beat of silence, he spoke again, his voice softer now. “Never mind, you don’t have to talk about it.”
Silence engulfed us; the only sounds were the crackling fire and the frantic beat of my heart. Shame gnawed at me for failing to answer, but the memories were too horrific to relive. We sat there, each lost in our world of sorrow.
Finally, unable to bear the tension any longer, I got up and retreated into the tent. My grandpa stayed behind, sitting on the ground, his eyes staring into the fire.
Images of my mom, pale and captive, danced behind my closed eyelids. How could this creature keep her alive? What could she be going through? The questions gnawed at me relentlessly, offering no answers.
Just as I drifted to sleep, I heard the soft rasp of the tent zipper opening and my grandpa settling in beside me. But before I could turn and see his face, sleep claimed me completely.
A sliver of sunlight pierced through the fabric of the tent, rousing me from sleep. The air inside smelled faintly of wood smoke and pine needles, a comforting reminder of the crackling fire outside. I stretched, the muscles in my back protesting slightly from the night spent on the uneven ground.
As I emerged from the tent, a symphony of morning sounds greeted me. Birds chirped a cheerful melody from the branches overhead, the wind rustled the leaves in a gentle whisper, and the distant gurgle of a hidden stream added a peaceful counterpoint.
But the peaceful melody was shattered the moment I saw my grandpa. He crouched beside the fire, a mug of coffee clutched tightly in his hand. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face had deep worry lines that seemed to have deepened overnight. He took a shaky sip of coffee, his gaze fixed on the dancing flames.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice gruff and strained.
“Good morning,” I mumbled back, a knot of dread tightening in my stomach. My appetite seemed to have vanished, but I forced myself to take a seat on the makeshift branch chair he’d fashioned and picked at the eggs he’d prepared. The silence stretched on as I ate.
Finally, my grandpa cleared his throat.
“I found something,” he said, his voice low. “But I want you to stay calm.”
My heart plummeted. The anticipation was agonizing. He gestured towards a nearby tree, its rough bark illuminated by the golden rays of the morning sun. A shiver ran down my spine as I saw it—a deep gouge etched into the bark, a mark I recognized all too well. The same grotesque splayed imprint of multiple fingers, identical to the handprint on my window pane.
“I think we’re getting closer to it,” my grandpa said, his voice tight with fear.
The words sent a fresh wave of terror crashing over me. As we took down the tent and packed our supplies, I noticed the trail we were following led directly towards the marked tree. With each step we took, the weight of dread grew heavier, the forest pressing in on us with a renewed sense of menace.
As we walked, my grandpa suddenly ended the silence. “Stop,” my grandpa rasped, his voice tight with sudden urgency. I skidded to a halt. He crouched low, his gaze fixed on the ground in front of me. A knot of dread formed in my stomach as I followed his line of sight.
There, imprinted in the soft earth, was a footprint, unlike any animal track I’d ever seen. It was small, but the details were sharp and unsettling—four rows of perfectly round indentations, each one leaving a mark like the point of a needle. Multiple rows of these prints veered off the trail and disappeared into the dense undergrowth.
“Let’s follow it,” my grandpa muttered, his voice a mere tremor. Despite the tremor in his voice, there was a steely glint in his eyes. I knew arguing was pointless. We had come too far to turn back now.
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a machete, the worn blade glinting in the dappled sunlight. He began hacking away at the undergrowth, creating a makeshift path. I followed close behind, my eyes glued to the ground, tracking the trail of unearthly footprints.
The prints continued for about ten feet, leading deeper into the tangled undergrowth. Then, abruptly, they stopped. It was as if the creature that made them had simply vanished into thin air. One moment, the prints were there, clear and unmistakable; the next, they were gone, leaving no further trace. I stared at the space where the trail had disappeared, a cold dread seeping into my bones.
The hours melted into each other, creating a blur of green foliage and tangled undergrowth. We’d strayed so far from the original path that even the familiar scent of pine needles seemed distorted and tainted with a hint of decay. The rising urgency to find our way back only intensified the sense of isolation pressing down on us.
As we walked in an aimless direction in hopes of relocating the footprints, a sound emanated from deep within the woods. It sounded close but far away at the same time, a sound that sent shivers down my spine—a high-pitched screech that echoed through the trees, rising and falling in an erratic rhythm. It wasn’t the cry of any animal I’d ever heard. My grandpa’s face, already etched with worry, was drained of color. His grip tightened on the machete, his knuckles white against the worn wood.
He steered us away from the sound, towards a small clearing—a pitiful excuse for a campsite. We set up the tent with frantic urgency; the silence between the screeching shrieks was thick with dread. Inside the cramped tent, the smell of mildew and fabric was suffocating.
“What in the hell could that be?” My grandpa rasped, his voice barely a whisper. My heart hammered against my ribs, mirroring the echo of the screech that had faded into an unsettling, low growl.
“I... I don’t know,” I said, voicing the unspoken fear that hung heavy in the air. His eyes darted towards the tent flap.
“No campfire tonight,” he said, his voice rough.
I knew it wasn’t just the danger of attracting attention; he was terrified to leave the flimsy shelter of the tent.
The moon cast an eerie glow through the fabric, painting the interior with a ghostly light. I found myself fixated on the shadows dancing across the tent wall, the innocent shapes of trees twisting into forms in my overactive imagination.
Then, a sliver of movement caught my eye. A shadow darted across the illuminated canvas, a fleeting glimpse of something dark and fast. There was no sound, no rustle of leaves, no snap of twigs. Just silence—a horrifying silence that made the movement seem even more unnatural.
“Grandpa,” I whispered, my voice barely above a tremor. “Something’s moving outside the tent.” He whipped his head toward me, his eyes wide with terror.
The shadow moved again, a dark shape flitting behind another tree, a tree closer to us. My grandpa saw it too. His breath hitched, and his eyes bulged. Then, with a swift movement, he reached into his backpack and pulled out his pistol.
I watched the shadow; it was completely still, until it wasn’t. The shadow, the thing, ran so fast, so silently, that I had no time to brace myself. Grandpa’s hand clamped over my mouth, stifling the scream that threatened to escape.
The shadow, a semi-human or something else, slammed against the tent, its weight causing the fabric of the tent to billow inward. A putrid stench, a sickly mix of decay, assaulted my nostrils.
Then it started to sniff our tent; the tent sucked inward with each inhale, the sound of wet, raspy breaths filling the confined space. I looked at Grandpa. His face was etched with terror, but a flicker of something else—defiance, maybe, or a desperate attempt to appear strong for my sake.
Warm tears streamed down my face as his hand remained clamped firmly over my mouth. The sound that pierced the silence next was a sickening rasp—the sound of the tent zipper being unzipped. A surge of adrenaline coursed through me. Somehow, this thing had figured out the purpose of the zipper in a horrifyingly short amount of time.
Grandpa, whose eyes narrowed, raised his pistol, his finger hovering over the trigger. The zipper hissed open, revealing a gaping maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. Grandpa let off round after round, and before I could even think, a skeletal arm, impossibly thin and tipped with a spidery claw, shot out of the darkness and wrapped itself around Grandpa’s leg.
Memories of my mom flooded back, a vivid nightmare replaying in my mind. I wouldn’t let it happen again. Grabbing the machete that lay near the tent flap, I lunged forward, fueled by a primal rage. With a bone-crunching slice, I brought the blade down on the arm, severing it clean from the creature’s body.
There was no scream, no roar of pain. The severed limb twitched for a moment, then snapped back into the darkness. The creature, recoiling as if stung, retreated into the trees with an unnatural silence.
“We have to run now!” Grandpa screamed, his voice rough with urgency. He slung his backpack over his shoulder, and together we scrambled out of the tent.
We sprinted blindly through the woods, the darkness surrounding us in a swirling mass of shadows and unseen dangers. I forced myself to slow down, glancing back to see if Grandpa was keeping pace. He was there, but stumbling.
Then a new wave of terror washed over me. In the distance, perched on a low-hanging branch, was a humanoid silhouette with skin as black as coal, four spindly legs, and a head composed entirely of glowing eyes. It leaped from branch to branch, a silent stalker keeping pace with us.
“It’s following us!” I screamed, pointing towards the creature. Grandpa whipped his head around, his face contorted in a mask of horror.
“Jesus Christ, what is that thing?!” He bellowed, his voice a desperate scream into the uncaring night.
A steep hill came into view, a tangle of loose rocks and undergrowth. With a shared look of desperate hope, we sprinted towards it, the chilling laughter of the creature echoing in our ears. We didn’t slow down, didn’t hesitate—we threw ourselves down the incline, the rocks and sticks tearing at our clothes and skin. I landed with a painful thud at the bottom, the frigid water of a small pond shocking me back to my senses. I lifted my head from the rocks. “Grandpa!” I croaked, the taste of blood metallic in my mouth.A wave of nausea washed over me, and my vision blurred. The last thing I remembered was scrambling to my feet and calling out for Grandpa. Then, darkness.
A gentle hand shook my shoulder, pulling me back from unconsciousness. I snapped awake, blinking against the harsh sunlight that made my eyes sting.
“Relax, it’s me.” Grandpa’s voice was raspy, rough, and strained.
I pushed myself up, wincing at the throbbing pain in my leg. A smear of dried blood stained Grandpa’s forehead.
“What should we do?” I asked, fear and urgency knotting my stomach.
“We have to keep moving,” he croaked back, his voice weak.
Ignoring him, I stood still for a moment, my eyes darting across the darkening landscape. Every rustle and every creak had my full attention. Then, on the opposite end of the pond, I spotted it, a barely noticeable trail, barely visible through the dense thicket.
“Let’s follow that trail,” I said, pointing towards it.
Grandpa flicked his gaze between me and the trail, a storm of emotions brewing in his eyes—fear battling with deep-seated defiance. I knew he wanted to quit. Yet, the man I knew wouldn’t back down from a challenge. With a defeated sigh, his shoulders slumped slightly. He brushed the dirt from his arms in a seemingly mundane gesture, a nervous tick in the tense atmosphere. Finally, he met my gaze.
“Alright,” he said, his voice low but steady. “Let’s go.”
I noticed it immediately as we walked on the trail—the same footprints branded into the ground, sending a fresh wave of terror crashing through me. My heart began racing again as we followed the tracks.
Then, a sound, an unmistakable sound, pierced the tense silence—a sound I knew well, a sound etched into the very fabric of my being. A soft, guttural moan. It was Mom; I knew it was; no one could tell me otherwise. I whipped my head in the direction of the sound, and a primal scream clawed its way up my throat, dying strangled in my parched mouth.
Stretched between two trees, dominating the isolated trail, hung the most monstrous spiderweb I had ever laid my eyes on. It wasn’t a delicate net spun by a garden spider; this was something entirely different, shimmering with an unnatural, mossy white. Trapped in its sticky center, like a fly caught in a death trap, was my mother. Her entire body was cocooned in the sticky strands—a horrifying parody of a spider’s meal.
Except for her head. Her face was drained of color, pale as moonlight, but her eyes—her eyes were wide open, filled with a vacant terror that mirrored my own. The urge to scream her name was a physical ache in my chest. But there, clambering across the sticky strands with unnatural agility, was the creature itself.
It was a grotesque parody of a spider, a blasphemy against nature. It had a humanoid torso and coal-black skin. Its spidery legs contorted at impossible angles, clicking and scraping against the web.
My grandpa grabbed me, pulling me full force down behind a log; somehow it hadn’t seen us. Relief, sharp and unexpected, flooded through me. My heart hammered in my chest as I imagined the creature making its way just above us. For a moment, a tense silence blanketed the woods, broken only by the ragged gasps escaping my lips.
I stole a peek through a knothole in the log, the world tilting on its axis as I took in the horrifying scene. The creature scuttled across its intricate web, its movements deliberate and predatory. Every black leg seemed to tap out a strange sort of rhythm—a rhythm of impending doom.
Beside me, I heard my grandpa inhale a shaky breath. I slowly turned my gaze towards him, bracing myself for the fear that would surely be etched on his face. But what I saw instead was a different kind of emotion entirely. Acceptance. A quiet resolve hardened his features. It was the look of a man who had made a choice in his mind—a choice that gnawed at him, but a choice he knew he had to make.
In a low and shaky whisper, my grandpa said, “I’m going to distract it.”
“What?” I spat back, completely caught off guard.
He squeezed my shoulder, his grip surprisingly strong for a man who looked like a gust of wind could knock him over.
“Listen. I don’t have much fight left in me anymore, but maybe, just maybe, I can be useful one last time. Your mom, my daughter, she needs you. Just promise me you’ll get her to safety. Promise me you'll never come back here looking for me!”
His eyes, once filled with determination, were now clouded with a deep sadness that seemed to suck the light out of him. Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill. I swallowed the lump in my throat; the air was thick enough to chew on.
“I promise,” I choked out, a single tear tracing a path down my cheek.
He brushed it away with a rough thumb, his touch surprisingly gentle.
“There is no time for tears. Be strong. Take care of your mother and yourself. I love you; tell your mom I love her too, but don’t tell her what happened.”
Then, in a move that defied his age and condition, he leaped to his feet, ran out from behind the log, and roared, “COME AND GET ME, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!”
The creature on the web snapped its head around, its multiple eyes locking onto my grandpa. With a screech that sent shivers down my spine, it launched itself off the web and hurled towards him, though my grandpa already had a head start because the second he screamed, he was already running, tempting the thing to chase him, and it did; his plan worked.
This was my chance.
I scrambled out from behind the log, my heart hammering. She hung suspended in the web. Ignoring the throbbing pain that had taken root in my arms, I reached out and tore at the sticky strands, fueled by a frantic desperation that coursed through me like a shot of adrenaline. They clung stubbornly, but I wouldn’t give up.
Finally, with a satisfying rip, she tumbled free, landing at my feet. Disoriented and mumbling a name that wasn’t mine, she looked at me with vacant eyes—eyes that I couldn’t tell were of recognition or something else.
I hoisted her over my shoulder, surprising myself with the surge of strength that seemed to come from nowhere. Ignoring the exhaustion gnawing at my bones, I picked a direction and ran, plunging deeper into the woods. Every rustle of leaves and every snap of a twig sent fresh jolts of fear through me.
The forest floor blurred beneath my feet as I ran, my lungs burning and my legs screaming in protest. But the urge to survive propelled me forward. Then it ripped through the air—a sound that sent shivers down my spine and turned my blood to ice. A bloodcurdling scream, raw and filled with unimaginable pain. It echoed from somewhere deep within the woods behind me, a horrifying confirmation of my worst fears.
My grandpa’s scream.
The image of the creature, its monstrous form enveloping him, flashed in my mind like a horrific nightmare. I didn’t need to see it to know his fate. The scream spoke volumes, a testament to the sacrifice he made to buy me time. A wave of nausea crashed over me, the taste of bile rising in my throat. But I forced it down, clinging to the one sliver of hope—Mom.
Desperation fueled my flight. The forest floor blurred beneath my burning feet, my vision swimming with tears I couldn’t afford to shed. Just as despair threatened to engulf me, a sliver of hope pierced through the dense foliage. A clearing, and within it, a sight that sent a jolt through my entire being—a river.
A memory flickered to life, a precious memory from a happier time. My grandpa, his voice tinged with the wisdom of countless adventures, taught me a crucial survival rule: “Follow the river downstream, kiddo. Sooner or later, it’ll lead you to civilization, or at least the ocean.”
Hours bled into one another as I followed the river’s flow. The relentless sun began its descent, painting the sky in fiery hues of orange and red. The weight of Mom on my back was a constant ache, a stark reminder of the burden I carried. She remained silent, the only sign of life the shallow rise and fall of her chest with each labored breath she took.
My legs had become numb. I moved in a daze, a sleepwalker propelled by sheer will. Hours bled into one another, measured by the monotonous gurgle of the river and the rhythmic rise and fall of Mom’s chest against my back.
Then, a flicker of sensation returned to my legs—a prickling numbness that chased away the dull ache. Hope, flickering like a dying ember, flared back to life. As I crested a small rise, the world seemed to stop spinning entirely. There, slicing through the dense trees, was a sight that brought tears to my stinging eyes—a road. A strangled laugh, a sound raw with emotion, escaped my lips. With a burst of adrenaline that defied my exhaustion, I lurched forward, a desperate parody of a run. My legs, regaining some semblance of life, propelled me towards the asphalt ribbon. Cars whizzed by in a blur, the sound a symphony of hope.
I stumbled onto the road, heedless of the danger, my voice hoarse from exhaustion. “Help us!” Two words, desperate and raw, ripped from my throat. Just as a speeding truck loomed into view, its horn blaring, it screeched to a halt mere inches from my outstretched hand. The driver, a grizzled man with a face etched with the lines of a life well lived, peered down at me, his eyes widening in surprise. He didn’t waste time with questions. “Get in,” he barked, his voice gruff but kind. I settled Mom gently into the passenger seat, her body a fragile weight against mine. The driver grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze flickering to her pale face for a fleeting moment.
“Hospital?” He rumbled, his voice gruff but not unkind.
I managed a weak nod, my throat tight with unshed tears.
“Lucky you,” he muttered, his weathered face creased in a hint of a smile. “There’s one just up ahead.”
The engine roared to life, the comforting rumble pulling me from the edge of sleep. As the familiar scenery of trees blurred past the window, they morphed into a terrifying tapestry of memories. Every rustle of leaves and every snap of a twig echoed with the memory of the creature and the desperate struggle for survival. Finally, the frantic pace of the car slowed as we pulled into a brightly lit hospital entrance. Relief washed over me, a tidal wave threatening to drown me in its intensity. With trembling hands, I helped the driver get Mom out of the truck and into a waiting wheelchair. Now, as I sit beside her in a sterile hospital room, the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor fills the room. The doctor’s words echo in my ears: “She’ll be alright.” Those words are a lifeline, a fragile hope that I cling to with all my might. My gaze rests on Mom’s peaceful face, and the memory of her soft, comforting hand is a beacon in the darkness. Getting her back was all that mattered. But at what cost? The answer hangs heavy in the air, a silent tribute to the man who taught me strength in the face of despair, my grandpa.

Hi folks,
I found this channel immensely helpful while planning our trip to Japan so paying it forward with a trip report. We visited Tokyo, Osaka, Naoshima Island, Kurashiki (Okayama), Himeji Castle & Kyoto at the end of March / beginning of April).
TLDR: Trip report on areas we stayed/visited, things we did & how we got to/from them. No specific hotel or restaurant mentions. Notes at the end about what we booked in advance.
Tokyo
Landed at Haneda & used QR codes (from Visit Japan Web) - this did not speed things up through immigration but it did allow us to use the electronic gates at customs. We had eSIMs and Suica cards loaded on our iPhones before we left so tapped through the metro station gates and off we went. To load the Suica, tap the + icon at the top right of the wallet app on your iPhone, select travel card and then you can pick Suica, Pasmo or ICOCA. You can add money via Apple Pay.
Stayed in Asakusa in a hotel 5 mins walk from the station. Picked the location because: it has great transportation links (there’s also a direct train from the airport that made it easier for our tired jet lagged brains to deal with); it has lots of restaurants & neighbourhood coffee shops; you can visit the temple when it’s not busy; & it’s a bit more relaxed than Shibuya / Shinjuku.
Things we did in Tokyo in no particular order (we visited things that were in the same location / on the same route as Tokyo is ginormous):
Temples & shrines (see Japan Travel Reddit: General Japan Travel Advice for temple etiquette guidance if you are interested): - Sensō-ji temple - at night is particularly peaceful. - Suitengu Shrine with its mama dog and pup statue. Lovely temple and had personal significance for us.
Tall buildings (love going up tall buildings): - Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in the day time, can see Fuji on a clear day - they had a piano up there that people queue up to play for 5 mins (with a guard who’s job is to time keep) - SkyTree at night. You don’t need to do both. SkyTree has the better views in my opinion (it’s taller and you can see Tokyo Tower) but the Government building is free.
Parks: - Walked to Ueno park & glimpsed the one cherry blossom that had arrived early. There was a great atmosphere and lots of food stalls for Hanami (cherry blossom viewing parties). We tried dango which are sweet sticky rice balls on a stick.
Novelty & shopping: - Hat coffee, for their 3D and 2D latte art, worth the trip, was so good! - teamlabs planets, ok for a rainy evening, but not the wow factor a lot of people talk about (& smells a bit of feet given everyone is bare foot). Wear appropriate clothes for mirrored floors and walking through water. It was still very busy when we went at 8pm. - Explored Akihabara at night to see the neon lights & got lost in the Yodobashi Akiba store. - Shibuya scramble crossing (as a fan of Alice in Borderland manga & Netflix, this was awesome!). Viewed the crossing from Magnet shopping centre (it’s paid entry that includes a free drink to go to the viewing area). - Kirby cafe which was great, definitely put a smile on our faces! - Kappabashi street to browse the homeware & Japanese knife shops.
Osaka
Bought Shinsanken tickets via smart-ex website as the app isn’t available in my country (were able to use with an AMEX card). We picked the two seats on the right at the back of the carriage for Mount Fuji views & oversized baggage space (didn’t really need it as our bag fitted in the overhead space). Pretty straightforward to use, to note the credit card transaction did not show up straight away.
Linked the tickets to our Suica (you need to download the Suica app to find your Suica card number in order to designate the tickets). Tapped our iPhones at the Shinsanken gate and the paper seat reservation popped out the other side to pick up. Use your Suica/iPhone to tap out at the destination as the seat reservation isn’t a ticket.
You can use your Suica in Osaka (& all other places we went in Japan) so you don’t need to get an ICOCA card as well.
Stayed just north of Dotonburi, 10mins walk away. Chose to stay close to Shinsaibashi station as it had the two metro lines that took us to the places we wanted to visit.
Osaka is dubbed the kitchen of Japan so we tried a lot of food here: - Taiyaki - Okonomiyaki - Takoyaki - 551 Horai Butaman pork buns - Kushikatsu & Udon - Ichigo Daifuku - strawberry mochi, so delicious!
We did an AirBnB food tour with Chie that was fantastic, highly recommend!
We also went to: - Sakuya Konohana botanical garden (another Alice in Borderland location - very cool to see this if you like the show); - Namba Yasaka Shrine with its giant lion head; and - Osaka Castle park (another one full of Hanami parties).
Naoshima Island
Recommended by a lot of friends and as a fan of art, especially modern art, were keen to visit. We didn’t pre-book Shinsanken tickets this time and were fine getting two seats together in one of the non-reserved carriages. The transfers and local trains to Uno port were pretty straight forward to get the ferry to the island.
Wanted to stay in Benessee House but it was fully booked so one to book early if you want to stay here. On Mondays most museums are shut, but also the restaurants…(!) There is a 711 in the port area where we got dinner from after seeing a lot of lost tourists wandering around looking a bit lost. I think everyone needs to try 711 food at least once on a trip to Japan (it’s so good!).
We had pre-booked tickets to the Chichu museum which is small but worth it - some nice experiential pieces in there among striking architecture. Benessee House museum was excellent (you don’t need to pre-book) and included tickets for Valley Gallery with a nice piece from Yayoi Kusama. We also made it round to see both of her pumpkins on the island.
Food options were limited so may be worth packing 711 lunch or thinking about where to eat lunch early if there’s a lot of tourists around.
We didn’t make it but did hear very good things about the I Love Yu art deco onsen (public baths) to sink into after a day exploring the island.
Kurashiki (Okayama)
To get there included taking our first bus in Japan. You enter at the back and tap your Suica/IC card or pick up a paper ticket where relevant (some buses had this, some didn’t). You then leave the bus via the front & tap out or pay cash to the driver if not using a card. You need exact change for the bus fare, there is a money changer by the driver which you can use when the bus is stationary.
We stayed right in the Bikan Historical Quarter which was a great choice. Our hotel had an onsen in it which was a nice extra to have (please follow the rules around onsen etiquette if you plan on going). We spent a lot of time wandering around, browsing the shops, and visiting the museums/Achi shrine. We also took the train to Okayama city to go see the Kōrakuen garden and Okayama castle - both beautiful spots with cherry blossoms in bloom. Also loved spotting the colourful manhole covers across the cities.
Himeji Castle
On the way to Kyoto we stopped to visit Himeji castle which was busy but worth it, especially with the cherry blossoms out in full bloom. If coin lockers are full at the station, try the Grand Festa mall outside the station - there were lots of lockers available (near the bathrooms) to store luggage.
Kyoto
Probably the hardest to choose a hotel as there are so many. Opted for one near Sanjo station so we could get metro/train connections to Nara and Arashiyama.
We were in Kyoto during peak cherry blossom blooms and at a weekend so it was packed. If you can’t deal with people, then don’t go to Kyoto during Sakura season. That said, you can plan around the crowds / it’s not that bad if you are used to busy cities.
Note many restaurants in touristy areas (like Gion) were full, were reservation only or had long queues due to it being a weekend during peak season. We had a couple of bookings made the week before (via TableCheck), our hotel helped us find places away from the tourist areas & there are also decent options in the food court restaurants at the top of big stores. You will find food but don’t expect to stumble casually into a 12 seater restaurant, in a touristy place, during peak season, at the weekend.
Things we did: - Arashiyama -> we took the Randen train to Arashiyama station which was a lovely little train. Once we got to the station it was, as expected, very busy (especially the path leading to the main bamboo grove). We jumped in a taxi and headed up to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple which was beautiful & peaceful. We then walked back down the hill back and stopped at Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple & its bamboo grove. I would highly recommend this one if you don’t like crowds, we were there early afternoon and it wasn’t busy at all. We continued on & stopped at various temples en route to Saga-Arashiyama (the JR station), this was much less busy with no queues for the train to get back. - Fushimi Inari Taisha - got up early and arrived here around 7.15am. It’s worth a visit, the gated path leads you up the mountain with some nice views on the way and of course all the red gates are striking. Did have to navigate a lot of people trying to get ‘the photo’ without people in the background. It’s open 24h so have heard going at night is a good option if you want to have the place to yourself. - Nara - we headed to Nara for the day which was wonderful, spent the day wandering aimlessly around the park, chilling out & meeting the bowing little deer. - Walked around by our hotel and found the Chion-in Temple, Maruyama Park and the Yasaka Shrine. - We did the Samurai experience which was fantastic - learnt about the history, how to use a katana and did some zen meditation at the end. On the way back we walked through Nishiki Market & bought some more Ichigo Daifuku.
We then headed back to Tokyo Haneda for our flight and were lucky enough to get Mount Fuji views from the plane to top off an incredible trip.
I hope you have a fantastic time in this beautiful and magical place!
Few notes below on what we booked/ tried to book/ didn’t book in advance as this often gets asked:

• Flights & accommodation: prices of course go up and choice goes down the later you leave it. We booked in January for March/April.
  
• Kirby Cafe: slots book up at lightning speed (slots open 10th of the prior month at 6pm Japan time), so if you are desperate to go then practice booking beforehand to get your details 100% correct (I struggled with getting the phone number in the correct format) or I hate to say it but if you can’t beat the bots then use one.
  
• Ghibli Museum: March tickets were harder to get than Beyoncé or Glastonbury tickets (tickets go on sale 10th of the prior month at 10am Japan time). Apparently over 20,000 tried alongside us. I’ve read it can be easier to get tickets if you live in Japan via the Japanese site, as opposed to the one for foreigners. Again, practise / have a strategy if you’re desperate to go or Fiver has people offering services to help purchase tickets.
  
• Experiences: Osaka food tour with Chie and the Kyoto Samurai experience via AirBnB. We booked these in Feb.
  
• SkyTree - booked the week before, lots of availability for the main deck, all sold out for the upper deck.
  
• teamLabs Planets - booked two weeks before, it was school holidays in Japan so day slots were fully booked but evening slots were free. It was still very busy (maybe as it was raining that day).
  
• Chichu gallery tickets on Naoshima island - booked two weeks before, had a lot of availability then but tried to book another gallery the day before and it was sold out.
  
• We did not book any restaurants before our trip. The only time we struggled & needed help was Friday/Saturday night in Kyoto during peak cherry blossom blooms. Otherwise we were spontaneous / got recommendations from locals and managed to book them whilst we were there (either using TableCheck or asking our hotel to help). Try everything, the food is so good - from 711 all the way to fancy omakase & Kyoto Kaiseki!
  
• We did not plan something to do every morning and every evening, we blocked a good amount of our trip for exploring, getting lost and having a nap/resting our tired feet (Lion foot resting sheets from the Konbini are amazing for tired sore feet).
  

3wpo, with removal of remaining ovary and tube, uterus, and cervix. Laparoscopy with vaginal assist. Just three small incisions. Some adhesions were removed from my colon. I had adenomyosis in the uterus and a very large cyst on the remaining ovary that was causing a bit of ovarian torsion. So I was in a good deal of pain pre-op. I had been in a 16 month diagnostic limboland until they finally found the issues.
Have mostly felt pretty good post-op, considering everything. Healing up nicely. Have been fairly mobile, not too much pain. But also not overdoing it. No longer on any pain meds of any kind.
Then I decided to have a few alcoholic beverages yesterday for the eclipse viewing. Nothing crazy, but I was quite buzzed and chilling on my back deck and listening to music.
BAD IDEA!
I have felt like complete shit all day, and I’m worried I have somehow permanently hindered my progress. No nausea or vomiting. Just achy and sore and in a general malaise. Feels like I did just one week out from surgery. Kind of like I have the flu.
And it makes sense, since alcohol is basically poison, and it also interferes with the immune system, digestive system, and disrupts sleep, which is the ultimate healing time.
I’m trying to remind myself that healing isn’t linear, even in the best of situations, and that this one incident can be made up for with some rest. Still, I’m kicking myself for having anything to drink. It had just been so long since I had felt that healthy.
Obviously no more alcohol for me for many many months! But does anyone have any words of comfort or reassurance on this?

Our two weeks in Japan!
We just got home and I want to do this while it's all fresh in my mind. So here goes!
Tokyo > Kyoto > Kinosaki > Osaka > Tokyo
We flew Zipair from San Jose to Narita. The flight was fine, nothing outstanding to note, but that's what you expect from a budget airline. There are lie down seats we'll spring for next time tho! There is no entertainment screen and their free Wi-Fi is absolutely laughable so bring your own entertainment. We didn't have their meals that you can prepurchase but the folks behind us said they were alright. We did order some sparkling plum wine and it wasn't overpriced at all for being booze on a plane. Very good. Definitely recommend. My only gripes with this airline is how fucking strict they are with luggage weight and staying in your specific seat. We opted to purchase extra carry on weight for one of us on the way there and checked baggage for one of us on the way back and it worked out well. They will absolutely weigh your all of your luggage so be prepared for that. We'll still fly with them next time though because for two people, we paid $1700 roundtrip.
We have T-Mobile so we opted NOT to do a pocket wifi and unfortunately our phones are still locked thanks to paying on them monthly so no esim, so we just used the international thingy they have and it worked great like, 95% of the time. Maps and Google translate were the bulk of what we used and we kept our social media browsing limited to wifi, which was available a lot of places. We didn't end up having to purchase the extra pass they offered either. So if you've got T-Mobile, use it.
Now onto our fantastic two weeks. My husband and I opted for a more chill itinerary as being rushed is incredibly stressful and we really wanted to take our time and enjoy Japan. We also had a very sick dog who we ended up losing 3 weeks before we left so our brains were mush. All last minute planning went out the window in our grief. We had full days where we had absolutely nothing planned. But it ended up working out well, as you'll see below.
Tokyo Day 1- arrived at 2pm, whipped through customs, purchased Narita Express tickets and got the hell out of there. We made it all the way to Shinjuku, which is close to our friends place. She had the stomach flu so our first night was in a little hotel about a 12 minute walk from Shinjuku station. Of course we went to go see things but it was mostly just overwhelming and overstimulating what with jet lag, the sheer amount of people, noise, lights and no familiar language anywhere. Went back to our room after hitting up the 711 for fun food, ate, then slept.
Day 2- up early, as expected thanks to jet lag. Went to the Studio Ghibli museum for the first entry at 10am. Was absolute magic! So glad we got to go. Then we meandered around Inokashira Park for a while. Found some early blooming sakura and our first temple. Had some conveyor belt sushi for lunch. Headed back towards Shinjuku to meet up with our friend and get settled in her place, then bounced over to Harajuku. Fun, loud, touristy. Found a ramen shop with the ticket machine out front and was able to order ramen with minimal stress. Had yuzu ramen! Highly recommend. Back to our friends house and to bed.
Day 3- jet lag is easing! Meandered to downtown Tokyo for a kaiseki lunch with our friend. We ate a lot of new things (like horse meat) and drank a lot of sake. Then we headed down under Tokyo Station to Character Street and ended up getting lost in the massive sprawling shopping area. It's like a whole little town down there. Very cool. Back to friends house for dinner and sleep.
Day 4 OFF TO KYOTO
We purchased our shinkansen tickets the day before and almost missed the opportunity to sit on the right side of the train to see Mt. Fuji, but we lucked out and found two seats. Absolutely worth it as Mt Fuji was out in her full spectacular glory! So cool. Definitely grab a bento box and a fun beverage for your ride. There is WiFi on the shinkansens as well, but no beverage/snack cart that I saw so make sure to load up on fun treats. Got to Kyoto and stayed at Sotetsu Fresa Inn. Enjoyed our stay there. Did a food tour that evening and can definitely recommend doing one of those. We were taken to places we never would've found otherwise.
Day 5- Kyoto
We braved Nishiki Market. I recognize it's pretty touristy but in the middle of a weekday it wasn't bad. Ate a bunch of fun stuff, including some of the best sashimi I've ever had in my life. Then went to the Kyoto City Museum of Art for the Takashi Murakami exhibit. If you're around before September 1st, you should definitely check it out. After the museum we walked over to the Heian-jingū Shrine then over to the Kyoto Imperial Palace gardens. Grabbed some onigiri and fun shochu drinks for the walk. Gardens were cool, but nothing was exceptionally note worthy except for the plum tree we found in bloom. Very beautiful. Walked alllll the way back down to our hotel, soaking in the sights, and stopping at Ichiran for some ramen. Not the best, not the worst, but having your own private ramen window where no one speaks to you except to give you your food was nice. They also do the ticket machine ordering.
Day 6- Kyoto
Leisurely morning then off to Minamiza Theater to catch some Kabuki. We stayed the whole show plus the dance act afterwards and it was quite the experience. Get the English audio guide! Well worth it. Minamiza is a historic theater too so it was all around awesome. Wandered down the main road in Gion to find ourselves at Yasaka Shrine. Hung there for a bit and then wandered back down to our hotel to refresh for the evenings activities. Grabbed more onigiri and shochu drinks for the walk. 🙈 Once 6pm rolled around, we went to Fushimi Inari. It was still very people-y but they were trickling out and by the time the sun went down, we found ourselves alone a few times while making our way through the gates. It was eerie and beautiful. We would've gone to the top but there were no bathrooms and I have a tiny bladder so hopefully next time we'll make it. Went and found a tan tan ramen spot for a late dinner and then a tiny tiny little sake bar where we drank ourselves silly with the owner, who was a little old Japanese woman who spoke very little English.
Day 7- Kyoto
Back to Nishiki Market to get more sashimi and oysters from that little fish stall we loved so much. If you go, you'll recognize it. They have a dingy little seating area in the back of it. It was so good and they were really nice! Afterwards, I let my husband talk me into the most corny thing ever : the samurai and ninja museum and experience. Y'all, I love this man, but oh my god. Unless you've got kids super into ninjas and samurai, skip it. It was super cheesy and expensive for what it was. Wandered around a bit, ate some more street food, then headed back for a rest and a bath, as my lower back was killing me. Stopped at a curry place for dinner (coco house is pretty solid) Then we did a free walking tour of Gion at night. Omg this was fantastic. We immediately saw a geiko right next to us as we walked into the side streets of Gion. She was so beautiful! Our guide was incredibly respectful and told us outright from the get go how to behave and about the tensions in Gion with tourists. He taught us all about the history of geiko and maiko and showed us some historical spots that we wouldn't have seen otherwise. Then we headed off to see some shrines and discuss the religious history of Japan. It was a 3 1/2 hour long tour and we saw SO MUCH I can't even write it all down. I highly recommend you do this tour. My husband and I went backwards basically after it was all done so we could see the sights with no people and it was incredible. We found another sake bar and had another wonderful time there and then decided to do one more walk through the side streets of Gion, just to see if we could spot another geiko. We were rewarded with a maiko! All alone, no one else, just us and her, and it took my breath away how beautiful and poised she was. Of course we didn't say one word to her, just let her be on her way. I love the geiko and maiko culture so this was very special for me, especially since after next month those side streets will be closed to tourists. Apparently, people can't act right. 🙃
Day 8 KINOSAKI ONSEN
Train ride up was lovely. Stayed at Sennen no yu Gonzaemon. The rooms were really cool as they were authentic ryokan style, complete with tatami mats and futon style beds. Only had an ensuite toilet but that was fine as all the onsen had showers and products to use. We got our onsen passes, jumped into our yukata and geta, and got to it. What bliss. It's awkward being on full display but you get used to it quickly. Bathe before going in, put your little white towel on your head and keep your hair out of the water. Dry off a bit with the little towel before heading back into the changing room. Onsen etiquette is simple. Don't forget to bring money with you so you can grab some milk afterwards (trust me on this) or pop into one of the little stores in-between onsens. We got the set breakfasts and dinners with our stay, and its crab season so dinner was fantastic. After dinner, we went back out to soak some more, then off to bedm
Day 9 kinosaki
Breakfast was very traditional and fun. Then we rented bikes to ride up to the beach. I have this thing where I have to touch the water near where I'm staying. We were a 20 minute ride away from the Sea of Japan so I had to go. I can safely say we should've gotten the ebike rentals instead of standard bikes. 😅 Got back, wandered kinosaki a bit to see things and eat stuff, checked out the local cemetery (oh my god it was beautiful) then back into the onsen circuit. Broke for dinner, then back to the onsens again. We truly stewed ourselves. It was great. Things to note: I am heavily tattooed and my husband has a few himself. The Kinosaki onsens are all tattoo friendly, but expect some stares. A LOT of locals frequent Kinosaki! I can definitely recommend where we stayed, but be advised the futons were thin and people are loud so if those things bother you, find another spot. This place was centrally located and made up for it with all the other amenities. Plus the staff was super nice.
Day 10 OSAKA
Ok by now I am tired and I didn't really find anything about Osaka that got me excited so the only reason we came here was for food and to get tattooed. We stayed at Aloft Osaka Dojima and it was absolutely wonderful. Loved it. Big fluffy bed, big fluffy pillows, excellent amenities, all around lovely. We were set to get tattooed the next day at 6pm but he messaged and asked if we could come at Noon instead. This took away the one full day we had (we were gonna checkout the aquarium) but it sounded better to me to be done at 5pm instead of 11pm so we took it. So upon arrival, we headed over to Osaka Castle. Holy crowds. Did not go inside. Just checked out the grounds. It was pretty. The plum grove had some blooms. Then off to Dotonburi. I can safely say this was my least favorite place. It was so expensive, the food was mediocre, and I genuinely didn't enjoy much of the experience. Candied fruit on a stick was good tho. Definitely try that.
Day 11 Osaka
Leisurely morning then off to Three Tides Tattoo to get tattooed by Mutsuo. He's incredibly talented and considered a master at what he does. My husband and I are stoked we were able to get in with him. Afterwards we wanted to be gluttonous so we hit up Kura sushi and went ham. 25 plates for 27.99 usd. Wild. We even tried fugu and lived. Lol. At this point I'm starting to not feel very good. Chalked it up to tattoo fatigue and went back to our room to rest.
Day 12- back to Tokyo
Guess who's sick? Meeeee. Not happy. Definitely should've been masked during our trip but I got comfortable and paid the price. Put on the mask I should've been wearing, navigated the cold medicine game of Japan, hoped on our train and made our way back to Tokyo for our last two days. We stayed near Asakusa at Andon Ryokan. I have mixed feelings about our stay, not because the place wasn't nice, it was, but because people are rude and inconsiderate as fuck. Y'all, in any hotel situation, shut up. Seriously. You do not need to yell down the hallways, you do not need to yell at your companions while in your room, and you can close doors quietly instead of slamming them. Andon Ryokan is like a pocket hotel with a ryokan vibe, so it was all close quarters and very little sound insulation and by the end of our stay, I was at my wits end with people. Seriously. Be considerate! Anyway, the place itself was super sweet. Good breakfast, an actual comfortable futon, and nice showers. They even had a private hot tub for reserve, which I took advantage of. I made sure to open all the windows after my time slot to air out the room and I wiped down anything I touched with some antibacterial wipes I found. I wasn't like, omg I'm gonna die sick, but I definitely didn't want to pass it on to anyone. (Took a test, not covid! Woo!)
Day 13 last day
Japanese cold meds are no joke. I didn't get any tired achy vibes, just a little sniffle and cough, so I loaded up and we did our souvenir shopping. We lived in Honolulu for a time and we had a Don Quijote there. It was an absolute treasure trove for souvenir shopping. Huge huge huge selection of really great priced items. So we figured knowing that plus what I've read in here, that's where we should go. We needed a big suitcase too and everyone said "get one from there. They're cheap". I'm not sure what Donki some folks went to but we went to the Asakusa location and was sorely disappointed. The luggage was outrageous, with the cheapest piece a carry on size for 8900 yen or basically $60. The souvenir section itself was small, with mostly incredibly cheap and cheesy looking stuff that felt overpriced to me. Not having the luxury of time and assuming the airport was gonna be more expensive, we got what we could get, and left. We did manage to find a huge full size hard shell suitcase down one of the little shopping alleys for 6000 yen, which was a much better victory. So I let it go. We got souvenirs. All was well. We had the best udon of my life for dinner and then off to bed where we had a terrible night sleep thanks to a jet lagged family that arrived late and stayed up all night, slamming doors and being loud AF. We're ready to go home!
Day 14 bye bye Japan.
Made our way to Narita with our huge suitcase with no problems. Checked in, stayed under luggage limits. My cold meds are keeping me upright and all is well. Until we hit the stores in the airport and I realize they literally had just about everything Donkis had but for less AND more fun and wonderful souvenirs to boot. I was so sad. I wandered around seeing all the shit we bought, but cheaper, and then even cooler options for gifts too. The kit Kats were even cheaper at the airport! And they had different flavors I couldn't find in any of the stores. So my advice with souvenirs is take Donkis with a grain of salt and give the airport a good try. The never ending shopping alleys are good too! There's stuff to buy EVERYWHERE that is less expensive and more fun that the souvenirs at Donkis. We made it on the plane with little incident and now we're home, feeling like it was all a dream.
This turned out WAY longer than I expected but I had so much fun writing it because I relived the entire trip. I have some tips and advice I'll include below (making it even longer! Lol) but I hope you enjoyed my recap of what was a lifelong dream of a trip. Also, I'm down to answer any questions y'all have to the best of my ability, so ask away!
Tips and advice:
Editing to add that apparently suica is available at the airports, which naturally makes sense, but I did not look while I was in Narita because I was jet lagged and exhausted and really ready to be out of the airport. 😅
Suica is NOT AVAILABLE (apparently it's available at the airports!) but we did see Icoca is available in Osaka and the Pasmo Passport card we snagged in Tokyo at Harajuku station. We went to the information counter where they asked for our passports and issued the Pasmos. There are no refunds when you leave but we managed the funds well and left with about 200 yen left on them. Definitely get any kind of transportation card you can because it made train and bus travel so much easier. You can use these cards for vending machines and at Konbinis too! Editing to add: yes, there is an app for iPhone users, but unfortunately I have android. They did have QR codes for an android suica app but unfortunately, if you've got a US phone, it's not available for you. Lol.
Give yourself TIME if traveling within Japan. Train stations can get confusing and overwhelming and if you're rushed then it's a nightmare. Plus you need time to browse for all the good train snacks and drinks! Get there early!
Google maps did a pretty good job. It only got us lost a few times. It didn't do great with train switch times tho. We had an instance where the train we needed to switch to was literally on the other side of the platform and we had two minutes to get onto it and Google maps wanted us to leave the station, walk around the block and then go back in? Pay attention to your times if switching trains and if you see something that looks impossible, ask one of the station employees or the information counter if your Maps is being stupid.
Toilet paper is like less than 1 ply, so be prepared for that. Also, paper towels in public bathrooms are not common. Bring a little washcloth to dry your hands with.
Trash cans truly are a rarity. I have a picture of ONE we found in Kyoto. Lol. Dog poop bags are excellent little trash bags to carry around.
The three main konbinis are amazing. If in doubt or if you need food now or whatever, Lawsons, 711, and FamilyMart has got you! Salted plum onigiri and the pancakes with maple syrup and margarine were my crack. Oh and the lemon sour shochu drink in a dark blue and yellow can. Omg so good. So cheap!
If you have questions about cold medicine, hit me up. I don't know much but it's a jungle in Japan when it comes to meds.
Be quiet on trains and buses. Don't be that asshole.
Google translate is not fool proof, but it is so helpful, especially Google lens.
"Arigato gozaimasu" goes a long way.
Vending machines are EVERYWHERE and they're BRILLIANT. They serve cold and hot drinks and sometimes even soup! We never went thirsty, that's for sure.
We avoided using social media as a resource for finding food and ate some of the best meals of our lives. Hyped up stuff is not always the best stuff. (Especially in the case of Ichiran. Didn't know it was famous, and now having eaten there don't really understand why. Lol)
Japan truly is an incredible country. We can't wait to go back and we're gonna try for one of the Yokai Festivals this fall. 🙈

am almost 46 years old and for the last few months I have started noticing that during my periods I feel absolutely AWFUL!! Really bad fatigue, fuzzy head, not able to concentrate, nausea, no appetite, upset stomach, and I just generally feel like total crap. I almost feel like I have the flu. I get achy, and have chills, and feel very run down. I have noticed that my periods have been much shorter in length for the last few months but they are much more difficult to get thru in terms of the way that I feel.
Could this be a sign of perimenopause or even menopause? My periods are still regular and I have one every month but some months they only last for like a day or so. Other months they last for 3 or 4 days. There has been twice in the last 6 months that I have had 2 periods in one month. They were two weeks apart but they only lasted like a day and a half each time
I have seen my gynocologist and she did run some bloodwork and said that everything looked fine, but I just feel absolutely awful when I am on my period for the last few months and just wondering if any one else my age has experienced the same things

I am almost 46 years old and for the last few months I have started noticing that during my periods I feel absolutely AWFUL!! Really bad fatigue, fuzzy head, not able to concentrate, nausea, no appetite, upset stomach, and I just generally feel like total crap. I almost feel like I have the flu. I get achy, and have chills, and feel very run down. I have noticed that my periods have been much shorter in length for the last few months but they are much more difficult to get thru in terms of the way that I feel.
Could this be a sign of perimenopause or even menopause? My periods are still regular and I have one every month but some months they only last for like a day or so. Other months they last for 3 or 4 days. There has been twice in the last 6 months that I have had 2 periods in one month. They were two weeks apart but they only lasted like a day and a half each time
I have seen my gynocologist and she did run some bloodwork and said that everything looked fine, but I just feel absolutely awful when I am on my period for the last few months and just wondering if any one else my age has experienced the same things

Just a little vent guys... ontop of my upcoming 2/2 major eye surgery this week, I now have weird sparkles in my vision, only visible in sunlight (i.e. not in the house.) (called the hospital yesterday, and they didn't want to know - told me to come in tomorrow if it's still happening.)
Aaaand today, a deep filling just straight up crumbled out of my mouth, leaving a gaping hole. On a VERY soft candy of all things...almost marshmallowy-soft- literally, didn't even chew... just bit down and the filling came back up with the candy. It was probably on borrowed time, granted, but I've been saying for AGES to my dentist that there's a problem with that tooth, and he insisted there wasn't.
I also feel really off... I'd say sick, but no temp and no cold symptoms or anything. Just... off. Bit achy, bit chills, bit run down and listless.
Why all happening THIS week? Why?! Fucks sake....

UPDATE my 4th gen HIV test was negative
I am going to get tested ASAP but my anxiety is through the roof
I am female and he is male.
I really think I am overreacting but I need reassurance. I dated a guy that was a pathological liar and cheater. I know he was at least still having sex with his ex and me, who knows who else. Last time I had a flu like illness, it ended up being herpes from him which is why I am now overreacting.
Anyway, he gave me herpes knowing he had it and I stayed like an idiot because I felt that no one else would want me. I was horrified. Tested positive for herpes in September (we started having sex in late July including anal), all other STD results were clean including HIV.
We stopped having sex in December and started again in early February—only 1 of those occasions were anal (mind you him and I did anal frequently in the past, even before I got my first STD panel). Well 8 days after we did anal this time, we used lube but I know afterward there was a tiny spot of blood that I’m honestly not sure came from my vagina or my butt.
Anyway about 8 days after anal, I started having a tickle in my throat and slight cough (no soreness) an itchy nose and then very MILD aches and slight chills that only lasted a few moments—like 1 hour is how long it lasted. It felt like nothing in comparison to my first herpes outbreak and flu like symptoms. It came back the next day (the aches and chills) and again only lasted a short while. The third day was “the worst” where it was still mild but it kind of happened throughout the day.
I also had sinus pressure, my ears felt clogged and like they needed to pop, and my face just felt full and filled with pressure, but I didn’t have any drainage or allergy symptoms, so that’s what made me feel like it wasn’t a cold and that’s when I got scared. I believe on day 1 I had multiple bowel movements but it wasn’t diarrhea. It was like frequency and urgency, but solid stool. It almost felt like a stomach bug or like I ate something bad (which I don’t think I did).
In total, this weird “flu like” sinus pressure illness lasted 2-3 days and was very mild. I don’t actually know if I had a fever but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were very low grade (again can’t confirm). What scares me is that fact that I didn’t have any real “cold” symptoms because I didn’t have drainage, so what else could it be?
He doesn’t have sex with men and I don’t (think?) he has hiv, but of course Google is a scary thing. I also have two random canker sores in my mouth soon after getting the “flu like” symptoms, which happen occasionally anyway and they always happen by my wisdom teeth. It was only 2 and it was in the same spot they’re always in. They went away after 5 days or so.
Someone please tell me if you think this sounds like HIV. Btw not sure if it matters but I’ve been having sex with him since late July and got a full panel std test including hiv in late September which was negative.
All of these symptoms were about a 10 days ago and have subsided. Now it’s been about 24 days since we had anal and I have now convinced myself that my armpits and under jaw feel achy (lymph nodes) but they aren’t swollen and aren’t tender to the touch. I don’t even see anything nor do they hurt. But I always feel like I feel something? One bout of stomach cramping and diarrhea today. All my other stools have been normal. Some of my joints feel achy? No fever, no chills, no flu like symptoms. No rash. No thrush. I have been having migraine and tension like headaches on and off for several days. I have gotten migraines in the past and sometimes I do get headaches, so who knows if this is related. HR was 118 at rest in the ED yesterday. They refused to do blood work because they said I didn’t need it. I was anxious as well. Keep in mind I’m noticing EVERYTHING.
edit I know I need to get tested again (last test was in September and I’ve been dealing with this person since July) and I plan on doing so asap. I’m just looking for reassurance…?

I am a 55yo male. I have had hip pain getting progressively worse for the past 2-3 years. X-rays have been taken and all appears normal. It is a very deep pain, not skin or muscle. Sometimes it feels like I can feel my entire femur all the way to the knee. I do get some minor relief from taking 2 Tylenol Arthritis. I can’t take NSaids due to kidneys. So, with that said, a few weeks ago I got a flu-like illness ( not Covid ). Chills, achy bones and joints, fever about 100.4 on and off for 3 days. Total illness lasted about 6 days. Once I got well from this illness my hip pain was completely gone for the following 2 weeks. It has since returned. My question is, did the fever and inflammation from the flu somehow help my hip pain? I am hoping this info will be a clue to the actual cause of the hip pain. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.

Hi all
Im a 47yo male recently diagnosed nr axspa
A little on my background, i had a significant amount of pain in my left buttock approx 18 months ago prior to that i had a lumber L5S1 herniation 7 years prior
I have probably had very low level back pain since then and always attributed my pain to the back injury
I saw an ortho surgeon on referral who said was not a back issue and MRI showed bilateral sacroillitis and a left hip FAI with pincer deformity and moderate sized labral tear
Cortisone shot sorted the si joint pain down to tolerable levels and doc ? Inflammatory condition, gp was not convinced as i had excellent flexibility, long history of high level sport and pain was low in the morning and got worse as the day progressed
Eventually pain and depression got me and was referred to Rhumy
Im now on cimzia and have no symptoms outside of my left hip and feel really good
Here is my question (sorry it took so long) My left hip is achy in the front, very mild in the morning but over the course of the day gets worse, if i over do it it seems like the si joint gets involved but only with prolonged standing and squatting , if i chill on the couch all day then no si joint pain at all
An exercise physiologist said my left hip has no internal rotation and i cant lift my left knee above my pelvis, yet my other knee can come close to my chin
The hip just feels really stuck !!!
I have a referral to a hip surgeon but i am really interested if this is the usual inflammation pain people with this condition experience or does it sound different
Any insight might just quieten my mind until i see the surgeon
Thank you

I think I might have rebound Covid. Not really sure what to do as far as isolation and masking. Here is an outline of my symptoms and tests:
Day 0: In the evening started feeling tired, weak, and achy.
Day 1: Had chills, very achy, horrible sore throat, fever of 102, headache, mild cough. Overall felt terrible. Took test and was positive. Began isolation.
Day 2: Fever of 100, achy, chills, horrible sore throat, mild cough, mild congestion, headache. Telehealth with doctor. Began Paxlovid.
Day 3: Fever gone, sore throat, severe congestion, mild cough, headache. Took another test and was positive.
Day 4: Felt way better. Sore throat gone, mild congestion, a little tired.
Day 5: Feel almost back to normal. A little tired, headache. Took another test and was positive.
Day 6: A little tired.
Day 7: A little tired, headache. Took another test and was positive. End Paxlovid.
Day 8: Feel completely back to normal.
Day 9: Feel completely back to normal. Took another test and was still positive but line was faint. Ended isolation but continued masking around people.
Day 10: Feel completely back to normal.
Day 11: Feel completely back to normal. Took another test and was still positive but line was very faint.
Day 12: Feel completely back to normal. Took another test thinking it would finally be negative but it was positive and no longer faint. Call doctor and they tell me I shouldn’t have tested after the first positive. They say people can test positive for weeks or months and I could have stopped isolation after day 5 and masking after day 10. They tell me I am no longer contagious.
Day 13: Mild congestion and pressure in chest, cough.
I am currently on Day 13. I’ll take another test tomorrow but I wonder if I should be isolating again. It’s now the weekend so I can’t call the doctor back until Monday. I am supposed to be taking my mom to/from surgery on Monday and then taking care of her. She doesn’t have anyone else to do it but I don’t want to infect her if I’m still contagious or contagious again. I never got a negative test but felt completely fine for 5-6 days and now have symptoms again. What do you all think? Is this rebound Covid? Should I be isolated? Or is continued masking okay?

This is for the nervous peps who want to know as much info as possible. I spent the month before on this sub reading everything. 40, fibroids, no children Was so nervous leading up to the surgery but day of, I was actually more calm than I expected. Surgery went well. My post operative team at the surgery center kinda sucked. Had to ask to pee before I left and had to ask for a pad. I wasn’t in pain, more swollen vagina feeling from the removal. It burned when I went pee. That got better the next few days and AZO pills help a lot. I also had cooling vaginal spray and that felt great after a vaginal removal. Highly recommend! First 24hrs you’re kinda out of it. I took tramadol only twice. Also took ibuprofen and Tylenol every 3 hours on rotation. Did that for 8 days. Did short walks. Drank lots of water. Ate apple sauce with every pill I took. Had high fiber toast and soup most meals. Wore a belly binder 24/7 to help feel more stable! My two small incisions didn’t hurt. My vagina felt swollen for about 5-7 days after. Not painful just awkward. Would get more uncomfortable the more active I was (15+ min walks) Gas pain from surgery went into shoulder at about 24hrs post. Super achy and uncomfortable. Heat was the only help.
Discharge was red for 24 hrs, then pink for probably another few days then brown now it’s white/yellowish and very seldom at 4 weeks. I didn’t have too much cramping that wasn’t controlled by the OTC pain meds.
Getting out of bed got better around day 7. I pooped around the 30hr mark easily no straining (was freaked out about pushing) and continued to poop daily. Lots of water and applesauce. Never took anything for it otherwise. I know I’m an outsider on this. Had all the products ready just didn’t need them. Guessing it’s cause I was off the heavy meds after 24hrs. Around day 8 I went out to lunch. Then 2.5 weeks I drove my car a short distance. Got my haircut at 3 weeks. Went back to work at 4 weeks (active job but with adjustments) Still taking it very easy. Lots of resting when I’m not at work. Never lifted over 5-7 pounds. Tried not to lift anything until week 3. Really played it safe on activities like cleaning! Pretty much just showered, ate, slept and shuffled around to get steps in. Baby the hell out of yourself because you’re healing inside. All in all I’m doing very well and it’s been uneventful this far. Pain has been only a 2-3 at it’s highest and mostly it’s just uncomfortable. Best of luck to all that have theirs coming up! You’re going to do great. Remember to take it easy… rest and just chill even when you are bored and restless. The time will pass regardless and you want to heal as nice as possible.

I apologize for the blocks of text (on mobile) but man this was a rough day. 2u2 is not for the faint of heart when a little sprinkle turns into a monsoon.
For the last couple weeks, the almost 2 yo has been fighting leaving daycare (and throwing tantrums once we've left), waking up in the middle of the night mad as heck for an hour or 2 before passing back out, and being super jealous of his 2mo brother (and throwing tantrums because of it). We're all running a little thin on sleep and sanity but that's parenting. He's also gotten the whole household sick with somthing respiratory this last week- just fun. So the last month ish has been a little oof.
But the babe got his 2 month shots today and it was unpleasant to say the least. The rest of the day was just downhill from here.
Woke up with one boob solid and painful so I did everything I could to release it and it mostly worked just still tender. Get through the babe's appt later on and I get a blood draw while babe is getting shots so I get my temp checked- everything is OK but my boob is aching again even though I've been favoring it today for feeds and pumping. Feed the babe for a quick 10 minutes and it hurts but again not as bad now.
30 mins from appt to pick up the toddler who is throwing a massive tantrum about leaving, screaming the whole way home. I'm starting to feel nauseous, dizzy, a little achy.
40ish mins to get home and I'm out for the count by the time we hit the driveway. Full body aches, massive headache, dizzy and super shaky legs when standing/ walking. I'm not paying attention to the boobs anymore, I'm just ill all around. I've still got a runny nose and now slightly itchy throat from the respiratory thing from the elder child.
Lay down for an hour on a heating pad and wake up to toddler screaming for attention, babe screaming for comfort, and very overwhelmed partner. I take my temp because I've now added hot flashes, cold sweats, shaking, swollen tonsils, whole chest is burning hot and solid, and vomiting (my mouth was doing the water hose thing where I was fighting not to vomit while swallowing a nasty amount of saliva). 100+ fever. In the span of 3 hours, I went from ok and normal temps to achy death. Great.
I'm on the phone with my PCP's hospital to see what the heck is happening, children are screaming like they're dying, it's a mess. I finally convinced partner to take babe for a car ride (partner fought against it for 30 freaking mins but gave in after some choice verbal digs and babe was chilled out- no crying a couple mins in and conked out maybe 10 mins in so 🤷‍♀️ should've just listened and saved us 30 mins of listening to him screaming-plus the name calling but fine. It's fine).
I'm waiting for a call back and, in the 15 mins wait, toddler conks out with me. No struggling, no fits, just flopped onto the bed beside me, grabbed my face and pulled me in so he could get a forehead kiss, and dropped his head on my shoulder- passed out. So freaking cute after being a bit of a monster all evening. Also, he is almost never this sweet with me so it was a little strange but very welcomed (I'm not his favorite parent).
My doc says it sounds like mastitis so he got me the strongest meds allowed according to the super awesome nurse and I'm on a double antibiotic trip for the next week. Woo-hoo.
My first time with mastitis and I freaking QUIT. As soon as babe accepts a bottle, I'm done. Never again. The flu was better than this. My appendix bursting at 7wk preg was better than this. The aftercare after having both my big toenails removed permanently was better than this. My chronic migraines are actually somewhat on par with this so nvm there. This is freaking awful.
Anyone else get mastitis and just nope out of continuing to bf or pump?

Hail, wannabe Adventurers!
One of the oldest guilds on Sporeggar is back with some of their finest members, to share the friendly and totally drama-free environment that made it a legendary place to be since Vanilla.
We are definitely much older now, and just a little bit wiser, however this doesn’t mean we don’t stand in fire at the worst possible moment. It’s almost a requirement to join!
We are currently looking for mature and friendly new guild members, willing to spend some time playing with like-minded people.
To be an Adventurer, you just need to be nice, respectful and a little nerdy.
We love running low and high M+ keys in a chilled, learn-together way.
We also love chasing achies, collectables or just levelling alts for the sake of it.
If you think you fit into the job description, send your application through the in-game Guild Finder with a little side note, or contact your friendly neighbourhood Guild Leader at Kluggar#2379
New and returning players are very welcome here!
See you on Azeroth!

Wanted to share my first experience with the Hawaii Pharm California Poppy tincture today. For anyone on the fence about trying it, it works great so far!
Took 4 dropperfuls around 1 PM today- minutes after it showed up in the mail. Pretty large first dose, but Anthony has shock therapies using this and I was desperate for some pain relief in my back today. I already take all the vimergy stuff. Also worth noting I didn't sleep well last night so I was feeling tired, achy and admittedly a bit cranky for the first half of the day.
Within an hour, I noticed a very relaxed feeling come over my body and mind. Different than lemon balm or Gaba. Mentally I was super chill and no longer annoyed about everything. Physically, my body almost felt numb but in a fun way. If anyone has ever tried Kava and experienced numbing in your mouth, that's basically what this feels like except over the entire body. It’s not freaky or anything. I DO NOT FEEL DROWSY- just content and present. As time has gone on, I'm in a good mood and more enthusiastic doing my job which previously felt like an inconvenience today. My back pain has improved quite a bit and I don't feel any weird aches or anything like I often experience when super tired. All the negative feelings of the day have washed away and i feel enthusiastic with clarity and calm in whatever I choose to do. I could work and stay busy - or I could relax or go to bed without a racing thought or worry. I have a general sense of well being. Even though I can tell I'm still tired from not sleeping, I'm not so focused on all the awful feelings that come with it. Like it's no longer a distraction and I can focus on my work rather than sulk. Haha. I feel confident that taking this before bed could really help promote a good night sleep and I'm excited to try it tonight. For anyone dealing with pain or anxiety this is great! Wish I could better articulate the difference between the calm of this compared to GABA or Lemon Balm since it's definitely different. Curious to hear how others would describe the difference of the mental effects. I expect this to help ADHD significantly based on what I’ve experienced so far. Been a great day! Officially a fan of the California Poppy. 🧡

I 34M and my partner 38F have been together almost 9 years. we live together but are not married. She has a 10 year old son from a previous relationship, ive helped raise him since he was 1 and i consider myself stepdad. bio dad is involved with his son greatly and we all get on, not exactly friends or anything, but theres no bad blood and we all chat when we are together at child drop-offs etc.
Last weekend, Child was off school one one of the days he was with bio dad, a friday, he had a temperature and headache and felt really unwell, we were meant to pick him up after school that day but seeing as he didnt go in, when got him early that day. nobody can look after their child like mum can and this was where child wanted to be. as you may have guessed it, by saturday, we were ALL sick. it was the worst flu any of us had ever had. child had the nasal flu spray at school so wasnt as bad as myself and his mother, which is good, nobody wants him to suffer and luckily hes 10 and quite low maintenance so was easy to take care of whilst we were sick. I had a very bad night on saturday, i woke up trembling so bad that it woke my partner up. i felt SO cold, but when my partner touched me she said i was sweating and warm. she got up (it was 3am at this point) and went downstairs to get me a hot water bottle, she was also ill at this stage too, she was dizzy and severely achy and had so many meds im surprised she even woke up. she went downstairs a 2nd time to get me some medication too, still whilst she was ill herself. i threw up a few times and also i decided to get a bath at 4am, then came back to bed. I was still bad sunday but not like this, monday came, we kept child off school 1 more day then sent him to his bio dads around 6pm. he went back to school the next day. partner was still achy and dizzy but seemed better than saturday. When tuesday came, i asked how she was and she said she had a headache. i told her i was still going to my friends as planned and she should be ok if she just rested. she wasnt happy, she asked why i still want to go when she needs me home to look after her, like she looked after me, i said she cant just drop it on me, but then she reminded me that she mentioned yesterday she will see how she feels but may need me tomorrow (tuesday) she said i go to my friends every week without fail and i should be ok to miss one to help take care of her. I wasnt happy, i really needed this day to just have no responsibilities and have some relax time with my friends, like i do every week. Its a full 12 hour day because the drive there is over an hour, so i may aswell make the drive worth it. i reminded her that she should be fine if she just lay down and rested, and besides, she shouldnt need looking after like she did for me, because she is nowhere near as sick as i was. plus, its her fault we were all sick to begin with, because she brought her sick child into the home and didnt even make him stay in his room. I left the house that morning and returned at 11:30pm, as i do every week.
She has barely spoke to me since then, she says im an asshole, i cared more about going to see the boys (her words) than taking care of her, when i see the boys 52 times a year minimum and she gets sick once or twice a year but i wouldnt miss one. i reminded her that the visit on tuesday had been planned since saturday and i felt like after a stressful weekend i really needed some time to relax and unwind. she was fine while i was gone, so much so that she even did some housework and walked the dogs, so she cant have been that bad. id have been really mad if id have cancelled then it turned out she was well enough to not need looking after. We sometimes have disagreements that happen on the day im going out,, so i asked her in a bit of a mean way 'why do you always wanna cause an argument when im going out', even if shes just mad at something ive caused in the first place. i dont want her to feel silenced, but other than not saying anything, because it escalates, i dont know how to deal with that either, so i guess i saw red when something else seemed to be getting in the way of my weekly chill yet again.
so reddit, AITA here?

Last week Wednesday I missed most of my pumping sessions. Before that, I was often pumping every 4 hours or so because I have both a newborn (7 weeks) and a toddler and I am trying to keep the house nice at the same time. It's really hard to pump on a schedule every 2 to 3 hours with taking care both of them, spending quality time with both, and making sure that everything is in order. And I shudder thinking about what's going happen when I go back to work in about four weeks.
Since Thursday I've been pumping consistently every 3 hours which is the sweet spot for me if I want to be consistent, not go 4 hours, and get a full meal for my newborn. I felt like my supply was decreasing because of all the missed sessions. It's hard but I hate seeing no extra breast milk left in the fridge ahead of a feeding.
Yesterday out of nowhere, I became achy and developed chills. I also had a fever. I slept for two hours here and three hours there. I continued pumping consistently.
I researched if there is a connection between developing symptoms like this and pumping a lot ( I've been pumping more consistently than ever except for when I first came home from the hospital). I found that some people develop flu-like symptoms when they have mastitis. But I don't believe I have it because my breasts don't have clogs. I don't pump in the middle of the night and even though I wake up with my breasts hurting, they always unclog when I pump for a half an hour in the morning.
So are these symptoms related to overpumping or did I just catch something since I often don't go to sleep until midnight or 1 AM and I'm very tired.